Grand Tour of France

France's second-largest city and a culinary epicenter renowned for its wine and cuisine, Lyon marks the starting point for your French vacation. As you arrive today, make your own way to the hotel to check in this afternoon, and then enjoy some free time to get to know this historic location.

The city's long history can be traced to 43 B.C. when the Romans founded a settlement here. By the 14th century, Lyon had gained its current name, a city charter, and a reputation for banking, printing and silk weaving. Today, traces of this rich past can be found at every turn, especially in the city center, which is located approximately 10 minutes from our hotel.

Returning to the hotel this evening, meet the Tour Manager and your group of fellow travelers before sitting down for our first dinner together in France. Overnight Lyon.

• Dinner

Lyon sits at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers and has a beautiful waterfront lined with buildings of pink, orange, red and white. In addition to these picturesque views, we soak up Lyon's fantastic highlights and extensive history on a guided sightseeing tour of Old Town, Vieux Lyon.

Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, filled with stunning glimpses of the past, yet in recent years, Lyon has reinvented itself as the capital of French gastronomy. We wrap up our tour with an opportunity to taste it for ourselves at a local bouchon. These traditional restaurants are keepers of Lyonnaise culinary traditions, with hearty French meat dishes being heavily featured on their menus.

Following lunch, you are free to continue the day at leisure with your 24-hour Lyon City Card in hand. In addition to providing unlimited access to public transportation, the card includes admission to the Musée des Confluences, a sightseeing cruise on the Saône, and access to Vieux Lyon and its traboules (hidden passageways). Overnight Lyon.

• Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast at the hotel this morning, we are transferred to the train station to board our First Class seats to Aix-en-Provence in the foothills of the Southern Alps. On arrival, we switch trains and continue toward our destination on the illustrious Côte d'Azur, or French Riviera, Nice.

Nice sits near the Italian border and was once under the rule of the House of Savoy, which later became part of Italy. Although it has officially been a French city since 1860, influences of both cultures bedeck the streets, with historic buildings built in a range of architectural styles and sprawling squares. These elements pair with gorgeous views of the Mediterranean, offering a scenic backdrop for the next two nights.

There is time to settle into our hotel and get acquainted with the surrounding area before we have dinner at a local restaurant this evening. Overnight Nice.

• Breakfast, Dinner

While Nice is beloved for its coastal ambiance and importance as a port city, its stunning scenery has made it a haven for artists throughout the years, including celebrated Fauvist Henri Matisse, who spent several years here. This morning, we delve into this side of the city at the Matisse Museum in the hilltop Cimiez Quarter. More than 1,500 unique pieces are housed here, and with included admission, there is ample time to peruse the galleries.

The day continues with free time for lunch, and then we continue to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, a stunning 20th-century mansion built by Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild. In addition to being opulently outfitted with collections of porcelain, furniture and paintings, the home sits on property that is itself a work of art, with nine themed gardens.

Following our visit, we return to our hotel in Nice with the remainder of the evening at leisure. You might like to wander along the Promenade des Anglais - a palm-tree-lined Mediterranean version of the Champs-Élysées - or find dinner in a waterside restaurant. Overnight Nice.

• Breakfast

Leaving Nice after breakfast, we travel to Grasse, a town surrounded by mountains and forests and famed for perfume-making. In fact, in 2018, its skills related to perfume earned Grasse Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognition from UNESCO.

Our destination here is Fragonard Parfumerie, where we learn more about this art. The 18th-century building has been fully restored to include a maceration and filtering room, a distilling room and a bottling room, among other facilities. A guide reveals how essential oils are extracted to create the fragrances, and you can smell some of the heavenly scents for yourself.

After some free time to have lunch independently, we continue to the Provençal city of Avignon, where we check in to our hotel early this evening, located next to the Palais des Papes. Take some time to settle in before joining the rest of the group for dinner. Overnight Avignon.

• Breakfast, Dinner

A walking tour of the sights of Avignon awaits after breakfast, accompanied by an expert guide. Along the way, we admire landmarks such as the 12th-century Pont St. Bénezet, the bridge featured in the popular children's song Sur le Pont d'Avignon, an iconic symbol of the city.

Following the tour, there is free time to find lunch locally in Avignon before we board a coach to the ancient walled city of Carcassonne. Our first look at its medieval architecture comes with a guided tour on arrival. Unsurprisingly, with its beautifully restored slate roofs, pointed towers and fortified walls, this citadel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and regarded as one of Europe's best-preserved medieval centers. Crossing the ancient bridge over the former moat feels like stepping back in time. Afterward, you might like to enter Château Comtal and the hilltop castle within the walls independently.

We wrap up our day with a transfer to our hotel in Toulouse, the "Pink City," where you can dine independently this evening. Overnight Toulouse.

• Breakfast

The Occitan capital is known as "La Ville Rose," the Pink City, due to the proliferation of pink-hued buildings in its historic center. And while a highlight of any visit, they are just the beginning of what we see on this morning's guided walking tour. Our guide takes us through hidden courtyards and grand main square, offering a memorable introduction to Toulouse at every turn.

