CALL 1-866-563-4248 FRANCE - Provence Easy - Classic Inns Biking Tour RESERVATION FORM

CLASSIC INNS
TRIP DETAILS

Trip Length
6 Days / 5 Nights

2008
Dates & Prices

Premium Trip Hotels

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

What's Included

Other Trip Versions
Self-Guided Trips
Premium Inns

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


Classic 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 - Rendezvous 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. Discover Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, the source of the Sorgue River.Take an optional kayak ride down its slow moving emerald green waters.Ride meandering side roads into the majestic Vaucluse Valley to our hotel in 12th-century Gordes.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 !

"Thanks for another wonderful trip...great routes, fascinating sites and lovely accommodations
...looking forward to our next European active vacation."
- Wes & Dianne, Detroit, MI
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  • 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
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TRIP DATES & PRICES

Dates Classic Inns Guided Single Room Availability Detailed Itinerary Self-Guided
2008 Price pp dbl. occ. Add for sgl. occ. printer version Version

March 31 - April 5 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
April 7 - 12 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
April 14 - 19 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
April 21 - 26 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
April 28 - May 3 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
May 5 - 10 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
May 12 - 17 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
May 19 - 24 $ 3,298. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
May 26 - 31 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
June 2 - 7 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
June 9 - 14 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
June 16 - 21 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
June 23 - 28 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
June 30 - July 5 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
July 7 - 12 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
July 14 - 19 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
July 21 - 26 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
July 28 - Aug 2 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
Sept 8 - 13 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
Sept 15 - 20 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
Sept 22 - 27 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
Sept 29 - Oct 4 ---------- ---------- Sold Out ! ---------------- -------------------
Oct 6 - 11 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
Oct 13 - 18 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
Oct 20 - 25 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.
Oct 27 - Nov 1 $ 3,198. $ 1,050. Space Available E-mail us today Save $ 300. p.p.

Other Trip Dates - to find other trips with space available on your preferred travel dates, click on our 2008 Calendar.

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 with single occupancy. Self-Guided prices are listed as a savings per person. Once you book a trip, your trip price will not change.

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

OTHER TRIP VERSIONS

Premium Inns Trips - the above information represents our Classic Inns trip.
Click here to view trip prices and itinerary details for the Premium Inns version of this trip.

Self-Guided Trips - the above information represents our Classic Inns Guided trip.
The Self-Guided version of this trip uses the same itinerary as above with the exception that only breakfasts are included, with the rest of your meals "on your own" with our well researched recommendations list, paid site admissions are not included allowing you more trip flexibility and trip guiding is provided on a limited basis.
A minimum of 4 participants are required to reserve space on any trip except any featured dates highlighted above.
For additional exempted dates, please e-mail or call our office.
For more information on the differences between our Guided and Self-Guided trips, please click here.

CLASSIC INNS SELECTION

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

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 - (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 sections 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.

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

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.

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

TOP REASONS WHY TRAVELING WITH CLUB TOSCANA IS SO REWARDING

Since our beginnings, Club Toscana has prided itself in producing active vacations that are the closest thing to a private trip complete with all the comforts and companionship 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 best accommodations -- always with an eye on exceeding your expectations.

Flexibility - 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 group.

Service - We take care of everything -- from meeting you at your pre-trip hotel, to making sure your luggage is taken care of, to always having a refreshment or a welcome lift when needed, 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.

Trip Leadership - Our pleasant natured, well organized and informative North American trip leaders individually have at least 20 years of experience guiding active travelers throughout every region visited by Club Toscana.

NEED MORE TRIP INFORMATION?

Click here for a fully detailed trip itinerary (printer version), e-mail our office 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
Contact Us      info@clubtoscana.com

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