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Southern France

Code: LE03FR
From: 1990.- EUR

DAY 1:

LONDON - PAU

We pick you up at your selected hotel in London and drive you to the airport from where we take the morning flight to Pau. You meet your DG at the airport, board your maxi-van and start this expedition. The first stop is the old capital of French Navarre - the town of Pau. It is linked with the English way of life with a rugby team and the first golf course to be established outside Great Britain. It's also famed for its healthy water. Dinner and overnight in the Pau/Lourdes area.

DAY 2:

LOURDES - LA BIGORRE

Breakfast. In the morning we check out one of the most important religious, curative and pilgrimage towns in Europe - Lourdes, which boasts an underground church that can hold more pilgrims than it is its entire population. In the afternoon we explore the mighty peaks of La Bigorre - driving through the narrow gorges and enjoying panoramas from the "pics" of the central Pyrenees. Overnight in La Bigorre area.

DAY 3:

FOIX

Breakfast. The expedition continues along the backroads of the French Pyrenees to the town of Foix, with a very charming setting by the river Ariege. The ruins of the castle have three distinctive towers. We drive further along the glacial valley to the old Devil's bridge and the interesting museum of Prehistoric Art. Overnight in Foix area.

DAYS 4 & 5:

CATHAR CASTLES

Breakfast. The next two days are dedicated to the Cathar castles of Montesegur, Peyreperteuse and Queribus which may have different settings, legends and an overall appeal but they all share the same history as strongholds of the Cathars. We also visit a mysterious village Rennes la Chateau, which is one of the main topics of the bestseller "The Holy Blood, The Holy Grail". Overnights.

DAY 6:

PERPIGNAN - MONTPELLIER - ARLES

Breakfast. First we check out the city of Perpignan which used to be the seat of the Kings of Malorca with a citadel to prove it. The next stop is Montpellier, a very interesting city with a bold architectural project called the Antigone. There are huge Esplanades and Promenades, the Arc of Victory and the old district below the Citadel. Overnight in the Nimes/Arles area.

DAY 7:

CAMARGUE

Breakfast. Nimes and Arles are similar towns, both established by the Greeks and developed under the Romans. They both have well preserved amphitheatres, which are used for Spanish buillfighting. In between the two towns we take time to explore Camargue, the delta of the river Rhone. We visit the gipsy town of St. Marie de la Mer. Overnight in Nimes/Arles area.

DAY 8:

LES BAUX - ST. REMY - TARASCON - PONT DU GARDE - AVIGNON

Breakfast. Continuing our expedition in the area of the river Rhone, we visit Les Baux, perched on a rocky spur with the majestic ruins of the castle overlooking the valley; St. Remy, which is where Van Gogh spent his days painting his best work; the twin towns Tarascon and Beaucaire and one of the most fascinating Roman constructions - the perfectly preserved aqueduct Pont du Garde. Overnight in Avignon.

DAY 9:

AVIGNON - ORANGE

Breakfast. We visit the most important building in Avignon - The Palace of Popes. When the French king wanted to have the Popes under his control, he moved them from Rome closer to his court. A short trip takes us to the nearby Orange, to see the beautiful Roman theatre, considered to be the best in the world. Overnight in Avignon.

DAY 10:

GORDES - ROUSILLON - APT - DIGNE

Breakfast. The villages of Provence which we see today are the charming Gordes, where many French artists established their second homes, and Roussillon in the middle of the red ochre cliffs. The back roads take us through the town of Apt to Digne. In the middle of the mountains lies this provincial capital and thermal resort. We have a stroll through the city center. Overnight in Digne.

DAY 11:

VERDON GORGE - GRASSE - CANNES

Breakfast. The expedition takes us to the Verdon Gorge, which may not be Grand Canyon, but has some beautiful vistas of its own. Before we arrive at the famous Cote d'Azure, we stop in Grasse and find out all about the perfume industry. In Cannes we take a stroll along the Croisette. Overnight in Cannes.

DAY 12:

MONTE CARLO

Breakfast. We drive to Monte Carlo and check out the most interesting sights like the cathedral, the Grimaldi Castle and the Oceanographic Museum. We may also visit a Picasso's Museum in Antibes or maybe Cocteau's church in Villefranche. Or we can easily spend more time in Cannes with its narrow streets in the old town. Dinner and overnight in Cannes.

DAY 13:

CANNES - TOULON - LONDON

Breakfast. Drive to the airport from where we will fly to London. End of our expedition.