Touring holidays
Hotel Crillon le Brave ••
Domaine de Capelongue
Hotel la Pérouse Bastide du Calalou • Villa Belrose •
Bastide du Calalou • •
Hotel de la Cité • Relais des Chartreuses
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TO NICE BY TRAIN , THEN TOUR BY HIRE CAR Utilising the efficient connections provided by Eurostar , take the train to Lille Europe and then change for the TGV to Nice . By taking a 7am train from London , you reach Nice by about 7pm the same evening . Arriving in Nice , enjoy the fragrant flower market , art museums and the fish restaurants before venturing inland to discover the delightful villages of the arrière-pays , including the artists ’ colony of Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the perfume town of Grasse . Before heading west , perhaps spend a day to the east of Nice , soaking up the sophistication of the resorts of Beaulieu-sur-Mer , Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and of course , Monaco . The next part of your journey takes you west along the Riviera , passing opulent Antibes , Cannes , and Fréjus to Saint-Tropez , arriving at the tranquil luxury of your second hotel , Villa Belrose . Enjoy the serene yet cosmopolitan surroundings before heading back inland to Mossaic- Bellevue which , at an altitude of 600m , has a spectacular view that extends from the Esterl Massif to the Sainte-Beaume mountains . Stay here for a couple of nights before returning to Nice , where you ' ll travel by TGV to Lille , connecting wih the Eurostar to London .
Driving times : Nice to Saint-Tropez 1 hour 45 minutes Saint-Tropez to Moissac-Bellevue 1 hour 45 minutes Moissac- Bellevue to Nice 1 hour 30 minutes
We include :
• Four nights ’ bed and breakfast the Hotel la Pérouse in Nice
• Three nights ’ bed and breakfast at Villa Belrose in Saint- Tropez
• Two nights ’ bed and breakfast at La Bastide du Calalou
• Eurostar 2nd class London to Lille return , then TGV Lille to Nice return , 2nd class and a group A hire-car for 9 days
Prices : on our website or ask us for details
TO AVIGNON BY TRAIN , THEN TOUR BY HIRE CAR Make the most of the excellent connections by leaving London by Eurostar at about 7am , changing at Lille Europe and taking the TGV to Avignon to arrive at about 3pm . On the return journey , you leave Avignon at about midday to reach London by about 8pm ( times may vary ). In between , your hire car allows you to tour the glorious scenery of inland Provence , with its cypress and plane trees , almond and olive groves , fragrant lavender and magnolia , village perchés and market towns , ancient Roman remains and the landscapes immortalised on canvas by Cézanne and Van Gogh . Upon arrival in Avignon and collection of your hire car , we recommend travelling along the picturesque A-roads that show off Provence at its finest . Heading southeast across the Lubéron , you ’ ll take in delightful and stunning villages such as L ’ Isle sur la Sorgue , Gordes , the market town of Apt and the thermal baths of Gréoux les Bains . Your first hotel is in the ' hill village ' of Bonnieux , which has beautiful views from atop its location in the Luberon hills . Your second destination takes you to another hilltop village , Moissac- Bellevue , which is not far from the Sant Croix Lake and famous nearby gorges . Finally , head back towards Avignon and the myriad of cultural and historical delights centered in and around the Golden Triangle of Orange , Nimes and Salon de Provence .
Driving times : Avignon to Bonnieux Bonnieux to Moissac- Bellevue Moissac- Bellevue to Crillon le Brave Crillon le Brave to Avignon
1 hour 2 hours 2 hours 45 minutes 45 minutes
We include :
• Two nights ’ bed and breakfast at Domaine de Capelongue , Bonnieux .
• Three nights ’ bed and breakfast at Bastide du Calalou , Moisssac- Bellevue .
• Three nights ’ bed and breakfast at the Hotel Crillon le Brave .
• Eurostar 2nd class London to Lille return , then TGV Lille to Avignon return , 2nd class and a group A hire-car for 8 days
Prices : on our website or ask us for details
TO CARCASSONNE AND PERPIGNAN BY TRAIN , THEN TOUR BY HIRE CAR Depart London just before 7am for your Eurostar to Lille Europe , where you change to the TGV departing for Narbonne to arrive just after 5pm . From here , connect to a local train , taking just 30 minutes , to Carcassonne , where your hotel enjoys a privileged position within the mediaeval citadel walls . Here you ’ ll spend a few days discovering the delights of this popular city and the surrounding region , perhaps taking the train to the pink city of Toulouse , so named for the rose-tinted hue of its palatial public buildings . The second part of your southwestern itinerary takes you deep into the heart of French Catalonia , just a stone ’ s throw from the Franco- Spanish frontier . Take the train back to Narbonne and change for Perpignan ( alternatively , there is a direct train late-afternoon ). On arrival , you ’ ll pick up your hire car and drive the 30-minute journey to your hotel , situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees , overlooking the Vallespir Valley . From here , you ’ re within striking distance of Picasso ’ s beloved Céret , at the heart of the Tech Valley , beautiful Collioure , and the coastal villages along the Côte Vermeille . Return to Perpignan , where your lunchtime TGV whisks you up to Lille , arriving just before 8pm ( earlier trains are available but involve a change ). Your homebound Eurostar arrives in London just after 9pm .
We include :
• Three nights ’ bed and breakfast at the Hotel de la Cité in Carcassonne
• Five nights ’ bed and breakfast at the Relais des Chartreuses in Le Boulou , near Perpignan
• Eurostar 2nd class London to Lille return , then TGV Lille to Narbonne / local train to Carcassonne and TGV Perpignan to Lille , 2nd class and a group A hire-car for 5 days
Prices : on our website or ask us for details