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Forks on the Road
A Member of Tzell Travel Group
Lyon & Provence
A TASTE OF FRANCE
This group tour may be operated on the dates of your choice and customized as desired.
A Taste of Lyon & Provence
May 10 -18, 2016
SOLD OUT
1
Bienvenue à Lyon!
Lyon is France’s 2nd largest city, its gastronomic capital and the gateway to Provence. Our hotel is in Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon), the Renaissance-era quarter listed as a UNESCO® World Heritage Site. We’ll enjoy a panoramic introduction to the city and the remainder of the day will be at leisure to explore a bit on our own or relax. This evening we’ll gather at the hotel for an aperitif before walking to a nearby restaurant for our welcome dinner.
OVERNIGHT: Lyon
MEALS: Dinner
Sénanque Abbey
2
Lyon
After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll discover the city — and its history — on a guided walking tour. Founded by the Romans in the 1st Century, the blend of architecture is stunning. Magnificent facades bear witness to Lyon’s history as a silk capital and the ghosts of French resistance fighters haunt the famous labyrinthine of alleys called traboules. The tour will end at Place Bellecour — the city’s plaza, considered its heart. Place Bellecour is lined with cafes and lunch will be on your own. The afternoon is free to explore, visit museums or shop. This evening the group can sample traditional Lyonnais cuisine at a well-known bouchon.
OVERNIGHT: Lyon
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
Facade of the Paul Bocuse restaurant in Lyon, France
3
Lyon
A busy morning will include a chef-led market visit and a cooking lesson at the Institut Bocuse. The Institut was founded by renowned French chef and restaurateur Paul Bocuse. A native of Lyon, he is famous for introducing and championing a lighter style of French cuisine. Our lunch will include the fruits of our labor and will be enjoyed with wine from the region. This afternoon you’ll see Lyon from a different — and beautiful — perspective as we cruise the meandering Saône River. Dinner will be on your own with suggestions provided.
OVERNIGHT: Lyon
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
4
Lyon, Saint Rémy de Provence
After breakfast, we’ll check-out and depart Lyon for Tain l’ Hermitage. This lovely town is famous for its wine and even more so, its chocolate both wait to be sampled and savored. A guided walk through the wines and a picnic (weather permitting) will include a tutored wine tasting. The afternoon’s agenda will include a stop at Valrhona’s historic chocolate factory to taste the wares. We’ll see more of Provence en route to Saint Rémy de Provence where the group will base for the next three nights. Dinner will be on your own with recommendations provided.
OVERNIGHT: Saint Rémy
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch
5
Lyon, Saint Rémy de Provence
This vibrant and charming town meanders below the Alpilles and epitomizes life Provençal. As an art-history note, it’s where Van Gogh painted his iconic Starry Night. A guided tour will include a street market with stalls overflowing with brightly colored produce and giant wheels of cheese. Lunch will be at one of the town’s delightful brasséries. An exploration of the countryside includes a visit to a olive farm and tasting its oil — essential to the region’s cuisine —and a picturesque cobblestone medieval village of Les Baux de Provence. You’ll finish the day’s discoveries in the nearby Carrières de Lumières with a dramatic light and sound show highlighting some of the region’s renowned painters. Dinner will be your own with choices galore.
OVERNIGHT: Saint Rémy
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch
6
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
This morning, the group will travel to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, renowned far-and-wide for its antique shops. The streets of this “island town” are lined with beautiful water wheels that push the Sorgue River waters along their way. A visit timed for a Sunday will find its bustling brocante where vendors sell both lovingly restored antiques and flea market “treasures.” It will be a wonderful morning with time to browse the stalls and shops followed by lunch on your own at a local café or boulangerie. This afternoon we’ll travel to Roussillon, famed for its magnificent red cliffs and ochre quarries. It’s quite a sight to see and it’s been an inspiration to artists. There’ll be time stroll the picturesque maze of streets and squares. We’ll end the day in the enchanting village of Fontaine de Vaucluse, where you’ll enjoy dinner before heading back to Saint Rémy.
OVERNIGHT: Saint Rémy
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
Sorgue River
Palais des Papes
7
Avignon
After breakfast and check-out, the group will travel to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This medieval town replete with vineyards and cellars is celebrated for its wines — considered among the best in the world. A guided tour and tastings will reveal why. A group lunch in Châteauneuf-du-Pape will be a special one. This afternoon’s itinerary will include a stop at the little village Villeneuve-les-Avignon where a hilltop fortress affords stunning views. After checking in to our hotel, dinner will be on our own.
OVERNIGHT: Avignon
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch
8
Avignon
Your morning will be spent seeing the sights of this lively walled city and learning its fascinating history. Sitting on the banks of the Rhône River, its centerpiece is the hulking Palais des Papes. Throughout the fourteenth century, Avignon was the controversial seat of the Catholic Church. A city tour will conclude at the Place de l’Horloge, Avignon’s bustling main square. It’s rimmed with sidewalk cafes and shops and boasts a gorgeous carousel. Your final afternoon will be free to shop, lunch — and people watch. We’ll celebrate our last night together with a group dinner in the city center.
OVERNIGHT: Avignon
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
9
Au revoir de Avignon!
After breakfast at the hotel and check-out, say au revoir to Provence and transfer to Lyon for flights home or onward travel.
OVERNIGHT:
MEALS: Breakfast
Pricing
Interested in learning more about this tour? Contact us today!
Priced from $3,200 per person double occupancy, based on seasonality and hotel choices.
This tour can be customized in length and actvites.