CHRISTMAS IN PROVENCE
travelling by Eurostar and TGV trains
AVIGNON GRAND HOTEL****
Based at the excellent Avignon Grand Hotel**** in the heart of Avignon, with Gala Dinners on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we also offer a full touring itinerary, accompanied by a Tour Manager throughout for this wonderfully different CHRISTMAS IN PROVENCE.
Travelling first class by Eurostar and TGV train services, our tour to Provence in December offers an interesting and unusual alternative for your Christmas festivities.
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the FULL itinerary
One of the most alluring regions of France, Provence, immortalised in countless films and books, boats some of the best preserved Roman sights in the world as well as beautiful cities, stunning scenery dotted with vineyards and fragrant olive and peach groves.
In the cultural heart of the Provence region, AVIGNON is a beautiful and fascinating city. Surrounded by massive ramparts the old town is dominated by the immense and imposing 12th Century Palais des Papes.
Major sights include the incomplete Pont St Benezet bridge, partially destroyed by floods in 1668, that lends its name to the famous song ‘Sur le Pont d’Avignon’, Petit Palais, several churches and two museums.
Our tour includes visits to the very best in this fascinating region. AIX is a lovely town with a host of fountains, classical mansions and elegant boulevards. The city’s most famous son is Paul Cézanne, whose studio is preserved exactly as it was when he died in 1906.
The national park of LUBERON is one of the most appealing areas of Provence with limestone cliffs, river-hewn gorges, rugged peaks and rustic perched villages such as Gordes with its 16th Century castle.
The charming hilltop town of UZÈS with its narrow streets is perfect for a leisurely stroll or stopping at a café. Sights include the ducal palace and 12th Century Fenestrelle Tower.
The three-tiered Roman PONT DU GARD aqueduct dates from around 19BC and spans the Gard Valley. Amazingly preserved, this hugely impressive 158 foot high structure is a remarkable symbol of Roman engineering.
ORANGE contains two of the finest Roman monuments in Europe; the Theatre Antique d’Orange and the Arc de Triomphe which was built to celebrate Cesar’s victory over the Gauls. The old town is charming with its 17th Century Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral and peaceful, shady squares overlooked by terrace cafés.
In the 14th Century, the Popes of Avignon decided to build a new castle and plant the vineyards that have since produced one of the finest Cotes-du-Rhone red wines, CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE, famous throughout the world. This attractive village is full of wine merchants offering tastings and sales.
The ancient ruined citadel of LES BAUX DE PROVENCE clings to one of the highest ridges of the spectacular Alpilles, an area of limestone crags south of the pretty village of St. Rèmy.
ARLES, with its strong Roman history has a Roman theatre, Constantine baths and a well-preserved Arena offering lovely views of the town from its top tier.
No visit to Provence is complete without experiencing the magnificent wilderness of the CAMARGUE, a protected area of outstanding natural beauty. This spectacular expanse of 75,000 hectares of wild, but beautiful marshland is home to wild horses, migrant flamingos and a host of other birds are often visible.
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