CALL 1-866-563-4248 FRANCE - Provence Biking Tours RESERVATION FORM

TRIP DETAILS

Trip Length
6 Days / 5 Nights

2010
Dates & Prices

Trip Hotels
Choose
Premium Inns
or Classic Inns

Trip Meals
All breakfasts,
2 lunches and
all dinners but one

What's Included

Start - Finish
Avignon
FRANCE

Trip Activity Level
Easy to
Moderate

Rated Ideal for Everyone !

NEED MORE INFO ?
Speak to a
Club Toscana
Senior Trip Leader

Click on Image for
TRIP MAP


Biking through the Majestic Landscapes of the Alpilles and the Luberon South of Avignon

Experience the idyllic lifestyle of Provence. Follow quiet side roads under sunny skies and breathe in the herb scented air. Ride among vineyards and orchards, fields of sunflowers and wild poppies, and pass through aromatic pine forests. Enjoy its warm hospitality and superb accommodations. Dine on "La Cuisine du Soleil" where pungent and earthy flavors come alive with local olive oils, fresh basil, garlic, thyme, rosemary and sage. Visit quintessential Provençal villages and market towns, Roman ruins and natural wonders. Cruise through the sun drenched landscapes that inspired Cézanne, Picasso, Van Gogh and countless other artists since then. Join Club Toscana in the south of France where the charms of this distinctive region never end.

Day 1 - Castillon-du-Gard - Meet at your hotel in Avignon.Private transfer to the charming market town of Uzès, site of the Palace of Le Duché, and home to France's highest ranking ducal family.Enjoy a light lunch in its town square surrounded by Medieval homes.Guided tour of Uzès historic center.Ride through the vallée du Gardon to the spectacular Pont du Gard for a visit to this marvel of 2000 year old Roman engineering.Spin to the Medieval village of Castillon-du-Gard.Dine on regional specialties in a vaulted dining room.

Day 2 - Saint-Rémy-de-Provence - Ride quiet side roads through the fragrant Rhône River valley to visit the 11th-century abbey of St-Michael-de-Frigolet where monks produce traditional liqueurs made of local herbs.Ride through pine forests and quiet villages to St-Rémy-de-Provence.Trace the life and works of Van Gogh from the streets of St-Rémy to his asylum at the 12th-century Monastere de St-Paul-de-Mausole.Wander the old center of St-Rémy before a dinner of traditional French / Provençal cooking.

Day 3 - Les-Baux-de-Provence - Join the locals at St-Rémy's weekly food market where fresh farm produce, art and crafts are proudly displayed.Stop by an olive oil producer en route to the rugged Val d'Enfer where natural caves were the source of many legends of witches and spirits.Visit the ancient city of Les-Baux-de-Provence dramatically perched on a rock crag, and the ancient seat of the Rainier Family of Monaco.Tour the evocative ruins of the unique Château des Baux, carved out of the this rocky peak.Join the locals at a St-Rémy cafe and try pastis, the traditional dinner aperitif.Dinner on your own this evening to discover you own culinary and romantic corner of this charming Provençal town.

Day 4 - L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue & Gordes - Ride through the Durance River valley to L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a beautiful small town with canal side cafes and Provence's most famous antiques market.Discover Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, where the source of the Sorgue River rising from a cavern in a hillside, flows translucent emerald green waters through the village.Ride meandering side roads overlooking the majestic Vaucluse Valley on your way to your hotel.Dine on traditional French Provençal country fare surrounded by its omnipresent herbs in a noted village restaurant.

Day 5 - Villages of the Luberon - Ride into the Vaucluse Valley. Discover the dramatic landscapes of the Luberon and the quintessential Provençal villages immortalized by the writer, Peter Mayle in his book "A year in Provence".Join the artists in the ocher capital of Roussillon.Visit Bonnieux for its handicrafts, Lacoste, once home of the infamous Marquis di Sade and charming Ménerbes.Take an optional spin into a hidden valley to see the 12th-century Abbaye de Sénanque with its rows of lavender.Meander the village streets and join the locals in an outdoor bistro.

Day 6 - Avignon - Homeward bound.Bid a final farewell to the soothing landscapes of Provence and take a private transfer to Avignon for convenient TGV train departures for Paris, or extend your stay in beautiful Provence.As always, we would be more than pleased to help you with any of your post-trip travel planning.
Bon Voyage !


