LES BAUX DE PROVENCE. PERNES LES FONTAINES. GORDES. NIMES. ARLES.

PROVENCE has always been known as a unique corner of France that has all the attributes of the rest of the country; i.e.; history, cuisine, culture, joie de vivre—but the inhabitants of Provence have one undeniable advantage: the sunshine that is sometimes lacking up north is in abundance in Provence! We’ll start our discovery of Provence in “l’arriere pays” that is: the back country, away from the sea and into the heart of old Provence, land of lavender, sun baked olive groves, dining al fresco, and a sip of pastis.

As our motor coach traverses this beautiful region we’ll make one our first stops the village of Les Baux de Provence. The terrain and climate here are quite similar to the American Southwest, i.e.: dry and sunny. Marvel at the symmetrical placement on craggy slopes of the vineyards and be taken aback from time to time at the stunningly rich color of the lavender fields that attracted Cezanne, Van Gogh and Chagall. We’ll visit some of the quintessential villages of Provence like St. Remy, Les Baux, Gordes, and Pernes les Fontaines.

AVIGNON

Better known must see stops include The Palace of the Popes at Avignon, the Roman Amphitheatre in Arles and the Roman Arena in Nimes. My two favorites in Provence as concerns history would be
The Pont du Gard and the Maison Carre in Nimes. Both are breathtaking in their beauty and architectural prowess. Aside from the Aqueduct in Segovia Spain you’ll be hard pressed to find a more elegant and majestic Roman structure anywhere in the world than Le Pont du Gard!

MARSEILLE

Marseille is like a second home to me. We’ll head strait for my favorite location in the city: Notre Dame de la Garde. The view is stunning! The expansive view of the city and the azure Mediterranean Sea at your feet. The German Luftwaffe left a few reminders of its occupation here. I’ll point them out to you. The American army left a gift as well (not to be confused with the larger gift of liberating the country.) You’ll be surprised to see it and proud to do so!

LE VIEUX PORT DE MARSEILLE

Of course we’ll also see Le Vieux Port (the focal point of the city which is not only an active port of pleasure craft but also retains its ancient function of small fish market only ten feet from the water!) The fishmongers themselves are as colorful and “salty” as their selection of fish; and they’ll be happy to take a few snapshots with you and the gorgeous Vieux Port as a background. The fish couldn’t be any fresher than at Le Vieux Port, and I hope you see some that strike you’re fancy because a little later in the day that could be your lunch. Yes; for the fish eaters among the group you’ll have the chance to dine on the famous fish stew of bouillabaisse.

CASSIS. LES CALANQUES.

The coast of Provence is studded with beautiful villages, one of which is Cassis. We’re going to take a leisurely boat cruise a short distance from Marseille to Cassis. Along the way we’ll pass up close to Les Calanques, a nature reserve on the coast, accessible only on foot. When the most beautiful photographs of the Mediterranean show up in a travel magazine, very often they are shots of Les Calanques! As we head out of Le Vieux Port on our ship we’ll also pass Le Chateau d’If, which lies just off the coast and was the island prison setting for The Count of Monte Cristo.

We’ll also experience the Van Gogh stroll, as I call it. One needn’t be a connoisseur of Vincent Van Gogh’s works to find his life in this region, particularly Arles and the sanitorium next to Saint Remy, a most curious, sad, and prolific period in his short life.

As we depart Provence for Barcelona we’re going to make a special stop along the way to dine at the world’s greatest buffet in little Narbonne, France, hard by the Spanish border. LES GRANDS BUFFETS isn’t just abundance at the dinner table. It’s French…..so the presentation is everything! The setting, the service, and of course the cuisine! It has to be seen to be believed! Bon Appetit!

A visit to the Languedoc region would be incomplete without a stop in one of Europe’s medieval masterpieces: Carcassonne!

As with Avila in Spain, one drives through the low plains until suddenly around the bend comes into focus a medieval walled fortress, as foreboding now as it was several centuries ago!

The fortified city consists of outer and inner walls…..all the better to protect against attack by siege engines! Its citadel, known as the Cité de Carcassonne, is a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period. Today it’s one of France’s most recognizable national monuments.

As you follow the wall around the city, you’ll learn about medieval warfare and locate the various “kill zones” that enemies risked finding themselves trapped in when attempting to lay siege to Carcassonne.

FRENCH CUISINE

The dining included in this tour event? It’s varied and you will have choices; but I limit the choices to suit American taste buds. For the more adventurous I’ll be happy to find some French delicacies for your dining enjoyment. I recommend that everyone try at least one evening the roasted quarter leg of duck, which is as common in France as a hamburger is in America. And the desserts? Well…..let’s just say that in 30 plus years in France I’ve never had an American guest leave dissatisfied with the desserts in France. I’ll make plenty of suggestions for food items to take home for yourself or for gifts. Seeing as we’re in the Southwest of France, after leaving Provence but before heading to Barcelona, we’re in the home of my favorite French dish: cassoulet! Its home is Castelnaudary, near Carcassonne. I’ll recommend a couple of restaurants where you can savour this rich and hearty delicacy!

I am often asked what my favorite city is in the whole world, as guests know I’ve traveled a fair amount! I would answer the question this way: Paris is my home on the mainland for obvious reasons. Rome is the city I can’t live without for too long. London has never been better for a visitor but Barcelona is second to none in its beauty. It’s not simply the place where the Modernista art/architectural movement was born; it’s the stunningly unique beauty of so many prominent landmarks in the heart of the city that lends credence to its place in the pantheon of beautiful cities. Barcelona is also classically European in scale….uniform heights, wide boulevards and distinctive quarters (neighborhoods) within the city proper. There is a reason we named this tour THE BEAUTIFUL TOUR……and you’re going to find out why when you’re standing at the foot of La Sagrada Familia!

I love Barcelona!

Undulating wave-like building facades that stop you in your tracks! The fanciful creations of Antoni Gaudí are as distinctive as they are mesmerizing.

GAUDI

From the colorful and bumpy facade of Casa Batlló to the awe-inspiring details you’ll see when visiting the Sagrada Familia, Gaudí’s Barcelona is defined by design forms (and materials) that gave birth to Catalan Modernism (Modernista) …..and I submit that Barcelona is not identified with Gaudi——–Barcelona is defined by Gaudi!

You’ll discover Gaudi’s work just by traversing the heart of Barcelona. We’ll point out all his most iconic creations during our private motorcoach tour of the city’s great sites, such as the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, and Casa Milà (La Pedrera.) You’ll have ample free time in the city later to visit your favorite Gaudi masterpieces. An afternoon on The Block of Discord will sate your appetite for discovering what Modernista art & architecture are all about; and be sure to visit the Catalan Palace of Music. The beauty of the interior stained class will leave you breathless!

This is why we come to Barcelona!!!!

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED: