10-Day Grand Tour of Enchanting Southern France
Visit Nice, Monte Carlo (Monaco), Cannes, Marseille, Avignon, Nimes, Carcassonne, Toulouse, Arcachon Bay, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion, Paris
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US West office:877-895-7988
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Region | Europe - Western Europe | --> -->
Tour Code | USF10 |
Departure Dates | See Calendar below |
per person $ 2699 Up |
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Room type | per person |
Highlights
- The tour let you indulge in the natural beauty, glorious history and extravagant luxury of Southern France and its little neighbor Monaco.
- Exceptional experience in stimulating your sense of smell through a visit to Fragonard Parfumeur while unveiling its brilliant history and story of success over the past hundred years, and learn about the production of renowned French perfume.
- Visit the world’s second smallest country located on the French Riviera Monaco, admire the magnificent traffic jam scenes filling with endless expensive cars and the fascinating architectures and mansions everywhere in this top luxurious country.
- Travel over Cannes, the world famous host city of annual Cannes Film Festival and the paradise to the superstars and celebrities. See whether you will spot them when stroll on its stunning waterfront avenue…
- Delight in the charming panoramic views of the city of Marseille at the observatory deck of Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde at the highest point of the city.
- Explore Saint Emilion in depth, the oldest wine city in Bordeaux region, learn about the production of the world famous Bordeaux wine and enjoy some tasting.
- Take TGV high-speed train from Bordeaux to Paris, saving you 7 hours transfer time at our cost
- Include 7 dinners with variety of authentic French cuisine, including seafood pasta, Marseille style fish soup and roasted chicken, French stew (Cassoulet), steak paired with local red wine, etc.
- Accommodate at convenient 4-star upscale hotels with daily breakfast. Tour starts at Nice and ends at Paris, where we will stay at same hotels for 2 nights for your ease and comfort.
- Admissions and transfer included: (1) Palai des Papes, (2) Pont du Gard, (3) Wine Tasting Tour, (4) TGV high-speed train Bordeaux-Paris.
Nice: A beautiful coastal city located on the French Riviera in the south of Prvence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region offers year-round pleasant Mediterranean climate, exceptional shoreline landscapes and impressive blend of urban and seaside, this city has well developed economy with several business parks housing many businesses primarily in technology and innovations, gaining its reputation of the Silicon Valley of France. Earned the UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2021 as "Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera". Monaco: The second smallest country in the world that was once on the verge of bankruptcy has been promoted to the country with the most billionaires upon its prosperous development of gambling business. Due to zero income tax policy, it's renowned as one of the world's most notorious tax havens and a playground for the rich. Their fascinating casinos, mega mansions, luxury yachts, F1 racing lanes are must-see attractions in Monaco.
Cannes: A regional city on the French Riviera with the second highest population in Prvence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region after Nice, is well known for its mild Mediterranean climate and stunning landscapes, and being the host city of annual Cannes Film Festival and several world-class conferences. La Croisette: A 2km-long picturesque waterfront avenue with palm trees, stretching along the coastline of Cannes, where the Cannes Film Festival is held and is filled with plenty of expensive shops, gourmet restaurants and lavish hotels. Listed in the cultural heritage general inventory of France.
Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde: Representing the symbol of the city of Marseille, this Roman Catholic basilica has over 800 years of pilgrimage and offers a breathtaking view of the entire city as it stands on the highest hill near the Old Port. It consists of 2 parts: a lower church in Romanesque style and the upper church in Neo-Byzantine style decorated with mosaics. The golden statue of the Mary on top of the 41m tall bell tower can be seen anywhere in the city. Palais Longchamp: A grand palace locating in the 4th arrondissement of Marseille consists of 3 parts: the main hall created to celebrate the construction of Canal de Marseille, the east wing is an art gallery while the west wing is a museum of natural history. In front of the palace is a fountain with a group of sculptures of 4 bulls and 3 women representing the Durance River (a major river flowing to Marseille), Vine and Wheat. Pont Saint Benezet: This famous medieval bridge is Avignon's most famous and iconic landmark, seen on every postcard. It was built in the 12th century and was originally about 900 meters long, spanning the Rhone River. However, it collapsed and was rebuilt many times due to frequent flooding. After the devastating flood of 1668, this stone bridge was severely washed away and could no longer reach the other side. Only 4 of the original 22 arches have been preserved and have become one of the popular tourist attractions. We will experience its history and the stunning scenery from the top of the bridge. Palai des Papes: A historic palace in Avignon, Southern France is one of the largest and most significant medieval Gothic architecture in Europe. It was once a fortress and the Popes’ residence during the 14th century. With a large convention hall, the Palace is now served as a venue of many important conferences and exhibitions. With many architectural merits, it is also one of the top ten most visited tourist attractions in France. It was recognized, along with the historic centre of Avignon, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
Pont du Gard: An ancient Roman aqueduct bridge with history dating back 40 centuries ago comprises three tiers of arches made of limestone and stands 49m high and 275m wide (the top tier). Due to its outstanding ancient architectural design and being one of the world’s exceptional best-preserved examples of Roman ingenuity, the Pont du Gard is one of the only sites to be awarded both the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Grand Site de France labels. Carcassonne: A fortified city in the region of Occitanie consisting of two outer walls with 53 towers possessed strategic importance since Roman Empire. Added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997, it relies heavily on tourism while winemaking and manufacturing are also its key economic sectors.
Arcachon Bay: A delightful bay lying along the southeast coast of France in Aquitane region, where the freshwater from Garonne River interacts with the salty water of Atlantic Ocean, providing the most favourable environment for oyster farming. With the best oyster harvests in France, Arcachon Bay is therefore named “Home of Oysters”. Definitely a perfect place for dreamy beaches and creamy oysters! Dune of Pilat: The tallest sand dune in Europe, it is currently 106m high and stretching 3km long and 500m wide. Located at the southern entrance of the Arcachon basin, this fore-dune is constantly moving few meters landward annually and gradually reclaiming the pine forest under the forces of the wind and tide. It is a top-rated tourist spot for paragliding and panoramic views of the exceptional landscapes of the basin. Bordeaux: A port city on Garonne River in south-western France is best known as “World Capital of Wine”, as well as “City of French Arts and History” as it embraces many historical structures. It has become the political centre of the region since Roman times, and transformed to one of the typical industrial and commercial bourgeois cities in France after making its fortune from modern black slave and wine trade. It was awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site status as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble". Place des Quinconces: This 31-acres city square in Bordeaux is one of the largest in Europe, with impressive monuments and fountains. It was established in 1820 on the site of Chateua Trompette for preventing against rebellion attack to the city. Its name came from the geometric pattern that the trees of the square are arranged (quincunxes). Le Grand Theatre: An opera house in Bordeaux, first inaugurated on 17 April 1780. The famous ballet “La fille mal gardee” was premiered there. This theatre was designed by French architect Victor Louis as a temple of arts and lights in neoclassical style with 12 colossal columns supporting 12 statues of goddesses at the entrance hall. The painting on the ceiling of the auditorium pays attributes to the arts, to the artisans who built the theatre, and to the city of Bordeaux.
Saint Emilion: A medieval city located at the crossroads of Bordeaux, Saintonge and Périgord in southwest France is one of the major red wine areas of Bordeaux. With history back to prehistoric times, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with captivating Romanesque churches and ruins stretching along steep and narrow streets.
Palace of Versailles: The former hunting lodge and principal royal residence of France since Louis XIII was built in Baroque style with golden, blue and pinky orange as major color tones and houses many bedrooms, gardens, art galleries, debate hall, theatre, conference rooms, etc. This luxury palace is currently a national museum with collection of over 60,000 works to dedicate the glories of France, making it one of the most popular tourists’ attractions in the world. The Palace and its park were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.
After breakfast, transfer to airport for return flight to hometown.