Trafalgar > The French Escapade

The French Escapade
12 Days starting from $2,050

Countries Visited:
France, Monaco

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Length: 12 Days
Type: Winter 2009
Category: Regional
Operator: Trafalgar
Tour Code: WFES
   
 
About This Tour


Cities Visited:
Annecy, Aix-em-Provence, Grasse, St Paul, Nice, Monte Carlo, Cannes, St Tropez, Marseille, Arles, Avignon, Chateauneuf, Lyon, Beaune, Paris

 
  • What's Included
  • Itinerary
  • Dates & Prices
  • Sightseeing
  • Details
  • SPECIALS

Sightseeing Highlights
  • Annecy: Orientation of the mountain-ringed, lakeside town.
  • Aix-en-Provence: Visit the Cours Mirabeau and Place de la Rotonde.
  • Grasse: Visit the Fragonard Perfumery in the old town.
  • St Paul de Vence: Visit of this picturesque ‘perched village’.
  • Nice: Drive along the Promenade des Anglais and see the Place Massena.
  • Monte Carlo: Excursion Visit one of the casinos.
  • Cannes: Drive along the Croisette.
  • St Tropez: Cruise from St. Maxime (weather permitting).
  • Marseille: Visit Notre Dame de la Garde.
  • Arles: See the Roman Arena.
  • Avignon: Orientation includes the Papal Palace.
  • Chateauneuf du Pape: Wine tasting.
  • Lyon: Orientation includes Place Bellecour and the Old Town.
  • Beaune: Enjoy the colourful market.
  • Paris: Ascend to the second level of the Eiffel Tower by elevator.

Dining Highlights
  • 1 Welcome Drink with your Tour Director in Paris.
  • 10 hot buffet breakfasts on tour.
  • 4 three-course dinners.
  • Farewell Dinner with wine in Paris.

First Class Travel Highlights
  • First Class hotel accommodation includes twin-bedded rooms with private facilities, all hotel service charges and tips, baggage handling fees and local taxes.
  • Touring by luxury air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and a washroom onboard.
  • Paris Airport transfers are provided on Days 1 and 11.
  • Professional, multi-lingual Tour Director on tour.
  • Orientation/Sightseeing in Annecy, Grenoble, Aix-en-Provence, Nice, St. Tropez, Marseille, Arles, Avignon, Lyon, Beaune and Paris.
  • A stylish wallet, tour documents and map book journal.

Airport Transfers
Transfers on arrival at Paris Airport will operate at 08.30, 11.00 and 13.30. Passengers arriving later should make their own way to the first hotel. Return transfers from the last hotel will arrive at Paris Airport at 08.00 and 11.30.
  • London Gateway: Trafalgar passengers purchasing either “Land Only” or “Land and Air” will receive Hotelink transfers during published hours of operation. This is providing that:
  • Passengers are staying at a London hotel, booked by Trafalgar on the night of their arrival and the night before their departure.
  • Passengers or their Travel Agents supply Trafalgar with accurate flight information not less than 21 days prior to departure.
  • European Gateways: Trafalgar passengers purchasing “Land Only” will receive coach transfers at the times published in the brochure at NO extra charge. However, if these “Land Only” passengers arrive outside the brochure advertised coach transfer times they must make their own arrangements at their own expense.
  • Passengers purchasing “Land and Air” from Trafalgar will receive coach transfers at times published in the brochure or, if they arrive outside of these set times, then a separate transfer will be booked for them. These transfers will be available only on the days of arrival and departure of the tour.
  • Passengers purchasing pre and post tour accommodation must arrange their own transfers regardless of whether or not they have bought “Air” from Trafalgar.
  • Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight flight to Paris.


  • Day 2 - Arrive Paris Trafalgar welcomes you at Charles de Gaulle Airport and you are transferred to your hotel. Time to unwind after your flight and later perhaps browse the stalls of the ‘bouquinistes’ (booksellers) along the banks of the Seine River. Later we will meet with our Tour Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Drink - a great way to start our tour!

    Hotel: Hilton la Defense


  • Day 3 - Paris – Annecy After breakfast we leave the French capital to drive southwards, passing by the magnificent forests of Fontainebleau and the rich rolling farmland of the region of Auxerre. Then through the vine-clad hills of Burgundy we drive through the Jura Mountains to the Alps and to the charming town of Annecy. Located at the northern end of one of the most beautiful lakes in the French Alps, we will have time to explore the town’s narrow arcaded streets, stroll along quiet canals flowing between tall houses with decorative balconies. Our Tour Director will point out to us the massive Château d’Annecy, former residence of the Counts of Geneva, and wherever you look you will see the majestic, snow-capped Alps soaring above and reflected in the glassy waters of the lake. A little corner of paradise where tonight we will enjoy dinner at our hotel. (Buffet Breakfast)

