Provence Escapade

Dates: November 22 – 29, 2008

Day 1 - Departure
Depart gateway city for Marseilles, France. (Flight provided for Air Package participants only.)

Day 2 - Marseilles/Aix-en-Provence
Upon arrival in France, transfer to Aix-en-Provence and the Grand Hôtel Roi René. (Transfer provided for Air Package participants only.) The balance of the day is free for settling in and independent exploration.
Tonight, gather for a festive welcome reception.

Day 3 - Aix-en-Provence
Optional Excursion: Highlights of Aix-en-Provence. Tour the highlights and landmarks of this historic regional capital of Provence, including the Old Town, which includes Saint-Sauveur market town and the City of the Counts, and the Mazarin Quarter, conceived in the 17th century by Archbishop Mazarin, brother to the Cardinal. The lively main street, Cours Mirabeau, is flanked by intertwining plane trees and cafés.

For those not participating in the optional tour, the day is at leisure to pursue individual interests.

Day 4 - Cassis
Optional Excursion: Cassis and its Calanques. Visit the ancient fishing port of Cassis, situated at the foot of Cap Canaille, Europe’s tallest cliff, and the Calanques, the picturesque small coves along the Provençal coast. The calanques were formed by rivers flowing into the sea, long ago submerged by the rising level of the Mediterranean. The long narrow inlets in the high white rocks are quite impressive, some with tiny harbors or beaches at the ends. Quarries along the calanques provide a dense white limestone that has many uses around the world, and the calanques themselves have long provided safe haven for sailors.

Day 5 - Les Luberon
Optional Excursion: Les Luberon and the Château d'Ansouis. "The Luberon" applies both to a range of mountains running between Cavaillon and Manosque, and a regional park, the Parc Régional du Luberon. This protected, picturesque region boasts rugged hills blanketed with forests and vineyard terraces, ancient churches, towering fortresses, and scenic villages.

The village of Ansouis has been rated one of the "plus beaux" (loveliest) villages in France. The Château d'Ansouis was originally built as a hilltop fortification in the 10th century; it has evolved over the centuries to its current form, but retains some of the fortified walls and watchtowers of the earlier versions, and is classified as a national historic site and monument. We will enjoy a private tour of the Château, led by the viscount and his wife.

For those not participating in the optional tour, the day is at leisure to pursue individual interests.

Day 6 – Arles
Optional Excursion: Arles. The ancient town of Arles, on the Rhône River, is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its remarkable Roman Amphitheater, Les Arènes. The town dates back to the 7th century BC; its major Roman sites are unique in that they are integrated into the houses and buildings of the town, rather than sitting apart as they do in many other places. Another site of note is the 12th-century portal of the Cathedral of St. Trôphime, a masterpiece of Romanesque style.

For those not participating in the optional tour, the day is at leisure to pursue individual interests.

Day 7 - Avignon
Optional Excursion: Avignon and the Pont du Gard. Wander the streets of the fortified city of Avignon, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the impressive Palais des Papes, a medieval citadel embellished with towers and turrets, which stands squarely on the banks of the Rhône. Visit the Rocher des Doms, a popular spot for walking, relaxing in the shade, or admiring the passersby; or check out the famed "Pont d’Avignon" (Pont de St. Benezet), which, contrary to the song, is rather narrow for dancing.

Nearby, the remarkable Pont du Gard is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an extraordinary feat of engineering. Built shortly before the Christian era to allow the aqueduct of Nîmes to cross the Gard River, it stands over 160 feet high on three levels – the longest measuring over 900 feet – and is renowned as a technical as well as an artistic masterpiece. The first level carried a road and the third a conduit; all three levels were built without mortar!

For those not participating in the optional tour, the day is at leisure to pursue individual interests.

Day 8 - Return Home
Transfer to the airport for the return flight to your gateway city. (Transfer and flight provided for Air Package participants only.)

This itinerary is preliminary and subject to change. An updated itinerary will be sent with final documents.

Back to 2008 destination list