French Temptations June 1–11, 2016
Dear Friends, For those who didn’t get a chance to join our successful trip to France in June 2014, here is a second change to experience a trip-of-a-lifetime. Join us in June 2016! If your passion is great food, delicious wines or just spectacular scenery and good company, then travel with us as we explore the ins and outs of a truly French experience with our personal French food and wine specialist aboard, Mrs. Ranan Richardson. We will travel through the southeastern part of the country, starting in the Côte d’Azur with its renowned beaches and fascinating steep cliffs, decorated with magnificent villas and fishing villages. In the peaceful Provence with its dazzling landscapes, we will pass through villages and castles, fields of lavender and
distinguished vineyards. A visit to Monaco with its Haute Couture lifestyle and a drive on the Formula One track are included, as well as the City of Popes, Avignon. We will sniff, sip and taste our way through the wine roads of Burgundy and visit the hometown of mustard: Dijon. This tour is for a maximum of 25 participants! We will wine and dine in local bistros and elegant restaurants, where no large tour buses are welcomed and at the end of our tour, the City of Lights awaits us with its breathtaking history, fabulous shopping and… who knows? Maybe a visit to Stade de France (the National Stadium of France), we are in Paris during the European Championship in Soccer! Sincerely, Steve Glenn Chairman of the Board and CEO Executive Travel
Call Executive Travel today at 402–435–8888. Space is limited.
June
Depart for Europe and Nice
June
Arrive / Nice / Saint Paul de Vence / Vence
1
We are departing for Europe and Nice! We will take an overnight flight across the Atlantic and enjoy the in-flight entertainment and meal service as we get ready for our once-in-a-lifetime tour.
2
Upon arrival at the Nice airport we’ll meet our tour escort and wine and food specialist; Ranan Richardson, and drive to the picturesque village of Saint-Paul de Vence, one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera with cobblestone lanes and chic art galleries. The famous artist Marc Chagall lived here. We will experience the village by foot and enjoy lunch in a typical French bistro. In the afternoon we drive to Vence (10 min). Evening free at leisure and overnight in Vence. L
June
Vence / Monaco / Eze / Vence
June
Vence / Grasse/ Aix-en-Provence
Today’s full-day excursion on the French Riviera takes us to the Principality of Monaco. Here we’ll drive on the Formula One track and enjoy the views of La Condamine’s large harbor. We’ll also visit a unique boutique perfume factory museum in the village of Eze. Dinner and overnight in Vence. B|D 3
Today we drive towards Aix-en-Provence. On the way we’ll stop to visit the famous “Confiserie Florian” in Gorge de Loup and a traditional producer of local olive oil. Over a picnic lunch at the old mill, we’ll taste the delicious products of the area along with the different oils. Arriving in Aix-en-Provence, we have a short walking tour of this beautiful city. The evening is free at leisure. Overnight in Aix-enProvence. B|L 4
June
Aix-en-Provence / Gordes / Avignon
June
Avignon / Chateauneuf-du-Pape – Pont du Gard / Avignon
June
Avignon/ Meursault / Dijon
We’ll continue towards Avignon today with several stops along our scenic route. First stop in Provence will be to visit to the Lavender Museum. The nearby hilltop village of Gordes is one of the most stunning villages in France and duly awarded the “Plus Beaux Villages de France”. Its castle is located on a hilltop with the houses and buildings of white stone knit together with an amazing labyrinth of “calades” (narrow cobblestone streets).You’ll be overwhelmed with its charm. Lunch is in the garden over looking the plains of Provence. We’ll make one last stop on our way to Avignon in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, a medieval village tucked in a “closed valley.” Here we have the opportunity to visit the original paper mill dating back to the 15th century. Arriving in Avignon, the “City of Popes” we will have a short walking tour. The evening is yours to stroll with the locals. Overnight in Avignon. B|L 5
6
Today in Provence, we’ll spend the day in the area of Avignon. Our first visit is at a local producer of Châteauneufdu-Pape and we’ll have a delicious wine tasting. This wine is very entwined with papal history. In 1308, Pope Clement V, the former Archbishop of Bordeaux, relocated the papacy to the city of Avignon. He was a great lover of wines and did much to promote it during the seventy-year duration of the Avignon Papacy. Afterwards we’ll make a stop at the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Antic Roman Pont du Gard (the Bridge of the Gard), where we can admire the stunning architecture of an aqueduct bridge. It’s the highest of all Roman aqueduct bridges and has three tiers of arches, standing 160 ft high. Dinner and overnight in Avignon. B|D