"Thank you for a fantastic trip...
beautiful scenery, luxurious hotels and excellent guidance."
- Cathy & Diana, Boulder, CO


Our France Travel
Specialists are Ready
to Help you with
All Your Travel Needs

  • Convenient pick up and drop off at your Avignon hotel

  • Visiting the spectacular Roman built Pont du Gard

  • Joining the locals at St-Rémy's weekly food market

  • Tracing the Van Gogh route from the streets of St-Rémy to his asylum

  • Discovering the ruins at Château des Baux and the source of the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

  • Experiencing the landscapes of "A year in Provence"

  • Côtes de Provence wines, Herbes de Provence, Chevre cheeses & olive oils

TRIP DATES & PRICES
Please click here to see if your preferred travel dates below have been sold out.

Dates
2010
Premium Inns Guided
US $ Price p.p. dbl. occ.
Single Room
Charge
Classic Inns Guided
US $ Price p.p. dbl. occ.
Single Room
Charge
Self-Guided
Trips
March 29 - April 3
April 5 - 10
April 12 - 17
April 19 - 24
April 26 - May 1
May 3 - 8
May 10 - 15
May 17 - 22
May 24 - 29
May 31 - June 5
June 7 - 12
$ 4,198. $ 1,370. $ 3,598. $ 650. Premium Inns Trips
Save $ 400. p.p.

Classic Inns Trips
Save $ 300. p.p.

June 14 - 19
June 21 - 26
June 28 - July 3
July 5 - 10
July 12 - 17
July 19 - 24
July 26 - 31
Aug 30 - Sept 4
Sept 6 - 11
$ 4,498. $ 1,630. $ 3,598. $ 650. Premium Inns Trips
Save $ 400. p.p.

Classic Inns Trips
Save $ 300. p.p.

Sept 13 - 18
Sept 20 - 25
Sept 27 - Oct 2
Oct 4 - 9
Oct 11 - 16
Oct 18 - 23
Oct 25 - 30
$ 4,198. $ 1,370. $ 3,598. $ 650. Premium Inns Trips
Save $ 400. p.p.

Classic Inns Trips
Save $ 300. p.p.

TRIP PRICE REDUCTIONS (above itinerary only)
When booking 4 people together, reduce your trip price by $ 200. per person
When booking 5 - 8+ people together, reduce your trip price by $ 400. per person

Price Guarantee - Please note that if your booked trip (name, version and departure date) receives a price reduction from your original booked price, we will automatically give you the new reduced trip price. Additionally, as always with Club Toscana, once you have booked a trip (name, version and departure date), we guarantee that you will not have to pay any potential trip price increases above your original trip combo price before your departure.

Reduce your Trip Price - We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express for all your trip payments. Club Toscana offers a reduction of 2% off your trip payments when you pay by check, money order or bank transfer.

Trip Prices - Price variations (if above) are a reflection of seasonal hotel rates. All trip prices are per person based on a room with double occupancy. Single room charges are additional for guests traveling solo wishing a double room all to themselves. Self-Guided prices are listed as a savings per person off the Guided Trip Prices. Self-Guided trips require a minimum of 4 participants to reserve space on any of the above trips except dates highlighted above.

Featured Trips when highlighted above, have additional space available and include guaranteed departures hosted by one of Club Toscana's Senior Trip Leaders.

Other Trip Dates - to find other trips with space available on your preferred travel dates, click on our 2010 Calendar.


PREMIUM INNS HOTEL SELECTION

Château d'Arpaillargues - Arpaillargues (1 night) - imbued with the charm of a stately Provençal home, this historic hotel features a large park with a swimming pool and guest rooms accented with tiles, ironwork and antique furniture.

L'Hotel les Ateliers - St-Rémy-de-Provence (2 nights) - the theme of this hotel is photography, complete with an in-house gallery. The lobby and adjoining (French-Asian) restaurant are a lesson in beauty, modern sophisticated décor, elegance and style all combined. With 2.5 acres of gardens including two pools, and countryside views of the Alpilles mountains, this luxurious boutique hotel feels like a spa.

La Bastide de Gordes (pictured) - Gordes (2 nights) - Just a glance at this hotel and the eye yearns to linger. Its majestic facade soars above terraces and a pool to a 12th-century tower with arcades in the form of a Romanesque cloister. Click here for a panoramic photo of this hotel in Gordes.

Please note: The above selected inns are subject to accommodations availability upon trip request. As there are many beautiful Premium Inns located along our route, if we need to choose an alternative lodging, it will meet or exceed the above selection in ratings, settings, amenities and views.