There's free time to find lunch before we turn our attention northward as we head by coach into the verdant Dordogne. Our destination is one of France's most charming towns, Sarlat. Nestled between hills in the Dordogne Valley, just north of the river, this town has the highest concentration of medieval, Renaissance and 17th-century façades of any town in France. A haven of honey-colored houses, its history is unveiled in ageless squares and time-capsule scenery. Beyond this, it is beloved for its culinary contributions, with numerous markets throughout the city.

After checking in to our hotel, we have dinner together. Overnight Sarlat.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We enjoy a taste of the Dordogne's famed fresh produce after breakfast as we embark on a guided food tour of Sarlat. Local cheeses, walnuts, fruit and vegetables and regional delicacies are on display as we uncover the epicurean heritage of this revered location. As our tour concludes, there's time to find lunch independently.

Next, we head into the Dordogne Valley to visit the serene haven of Les Jardins Marqueyssac, a 17th-century château surrounded by stunning gardens and nearly four miles of pathways lined with 150,000 shaped boxwoods. On arrival, a guide introduces us to the site and its history, and then you are free to wander at leisure. Thanks to Les Jardins Marqueyssac's positioning on a rocky outcrop, each pathway is surrounded by awe-inspiring views, including of nearby châteaux.

Leaving this idyllic location, we transfer to picture-perfect La Roque-Gageac on the shores of the Dordogne. Set against soaring cliffs, this town provides postcard-worthy scenery. You are free to wander, soaking up views of honey-hued homes and ancient cave dwellings before we return to Sarlat for an evening at leisure. Overnight Sarlat.

• Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast this morning before we travel by coach into the St. Émilion wine region, where world-famous wineries and beautiful historic architecture blend seamlessly. Our route takes us to the attractive village of St. Émilion first, before we head to a local château that dates to the early 1800s and is surrounded by more than 12 acres of historic vineyards.

Château Ambe Tour Pourret sits on the original road connecting St. Émilion and Coutras. On arrival, we learn about the history of the château and its heritage of wine production. A highlight awaits as we savor a tasting of revered wines denoting the classic flavors of medium-bodied St. Émilion grand cru varieties, while enjoying lunch in this beautiful environment.

Continuing to Bordeaux, one of the world's largest urban UNESCO World Heritage sites, we embark on a guided walking tour to uncover its diverse architecture, welcoming boulevards and quaint Old Town. After checking in to our hotel, you dine independently, perhaps savoring regional specialties such as duck confit or Bazas beef paired with a world-class red wine. Overnight Bordeaux.

• Breakfast, Lunch

The morning is free after breakfast and you can uncover more of Bordeaux as you explore on your own. As well as strolling through the stately Old Town, you might like to visit the Cité du Vin. This modern museum blends interaction and sensorial exploration as you learn about the history of viticulture. Dive into the heart of famed wine-growing terroirs around the world or visit the Latitude20 wine cellar, which boasts a unique collection of wines from more than 35 countries.

This afternoon, we say farewell to Bordeaux as we board a TGV train to Paris. Traveling in First Class seats, enjoy this leisurely and high-speed way of journeying to the French capital.

On arrival, we check in to our four-star hotel in the popular Le Marais district. Full of old-world charm, Le Marais brims with narrow cobblestone streets, historic squares and grand buildings, but also hosts upscale restaurants and art galleries. This evening, you are free to explore Paris and sample its excellent choice of restaurants, bistros and brasseries. Overnight Paris.

• Breakfast

Waking in the world-famous city of Paris, we enjoy breakfast before embarking on guided sightseeing tour by coach, with time to explore at each location.

Winding through elegant boulevards, our route reveals lesser-known gems and hidden monuments, along with the city's world-famous highlights. We take in timeless sights, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the tree-lined Champs-Élysées, where the Arc de Triomphe sits beautifully at one end.

After the tour, the afternoon and early evening is yours in this iconic city. You might like to view some of the most celebrated artworks in the world at the Louvre (booking in advance is recommended), wander through the picture-perfect streets and artistic squares of Montmartre or unwind in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Whichever iconic locales you choose to explore, we regroup this evening to gather at a local restaurant as we toast a fantastic trip through France with our farewell dinner. Overnight Paris.

• Breakfast, Dinner

France's diverse landscape holds a multitude of appeals, with glittering coastlines, dramatic valleys and rolling vineyards shaping the scenery. This journey has revealed glimpses of each as we traveled from the city of Lyon to the French Riviera, through the Dordogne Valley, into the famed Bordeaux wine region, and finally, to the beloved capital, Paris. With authentic experiences in each location and travel by water, rail and coach, we were truly immersed in France over the last two weeks.

Your vacation comes to a close after breakfast this morning. Upon checking out of the hotel, you are free to begin your travels home independently.

• Breakfast