Itinerary

Day 1 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Depart U.S./Fly overnight to Marseille

Depart from the U.S. for France. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 2 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Arrive in Marseille/Begin your Pre-Trip Extension

Upon arrival at Marseille (MRS) Airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is lost, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area – VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. Make sure that your VBT luggage tags are attached to your bags. This helps the representative identify you.

After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative or driver, who will be holding a VBT sign. Your representative will welcome you to France and arrange for your transfer via taxi or van to your Aix-en-Provence hotel (approximately 45 minutes depending on traffic). Please verify with your VBT Trip Leader the time of your transfer at the end of your trip, from your Paris hotel to the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Important: If you are delayed in meeting your VBT representative at the Marseille Airport, please call 04 42 93 01 44 from within France. Outside of France, call +33 442 93 01 44.

VBT provides you with a City Information Packet in your Final Travel Booklet that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do in Aix-en-Provence.

Use the rest of the day to relax or begin exploring the city.

Day 1 of AIR PACKAGE Depart US/Fly overnight to Marseilles

Depart from the U.S. for France. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary and airline tickets.

Day 3 of PRE-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Aix-en-Provence

After breakfast, spend the day exploring this intriguing city on your own. As you begin your day, perhaps visit some of the museums, such as the Musee Granet or the Musee des Tapisseries. Aix is known as the “City of a Thousand Fountains,” and you'll discover why when you stroll on your way to the Old Town along the Cours Mirabeau, where most of them flow and cascade.

Discover the architectural and cultural treasures of Aix-en-Provence simply by walking around this beautiful town. Some of the smallest streets of the ancient Roman town have kept their evocative names, offering a glimpse into the city's 2,000-year-old past. Dine on typical fare prepared with fragrant herbs from the hillsides, listen to the soft murmur of ancient fountains, take in the bright colors and flavors in the markets, or linger with locals on crowded cafe terraces. Venture into the countryside to experience the beauty of Aix landscapes immortalized by Cézanne.

Day 2 of AIR PACKAGE Arrive in Marseilles and transfer to your Aix-en-Provence hotel

Upon arrival at Marseilles (MRS) Airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is lost, fill in a PIR form before leaving the customs area – VBT representatives are not allowed into the customs area. Make sure that your VBT luggage tags are attached to your bags. This helps the representative identify you.

After exiting customs, enter the arrival hall and look for your VBT representative or driver, who will be holding a VBT sign. Your representative will welcome you to France and arrange for your transfer via taxi or van to your Aix-en-Provence hotel (approximately 45 minutes depending upon traffic). Please verify with your VBT Trip Leader the time of your transfers at the end of your trip, from your Paris hotel to the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Important: If you are delayed in meeting your VBT representative at the Marseille Airport, please call 04 42 93 01 44 from within France. Outside of France, call +33 442 93 01 44

VBT provides you with City Information in your Final Travel Booklet that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do in Aix-en-Provence. Use the rest of the day to relax or begin exploring the city. Dinner is on your own.

Day 4 of Pre Trip Extension Independent Exploration of Aix-en-Provence/Join VBT Air Package guests

Take another day to discover Aix-en-Provence.

VBT Air Package guests arrive throughout the day.

Day 1 of BIKE TOUR Transfer to Avignon/Meet Trip Leaders/Transfer to Saint-Rémy de Provence

VBT No-Air Package guests: Meet at the first hotel in Saint-Rémy de Provence by 2.30 p.m. If you arrive by train into Avignon, take a taxi at your own expense (approximately 35 euros/$52 USD, approximately 25 minutes traveling time). Please contact the hotel to advise the staff of any travel delays or changes, and they will pass your message to your VBT Trip Leaders.

VBT Air Package and Pre-Trip Extension guests: Meet your VBT representative in the hotel lobby at 11 a.m. and transfer by bus to St. Remy de Provence (approximately 1 hour).

This inviting property has magnificent views over the Alpilles Mountains. You have free time to stroll into town for lunch on your own and relax on the hotel grounds as you settle in. Please note that rooms may not be ready until 3 p.m. At 2:30 p.m., we meet our VBT Trip Leaders for a short introduction, followed by a safety and bike-fitting session and warm-up ride. Tonight, attend a welcome wine reception and dinner.

Day 2 of BIKE TOUR Explore Arles/Market Day

After breakfast, we cycle through beautiful countryside to Arles, a city with Greek roots dating to the 6th century BC. It was actually the Romans who built the city's most impressive monument, the grand amphitheater. We take some time to explore this magnificent site. If it's market day (traditionally Wednesdays and Saturdays), immerse yourself in the wonderful scents, colors and sounds of Provence. Here you find local produce, baked goods, linens, baskets, cheeses, flowers and much more.