UPGRADE YOUR TRIP HOTEL SELECTION
Upgrade the accomodations on your Club Toscana trip with any of the area's luxury hotels:

Have a favorite hotel or seen a recommendation in a travel magazine or internet site, or have you received a glowing recommendation from a friend. We can include any hotel located along our trip route to make your vacation experience customized to your specifications. Give us a call to see how we can include your favorite hotels into your trip. Some additional charges might apply to cover changes in hotel rates.


CLASSIC INNS HOTELS SELECTION

Arpaillargues (1 night) - situated in the heart of Uzès, this pleasant hotel was created from the careful restoring of neigboring private houses from the 17th and 18th century. A terraced garden and pool compliment the cut of cut stone arches and wood beam ceilings of its noted restaurant.

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (2 nights) - each guest room in this renowned hotel has a king size bed, a terrace and luxury Provençal amenities. This inn also features an expansive garden and a gorgeous swimming pool.

Saignon - pictured - (2 nights) - this Provençal townhouse located in the leafy center of one of France's 10 oldest villages boasts one of the area's best restaurants.

Please note: The above selected inns are subject to accommodations availability upon trip request. As there are many charming Classic Inns located along our route, if we need to choose an alternative lodging, it will meet or exceed the above selection in ratings, settings, amenities and views.


TRIP START AND FINISH INFORMATION

Trip Start - Avignon, France
As a convenience to our guests, we will meet you at your hotel in Avignon at 9:00 am. or by special arrangement, the main train station or airport.

Avignon is located about 2.5 hours south of Paris by French TGV high-speed train service with French SNCF National train service from other locations. Avignon is also served by inter-European flights to Avignon - Aeroport de Caumont. We would recommend spending your pre-trip evening in Avignon. Our reservations office can make all your pre- & post-trip hotel, flight and train travel arrangements.

For French train schedules and information, please click on the links above. For Avignon and area information, please go to Ot-Avignon.

For pre-trip accommodations, we suggest a visit to Tripadvisor.com for a list of the most recommended hotels in your destination city based on visitor reviews.

Trip Finish - Avignon, France
On the final trip day, we would be pleased to drop you off at your post-trip Avignon hotel, the Avignon TGV or SNCF train stations or the Avignon airport.

Usual arrival in Avignon is around 10:30 am with earlier arrivals by request.

For train information, please visit the links above.

For post-trip accommodations, we suggest a visit to Tripadvisor.com for a list of the most recommended hotels in your destination city based on visitor reviews.


TRIP ACTIVITY LEVEL

THIS TRIP IS DESIGNED FOR ALL ABILITIES - Though rated moderately easy to moderate, we have designed this trip to be suitable for everyone, from the casual or occasional biker with other travel and site seeing interests to the experienced biking enthusiast looking for that extra challenge. Since your preferred biking pace and your biking interests might vary from day to day, we have a daily list of optional routes, distances and route terrain to give you exactly the kind of cycling you would like to experience. To learn more about how we rate the activity levels on our trips, please go to our Activity & Terrain Levels web page.

TRIP DAILY DISTANCES & BIKING TERRAIN
DAY 1 (55 kms. - 34 miles) - Easy to moderately easy over a low rolling landscape of vineyards, oak forest and farm pastures.
DAY 2 (70 kms. - 43 miles) - Easy to moderately easy over a low rolling landscape of open grazing land, vineyards and orchards.
DAY 3 (65 kms. - 40 miles) - Easy to moderately easy on a flat to rolling landscape with a short moderately challenging ride uphill at midday.
DAY 4 Premium Inns (54 kms. - 33 miles) or Classic Inns (85 kms. - 53 miles) - Easy to moderate on a flat to rolling landscape with a 1 moderately challenging uphill.
DAY 5 Premium Inns (54 kms. - 33 miles) or Classic Inns (84 kms. - 52 miles) - Easy to moderate riding on a rolling landscape with several short uphills and downhills.

Each of the above daily distances are typical on quieter, smooth surface paved roads and can be increased or decreased to suit your individual biking style, endurance and interests. Your Club Toscana trip guide and vehicle are always available to offer assistance including lifts up hills or to bypass any difficult sections.


Please note that the above itinerary and it's routes are typical for this trip and can be adjusted to accommodate different hotel choices, your choice of optional routes, optional shorter or longer daily distances, your personal daily biking pace and interests, and special local events that you might wish to join. Weather conditions and unannounced road repairs, etc. can also alter the routes, distances and daily schedules.

