This is just a sample of what can be done. Each night we will talk about what everybody wants to do the next day. Everything is totally flexible.

Saturday: Arrive by train in Les Arcs/Draguignan or by plane in Nice. Transfer to the house mid afternoon and settle in. Unpack, relax by the pool, walk through the garden and enjoy our first round of Provencal hors d’oeuvres and Côte de Provence wine. We’ll dine on the porch tonight and enjoy Xavier’s wonderful Provencal creations.

Sunday: It is the beautiful villages of the Riviera today... We’ll make a stop in Nice at the flower market and wander the streets of the Old Town... then on to Villefranche sur Mer and its fabulous Sunday flea market, great cafes on the water and even paddle boats for renting. We can lunch here or head to the famous Rothchild Gardens on Cap Ferrat. Museums abound in the area, there is the Musee Chagall or the Matisse Museum which exhibits his personal collection (Matisse lived in Nice from 1917 until his death in 1954). Nearby Cimiez is definitely worth a look. From high above Nice, you will see the former palaces of the rich and famous of the era of Edith Wharton and Queen Victoria.

Monday: Quieter morning with lunch at home (included)... get over jet lag, lounge by the pool and in the afternoon we will go nearby Tourtour OR if you don’t want to have a morning at home, we will head north to the Verdon and the ‘Grand Canyons of France’ and the beautiful village of Moustier... known for its beautiful ceramics. We’ll have lunch there and head back home by the scenic road to Tourtour.

Tuesday: It is market day in St. Tropez, the jewel of the Côte d’Azur on the beautiful blue water is most popular for the line of yachts or sailing ships along the quai and the facing line of terrace cafes. The small streets and old buildings are picturesque and offer a multitude of shops. Perhaps you will go home with the famous Tropezienne sandals! If the beach is your thing, you can head to one of the famous beaches for a day in the sun.

Wednesday: Have to make a choice today... Aix or Monaco... We will travel the Cezanne route to Aix en Provence, a city of art and culture. One can find all the beauty of the noble Provence of the17th and 18th centuries: handsome houses of the upper class, private mansions, city squares bursting with flowers, ancient fountains and shaded narrow streets. Lunch at the historical Les Deux Garcons on Cours Mirabeau is always a real treat... typical brasserie food. OR. Monaco awaits... The Royal Palace, the changing of the guard, the beautiful gardens, the casinos... there is so much to see... and people watching is a must.

Thursday: Cannes, home of the International Film Festival, centers around the Old Port where we can enjoy the narrow shopping streets, the indoor market. We will visit towns along the coast... Antibes, home of the Picasso Museum, Juan les Pins, known for its Jazz Festival. Within the same area, we are near Restaurant Bacon, made famous for its authentic Bouillabaise St. Paul de Vence, the artists village, the Maeght Foundation and the village of Vence where the Matisse Chapel is located. All choices for you to make.

Friday: You have just skimmed the surface of this beautiful area. The group will decide how they want to spend their last day in Provence. There are many many options... hill villages, beaches, cities, countryside.

Saturday: C’est dommage... time to go... we will help you make your transfers to TGV station in Les Arcs/Draguignan or air transfers in Nice... and your journey home begins.

This is all purely hypothesis. Everything could change…if you want a day in Monaco, we can take the train and have a full day there. If you would rather lounge by the pool at the house or sleep in, we can do that. If wine is your thing, we’ll spend more time at wineries. A cooking class is always possible and anyone and everyone is welcome in the kitchen everyday. For the exercise conscious, walks and hikes abound. In other words, for every suggestion I have made here, there are many more things we
could do.