In the afternoon we return to Saint-Rémy de Provence for relaxation and swimming. Or take a stroll through the car-free village. You'll see many restored ancient houses, some with Renaissance facades, as well as impressive hotels that have been converted to museums and galleries. Browse the narrow cobbled streets and craft shops. This evening is free for you to try one of the wonderful local restaurants.

Day 3 of BIKE TOUR Cycle to Les Baux

Breathtaking scenery and excellent cycling await us after breakfast, as we cycle into the heart of the Alpilles to Les Baux de Provence. We stop at some interesting sites along the way, such as the ancient fortress of Les Baux, which sits on an 800-foot rocky plateau.

The beautiful village of Les Baux has many lookouts with stunning views of Arles, the Camargue and the Alpilles. Its people are proud of their cultural heritage and the many historic monuments the village claims. Walking through Les Baux is like viewing an architectural display: its church, chateau, town hall, hospital, chapels, houses and doorways all merit more than a passing glance.

Have lunch on your own here, then we cycle toward Saint-Rémy de Provence through the gentle countryside that inspired van Gogh to create more than 150 paintings. A local historian, Mathilde Hamel meets us in Saint-Rémy and guides us to many of the places pictured in van Gogh's works. The village, which is closed to traffic, has ancient restored houses, Renaissance facades and impressive hotels that have been converted to museums and galleries. Stroll the narrow cobblestone streets, browse the craft shops, and dine in the town that was once the painter's muse.

Later, meet your Trip Leaders and walk to visit a local friend, Odile Mifsud a well-known pastry maker. Visit her home and enjoy her home-cooked dinner.

Day 4 of BIKE TOUR Discover the heart of Les Alpilles

After breakfast, if you haven't yet had the opportunity to stroll through a local market, don't miss the Saint-Rémy weekly market. Later, prepare for what may be the most beautiful cycling of the entire week as we ride through pristine Provençal countryside, passing olive fields and the Alpilles Mountains. A small chain extending from the Luberon, the Alpilles are not very wide but rise dramatically out of the Rhone Valley. Their foothills are flanked by the Durance and Rhone rivers. Higher parts of the range are home to rare species like the Bonelli's eagle, the Egyptian vulture and the eagle owl. The region's most famous inhabitant, Vincent van Gogh, immortalized the landscape during his time in Saint-Rémy. As you cycle, stop and wander through timeless villages and enjoy a picnic in a cool field, shaded by olive or almond trees. If you want more riding, our longer option offers even more gorgeous scenery. Tonight is a free night to have dinner on your own in town.

Day 5 of BIKE TOUR Explore Pont du Gard

After breakfast, shuttle by private motorcoach to the Pont du Gard, where you walk across this stunning architectural achievement. Built by the Romans in the first century BC (and declared a UNSECO World Heritage Site in 1985), the Pont du Gard is just one segment of a 31-mile-long aqueduct created to provide needed water to the city of Nimes. Much of the aqueduct has deteriorated over time, but this most impressive part still stands. Consisting of three levels, this bridge appears surprisingly delicate despite the massive stones used in its construction and credited for its enduring strength. As you cross the lower level, you can see these stones, some of which weigh up to six tons, held by iron clamps. Interestingly, the structure was built entirely without mortar. After exploring the Pont du Gard, spend the afternoon cycling through wine country and a beautiful forested area on the way to your hotel. Once settled in, you have time to relax, before gathering with the group for dinner.

Day 6 of BIKE TOUR Guided tour of Avignon

Sleep in this morning, then linger over breakfast before cycling southeast toward Avignon. Leave your bike outside the ancient city walls and stroll the timeless cobblestone streets. We'll meet a local guide for a walking tour of this ancient city. Later, you may decide to explore some of the city's highlights, such as the former papal residence, the immense Palais de Papes. Now a museum, this Gothic building has walls up to 18 feet thick! Or perhaps you'll walk the surviving section of the Pont d'Avignon. Built in the 12th century, this bridge originally spanned the Rhone, but has suffered frequent collapses from floods. Only 4 of the original 22 arches remain.

During your free time, you may wish to buy some local pottery or a handmade tablecloth. The day is yours to do with as you please. Try lunch at one of the local bistros, or enjoy a picnic by the river. In the afternoon you can cycle or shuttle back to the hotel. Tonight, celebrate with your fellow travelers during a special farewell dinner.

Day 7 of BIKE TOUR Transfer to Avignon TGV railway station/VBT No-Air Package ends

VBT No-Air Package guests: After breakfast, transfer to the Avignon TGV train station, arriving at approximately 9:35 a.m. Your tour ends here. Important: Train departures from the Avignon TGV train station prior to 10:05 a.m. are not recommended. If you depart earlier, you must make transfer arrangements from the last hotel to the train station at your own expense (approximately 35 euros/$52 USD, with a travel time of about 45 minutes).

