Sample "Art Lovers" France Tour 2010
We also organize "a la carte" groups to Italy, Spain, Portugal.
ALL YEAR ROUND A LA CARTE DEPARTURES
FOR ESTABLISHED GROUPS WITH A MINIMUM OF 20 PARTICIPANTS
(6 MONTHS ADVANCE PLANNING MINIMUM)
 

SAMPLE TOUR FOR YOUR GROUP NEEDS.
Visit France at a leisurely pace, on the foot-steps of the Impressionists

*****one free organizer sharing a room for 20 paying participants*****

INCLUSIVE TOUR RATE FOR THESE UNIQUE EXCLUSIVE TOURS :
(TRANSATLANTIC AIR FARES NOT INCLUDED) PLEASE CHECK WITH US FOR BEST AIR FARES

ONE FREE ORGANIZER FOR THE LAND PACKAGE
*RATES BASED ON 2 PEOPLE SHARING A ROOM

YOU MAY CHOOSE FROM EITHER PARIS AND NORMANDY or PROVENCE AND RIVIERA or COMBINATION OF PARIS NORMANDY PROVENCE RIVIERA

General conditions and payments: please contact us at 1 800 553-5090

You may choose any date in 2010 or 2011 for your art group.

Day 1 -Home to Paris.

Departure from your hometown for overnight transatlantic flight to Paris.

Day 2 - PARIS.

Welcome at the airport by your art conference guide who will be with you for the whole trip.1/2 DAY Paris orientation tour:Opera, Madeleine, Concorde square, Champs elysees, Arc of triumph, Eiffel tower, Pantheon, Notre Dame, City Hall.
Installation at Hotel Saint James and Albany ( 4 stars deluxe, next to the Louvre). Lunch at leisure.
Afternoon overview with Seine River cruise.
Orientation dinner in nearby typical restaurant.
Overnight Paris

Day 3 - Impressionist Paris.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Special day tour of places painted by Impressionists in Paris: Pont des Arts (Signac, Renoir)
Quai du Louvre (Monet), Saint Germain l'Auxerrois church (Monet), Pont Neuf (Renoir, Monet, Pissarro), Notre Dame (Jongkind), Pont Marie (Guillaumin), Boulevard Clichy (Van Gogh, Signac)
Lunch in Montmartre at Mere Catherine restaurant.
Special impressionists Montmartre Tour: Moulin de la Galette (Signac, Van Gogh),
Montmartre gardens (Van Gogh), Rue Saint Rustique (Utrillo).
On the way back to the hotel, Boulevard des Italiens (Caillabotte, Pissaro). Trinite Square (Renoir), Saint Lazare railroad station (Monet), Concorde square (Degas), Tuileries gardens (Manet, Pissaro, Monet)
Dinner and evening at leisure. Overnight Hotel Saint James and Albany, a 4 stars traditional hotel with pool and spa, next to the Louvre.

Day 4 - Marmottan Museum and Orangerie.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Today you will be able to compare the painter's masterpieces with the real scenes you will experience along the trip. Morning tour of Marmottan Museum hosting the paintings from Monet's son collection.
Lunch at leisure.
Afternoon tour of the Orangerie, just reopened, hosting the most beautiful paintings of Giverny's lily pond.
Dinner at Altitude 95 restaurant on the Eiffel Tower with exceptional view of Paris by night.
Overnight Hotel Saint James and Albany, a 4 stars traditional hotel with pool and spa, next to the Louvre.

Day 5- Paris Auvers - Orsay Museum.

Morning: breakfast at the hotel.
On to Northern Ile de France (northwest of Paris)
In Auvers (where Van Gogh spent the last months of his life) treat yourself to a laser show entitled:
"Voyage to the times of Impressionists"
Visit of Auberge Ravoux nicknamed House of Van Gogh.
Lunch at leisure.

Back to Paris. Lecture tour of impressionists rooms at Orsay Museum, where many of the scenes we have discovered live will be reflected on canvas.

Dinner at leisure. Overnight Paris.
Overnight Hotel Saint James and Albany, a 4 stars traditional hotel with pool and spa, next to the Louvre.

Day 6 - Giverny, Rouen, Honfleur.

Breakfast at your hotel.
Tour of Giverny's Monet house and gardens, with the famous water lily pond, which is an irresistible live illustration of the painter's understanding of the light and water reflections.
Tour of the American Art Museum, in Giverny, founded by Terra a great lover of impressionist painting, with interesting works of American Impressionists who got attracted by the Normandy light. Lunch at leisure in Rouen.
Train tour of this medieval city, which was a source of inspiration for Pissarro and Monet. Lecture on Monet's. Rouen cathedral paintings: he painted it 30 times from different locations, at different times of the day and during different seasons, therefore pursuing the color effects of lights and shades on its facade.
On to Honfleur for dinner and overnight at Clos St Gatien, a charming Norman half-timbered auberge.

Day 7 - Normandy.

