DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Paris.

DAY    2            ARRIVE PARIS (3 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our Tour manager/guide, where we will board our own private bus and transfer into Paris, "The City of Light." This afternoon we will take a Seine River Cruise, which will take us under many of Paris' graceful bridges, and past many important landmarks and monuments along both banks - a perfect introduction to the beauty of Paris. This evening we will ascend to Montmartre, an area of Paris made famous in the late 19th century as an artist's haunt. We will spend time in the Place du Tertre, a square known for its local artwork, before visiting the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, a huge white church which dominates the Parisian skyline.

DAY    3            PARIS (THE REVOLUTION AND NAPOLEON)
Our morning commences with an ascent of the Arc de Triomphe, a massive triumphal arch commissioned by Napoleon, which today is a symbol of Paris and home to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We continue with a stroll along the Champs Elysees, Paris' most spectacular thoroughfare, which offers a beautiful look at Parisian life and architecture. We return to the Place de la Concorde, before strolling through the Jardin des Tuileries, the beautiful Neo-Classical gardens, which lead to the entrance of the Louvre. We will enjoy a specialist-guided tour through the museum, which will include: Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, and many of the finest paintings and sculpture from Western Civilization. This afternoon we visit the cathedral of Notre Dame, begun in 1163 on a spot that had already been a religious shrine since Roman times. Over the centuries, the cathedral has been the scene of some of France's most momentous occasions, including the coronation of Napoleon. This evening we will dine in and stroll through the Latin Quarter, a section of the city that dates back to the Roman times, and which is generally associated with artists, intellectuals and political unrest. During our walk we will view the Sorbonne, Paris' oldest university.

DAY    4            DAY TRIP TO CHARTRES & VERSAILLES
                          (THE AGES OF FAITH AND REASON)
This morning we journey to Chartres, where we will visit Chartres Cathedral, the jewel in the crown of medieval churches in Europe. We will tour the Cathedral, which is a testimony in stone to the religious fervor of the Middle Ages. Chartres Cathedral boasts an unrivaled expanse of sculpture, as well as one of Europe's most impressive collections of stained glass windows. We continue with a visit to Versailles, a palace commissioned by Louis XIV around Louis XIII's hunting lodge. Our visit commences as we explore the ornate State Apartments, highlighted by the magnificent Hall of Mirrors. After time to explore the spectacular Gardens and fountains at Versailles, we return to Paris for the evening.

DAY    5            PARIS (PARIS OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS) TGV TO AVIGNON
                          (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we will visit the Musee D'Orsay, dedicated to the rich diversity of visual arts from 1846 to 1914, and featuring masterpieces by: Delacroix, Manet, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin and Lautrec. We continue with an ascent to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Paris' most recognizable landmark, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1889. After lunch in Paris, we will board a high-speed TGV train to Avignon, where we will transfer to our hotel.

DAY    6            PONT-DU-GARD & NIMES (ROMAN PROVENCE)
Today we will explore Roman Provence, beginning with a visit to Pont-du-Gard, a three-tiered Roman aqueduct, which is almost entirely intact. At over 2,000 years old, Pont-du-Gard is a startling example of Roman engineering. We continue to the Roman city of Nimes, which had its water supplied from the aqueduct. Nimes was an important city in the Roman period, and is home to many of France's greatest treasures from Roman antiquity. Our tour of Nimes will include; the superb Roman Amphitheater, built during the reign of Augustus; the Maison Carree, the best-preserved of all Roman temples; the Tour Magne, an old Roman watchtower with fabulous views over the city; and the impressive Archaeological Museum, which contains a fine collection of Roman artifacts.

DAY    7            AVIGNON - AIX-EN-PROVENCE - CANNES - NICE (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we begin our journey to Aix-en-Provence, the ancient capital of Provence, former watering place for the Roman legions and the home of the Impressionist painter Paul Cezanne. Before entering the city, we will stop at nearby Montagne Ste-Victoire, the mountain peak outside of Aix, which inspired many of Cezanne's most famous works. We continue into Aix, where we will take a stroll along the Cours Mirabeau, a particularly stately looking thoroughfare, with lovely shops, sidewalk cafes, and richly embellished sandstone mansions from the 17th and 18th centuries. During our walk, we will view the 1860 landmark fountain on Place de la Libération, before continuing to Cannes, the elegant playground of the rich and famous on the French Riviera. In Cannes, we will have a bit of free time to explore, shop or relax on the beach. We continue to our hotel in Nice on the Cote D'Azur.

DAY    8            NICE & MONACO
This morning we will begin our sightseeing with a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, which encompasses the Bay of Angels. Our morning will also include an ascent to Le Chateau, where we will view the ruins of the earliest settlements in the Nice area, and an Old Town Walking Tour. The old town is nestled at the foot of Castle Hill, and exudes a lively and utterly Mediterranean character. This afternoon we journey to the nearby Principality of Monaco, a sovereign state covering less than one square mile. We begin with a visit to the Cathedral, a Neo-Romanesque church containing a number of early paintings of the Nice School, including a St. Nicholas altarpiece by Louis Brea. Our afternoon will conclude with a visit to the Palais du Prince, the sight of Monaco's government. Our visit will include the Throne Room and the State Apartments, decorated with fine furniture and portraits by European Masters. (Visit is subject to season and the absence of the Prince) After viewing Monte Carlo, the luxurious Grand Casino named after Charles III, which made Monaco famous, we return to Nice.

DAY    9            DEPARTURE FROM NICE
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as our tour manager/guide accompanies us to the airport for the return flight home.