VBT Air Package guests: After breakfast, transfer to the Avignon TGV train station via private motorcoach, arriving at approximately 9:35 a.m. and continue by high-speed train to Paris. Upon arrival in the City of Lights, you are met by a VBT representative and transferred to your centrally located hotel. VBT provides you with City Information in your Final Travel Booklet that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do in Paris.

Day 8 of AIR PACKAGE Depart for U.S.

After breakfast*, transfer to the Paris Charles De Gaulle airport for your return flight. Please ensure you are ready in the hotel reception area at the designated time.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

*Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

Day 1 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Paris

Today, see for yourself why this city has inspired poets, lovers, emperors and artists for centuries. Visit Montmartre and its charming cafés and artists' colony, along with the Moulin Rouge, made famous by Toulouse-Lautrec in his vivid and colorful artwork. Or venture to the top of Notre Dame for a gargoyle's view of the city. Make a stop at the Eiffel Tower or one of the magnificent museums, such as the Musee Picasso or the Musee d'Orsay. Take a stroll through the Tuileries Gardens on your way to the Louvre. You can walk to many of the major sights from your centrally located hotel.

You may book an optional 2-hour guided walking tour of Paris, starting at your hotel, at your own expense—you must reserve this optional tour with your VBT representative upon arrival. The price is 25 euro per person (must be paid in cash euros), and requires a minimum of 4 participants.

Day 2 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Independent exploration of Paris

Enjoy another day discovering Paris.

Day 3 of POST-TRIP EXTENSION Depart for U.S.

After breakfast*, transfer to the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport for your flight home. Please ensure that you are waiting in the hotel reception area at the designated time.

Please note: VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

*Please note: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the Front Desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

Provence: The Alpilles 2012

Pre and Post Trip Extensions

Pre-Trip Extension

Aix-en-Provence 2012 - 2 nights for only $245

Discover the architectural and cultural treasures of Aix-en-Provence simply by walking around this beautiful town: 17th-century houses line the Mazarin District and stunning cathedrals like the Sauveur and the Eglise St.-Jean-de-Malte dot the lovely cityscape. On a smaller scale, some of the tiniest streets of the ancient Roman town have kept their evocative names, offering a glimpse into the city’s 2,000-year-old history. Dine on typical fare prepared with fragrant herbs from the hillsides, listen to the soft murmur of ancient fountains, take in the bright colors and flavors in the markets or linger with locals on crowded cafe terraces. Venture outside the city to experience the beauty of the Aix countryside immortalized by Cézanne.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $195.

Post-Trip Extension

Paris 2012 (Provence) - 2 nights for only $395

End your adventure with a visit to Paris and discover for yourself why the City of Light has inspired poets, lovers, emperors and artists for centuries. Visit Montmartre and its charming cafés and artists’ colony. Here, too, is the Moulin Rouge, made famous by Toulouse-Lautrec in his vivid and colorful artworks. Or venture to the top of Notre Dame for a gargoyle’s view of the city. You have plenty of time to make a stop at the Eiffel Tower or one of the magnificent museums, such as the Musee Picasso or the Musee d’Orsay. Take a stroll through the Tuileries Gardens on your way to the Louvre. You can walk to many of the major sights from your centrally located, 4-star hotel.

Available only with the Air Inclusive Package.

Note: Single supplement for this extension is $345.

Accommodations

Hotel Aquabella

Ideally situated in the heart of the old town of Aix-en-Provence, at the foot of the ancient fortifications and in the center of the markets of Provence, Hotel Aquabella offers you an exceptional environment for your active vacation.

Hotel De L’Image

Located in the center of Saint-Rémy de Provence, the Hotel De l’Image is one of Provence’s most charming hotels, and was established around the theme of photography. It has a gallery, private collection, projection hall and fully equipped photo lab.

Hotel La Magnanaraie

The Hotel La Magnaneraie is located in the historic town of Villeneuve les Avignon, less than 2 miles from Avignon. Surrounded by a verdant park, it offers a haven of silence and peace. This 15th-century building combines the charm of an ancient mansion house with all the modern comforts, and the bedrooms have been carefully designed to ensure a relaxing stay.

This fully air-conditioned hotel features elegant interiors and finely decorated common areas. You’ll enjoy a garden with outdoor swimming pool, and a spacious lounge and bar. Its restaurant, La Magnaneraie, offers many regional specialties.

Hotel Rochester

This elegant and charming hotel is located a few steps from the Champs-Elysees and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore’, making it very easy and safe for visiting Paris, shopping, and taking evening strolls. It is a small, family-run hotel that is part of a small, private chain. All the rooms are decorated in a Louis XV style and feature modern amenities, including air-conditioning.

Rating Level

Easy/Moderate

This tour offers a combination of easy terrain mixed with moderate hills. Our VBT van support shuttle is always available for those who need assistance with the hills. Suitable for novice cyclists and ideal for experienced cyclists.