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

DAY    2            ARRIVE NICE (2 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our Tour manager/guide, where we will board our own private bus and transfer into Nice on the French Riviera. This afternoon we will begin our sightseeing with a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, which encompasses the Bay of Angels. Our touring 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.

DAY    3            MONACO & EZE (THE MOYENNE CORNICHE)
Our morning begins with a scenic drive along the spectacular Grande Corniche to La Turbie. Located high in the Alps above Monte Carlo, we will be rewarded with spectacular panoramic views as far as Italy. After viewing La Trophée, a temple and monument constructed by the Romans in 6 BC, we continue to the 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 which made Monaco famous, we continue the beautiful perched village of Eze. After time to explore or shop in this beautiful village, we will visit the Fragonard Perfume Factory, where we will take a guided tour which will reveal some of the secrets of perfume making.

DAY    4            NICE - CANNES - AIX-EN-PROVENCE - AVIGNON (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we journey 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, before continuing to Aix-en-Provence. The ancient capital of Provence is the 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 Avignon, an important city protected by its ramparts, and known today as a lively center of art and culture. We conclude the day with a visit to the 14th century Papal Palace, a huge feudal fortress and palace, which was home to the Papacy from 1309 - 1377.

DAY    5            PONT-DU-GARD, ARLES & LES BAUX
                          (TREASURES OF 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 Arles, where we will visit the Roman Amphitheater, one of the best-preserved monuments of Roman Provence, which dates from the reign of Vespasian. After time to explore the treasures of Arles, we conclude the afternoon with a visit to the Chateau des Baux, whose grounds encompass a complex of evocative, mostly ruined buildings, which were carved out of the rocky mountain peak. We return to our hotel in the Avignon area for the evening.

DAY    6            AVIGNON - PARIS (4 NIGHTS)
Today we drive through central France to Paris, "The City of Lights." Upon our arrival 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.

DAY    7            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    8            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. Our afternoon will include 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 will return to Paris for the evening.

DAY    9            PARIS (PARIS OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS)
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. Paris is one of the most important centers of fashion in the world, and this afternoon we will visit the elegant stores of Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette for a first-hand look at the latest trends in fashion. This evening we will ascend to Montmartre, an area of Paris made famous in the late 19th century as an artists 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    10          DEPARTURE FROM PARIS
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.