Breakfast at Clos Saint Gatien.
Free time in typical fishermen village of Honfleur, hometown of Eugene Boudin who convinced young Monet to move from people sketching to real painting. Tour of EUGENE Boudin Museum featuring works of Boudin and the so- called "Seine river Estuary painters".
Free time for lunch. On to Bayeux for tour of the unique 11th century Tapestry, relating live in over 50 scenes the invasion of England by William the conqueror.
Gourmet Dinner and Overnight at Ferme de la Ranconniere, a traditional medieval Norman fortified farmhouse.

Day 8 - Normandy beaches.

Breakfast at Ferme de la Ranconniere.
Day tour of Normandy invasion beaches: Arromanches artificial harbor, American Cemetery, Omaha beach, Cap du Hoc cliffs and German bunkers, Utah beach
Lunch at leisure.
Dinner and overnight Ferme de la Rançonniere.

Day 9 - Mont St Michel - Paris.

Breakfast at the hotel. Tour of Mont St Michel, one the world's marvels. Lunch at leisure.
. On to Paris for overnight at the 4 **** Pullman Hotel in CDG Airport.

Day 10 -Paris Home -

Breakfast at the hotel. Flight back home.

Paris Aix en provence
Upon arrival at Paris airport train ticket for bullet train to Aix en Provence with private transfer to Hotel du Roi René a 4 star Hotel in the heart of Aix en Provence where you'll meet the group at night for dinner. (Day at leisure in aix)

DAY 9 -. Mont St Michel - Aix en Provence

Breakfast at the hotel. Tour of MONT ST MICHEL. Lunch at leisure. - On to Paris for bullet train to Aix en Provence.
Orientation Dinner and overnight at Hotel du Roi René a 4 star Hotel in the heart of Aix en Provence

Day 10 - Antiques and Aix en Provence.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning tour to Isle sur la Sorgue Antique market.
Lunch at leisure.
Afternoon tour in Aix on the footsteps of Cézanne with visit to his studio and overview of museum Granet hosting eight of his paintings.
Dinner and Overnight Hotel Hotel du Roi René a 4 star Hotel in the heart of Aix en Provence

Day 11 - St Rémy-Les Baux-Avignon

Breakfast at the Hotel.
On to Saint Remy where Van Gogh painted some of his best works (250 paintings and drawings) while staying at the local psychiatric hospital, a former monastery. Tour of the hospital with Van Gogh's room. Visit of the sites of Van Gogh's inspiration:
Olive trees, Saint Remy's mountain…
Stop at the Roman arches on the scenic road south.
Tour of Les Baux, an impressive ghost castle set on a rock spur from which you will embrace a view of the whole region. Laser show in the old quarries.
On to Avignon for
Dinner and overnight at Relais et Chateau le Prieure, in Villeneuve les Avignon.

Day 12 - Van Gogh's Arles.
Breakfast at the Hotel
Morning tour of the palace of the Popes.
Afternoon tour of Arles where Van Gogh settled when he was 35 years old.
Tour of Ste Trophyme Romanesque church and cloister. Tour of roman arenas.
Lecture tour of Van Gogh's Arles with the famous drawbridge
Dinner at leisure in Villeneuve les Avignon.
Overnight Hotel d'Europe in Avignon 4 stars Hotel where many stars and famous people stayed.

Day 13 - Provence - Riviera.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning boat excursions along the dramatic inlets' of Cassis on the Mediterranean coast.
Seafood lunch. On to l'Estaque with its sea scenes painted by Cézanne who spent a lot of time in this area. Renoir, Derian, Braque were also inspired by its scenery.
On to St Tropez along the coast through the beautiful harbor city of Marseille.
Dinner and overnight at The Bailli de Suffren Hotel, right on the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 14 - Saint tropez.

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure to enjoy the beach.
Afternoon excursion to St Tropez.Its typical Mediterranean harbor scenes inspired Signac, Bonnard, Seurat, Dufy, Matisse, Pissarro, Sisley.Tour of Annonciade Museum located in an 17th century chapel and hosting works of Seurat, Signac, Derain, Wlaminck, Matisse, Bonnard, Vuillard, Braque.
Dinner at leisure in St Tropez. Overnight le Bailli de Suffren

Day 15 - Nice.Vence.St Paul.Grasse.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Onto Nice, along the scenic coastal road. Lunch at leisure. In Vence's medieval old town. Tour of Matisse chapel, considered as its artistic final gift to humanity
On to St Paul de Vence for an insider's tour of the Maeght foundation, this unique temple dedicated to modern art, hosting works of Calder, Miro, and Giacometti.Tour of a perfume factory in Grasse.
Special Gala dinner at Auberge de la Vignette Haute, a medieval Inn, perched in the heights of Cannes.
Overnight Hotel West End, along the Promenade des Anglais.

Day 16 - MATISSE MUSEUM- MONACO.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning flower market in Nice. Tour of Matisse Museum. Lunch at leisure. On to Monaco through the scenic middle corniche road overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Tour of the Prince's palace and the old town. Free time for lunch and at the casino.
Back to Nice. . Dinner and evening at leisure.
Overnight Hotel West End

Day 17 - Back home.

Early Breakfast at the hotel. and
Transfer to Nice airport for flight back home.

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