3-Centre Tour
Active pace with longer touring days. Expect intermittent walking at a moderate pace for 2–3 hours over a variety of terrain, including cobblestones, hills and uneven pavements. Must be able to negotiate stairs of varying heights, sometimes without handrails. Can tolerate periods of standing during guided tours and be able to climb in/out of various modes of transportation. Some days may include 5–7 km of walking over the course of the day.
We depart for Paris.
We arrive in Paris, and enjoy a short tour of the quaint quarter near our hotel, and free time for lunch. The rest of the day is free until this evening’s Welcome Dinner at a charming Parisian Brasserie.
Our full-day panoramic tour will show us the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Opera, the “Left Bank”, Notre Dame Cathedral, Champs Elysees, Montmartre and much more.
We leave the city for the splendour of Versailles. Created by the Sun King, Louis XIV, the palace was the envy of all European rulers. We will have a guided tour and a chance to stroll through the meticulous, statue-lined gardens, before returning to Paris. Afternoon at leisure to explore Paris on our own.
A day at leisure. Your Tour Manager will be on hand to advise and assist you with the infinite choice of attractions and museums. Tonight’s dinner will be followed by a cruise along the Seine River, a wonderful way to see the illumination of Paris.
We travel aboard the high-speed TGV train, the fastest scheduled rail journey in the world! Upon arrival in Avignon, we enjoy a walking tour and visit the Pont (bridge) d’Avignon and the Palace of the Popes— an imposing Gothic structure and city landmark.
This full-day tour in the heart of Provence begins in the pretty village of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, with its Roman vestiges. Next is Les Baux-de-Provence, magnificently situated amidst incredible rock formations. Here we will enjoy an outstanding audio-visual show which will totally immerse us in the images. Finally, we proceed to Arles—a city of art and culture. On our walking tour of Arles we see the charming old town, Van Gogh’s famous “café de la nuit” and visit the Roman coliseum and theatre. There will be free time before returning to Avignon.
At leisure to enjoy Avignon’s pleasant streets and interesting museums, or perhaps visit nearby Aix-en-Provence.
We travel to the Luberon and discover, scattered across the countryside, the wonderful villages classified as “the most beautiful villages of France”. See Gordes—a hill top village with narrow alleys and passageways that wind between medieval buildings, Bonnieux— which offers spectacular views of the countryside, Roussillon—with its ochre landscape and Coustellet for a most interesting visit of the lavender museum.
This morning we discover the famous Pont du Gard. Built by the Romans, it was a technical and artistic masterpiece ahead of its time. Then we travel through the countryside and vineyards to Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a vineyard visit and tasting. We return to Avignon for an afternoon at leisure.
Today we travel to the French Riviera with a stop in quaint St-Tropez enroute. This one time fishing village has become a fashionable resort frequented by writers, artists and celebrities. After some time on our own to stroll the charming old town and lively harbour, we continue our journey along the Côte d’Azur to the elegant city of Nice.
Our city tour takes in the Promenade des Anglais, Cimiez Quarter and Convent Gardens. We will also see Nice’s old town with its flower market, City Hall and pedestrian streets lined with shops and cafes. Afternoon at leisure.
We drive along the rugged and scenic Mediterranean coast to the medieval town of Eze, which offers one of the most beautiful panoramas of the French Rivera. Then we continue on to Monaco where we visit the historic core (known as The Rock), see the Changing of the Guards and the Prince’s Palace. After some free time here we visit Monte Carlo with its lush gardens and famous casino.
At leisure to enjoy Nice’s pedestrian streets or lively waterfront, or perhaps visit nearby Cannes or another resort town on the Riviera. This evening is our Farewell Dinner.
We say “au revoir” to France and fly home from Nice, via Paris
You may cancel your tour up to 60 days prior to departure (90 days prior for tours requiring a visa, cruises or rail journeys) for any reason, and receive a full refund of your deposit / payment (less the $75 administration fee).
Cancellation & trip interruption insurance included!
Included in the cost of your tour is our Cancellation Insurance Policy, which provides coverage in case of emergency injury or illness (including Covid), right up to your date of departure (terms and conditions apply).
Our Manulife Out-of-Country Health Insurance Plan covers expenses related to Trip Interruption in case of emergency injury or illness. For tours within Canada, Senior Discovery Tours will cover such expenses (terms and conditions apply to all policies).