On our way towards Dijon, we will make a stop to visit “Château Meursault” and taste their delicious white wines in the beautiful underground cellar built by the monks in the 12th century. Arriving in Dijon we will visit the shop of Maille world famous for its mustards before dinner with the locals. Overnight in Dijon. B|P 7
Executive Travel • Phone 402–435–8888 • Fax 402–435–2735 • Toll Free 800–737–0582
June
Dijon / Chablis / Paris
June
Paris
June
Paris
June
Paris – Departure
Heading off to Paris in the morning, we stop first to visit the medieval village of Chablis- famous the world over for is crispy, white wines. Lunch is in the garden with products and delicious white wines of the area. Arrive in the late afternoon in the “City of Lights”; Paris. The night is yours to experience the unique aura of Parisian life. We guarantee you’ll fall in love with this magical city. B|L 8
Today we lean back and enjoy an amazing tour of Paris including a 1 hour “Bateaux Parisiens” cruise on the Seine. There’s no better way to get to know the city. After lunch, the rest of the day is at yours to explore. We suggest you enjoy the local life in the aristocratic district of Le Marais. Take time to slowly sip on a “Kir”, the famous aperitif (blackcurrant liqueur topped with ice cold white wine). Enjoy a meal in the Place des Vosges, where you’ll find the Maison de Victor Hugo from 1832-1848. Overnight in Paris. B|L 9
A day in Paris for leisure. Ranan will be there with many suggestions on how to spend a perfect day. Perhaps a visit to one of the numerous and world famous museums, join a cooking class or just go shopping … In the evening our farewell dinner is in a traditional, quaint French restaurant. Last overnight in Paris. B|D 10
After breakfast we check out of our hotel and transfer to the airport for our flight back to the States. “Au revoir” to 10 fabulous days of marvelous and delicious memories. B 11
Ranan Richardson,
Wine and Food Specialist
Executive Travel • Phone 402–435–8888 • Fax 402–435–2735 • Toll Free 800–737–0582
Highlights
Route Map Overnight Visit/Stop
• Visit to St. Paul de Vence
Paris
• Visit to the principality of Monaco • Visit to unique perfume factory
Chablis
Dijon
Meursault
• Tastings at local confectionary production • Tastings at local cheese producer • Tastings at acknowledged wineries • Olive oil tasting • Visit to Maille’s mustard shop in Dijon • Visit to Lyon and the Fourvieres Basilica
Included
Gordes Vence Monaco • Visit to the Pond du Gard Avignon • Visit to the Lavender Museum in Gordes St. Nice Aix-En-Provence Paul • City walk of Aix-en-Provence de • Paris city sightseeing including one-hour cruise on the Vence
• 9 overnights in selected 4 and 5-star boutique hotels • Daily breakfast and one daily meal (lunch/picnic/dinner) as per itinerary • All tastings mentioned in the itinerary • Drinks at Farewell Dinner in Paris • Entrance fees to the sights mentioned in the itinerary • Private motor coach with driver • Mrs. Ranan Richardson, English-speaking tour leader throughout the program • English-speaking professional licensed guide on city tour in Paris
Not Included • Porterage
Seine River
• Great food and wine at local bistros and restaurants, including welcome lunch and farewell dinner
Pricing Per person
• Double occupancy: $4,295 • Single room supplement: $1,200
A non-refundable deposit of $750 per person required at time of reservation. Final payment due 90 days prior to departure. We are currently holding airline seats and recommend purchasing travel insurance. Please contact us for further information.
Hotel Accommodations
• Tips
• Vence — Hotel Cantemerle, 4 star with spa
• Meals other than mentioned
• Aix-en-Provence — Hotel Rennaisance, 5 star
• Entrances to monuments and/or museums other than mentioned
• Avignon — Hotel de l’Horloge, 4 star, 5 star
• Personal expenses • Flight tickets to/from France. We are happy to assist with reservations
• Dijon — Hotel Philippe le Bon, 4 star
• Paris — Hotel Millennium Opera Paris, 4 star
Executive Travel • 1212 O Street • Lincoln, NE 68508 • Phone 402-435-8888 • Fax 402-435-2735 • Toll Free 800-737-0582 Forwarding registration and deposit signifies that you agree to the terms and conditions of this tour which can be found at http://www.executivetravel.com/group_tours/terms_and_conditions.html