Three Overnights in Provence and the Camargue
Explore the South of France
Thursday-Tuesday, April 8-13
Romans! Vincent van Gogh! More Romans! Pablo Picasso! Saint Louis! French Popes! French cowboys! Paul Cezanne! Biblical saints! The Camargue, a French nature preserve! Join us in celebrating the end of winter as we once again explore this varied and fascinating portion of southern France. After an evening departure, we’ll drive through the night and begin our sightseeing Friday morning at the magnificent Pont du Gard, the three-tiered Roman aqueduct built during the reigns of Claudius and Nero. You’ll have time for pictures and a personal inspection of this World Cultural Heritage site before we leave for the village of St. Remy. In St. Remy, we’ll walk through the old town, including the birthplace of Nostradamus. Just outside of town, you’ll have a choice of destinations. An entire Roman town called Glanum has been excavated and it’s possible to walk the streets of this ancient site. Across the road is the Monastery Saint-Paul de Mausole, where Vincent van Gogh was hospitalized for an entire year and where many of his most famous paintings were done. His actual rooms have been preserved along with a very good explanation of his life and illness. Admission to one or the other of these sites is included. From St. Remy, we travel to Arles, our residence for the next three days. After checking into our hotel in the center of the city, your guide will familiarize you with everything from the Roman monuments to the medieval remnants of an independent Arles to the city of van Gogh, Gauguin, and Picasso. Your evening will be free to sample the delights of regional Provencal cuisine at the numerous restaurants of Arles. After a breakfast at our hotel on Saturday morning, you’ll have free time to explore the city or to sample the delights of the largest street market of Provence, stretching for two kilometers along the city streets. Provence is famous for its olive oils and olive products. Also for sale are olive wood utensils, oil soaps, lavender, special herbs of Provence, red rice from the Camargue, sea salt, and the famous blue and yellow fabrics emblematic of southern France. Saturday afternoon will include a visit to the capital city of Aix-en-Provence. This city dates back to Roman times and has been a symbol of elegance and culture in southern France ever since it was the residence of Good King Rene in the 15th Century. Our city tour guide will show us all of the major sites in the old city and tell us about one of the city’s favorite sons, the impressionist painter Paul Cezanne. We’ll visit the Cezanne studio where the artist worked during the last years of his life. After breakfast on Sunday, we’ll drive through the Camargue marshland, a nature preserve with hundreds of bird species and the famous Camargue bulls and Camargue horses. We’ll visit the two largest towns in the Camargue, Saints Maries de la Mer and Aigues-Mortes. Stes. Maries is the legendary spot where several biblical figures, including two Saint Marys, Lazarus, Mary Magdalene, and others came ashore after being set adrift in a boat with no sails or oars. Two Saint Marys and their servant Sarah, the patron saint of Europe’s gypsies, are buried in the village church. Aigues-Mortes is one of the most unusual cities in Europe. In the 13th Century, King Louis IX of France (St. Louis) finally obtained a foothold on the Mediterranean coast between the German Empire’s province of Provence and the territories of the Spanish King of Aragon. He built a large fortress to secure his new lands and to be a launching site for the seventh crusade. That fortress is now the city of Aigues-Mortes. The fortress is now silted in and several kilometers from the coast, but there is a full city largely within the original walls. We’ll have several hours to explore the town or walk the old battlements or even take a leisurely boat ride into the Camargue, during which you can see how many species of birds you can spot and see a French cowboy show you how the bulls are herded. At the end of the day, we’ll return to Arles for our last night in Provence. On our last day, we’ll visit the city of Avignon. A city tour guide will show us the city which was the home of the papacy for most of the 14th Century, and was then the home of the anti-Pope during the Great Schism. We’ll also get to see the famous bridge, the Pont d’Avignon, made famous in the French folk song. After the tour, we’ll remain in the city long enough for those who wish to see the interior of the Palace of the Popes to do so at their own expense, before beginning our return trip to Germany in late afternoon. Please bring passport or travel papers and euros for meals and admissions which are optional during the tour. Travel documents are the responsibility of the customer. Tour price includes bus transportation, three nights in a three-star hotel, three breakfasts, city tours as described above and admission to one of the two sites in St. Remy described above, and a USO tour guide.
Transportation: German bus
Depart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 2100 (THU)
Return: Approximately 0300 (TUE)
Cost: $519 Adults, $509 Children
Single Supplement: $150
Keukenhof Gardens, the Flower Parade, and Delft
Saturday-Monday, April 24-26
There is no lovelier spot on earth than Holland during tulip time. This special overnight tour will enable us to fully experience Tulipmania and the charms of the Netherlands. After a good Dutch breakfast buffet (included), we’ll drive through the beautiful countryside to the coastal town of Noordwijk to take our position along the parade route to observe the annual flower parade, Holland's version of the rose parade. This annual flower parade travels its 40-km route along the main roads from Noordwijk to Haarlem. The procession will comprise large floats and decorated luxury cars, interspersed with marching bands. After lunch on the famous Scheveningen Boardwalk, we’ll check in to our 4-star hotel. Mid afternoon, we’ll have a guided tour of The Hague. In the evening, you can visit the boardwalk or The Hague downtown or the Madurodam Park. The adventurous can take public transportation to Amsterdam, or to Haarlem where the parade ends and the floats are put on display. After breakfast in the hotel (included), we go to the famous Keukenhof Gardens, the most beautiful spring flower show in the world. Keukenhof has become one of the best-known attractions in Holland and one of the most photographed sights in the world. There, you’ll see millions of bulb flowers, tulips, narcissi, hyacinth, lilies, and orchids—a paradise with its wonderful gardens, flowering sculptures, special exhibits, windmills, souvenir shops, and restaurants. See what the expert flower arrangers have done and perhaps get ideas for your own garden. In the afternoon, we’ll continue on to Delft, where we’ll visit one of three remaining Delft Blue factories. You will have a guided tour explaining what makes Delft some of the finest porcelain in the world. Each hand-painted piece is numbered and signed by the artist. If you want to collect true “Blue,” then this is the place for you. After our factory tour, we’ll continue into the quaint town of Delft for a city orientation around its canals, churches, and 16th century homes. You’ll have time for lunch (not included) before we start on our trip home. We’ll take a short break for dinner (not included) en route. Be sure to bring euro for shopping, lunch, and dinner. U.S. (blue), EC, or Canadian passports are required. Travel documents are the responsibility of the customer. Tour price includes transportation, breakfast, one overnight in a 4-star hotel, Keukenhof Gardens entrance fee, guided tour of The Hague, guided tour of Delft factory and city, and USO tour guide.
Transportation: German bus
Depart: Vogelweh Bowling Center 0130 (SAT)
Return: Approximately 0100 (MON)
Cost: $279 Adults, $269 Children, per person (based on double occupancy)
Single Supplement: $60
