Indulge your love for wine with travel in a country renowned for its superior winemaking. More than 2 million acres of grapevines blanket France’s countryside, offering a range of wines for every connoisseur. France has been producing wine since 600 BC, when the Greeks first introduced it to the country’s native inhabitants. In the ensuing centuries, France has set winemaking standards that have been adopted by all who grow grapes and produce wine.
Your wine adventure begins in Paris, known as the “City of Lights,” and considered one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. Enjoy a half-day walking tour with a local culinary specialist that includes visits to popular cafes, an open produce market, and pastry and chocolate shops. Later in the day attend a wine tasting at a local wine shop where you will receive an advanced look into French appellations and terroirs. You’ll also have plenty of free time in Paris on your own before enjoying a special dinner cruise along the River Seine.
French mealThen travel by rail to Provence for more sightseeing and wine tastings at area chateaus and vineyards. You’ll stay in the lovely town of Saint Cyr sur Mer, located on the idyllic Mediterranean coast. With your private car and driver, tour the historic center of Avignon, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and wine taste in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, situated in the Rhône wine region. Also tour Cassis, known for its rosé wines, where you’ll visit a local winery to enjoy a tasting, followed by an afternoon cruise along the Mediterranean coast.
Price includes:
• 7 nights accommodations in 3-star hotels: 3 nights in Paris and 4 nights in Saint Cyr sur Mer on the Provençal coast
• Breakfast daily
• Half-day culinary walking tour in Paris with visits to a café, market, pastry and chocolate shops
• Dinner cruise on the River Seine
• Round-trip 2nd class rail tickets between Paris and Marseilles
• Full-day excursion that includes tour of Avignon, wine tour, and private wine tasting in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
• Half-day excursion to the fishing village of Cassis with wine tasting and afternoon cruise
• Transportation by private car with English-speaking guide for all wine tasting excursions in Provence and round-trip hotel transfers in Paris and Provence
Thirsty for More?
A world of wine extends beyond Europe. With AAA Sojourns, you can cross the International Date Line for two New Zealand Wine Experiences. Or, cross the equator for the rich reds of Chile – a country sure to capture your heart. Ask your AAA Vacation Specialist for details.
Note: Additional nights can be requested. Your wine itinerary can also be customized to include visits to popular wine regions Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire Valley, Rhône Valley or Alsace.
Day 1 - Depart U.S.
Depart the U.S. on a flight to France.
Day 2 - Arrive in Paris
Upon arrival into Charles de Gaulle Airport, meet your private guide who will transfer you to your Paris hotel. Check into your charming three-star hotel, ideally situated on a quiet street in the heart of the Opéra Garnier district and a short walk from many fashionable galleries, quaint cafes and tourist activities, including the Louvre Museum. This evening, explore this beautiful cosmopolitan city at your heart’s content!
Accommodation: Centrally-located Paris hotel - 3 nights
Day 3 - Paris City Tour
After breakfast, you will meet a local culinary specialist for a half-day walking tour to one of Paris’ idyllic neighborhoods as you experience food and wine, Parisian style! Visit a few delectable cafes, an open produce market or two, a Paris coffeehouse, and some of the city’s most decadent pastry and chocolate shops. Learn general descriptions of French food as you sample mouth-watering cuisine. After lunch on your own, you will attend a wine tasting at a local wine shop where you will receive an advanced look into French appellations and terroirs. Become an expert as you sip some of France’s most prestigious wines.
At the conclusion of your tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel to enjoy the duration of the day at leisure. We invite you to explore even more of the indelible city-life and attractions that make Paris such a place of enchantment! Passes can be reserved for the Louvre Museum, which may be explored with your free time this afternoon.
Day 4 - Siene Dinner Cruise
Today, enjoy a leisurely day exploring much more of Paris. Enjoy a final evening in Paris with a special dinner aboard an unforgettably festive cruise along the Seine River. The refined décor and tableware, the intimacy of the small, brilliantly decorated tables, and the liveliness of the ship’s dance floor form the ingredients of a wonderful and romantic evening. As you float along, you will enjoy an unimpeded panoramic view of the city’s landmarks in their full illumination, while choosing from a menu that combines traditional French and international flavors, lively tradition and a creative flair.
Day 5 - Travel to Provence
This morning journey by rail from Paris to Marseille, where you will be met and escorted by private car to your three-star hotel in Saint Cyr sur Mer, located on the idyllic Mediterranean coastline. Opening onto the bay of Lecques, Saint Cyr sur Mer is one of the most beautiful areas of the Provençal coast, surrounded by pine woods, the renowned vineyards of Provence, three harbors and a sandy beach five miles long. Fruit, vegetables, olives and wine are produced in the commune and the town has a weekly public market. All the charm of Aix-en-Provence and the old ports of Marseilles and Saint Tropez are within easy reach. The medieval villages of La Cadiere d’Azur and Le Castellet, perched high on the cascading hillside, or the quaint harbors of Cassis, Bandol and Sanary-sur-Mer are also nearby. And a visit to the chateaux and AOC vineyards in the area, offering wine tasting and introductions to winemaking for groups, are certain to appeal to food and wine lovers.
Guests of the hotel can enjoy many leisure activities and amenities, including: outdoor and indoor swimming pools, 9 and 18-hole golf courses, tennis courts, several signature restaurants and bars and a spa. The hotel landscape affords many bountiful olive trees, the greenery of lush vines and picturesque golf holes that look out to Mediterranean “blue.” The duration of the day can be enjoyed on your own, at leisure.
Accommodation: Saint Cyr sur Mer hotel - 4 nights
Day 6 - Tours of Avignon and Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Today, prepare for a full-day excursion to the city of Avignon, situated in the center of the Rhône wine region. Your guide and driver will escort you on private visits and wine tastings in a region synonymous with some of the best French wines produced today. Avignon is famous as the location where the original Papal leaders fled when leaving the corruption of Rome in the 14th century and built their residence, Le Palais des Papes, which is considered the world's largest Gothic edifice. Today, the city of Avignon is sprinkled with buildings and monuments showing their time-honored tradition and history, from the new to the ageless. Following your tour of town, you will take a wine tour through the vineyards of Orange and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Châteauneuf-du-Pape permits thirteen different varieties of grape, although the blend produced is predominantly Grenache. Stop for a panoramic view of the Rhône from the walls of the chateau and enjoy a private wine tasting in the castle’s cellars. Afterwards, you will have an exclusive opportunity to shop for a wide range of wines and Provençal specialties.
Day 7 - Saint Cyr sur Mer at Leisure
The entire day is yours to have fun under the brilliant summer sun! Your hotel staff is prepared to assist you with any local transportation you require to take you to one of the local beaches in the area. Recommendations for other area attractions and locations of interest are available with your hotel concierge.
Day 8 - Tour of Cassis
Meet your private guide to commence your half-day excursion to the quaint fishing port of Cassis, located on the beaches of the Mediterranean. Notable for its famous cliffs (falaises) and the sheltered inlets along its coastline (calanques), Cassis is equally famous for its white and rosé wines. Visit a local winery to enjoy a tasting, followed by an afternoon cruise to explore the various Calanques and witness the evolving fishing industry. After your tour of the town, you will have a chance to stop for a typical Provençal lunch; we suggest ordering a bowl of authentic Bouillabaisse, which originated here in Provence, centuries ago.
Day 9 - Return to Paris
This morning after check-out, a driver will meet you at your hotel to escort you back to the train station in Marseille to begin your return journey to Paris. In Marseille, you will be able to board a TGV train that will take you directly to Charles du Galle Airport for your flight home or continue traveling in Europe.