    Hotel: Novotel Atria Centre


  • Day 4 - Annecy – Chartreuse – Grenoble – Aix-en-Provence This morning a beautiful drive takes us along the mountain valleys, which border the vast winter sports region for which France is renowned worldwide. Our route also takes us past the Chartreuse massif where the Carthusian monks have produced their powerful alcoholic elixir for more than three centuries. We pass the University and Olympic city of Grenoble and then we cross the magnificent mountain pass, which will take us towards Sisteron on the Route Napoleon (weather conditions permitting). In the shadow of the Lure Mountain we join the highway and are soon in the old Roman city of Aix-en-Provence. A vibrant student city, Aix is abundant in elegant 19th century architecture, café-filled traffic free squares, naturally steaming warm water fountains and wonderful shops and boutiques. For all these reasons it is without doubt, Frances’ most popular provincial city! Orientation will show us the Place de la Rotonde and the Cours Mirabeau. Why not take a walk in the footsteps of Paul Cezanne - the impressionist painter who, along with many others, lived and worked here due to the perfect quality of light. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)

    Hotel: Novotel Aix Beaumanoir


  • Day 5 - Aix-en-Provence – St. Paul de Vence – Nice (2 nights) Then we continue to Grasse, where we stop to visit the Fragonard Perfumery – a lovely 19th century building set in the heart of the old town. We continue on to St. Paul de Vence – a medieval hilltop town, filled with art galleries and handicraft shops, as well as the homes of the rich and famous! Finally, we reach the Mediterranean coast and the palm-fringed city of Nice – the perfect place to escape the cold of winter and enjoy the kind and pleasant climate of the Mediterranean (Buffet Breakfast)

    Hotel: Boscolo Park


  • Day 6 - Nice orientation and excursion to Monte Carlo Nice in winter is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets and with Trafalgar you will have the time and help of your Tour Director to make the most of it. Orientation includes the Promenade des Anglais, Place Massena and the Old Town. Then this evening we will enjoy a scenic drive to glamorous Monte Carlo where we’ll have the chance to ‘break the bank’ in one of the famous casinos! (Buffet Breakfast)



  • Day 7 - Nice – Cannes – St. Tropez – Marseille Cameras at the ready for a day of astounding scenery and impressive sights including a Hidden Treasure! First a drive along the coast brings us to the sophistication of Cannes where we will see the many ‘hotel-palaces’, the palm-lined Boulevard de la Croisette and the Film Festival Centre. Admire the yachts in the marina before continuing to Ste. Maxime where we will take the local boat service across to St. Tropez (weather permitting), the resort made famous by Brigitte Bardot. Later we drive on to Hyeres overlooking the so-called ‘Iles d’Or’ (Golden Isles), and past the pretty resorts of Bandol and La Ciotat to Marseille – today France’s second largest city. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)

    Hotel: Mercure Marseille Prado


  • Day 8 - Marseille sightseeing – Arles – Avignon Our guide who is an expert on its history and recent booming development, brings Marseille to life for us. We will drive along the Corniche road for spectacular views of the Mediterranean, stop at Notre Dame de la Garde for breathtaking views over the city, and visit the recently refurbished Town Hall district and the charming old port with its many restaurants and fishing boats. Leaving Marseille we head to the old Roman city of Arles to see the splendour of the Romanesque architecture at the Cathedral of St. Trophime, to see the Roman arena and the Café La Nuit depicted in Van Gogh’s famous painting. Then on to Avignon where our orientation highlights the monumental architecture of the 14th century Palace of the Popes, the famous broken bridge of ‘Sur le pont’ fame and the bustling Place de l’Horloge. We have time to explore the old town before we enjoy dinner in our hotel. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)

    Hotel: Mercure Cite des Papes


  • Day 9 - Avignon – Châteauneuf-du-Pape – Lyon This morning we drive along the Rhone valley to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the favourite wine-town of the Popes. Here we enjoy a wine tasting and also stop at the Papal fortress to admire the magnificent views over Avignon and the Luberon. Later we pass by the town of Montelimar and may take the opportunity to purchase the famous nougat! On arrival in Lyon, a city which is located at the confluence of the Saone and Rhone rivers, our orientation shows us the 19th century elegance Place de Bellecour, views of the Old Town along the River Saone and the modern architecture of the Part Dieu district. (Buffet Breakfast)

    Hotel: Park and Suites Part Dieu


  • Day 10 - Lyon – Beaune – Paris (2 nights) Enjoy your croissants and coffee before we embark on another enthralling day. Then we leave Lyon and make our way northwards to Burgundy and one of the great wine auction centres of the region - the city of Beaune. Here we have time to enjoy the colourful Saturday market in the town square, surrounded by typical 300 year old houses. We have time to eat lunch and maybe taste a glass of the excellent wine from the oak barrels which are to be found in the many wine cellars before we join the coach for our journey on to our final destination, Paris – perhaps the world’s most beautiful city. Tonight, don’t miss the chance of taking a tour of the illuminations and maybe take in one of the city’s famous cabaret shows! (Buffet Breakfast)

    Hotel: Hilton la Defense


  • Day 11 - Paris sightseeing and at leisure The Champs Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Place de la Concorde, the Left Bank, the Louvre, Opera House and Notre Dame Cathedral are all features on our guided sightseeing tour this morning. We’ll also enjoy astonishing views over the city when we take the elevator to the second level of the Eiffel Tower. The balance of the day is at leisure to visit the city’s many museums and art galleries, and perhaps to take an excursion to visit the sumptuous Palace of Versailles. Tonight, we enjoy a Farewell Dinner with wine in a local restaurant. (Buffet Breakfast Full Dinner)


  • Day 12 Paris – USA Au revoir Paris‘ and your newly made travelling companions as Trafalgar transfers you to the airport for your flight to the USA. (Buffet Breakfast)


  • Christmas & New Year''s Eve Highlights Tour departures 18 Dec will be accommodated in Avignon over Christmas and tour departure 26 Dec will be accommodated in Nice for New Year''s Eve, giving you the opportunity celebrate in true French style.



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Airfare Disclaimer
A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link.

Documents
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

         
Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
(Land Only)
Single
(Land + Air)
4/3/2008 - 4/14/2008
$1,850
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4/10/2008 - 4/21/2008
$1,850
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11/6/2008 - 11/17/2008
$2,050
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11/13/2008 - 11/24/2008
$2,050
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11/20/2008 - 12/1/2008
$2,050
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11/27/2008 - 12/8/2008
$2,050
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12/4/2008 - 12/15/2008
$2,050
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12/11/2008 - 12/22/2008
$2,050
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12/18/2008 - 12/29/2008
$2,050
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12/26/2008 - 1/6/2009
$2,050
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1/1/2009 - 1/12/2009
$2,050
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1/29/2009 - 2/9/2009
$2,050
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2/12/2009 - 2/23/2009
$2,050
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3/5/2009 - 3/16/2009
$2,075
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3/12/2009 - 3/23/2009
$2,075
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3/19/2009 - 3/30/2009
$2,075
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3/26/2009 - 4/6/2009
$2,075
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4/2/2009 - 4/13/2009
$2,075
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4/9/2009 - 4/20/2009
$2,075
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Taxes, security fees and fuel surcharges are not included.
* This list indicates brochure rates and dates.
** For single travellers purchasing the twin-share option, please note that there is a no smoking policy in all shared rooms.
Please note: In addition to being sold out or on a request basis only, a tour departure may not be displayed on this site for operation reasons.
For details on discounts that apply to this tour please refer to a brochure or see your Travel Agent.
The displayed prices are based on twin-share accommodation. A single supplement price is available on request.
  • Annecy
  • Aix-en-Provence
  • Grasse
  • St Paul
  • Nice
  • Monte Carlo
  • Cannes
  • St Tropez
  • Marseille
  • Arles
  • Avignon
  • Chateauneuf
  • Lyon
  • Beaune
  • Paris
Taxes, security fees and fuel surcharges are not included.
* This list indicates brochure rates and dates.
** For single travellers purchasing the twin-share option, please note that there is a no smoking policy in all shared rooms.
Please note: In addition to being sold out or on a request basis only, a tour departure may not be displayed on this site for operation reasons.
For details on discounts that apply to this tour please refer to a brochure or see your Travel Agent.
The displayed prices are based on twin-share accommodation. A single supplement price is available on request.

CURRENT SPECIALS:

Travel during the Value Season and Save up to 50% off the cost of summer tours.

New to Trafalgar? Receive a complimentary pre or post night.

Traveled with Trafalgar before? Choose between a complimentary pre or post night OR double your Trafaglar Club Discount to 10% off of the land tour rate.

