On this 10-day custom French adventure, you’ll get to experience it all – city lights, art and culture, gastronomy and wine, as well as rest and relaxation. Our expert-guided excursions through Paris, Dijon, and Vence will show you the most insightful and authentic bits each region has to offer.
With the array of exciting experiences included such as dinner on top of Arc du Triomphe, a private after-hours tour at the Louvre or Musee D’Orsay, a one-on-one experience with a winemaker and day tour in a classic Citroën 2CV, you’ll be glad we’ve got your beauty rest sorted at some of the most luxurious hotels in the world!
Upon arrival at the Paris airport, meet your driver in time for your transfer to your hotel.
Hotel: Le Bristol Paris or the Four Seasons George V
Morning
Start the day off in decadence with breakfast at the hotel and get ready for a full day of sightseeing in Paris in the comfort of your own private car with a personal English-speaking guide.
Step back in time in one of the city’s most historic and charming districts, Marais – home to many former residences of aristocratic families, which have now been transformed into museums. Take a stroll under the arches of Place des Vosges, one of the oldest squares in Paris, and admire its beautiful facades of pink brick. Visit Musée Carnavalet (Carnavalet Museum), the oldest museum in Paris, dedicated to the history of the city, with its collection of over 600,000 objects and artworks.
Continue to Île de la Cité, an island on the Seine River, and visit Sainte-Chapelle, a Gothic-style royal chapel known for its dazzling collection of 15 stained glass windows that are each about 50 feet tall.
Afternoon
Explore Montmartre, a district full of authentic charm that Parisians call ‘La Butte,’ French for a small hill, and find out why so many call it their favorite neighborhood. Walk up the distinctive winding cobbled streets to Sacré-Coeur Basilica, located at the highest point for spectacular views over the city, and take a break at Place du Tertre to grab a drink at a bistro or get your portrait drawn.
Should you find Montmartre sweeping you off your feet, we’d suggest continuing your journey by visiting the Dalí Paris, a permanent exhibition devoted to Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí; or Place des Abbesses, offering countless photo-ops with notable landmarks such as the art nouveau Station des Abbesses and Le Mur des Je t'aime (Wall of Love).
In the evening, consider a night out in the City of Light by visiting a Parisian jazz club or treating your inner foodie at a trendy restaurant in the city.
Hotel: Le Bristol Paris or the Four Seasons George V
Morning
Today will be a day to immerse yourself in art, with private transfers to two scenic communes that will have you picturing some of the world’s most recognizable artworks at first sight.
The first stop will be in Giverny, best known for Claude Monet’s garden and home, Fondation Claude Monet. Follow the French painter’s footsteps by walking through his house and gardens and discovering his greatest sources of inspiration, including the unmistakable Japanese bridge and water lily pond.
Afternoon
Explore the charming riverside village of Auvers-Sur-Oise, described as “seriously beautiful” by the one and only Vincent Van Gogh. The picturesque destination influenced many other painters, including Paul Cézanne, Camile Pissarro, and Charles-François Daubigny. Stroll through the area and find yourself recognizing locations of Van Gogh’s most celebrated paintings, including the famous church Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, and stop by Auberge Ravoux (also known as the House of Van Gogh), as well as Château drivers, a museum dedicated to artists who made the village famous.
Meet your driver to transport you back to Paris. Spend the rest of the evening at your leisure.
Hotel: Le Bristol Paris or the Four Seasons George V
Morning
Today you’ll depart Paris for your next stop – Dijon. Transfer to the City of Dukes via a first-class train ride, where your driver will meet you to bring you to the hotel.
Acquaint yourself to Dijon by taking lunch at your leisure (we’d suggest beef bourguignon or coq au vin, with a side of wine of course!) and lace up for a guided walking tour of the city. Capital of the Burgundy region, Dijon’s old quarters is arguably among the most interesting in France. Enjoy getting lost in the maze of Dijon’s network of narrow streets and find yourself traveling back in time to Rue Verrerie, lined with medieval half-timbered houses. Admire the 13th-century gothic church Paroisse Notre-Dame De Dijon, before coming up behind the Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne (Ducal Palace), which houses one of the richest art collections in France.
After the tour, kick back and be privately transferred to the Grand hôtel La Cloche, your residence in Dijon for the next three nights. Enjoy all that the 5-star hotel has to offer, with its bar featuring an exquisite collection of cigars and a spa built under old stone vaults.
Hotel: Grand Hôtel La Cloche
Morning
Wake up refreshed and ready for a full day dedicated to vin – wine.
Your first stop will be in the town of Beaune, the Capital of Burgundy Wines. Marvel at the glaze-tiled roofs of the Hospices de Beaune, which was founded as a hospital for the poor. Now, it is also known for its outstanding 159-acre vineyard estate producing some of Burgundy’s most prestigious wines.
Afternoon
Continue your visite du vin at Château de Chassagne-Montrachet, where some of the best crus of Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Côte Chalonnaise fine wines are produced. If the weather permits, your guide will take you on a short walk through where the magic begins – the vineyards surrounding the Château.
Hotel: Grand Hôtel La Cloche
Morning/afternoon
Channel your inner James Bond and Melina Havelock with a retro-chic day tour in a classic Citroën 2CV driven by a professional driver-guide. One for the books, explore the stunning countryside of Burgundy, in true French style.
Hotel: Grand Hôtel La Cloche
Morning/afternoon
This morning you’ll check out of your hotel to board a first-class TGV ride to Nice. Your private driver will meet you at the train door upon arrival at Gare de Nice-Ville (Nice-Thiers Station), and transfer you to Château Saint-Martin & Spa, your stay for the next 3 nights in the French Riviera.
Château Saint-Martin & Spa, set on a hill in the middle of Provence, is a 12th-century Knight Templar Castle with panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Hotel: Château Saint-Martin & Spa
Morning/afternoon
Treat yourself to a day of rest and relaxation, enjoying the serene beauty and tranquility the hotel has to offer. Take a dip in the majestic infinity pool set against the Riviera’s blue horizon, hide away in a private garden cabana, stroll the art exhibition around the estate, or indulge in a spa treatment beneath a romantic flower-strewn gazebo at the Spa Saint-Martin by La Prairie.
Should you decide to spend the day sightseeing, consider visiting the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, known for its modern and contemporary art museums. We’d suggest stopping by Fondation Maeght, a small modern art museum set on a wooded clifftop, containing many important paintings, sculptures, drawings, and other works of art by artists such as Georges Braque, Alexander Calder, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, Fernand Léger and Joan Miró.
Hotel: Château Saint-Martin & Spa
Today, will be your last full day in France- prepare for another fabulous day spent at your own leisure, so you can truly enjoy all that the hotel has to offer.
If you’re up for a day of exploring, try your tastebuds with a tour of the historic Old Town with a knowledgeable private guide who is also a food critic and cookbook author. Learn all about Provençal olive oils and continue your gourmet journey with a light Mediterranean meal prepared with only the freshest ingredients from the local market.
Afternoon
Choose to spend the afternoon in the city for some sightseeing or shopping before being transferred back to your hotel for the night.
Hotel: Château Saint-Martin & Spa
This morning, following breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the airport in time for your flight.