The Experience

Imagine three delicious nights in Paris, the City of Lights, then experience the beauty and history of Provence in the storied South of France, long a popular destination for sophisticated travelers world-wide. Includes:

• 3 Nights Paris
• Paris City Tour and Seine Cruise
• 3-Day Central Zone Paris Visite Pass
• 3 Nights Avignon
• Entrance to The Pope’s Palace with Audio Guide
• 1-Hour Rhone River Cruise OR Wine Tasting at The Pope’s Palace
• One 3-Course Dinner in Avignon
• 1st Class Rail with Seat Reservation
• Daily Breakfast

Day 1 ~ Paris: Arrive in the City of Lights by rail or air and check into your hotel. Optional airport and rail station meet-and-greet transfers available. (Accommodations, Paris) Included Paris Visite Pass is the best way to get around without fighting the traffic. Pass is good for unlimited travel on the Metro subway and surface buses. Zones 1,3 Pass includes 95% of the Paris sights most travelers wish to see. Day 2 ~ Paris: After breakfast, the highlight of your stay in Paris is your city tour, lunch and cruise. (Breakfast & Accommodations, Paris) Lunch Cruise & Paris City Tour – Start your city tour seeing the Place de la Concorde, Le Madeleine Church, Opera Garnier, the Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe, with a 15-minute photo stop at the Eiffel Tower. Continuing on you see the Tuileries Gardens and Louvre Museum, with a 20-minute photo stop at Notre Dame. Your Seine River cruise goes past 32 of the city’s 37 bridges, footbridges and viaducts, with lunch served from a three course menu which includes a choice of five appetizers, five main courses and four desserts, an aperitif, wines, mineral water and coffee. Then at 2:30 p.m. start your city tour seeing the Place de la Concorde, Le Madeleine Church, Opera Garnier, the Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe, with a 15-minute photo stop at the Eiffel Tower. Continuing on you see the Tuileries Gardens and Louvre Museum, with a 20-minute photo stop at Notre Dame Cathedral. On La Rive Gauche (Left Bank), you will see the Latin Quarter, La Sorbonne, Le Pantheon, the Luxembourg Gardens, St. Germain Church, and Les Invalides. (Departs daily at 8:30 AM with pick up from your hotel in an eight-passenger air-conditioned minibus with an English speaking driver/guide. Lasts 4 hours. No entrance fees included.) Day 3 ~ Paris: After breakfast, you have the day at leisure, armed with your Visiter pass, ready to explore, shop or relax to your heart’s content, or try one of our optional day tours or excursions: (Breakfast & Accommodations, Paris) Couture Discount Shopping Walking Tour – For a unique tour into the fashion editor & insider’s world of the most select resale shops. Enjoy a show at the Lido, the Moulin Rouge or the Crazy Horse, with or without dinner. Day 4 ~ Paris to Avignon: After breakfast, check out of your hotel for your rail journey via the TGV to Avignon. Check into your Avignon hotel before exploring the town that was site of the Avignon Papacy, a period from 1309 to 1377 where seven popes, all French, resided. (Breakfast, Paris; Accommodations, Avignon) Day 5 ~ Avignon: After breakfast, you’re off to your two self-guided tours of the day. Pick up your combination ticket for both tours and your one-hour Rhone River Cruise at the offices of Self Provence Voyages. If your tour is for Saturday or Sunday you will be notified about your tickets upon arrival at your Avignon hotel. (Breakfast & Accommodations, Avignon) Entrance to Pope’s Palace with audio guide – The residence of the Pontiffs during the 14th Century is the biggest Gothic Palace in the world. There are 25 rooms to visit in the Palace: ceremonial rooms, chapels, cloister, the private papal apartments, with their priceless frescoes. (Arrive on your own, recommended visiting time is 1½ hours.) Rhone River Cruise – One of the best ways to see the Pont d’ Avignon and the beauty of the city is from the river on your 1-hour cruise. Cruise times will be in your documents – just show up at the dock with your combination ticket at your choice of times. (Arrive on your own to cruise dock.) Entrance to Pont d’Avignon with audio guide – The “Pont d’Avignon” is known the world over. Construction of the bridge started in the 12th Century though parts of the bridge were continually swept away by floods of the Rhone River before work was finally abandoned in the 17th Century. Your audio-guide is in English. (Arrive on your own, allow at least 30 minutes.) Day 6 ~ Avignon: After breakfast, you have your day at leisure to explore or people watch before your dinner this evening. Or, enjoy one of Avanti’s optional day tours. (Breakfast & Accommodations, Avignon.) 3 course dinner at Restaurant – The address of your restaurant and reservation time will be in your information packet at your Avignon hotel when you arrive. (Does not include drinks or gratuities. Please present voucher prior to ordering.) Day 7 ~ Avignon: After breakfast, depart for home or an optional discovery vacation extension. (Breakfast, Avignon)