Offer ends July 31, 2008

*Terms and Conditions: All prices quoted are in US dollars and are per person, land only, based on double occupancy. Special Offer is valid on all new air-inclusive 2008/09 Europe Value Season (November 2008 – April 2009) bookings, except Trafalgar’s City Breaks tours Winter in London and London & Paris, when deposited by July 31, 2008. To receive the complimentary pre- or post- night mention code: TVLSN13 when booking. To receive the double Trafalgar Travel Club Discount of 10% (on land portion of tour only) mention code: TVLSN23 when booking. Double Trafalgar Travel Club Discount of 10% valid for past Trafalgar passengers only and not valid on Egypt or Israel tours. Offer combinable with brochure discounts but are not valid with any other promotional offer. Subject to availability, not valid on groups, cannot be booked online and can be withdrawn at any time. Other conditions may apply. †Per day, per person price of $111 is based on Trafalgar’s Christmas in Paris vacation. CST# 2077132-20


Take advantage of Trafalgar's great savings and discounts

Take advantage of Trafalgar's great savings and discounts.

EARLY PAYMENT DISCOUNT - Save up to 10%

Many Trafalgar tours sell out months before the departure date, so book NOW to avoid disappointment.The earlier you pay, the more you save! If you book and pay in full you'll save up to 10% off the Land-only portion of your trip. Below is our Early Payment Saving options - pay between:

4-6 months SAVE 2.5%

7-9 months SAVE 5%

10-12 months SAVE 7.5%

1 year or more SAVE 10%

All tours must be booked and paid for in full for this discount to apply. This discount does not apply to our Free & Easy Series, Greek Cruises, Egypt, European Express tour and extra night accommodation.*When booking our Basel to Amsterdam River Cruise please check our River Cruise brochure for the savings and discounts exclusions. Conditions apply.

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SAVE ON YOUR 2nd TOUR - Save 5%

Book two Trafalgar holidays, each 8 days or longer for a reduction of 5% off the land portion of the tour with the shortest duration. Take three tours and save on two! Ask your travel professional for suggestions on your perfect tour combination.

IMPORTANT: Tours are combinable with second and subsequent additional tours. Tours must be booked at the same time. Discount is per person only and does NOT apply to our Free & Easy Series, Cruises, Egypt and extra night accommodation or any combination of a tour plus a cruise or rail journey as shown in brochures. Please see our Trafalgar brochures for their saving or discount exclusions. Conditions apply.

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TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS - Save 5%

A party of five or more friends - Travel with 5 to 8 friends or family members on the same tour and everyone will receive a discount of 5% off the Land portion of the tour.

A party of 9 or more friends - Further significant savings are available for larger groups of friends and families traveling together. Ask your Travel Agent for full details.

IMPORTANT: Space is limited to one group per motorcoach, so book early! These discounts cannot be combined with any other rooming, Young Traveler or Triple Room Discounts. Names of all passengers traveling must be advised to Trafalgar at the time of booking in order to qualify. These discounts do not apply to extra night accommodation, are not combinable with our Frequent Traveler offer and are not available on Winter tours, Free & Easy Series, Cruises, Egypt, Turkey, Israel and Greece tours. Conditions apply.

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YOUNG TRAVELER AGES - SAVE 10%

Share your holiday memories with your family and take advantage of a discount on the Land-only portion of your tour. Young Travelers must be under the age of 18 years old on the tour departure date, and MUST be accompanied by and adult (limit of one young traveler per room).

On all escorted tours, children under 5 years old are NOT accepted. The Young Traveler must be the specified age at the time of travel to be eligible for this discount. This discount cannot be combined with our TRAVEL WITH FRIENDS DISCOUNTS, and is limited to one young traveler discount per room. It also does not apply to our Free & Easy Series, Cruises, Egypt, Turkey or Israel tours, extra night accommodation or London and gateway accommodation. Conditions apply.

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SINGLE TRAVELER room share and save

One of the great benefits of Escorted Travel is the ease of traveling solo, and with Trafalgar we make it simple by offering the following options:

Guaranteed Room Share

When traveling alone, we understand that some clients do not want to incur the expense of an additional single room supplement. With this in mind, on the majority of our itineraries, Trafalgar offers you the opportunity to purchase these tours on a 'room sharing' basis. We will accommodate you with a fellow passenger of the same sex on a 'twin room' basis (non-smoking rooms only). Please note that regrettably, we cannot guarantee that room mates will be of a similar age group. Even so, it is an enjoyable way to travel and get to make new friends and a positive way to stretch your vacation budget further. If we fail to match you we will provide a single room at no extra cost.

This service does not apply to our Free & Easy Series, Cruises, European Express tour, Egypt, Turkey, Israel and extra night accommodation. Conditions apply.

Single Supplement Value

If you prefer the privacy of your own room, you'll appreciate our low single room supplement.

TRIPLE ROOM DISCOUNT

Travel with three people, sharing one room and each of you will receive a discount off the land-only portion of your tour price. Each itinerary page will list the price reduction, see the tour of your choice.

Triple room discounts are based on sharing a twin-bedded room with an extra bed which may be a rollaway. This discount is applicable to itineraries featuring the Triple Room Reduction offer only.


   
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