In an effort to enhance this itinerary and to help you get the most out this destination and your traveling experiences with Club Toscana, we are continually in the process of researching additional local routes, accommodations, dining establishments and interesting places to visit. Some of these "new finds" could be included in your specific trip.


WHAT'S INCLUDED ON YOUR CLUB TOSCANA BIKING TRIP

Convenient pick-up directly from your pre-trip hotel's front door.

Over 20 years of European adventure travel experience.

Cheerful, professional and trusted bilingual trip leadership with intimate knowledge of this trip's travel area, its culinary secrets, art history and cultural distinctiveness.

All transportation from trip start to finish.

Exclusive lodging with private amenities in wine & olive oil estates, charming country inns and historic town houses.

All buffet breakfasts, 2 lunches and 4 dinners featuring regional favorites and local specialties.

Private support vehicle for shuttles (throughout the trip), for welcome lifts (to bypass that extra effort or for a quick short cut to your hotel), bicycle repairs and on-board refreshments.

Special events, private tours, local experts and entrance fees to historical sites and museums, and other events or tours listed on the itinerary.

Use of a professionally maintained, fully equipped 24-27 speed aluminum TREK road bike or TREK hybrid bike with gel seat & suspension, an insulated rear rack bag, a Pro bike helmet and a new personal water bottle.

Detailed trip maps, route directions with options and a complimentary Club Toscana T-shirt.

All baggage transportation from rendezvous to final drop off.

Convenient drop-off directly to your post-trip hotel or the nearby major rail station, airport or rental car agency.

Unsurpassed customer service to compliment one of France's great biking vacations.


TOP REASONS WHY NEW GUESTS CHOSE CLUB TOSCANA & WHY OUR PAST GUESTS HAVE CHOSEN TO TRAVEL WITH US AGAIN

Since our beginnings, Club Toscana has prided itself in producing active vacations that are the closest thing to a private trip, complete with the sort of comforts and camaraderie that comes from visiting old friends.

We have spent over two decades designing itineraries that take in the most interesting countryside destinations, the most stimulating mix of history and culture, the best selection of terrain from flat to invigorating, and the region's most characteristic accommodations -- always with an eye on exceeding your expectations.

The Personal Touch - Many Club Toscana guests have traveled in large groups with some of our industry's major outfitters and have found traveling in those larger groups a little less convenient and relaxed compared with Club Toscana. These outfitters' somewhat inflexible rendezvous and trip drop-off locations, scheduled group meeting times and fixed dining locations & times are good for some, but perhaps a little too rigid for our guests.

Flexibility - We adapt every one of our trips to the interests and abilities of the guests that are booked on that particular trip. We design our daily routes and itineraries for maximum flexibility so you can have as much or as little activity as you would like each day -- with us you never need to follow the schedule. We are ready to go when you are ready to go, we are waiting at the start of every hill just in case you need a lift and we adjust each trip to your specific interests and time schedule.

Service - We take care of everything -- from making sure your luggage is safely transported to the next hotel, to always having a refreshment or a welcome lift when needed, to pointing out that special wine or antique shop, and always allowing you as much free time as you would like to get the most out of your European active vacation.

Knowledge - Traveling with Club Toscana is about discovering beautiful locations, its people, history and culture, all in a private-group-like setting -- the ideal vacation experience. After over 20 years traveling in this trip's location, we know the trip area intimately.

Trip Leadership - Our pleasant natured, well organized and informative North American trip guides individually have at least 20 years of experience guiding active travelers throughout every region visited by Club Toscana. We maintain a guest ratio of 8 guests to 1 guide plus a dedicated trip vehicle to ensure your comfort and security.


NEED MORE TRIP INFORMATION?

Click here for a fully detailed trip itinerary (PDF printer version), E-mail our office at travel@clubtoscana.com or call our professional travel advisers at
Club Toscana Reservations at 1-866-563-4248 toll free 8:30 am to 5:30 pm (EST) Mon. to Fri., 8:30 am to 1:00 pm Sat.
They are ready to answer your trip questions and arrange all your pre and post-trip travel needs for a truly all-inclusive European Active Vacation.



Royal City Travel / American Express Travel Services
10 Paisley Street, Suite 8, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1H 2N6
North America Toll Free 1-866-563-4248
travel@clubtoscana.com

Copyright © Club Toscana, Inc.