French Escapade: Paris to MonteCarlo

•   Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director

Day 1: Arrive Paris
A transfer is included from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Hilton Arc de Triomphe Paris. Join us tonight for a welcome cocktail reception followed by a dinner to remember at the famously chic Fouquet’s, the quintessential Parisian brasserie right on the Champs-Élysées.
Overnight: The Westin Paris, France
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Paris As You Please & Choice of Museums
Learn, see, explore... it’s all about Paris on a guided morning tour, followed by free time to pursue what interests you most, plus a choice of museum visits from a selection of the city’s best, including Musée du Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay (subject to availability).
Overnight: The Westin Paris, France
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: Good Works in Beaune, then Embark in Lyon
Back in the 1400s, an almshouse and hospital for the poor was established in the town of Beaune; 600 years later, it still exists. After bidding Paris adieu and traveling to Beaune, you’ll visit the Hospices de Beaune – where a museum in the Hôtel-Dieu, one of the finest examples of 15th-century French architecture, preserves the heritage of this charitable work, now carried on in modern facilities. Continue on to Lyon and embark ms Swiss Emerald this evening for your Rhône River cruise.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 4: Chalon-sur-Saône & Mercurey
Arrive in Chalon-sur-Saône in Burgundy, known as the birthplace of photography and of one of its earliest pioneers. Inventor and native son Nicéphore Niépce produced the first photoetching and first permanent photograph from nature here in the 1820s... so whisper a quiet “thank you” as you snap pictures of the town’s Romanesque churches and monuments on a walking tour. Savor your way through town, sampling local culinary offerings on a guided tasting tour of some of Chalon-sur-Saône’s food shops. Later, enjoy a wine tasting at a premier cru vineyard in Mercurey, largest wine-producing area in the Côte Chalonnaise.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: From an Abbey to a Riding School
Nine arches grace the Pont-de-Vaux spanning the Saône River in Mâcon, and history lives along its Heritage Trail. Along with a walking tour, you’ll visit the Romanesque Cluny Abbey, once among the most significant Benedictine monasteries in Europe, and France’s renowned Haras Nationale equestrian center, the national riding school. Cruise back to Lyon this evening.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: A Day in Lyon, Where Food is King
If you’re a foodie, Lyon is the place for you! For lunch, sample the best of “France’s culinary capital” at the historic Les Halles de Lyon indoor food market, with tastings of the freshest breads, cheeses, meats, produce and more paired with local wines. Your day also includes visits to medieval Vieux Lyon and the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière. The Lyonnaise often wash down their meals with a local Beaujolais – like those you’ll sample at a tasting in that famed region today. ms Swiss Emerald sails for historic Vienne tonight.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Historic Vienne / Cruising the Rhône
The Romans seemed to have been everywhere in this region, including Vienne (which they called “Vienna” in their day). Today you’ll check out the ruins they left behind, as well as other historic sites, on a walking tour; you’ll also have some free time to browse in Vienne’s boutiques or spend as you please. Continue your cruise along the Rhône to Tournon-sur-Rhône.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Towns and Tastings Along the Rhône
As you awaken in Tournon-sur-Rhône and embark on a walking tour, look up – you can’t miss the huge castle atop a rock high above the river, or the stone bridge that was once the largest of its kind in the world. Just across the river, stroll through Tain-l’Hermitage – known for its fine chocolate and excellent Côtes du Rhône wines, which you’ll have a chance to sample during a tasting. Cruise the Rhône to Viviers tonight.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: Back in Time in Viviers
In the Middle Ages, the town of Viviers on the banks of the Rhône had two distinct parts which reflected the equally distinct social divide of the time. Artisans and tradespersons lived on the river plain, while the bishop and his upwardly mobile friends lorded over them from the hilltop above. Explore this well-preserved walled city, with its unusual castle-like cathedral, on a walking tour; you’ll be delighted by its authenticity. Spend the rest of the day cruising the Rhône aboard ms Swiss Emerald, bound for Avignon; on-board activities include a demonstration of the Provençal game of pétanque (weather permitting).
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: Stories of Popes (& Wine) in Avignon
Lovely Avignon might still be something of a backwater had it not been for the popes who moved the papacy here when things got “uncomfortable” in Rome some 700 years ago. Although the pontiffs reigned here for less than a century, their fortress-like Palais des Papes, which you’ll visit during today’s sightseeing, is still the centerpiece of this walled medieval city. The popes of Avignon all shared a fondness for wine, produced in this region for over 2,600 years; sample the locally grown Châteauneuf-du-Pape (which translates to “new castle of the Popes”) on an afternoon wine tasting in a hilltop setting overlooking the village for which the variety is named.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 11: van Gogh’s Arles & Camargue Cowboys
Ancient Arles was there long before the Romans found it... but you can still see a lot of what they left behind as you explore the city this morning, including the Roman arena from the 1st century BC – still being used for bullfights and plays. Look beyond Arles’ medieval streets and walls to see why the town and its surrounding landscapes were such an inspiration to Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, who completed over 200 paintings during the 15 months he lived here in the late 1880s; the quality of the light is amazing! An excursion to the Camargue region, a natural sanctuary in the fertile Rhône Delta, includes a visit to a working farm where you’ll attend a private demonstration by local cowboys, see the famous Spanish black bulls they raise, dine on traditional Provençal fare for lunch, and enjoy local lore and entertainment. Return to the riverboat in Arles and join us for the Captain’s farewell dinner this evening.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 12: Disembark Arles / Having a Nice Time in Nice
Upon disembarking ms Swiss Emerald in Arles, travel to Nice, where time spent is always nice – whether on a walking tour with our local guide or exploring on your own along the Promenade des Anglais overlooking the Bay of Angels… strolling the medieval streets of Old Town… or within the lively Rue de France pedestrian zone. Continue to Monte-Carlo for two nights at the Fairmont Monte Carlo; have lunch and dinner on your own today.
Overnight: Fairmont Monte Carlo, Monaco
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 13: Monte-Carlo, When it Glitters
It’s hard to imagine a more idyllic or sophisticated place than Monte-Carlo; the name brings to mind jet setters, mega-yachts bobbing in the harbor, the glittering casino where the rich and famous play, and the fairy-tale legacy of Princess Grace, Prince Rainier and the Grimaldi family dynasty who have ruled the Principality of Monaco for over 700 years. It’s all part of the magic you’ll discover – along with Monaco’s gardens, its cathedral, the pink Place de Palais and more – as you explore Monte-Carlo on an orientation tour and on your own during time spent as you please. Wrap up an unforgettable trip with a farewell dinner at your hotel tonight.
Overnight: Fairmont Monte Carlo, Monaco
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 14: Journey Home
Tour ends: Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Fly home anytime. A transfer from the Fairmont Monte Carlo to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is included; allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in. 
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
6/3/2012 - 6/17/2012	$6,790
7/5/2012 - 7/19/2012	$5,990
7/30/2012 - 8/13/2012	$5,990
9/7/2012 - 9/21/2012	$6,790
10/2/2012 - 10/16/2012	$6,790
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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