WEEK IN PROVENCE

Offered to Army Officers’ Wives and Friends

11th Annual Overseas Tour

(This tour operated in April 2003)

 

featuring visits to

Avignon, Arles, St. Remy, Les Baux, Gordes

Roussillon, Aix-en-Provence, St.Jean Cap Ferrat

Antibes, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Nice,St.Paul de Vence

Monte Carlo, ...and More

 

Itinerary for the Army Officers’ Wives

Week in Provence

 

Friday, April 20, 2003

 

Meet at Washington Dulles Airport where we reunion with old friends and fellow travelers for our United flight to Paris.   Dinner and Continental breakfast will be served en route.  Complimentary drinks and headsets available for in flight movies.  D

 

Saturday, April 21, 2003

We arrive at Paris Charles DeGaulle Airport and shuttle to Terminal 2 to catch the TGV fast train south to Provence.  Relax and enjoy the first class accommodations and smooth ride.  We arrive in the wonderful city of Avignon....the gateway to Provence....where we will be met by our American Express host, Gerard Venet.  We’ll be staying four nights in this splendid walled city with its magnificent architecture, colorful squares, lively outdoor cafes and inticing shops!  Our home away from home while in Avignon will be the historic and deluxe Hotel d’Europe, the ancient mansion of the Marquis de Graveson built in 1580.  A delightful small hotel with impeccable service, they promise us a gastronimique experience as we enjoy our Gala Welcome Dinner tonight at their highly rated restaurant, La Vieille Fontaine.  B, D

 

Sunday, April 22, 2003

We begin each day in Avignon with a  pleasant continental breakfast buffet in the courtyard of our hotel.  After breakfast this morning, our local guide will introduce us to Avignon.  It is a city with a fascinating history, having once been home to the Popes during the 14th Century.  We will visit the impressive “Palace of Popes” and Notre Dame cathedral, then walk in the Rocher des Doms, the serene hilltop garden with views of the Rhone River and the famous Pont St Benezet.  Just imagine the dancers turning “tous en rond”!  This afternoon we step back into antiquity as we make an excursion to see the Pont du Gard, the mighty three-tiered aqueduct erected by the Romans over 2000 years ago.  A typical Provencal dinner is on the menu tonight, as we dine at Le Varnet back in Avignon.  B, D

 

Monday, April 23, 2003

After breakfast this morning, we are off to the city of Arles, with its ancient monuments and Gallo-Roman ruins.  We’ll visit Les Arenes and the Theatre Antique.  Also known as a city for art lovers, in the late 1800’s Arles was home to Van Gogh. He painted over 300 canvases during his 15 months here.  Van Gogh fans will be thrilled to see that many of the scenes he painted still remain today!  En route back to Avignon, we stop in the small Provencal town of St. Remy, also associated with Van Gogh, as it was here that he spent time in the Asylum after cutting off his ear.  Our drive continues to Les Baux, a beautifully preserved medieval hilltop village.  If time permits, we will stop at the nearby factory store for Olivades with its wide array of Provencal fabric and gifts.  This evening, Le Marmiton cooking school in Avignon invites you to an optional demonstration and dinner.  The cozy Provencal atmosphere of its classroom, complete with woodburning stove will inspire you to put on your apron and join the fun!  B

 

Tuesday, April 24, 2003

Today we travel east of Avignon, following the course of the River Sorgue into the Provencal countryside.  We are going off the beaten path into the area known as the Luberon....a protected, picturesque mountain region of forests and vineyards.  This is Peter Mayle country,for those familiar with his book “AYear in Provence”.  It is full of pretty, hilltop villages with extraordinary positions overlooking the surrounding countryside.  We will be visiting Fontaine de Vaucluse, Gordes and Roussillon, each with its own personality.  A wonderful day out as we take time to smell the wild thyme, the lavender, the wet stone and dry pine.  Ah, the aromas of Provence!  B

 

Wednesday, April 25, 2003

This morning we check out of our hotel and depart for the beautiful Cote d’Azur.....the French Riviera!  En route we stop for a visit in Aix-en-Provence, the gracious city that was the birthplace of artist Paul Cezanne.  The main street in Aix, Cours Mirabeau, is thought to be one of the most beautiful in Europe.  We will stroll along this avenue lined with tall “plane” trees, and then follow in the footsteps of Cezanne as we visit his studio.  We continue on until we see the sparkling blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and our final destination....the Hotel La Voile d’Or in St. Jean Cap Ferrat.  We will stay for four nights in this exclusive and luxurious port located on a peninsula just east and south of Nice.   For dinner tonight, we walk down to the harbor to enjoy the local specialties at le Sloop. B, D

 

Thursday, April 26, 2003

This morning we visit the phenomenally beautiful Villa Ephrussi de Rothchild.  The mansion contains a lavish collection of decorative arts, and the setting overlooking the coastline is spectacular!  Then it’s on to Antibes and Cagnes sur Mer to visit to Picasso Museum and Museum Renoir.  Tonight our driver takes us into Monte Carlo for an exciting evening, with time on your own to enjoy dinner or try your luck at the Casino!  

 

Friday, April 27. 2003

Today we sample the perched villages of the Riviera as we climb from sea level up into the mountains to visit St. Paul de Vence.  The most important attraction here is the Foundation Maeght, the most modern art museum in Europe.  A visit here to see works by Calder, Chagall and Miro is a must.  Then it’s on to Tourrettes sur Loup, the city of violets.  Time to wander and window shop here, as they have more craft stores than any town in Provence. B

 

Saturday, April 28, 2003

Nice is the focus of our attention today, as we make a short drive to this famous city by the sea....the capital of the Riviera!  An ancient city, founded by the Greeks, its history will intrigue you.  Its brilliant sunshine and relaxed living has attracted artists and writers for centuries.  Among the most famous, Marc Chagall and Henri Matisse, both who have museums here in Cimiez.  We will visit the Chagall Museum on our tour, and those who wish can make an optional visit to the Matisse Museum.  Don’t look for many of his paintings here, but there is an ensemble of his drawings and designs for those who are interested.  The rest can enjoy time at leisure to stroll along the famous Promenade des Anglais.   Fronting the pebbled beach are rows of grand cafes and luxury hotels.  Back in St. Jean Cap Ferrat tonight, we watch the sunset over the bobbing sailboats and yachts in the harbor below, and enjoy our Farewell Dinner amongst the hanging gardens and parasoled terraces of our very special Hotel La Voile d’Or.    B, D

 

Sunday, April 29, 2003

One last breakfast on the terrace at our lovely La Voile d’Or this morning, then we depart for Nice and our return flight to Frankfurt, continuing on to Washington Dulles!  Another trip of a lifetime!  C’est Magnifique!  B, L