Images of Provence & the Cote d'Azur

Day 1: Villefranche-sur-Mer

Your trip starts today in the seaside hamlet of Villefranche-sur-Mer. Whilst at your discretion, we recommend arriving and departing by train where possible within Europe due to this method of transport's minimal carbon emissions. Villefranche-sur-Mer is located on the coast, about 6 kilometres east of the city of Nice. Villefranche-sur-Mer is a delightful village that was founded in the 13th century and has retained its picturesque charm down the years. Its buildings are painted in warm pastel colours that face out upon the crisp blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. No activities are planned this afternoon so you may arrive at any time. Please make your own way to our centrally-located joining hotel (details are in your travel documents). In the evening we meet our tour leader and our fellow travelling companions at a Welcome Meeting (this is usually at 6pm, but you will be advised as to the exact time and place on a notice, located near the reception of our hotel), where we are given a briefing on what lies ahead on our tour. Afterwards we head out in the evening for an included dinner in a restaurant beside Villefranche-sur-Mer's harbour. Meals included: 1 dinner

Day 2: St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat - Villefranche-sur-Mer

After breakfast we walk directly out from our hotel to beautiful St Jean de Cap Ferrat. We walk on a pleasant coastal footpath around the peninsula that is speckled with pine and eucalyptus trees, small sandy beaches, meandering creeks, small picturesque ports and early 20th century villas containing magnificent gardens…beautiful! We enjoy a flavoursome picnic lunch along the way and there will be opportunities for a swim as well. The warm climate in this niche on the French Riviera has made it a favourite holiday destination amongst European aristocracy and international millionaires for centuries. This geographic area was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia (now ruled by Italy) until 1860 when the County of Nice was finally ceded by treaty to France. This coincided with the time when the peninsula became a magnet for royalties and wealthy visitors alike. In 1905 Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild chose Cap-Ferrat to build an opulent and exquisite Tuscan-style palazzo, now known as Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. A true highlight for us today is our included visit to the villa and a walk around its impeccable gardens, including a Japanese garden and a splendid rose garden. Our walk ends back in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, another aristocratic vacation resort, before we take a short train ride back to Villefranche-sur-Mer. (3 hours walking/10km) Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch

Day 3: Menton - St Agnes - Gorbio - Villefranche-sur-Mer

After breakfast, short train ride along the dazzling Mediterranean coastline takes us from Villefranche-sur-Mer to Menton (30 mins). In Menton we catch a short scenic bus ride up into the foothills for the start of our walk for today that takes us between the restful hamlets of St Agnes and Gorbio. We walk on a series of cultivated terraces, which at one time were used for growing olive trees, grape vines and fig trees, en route to Gorbio. After time to explore pretty Gorbio, we catch a local bus to visit Menton. This city has been called the most beautiful town on the French Riviera and boasts a warm microclimate that is favourable to lemon, tangerine and orange groves. It was under the ownership of the Grimaldi family up until 1848 before breaking away from the principality of Monaco and officially becoming part of France in 1861. Today Menton is popular vacation spot for the well-heeled and a highly appropriate place for us to indulge in 'people-watching' before returning to Villefranche-sur-Mer. (2½ hours walking/5km) Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch

Day 4: Nice - Aix-en-Provence

After breakfast we take a local bus from Villefranche to Nice (7 min) and enjoy the morning sightseeing on a walking tour of Nice's old centre, including its maze of staircases and lanes, fine Baroque churches, bustling flower market and the famous Promenade des Anglais. Nice’s Old Quarter is a warren of alleyways, boutique shops, cafes and restaurants awaiting discovery. After our exploration we have free time for lunch; perhaps you might pick up some fresh local fare and head across to the buzz of activity that is the Promenade des Anglais - a hot spot for street theatre, locals artists, 'beautiful’ people and visitors alike. In the afternoon we transfer by private taxi, travelling through the heartland that has always attracted Impressionist painters, to the centre of exquisite Aix-en-Provence – a journey of two-and-a-quarter hours. We then enjoy a walk in the heart of this most ‘Parisian’ of cities, with its wide boulevards, shady squares, enticing cafes and also being the former home of the artist, Paul Cézanne. We enjoy an included dinner tonight in a fine local restaurant. Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 dinner

