Price Quote Almost Ready

The tour company has been working hard with Barry and I to create the best itinerary possible for our 2011 tour.  Barry and I want to keep the costs low without sacrificing experiences.  As soon as we get a final price nailed down, we will hold our meeting about the trip.  We were hoping the trip would be around $3500, but it looks like it will be closer to $4000.  Still, this is a real bargain.  We will continue to negotiate for the best price.  Once we settle that, we will contact anyone interested in going for a meeting about the trip. 

Keep watching your email and this blog for more info!

French Art and History-- French Riviera, Provence, Paris, and Bruges

• Day 1: Fly Seattle, Washington to Brussels, Belgium


 (June 23, 2011 suggested; will guarantee scheduled arrival into Bruges before noon)

• Day 2: Arrive Brussels

 Goal: Get outside and walk around to get over jet lag; get the layout of the city and some history

• Activities:

(1) Travel from Brussels to Brugges.

(2) Tour Director led City Walk Including:

(3) Free Time to visit one of spots above

(4) Dinner included

(5) Canal cruise in evening

• Day 3: Bruges

 Goal: In-depth tour of WW1 battle fields

• Activities:

(1) Visit WW 1 Flanders Fields battlefields, including major cemeteries and memorials

(2) No dinner included

• Day 4: Bruges

 Goal: Recreation day in Bruges

• Activities:

(1) Free time in Morning

(2) Picnic lunch (time/place/market visit arranged, individuals purchase food)

(3) 4 mile Bike Tour (ie Damme Bike Ride)

(4) Dinner included

• Day 5: Bruges to Paris

 Goal: Orientation in Paris

• Activities:

(1) Travel by TRAIN to Paris (earliest direct, if available)

(2) Tour director led sightseeing including:  Place de la Concorde, Champs Elysses, Arc de Triumph

(3) Ascend Arc de Triomphe

(4) Dinner in Montmartre

• Day 6: Paris

 Goal: Plenty of time to see Orsay (allowing 3 hrs) and Notre Dame

• Activities:

(1) City walk: Latin Quarter

(2) Visit Notre Dame Cathedral (including Holocaust memorial)

(3) Mid-day departure by bus for Normandy

(4) Visit Caen Memorial Museum

(5) Dinner included

(6) Overnight in Bayeaux/Caen area

• Day 7: Normandy/D-Day Beaches

 Goal: Visit D-Day Beaches with plenty of time leftover for another activity

• Activities:

(1) Visit Omaha Beach & American Cemetery

(2) Visit German Cemetery

(3) Visit Pointe du Hoc

(4) Visit Mont St Michel

(5) Free time in St Malo

(6) No dinner

(7) Overnight in St Malo with free time for dinner on own here

• Day 8: Paris

 Goal: Art Overload!

• Activities:

(1) Travel by bus back to Paris

(2) Louvre & free time (should arrive back in Paris by late morning)

(3) No dinner included (Rue Cler area good idea, will consult w/ Max day of)

(4) Evening visit to Musee d’Orsay (open until 9:45pm on Thursdays)

• Day 9: Paris to Avignon

 Goal: See Avignon

• Activities:

(1) TGV from Paris to Avignon

(2) Visit Pont du Gard

(3) Travel to Arles

(4) Tour director led city walk Arles

(5) No dinner included

(6) Bull games in Arles (every weds & fri 5pm)

(7) Travel back to Avignon for overnight

• Day 10: Provence Countryside

• Activities

(1) Visit Les Baux de Provence

(2) Horseback ride in the Camargue

(3) Return to Avignon

(4) Visit Palais des Papes

(5) Free time in Avignon

(6) Include dinner

• Day 11: Provence to Nice

• Activities:

(1) Visit Sunday Market in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

(2) Visit Cassis

(3) Calanques Cruise

(4) Continue to Nice

(5) No dinner included, free time Nice

• Day 12: Nice

 Goal: Down time on Beach

• Activities:

(1) Free time in Nice

(2) Traditional Nicoise dinner included

• Day 13: Fly home from Nice, France