DREAMING OF FRANCE AND ALSACE

Scenery: Beautiful French countryside.

• 07:30 a.m. – Departure. We’ll continue our tour, heading to the south of France through vineyards.
• 11:30 p.m. – Bordeaux. Its town center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll have time for lunch and to explore. We suggest visiting the Port of the Moon and the Cathedral of St. Andrew.
• 02:00 p.m. – Departure from Bordeaux, continuing south towards the Pyrenees.
• 05:30 p.m. – Lourdes. Arrival in the late afternoon. Our guide will introduce you to this beautiful mountain town, renowned worldwide as a Catholic pilgrimage site due to the Marian apparitions at its Sanctuary. We recommend attending the candlelight procession, which typically takes place at 9:00 p.m. (until the end of October) and visiting the various places of worship. Dinner in the hotel is included for all travelers.

Scenery: Pyrenees mountain range covered in snow most of the year and Mediterranean landscapes.

• 08:00 a.m. – Departure from Lourdes. We’ll travel to the south of France, passing through the metropolis of Toulouse.
• 11:30 a.m. – Carcassonne. Arrival at “la Cité”, a medieval walled city. There will be time for lunch and to explore this beautiful town, famous for its medieval walls, impressive castle, and picturesque historic neighbourhood.
• 02:00 p.m. – Departure from Carcassonne.
• 03:00 p.m. – Narbonne. Time to stroll through this historic Occitan city with a picturesque historic center. Highlights include the grand Narbonne Cathedral and the Via Domitia in the central square, built by the Romans to connect Italy with Hispania.
• 04:00 p.m. – Departure from Narbonne. We’ll continue along the coast towards the French Riviera.
• 07:15 p.m. – Marseille. Arrival in the second-largest city in France, located on the French Riviera. We recommend a walk through its vibrant Vieux-Port (Old Port), bustling with life and dotted with charming small restaurants.

Scenery: Villages, landscapes, and history—today we’ll see some of the most beautiful places in Provence.

• 08:00 a.m. – Departure from Marseille.
• 09:15 a.m. – Arles. We´ll stop to visit this World Heritage city, showcasing its Roman and medieval legacy. Its light captivated great painters, such as Van Gogh, who immortalized it in some of his canvases.
• 10:30 a.m. – Departure from Arles.
• 11:00 a.m. – Les Baux. We’ll explore this small medieval village and include admission to Carrières de Lumières, an impressive underground show that combines art, image, and sound in its old quarries.
• 12:15 p.m. – Departure from Carrières de Lumières.
• 01:00 p.m. – Avignon. Time for lunch and a walk in this small walled city in Provence on the banks of the Rhône. It was the seat of the Catholic Popes, becoming the second Rome until 1791 when it was integrated into France. Its immense Palais des Papes reveals its past.
• 03:30 p.m. – Avignon. We’ll head towards the interior of France.
• 06:15 p.m. – Lyon. Arrival in the third-largest city in France, proud of its remarkable historical past. We’ll walk through the Lyon Old Town, declared a World Heritage Site, and include a funicular ride to Notre-Dame de Fourvière, an immense basilica offering a great view over the city.
• Note: If tickets for the Carrières de Lumières show are unavailable due to closure or high demand, we will visit the Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard instead.

Scenery: Burgundy’s wine region with exceptional vineyards.

• 08:30 a.m. – After breakfast, we will leave Lyon and head towards Burgundy.
• 10:00 a.m. – Tournus. Time to stroll through this pleasant small town with picturesque alleys, an immense stone gate, and a large abbey, one of the largest Romanesque monuments in France.
• 11:00 a.m. – Departure from Tournus.
• 11:45 a.m. – Beaune. We’ll stop to visit and have lunch in the wine capital of Burgundy. You can visit the wine museum or the historic hospice.
• 02:30 p.m. – Departure from Beaune.
• 03:00 p.m. – Savigny Castle. In the heart of this wine region, we will visit Savigny Castle, built in the fifteenth century and home to extraordinary museums featuring motorcycles, race cars, airplanes, and helicopters.
• 04:30 p.m. – Departure from Savigny Castle.
• 05:30 p.m. – Dijon. Arrival in the capital of Burgundy, with lively streets and a vibrant atmosphere. Once the capital of a powerful duchy in the late Middle Ages, Dijon preserves a rich architectural heritage of medieval and Renaissance buildings, with the Palace of the Dukes standing out as a highlight.