Day 5: Lac Zola - Aix-en-Provence

After breakfast we enjoy free time to wander around Aix-en-Provence's impressive morning market - a wonderful introduction for many into the sights, smells and sounds of typically bustling French produce market. You can buy what you need for your picnic lunch for today's walk. Aix-en-Provence (‘Aquae Sextiae’ in Latin) was founded in 122 BC and was named for its thermal springs that are remarkable for their impressive heat as well as for containing healing properties in the form of lime and carbonic acid. Aix-en-Provence is often referred to as the ‘city of a thousand fountains’ and includes a hot-water fountain that dates back to 1734 and is covered in moss due to its constant 35°C (93°F) water temperature. Possessing a relaxing ambiance Aix-en-Provence's streets and parks are all well laid out. Cours Mirabeau, a wide thoroughfare that is planted with double rows of plane trees, bordered by fine houses and decorated by fountains, divides the town into two sections with the old town lying to the north. This is the most interesting part of Aix-en-Provence with wide but irregular streets and fine old mansions dating back to the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Along this avenue we also find Les Deux Garçons (‘the two boys’), the most famous café in the city. Built in 1792, it has been frequented by the likes of Cézanne and Ernest Hemingway. During the middle of the morning we transfer to the start of our walk - a scenic pathway along the foot of the white-peaked Sainte Victoire, where Cézanne walked, mused and painted. We then stroll through pine forests to the lapping waters of Lake Zola, where we enjoy our picnic lunch. It is still likely that we may encounter some artists working with their easels in this ethereal countryside. A short climb leads us to a rim above the deep valley, where the views extend over a countryside draped in thyme and rosemary, with the imposing mountain of Sainte Victoire just a stone’s throw away. After our walk we are transferred 10 minutes back to Aix-en-Provence for an afternoon at leisure. (2½ hours walking/6 km) Meals included: 1 breakfast

Day 6: Les Baux de Provence - Arles

After breakfast we transfer to the Alpilles Mountains (literally meaning ‘baby Alps’), a small range of abrupt limestone crags carpeted with sparse pine, aromatic herbs and wild flowers. Perched above an otherwise flat Rhône Valley, the views are jaw-dropping with the vast plains of the Camargue to the south, a glimpse of the Mediterranean Sea and, to the north, the many villages that dot the plains with the famous Mont Ventoux providing a backdrop. After an hour's stroll along the crest, the medieval village of Les Baux appears with its grey stone buildings huddled in tight formation below the ruins of its imposing castle and the whole lot hovering dizzyingly above the plains. We enjoy our picnic lunch by a centuries-old limestone quarry before exploring the 1000 year-old village of Les Baux, with its narrow cobbled streets and medieval buildings. Afterwards we enjoy some free time in a little-known café that has been run by the same family for 400 years - the perfect place to sit and admire this stunning site. We then transfer for 15 minutes to Arles where we discover in Vincent van Gogh's second home the city's Roman legacy and its rich historical heritage. What could be more perfect than a coffee or 'pastis' in one of the lively cafes that once paid host to famous painter. We enjoy a final group dinner in a local restaurant – a perfect way to bid each other ‘bon voyage’! (2 hours walking/5 km) Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Day 7: Arles

Our trip ends after breakfast in Arles. Arles is connected by rail to a number of other destinations in France including Nimes (30min), Montpellier (1hr), Marseille (40min), Avignon (20min) and TGV direct services to Paris (4hrs). For those wanting to spend more time in Arles to further explore this fascinating town, additional nights’ accommodation can be booked at the same time you book this tour. Meals included: 1 breakfast