Scott "Serge" Bernhard - tour director
    Elroy "Elroi" Christenson - managing director
The up-coming Tour ( Summer of 2012 )

"Paris and The Best of S & E Village France Tours"
(click each picture for an enlarged version)

France has an incrediable variety of geography from the wheat fields, meandering cliff-sided rivers, some of the tallest mountains, and some of the most ancient cultures.  We are using our original tour technique of three weeks traveling in two minivans.  We will be returning to many of our favorite villages to explore the culture of lesser traveled areas of France.  We will be doing more in depth visits with two and three day stays with fewer stops in small local hotels.  We will be doing the driving ourselves as we did when we first started touring together back in 1990.  We plan for more time for language, culture and art works.  These are some of our favorite locations in France which we have always felt we could spend more time and over the multiple years of travel to these areas we  have discovered some gems that we want to share. 

2012 Tour
 Paris, Loire Valley, Périgord, Tarn Gorges, Provence/Mediterranean, French Alps
(21 days  - July 26 to August 16, 2012)


Paris view
Paris 

 

Paris for three nights beginning
 July 26, 27 and 28:  Paris 


Days 1, 2, 3: -  As Hemingway put it, Paris is truly “A Moveable Feast” for the eyes and ears and, of course, the palate.  First-timers in Paris will, of course, want to see the highlights - the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Ile de la Cité with glorious Notre-Dame cathedral, the medieval jewel, the Sainte Chapelle, etc.  But reserve some time for strolling and people-watching along the banks of the Seine or through the old neighborhoods in the heart of the city. Our cozy, centrally-located hotel in the Latin Quarter is a three-minute walk to the Seine

Notre Dame


Paris

Loire River valley for two nights


July 29 and 30 Chinon – Days 4, 5: Royal playground of Medieval and Renaissance kings and queens (Henry II Plantagenet, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart). 100-years war.  Joan of Arc.  Loire Valley châteaux and gardens.  Cycling along the Loire.  Chinon wines
.

Amboise
Amboise
Loire River

Loire River
 
   Dordorgne for five nights
Fluenie
Chateau La Fleunie

July 31 and August 1  - La  Fleunie
Days 6, 7:  – South to the Vézère river valley in the Périgord region where pre-historic remains of Cro-Magnon were discovered.  Villages, castles, canoes, medieval cliff dwellings, and pre-historic cave paintings. We’ll visit the only cave still open to the public with original prehistoric polychrome paintings and canoe past castle-topped cliffs and medieval villages whose boundaries have not changed in over 600 years. French and Art lessons
sarlat market
Sarlat market square


August 2, 3 and 4 - Sarlat   Day 8  - 9-
 
Only 20 minutes away lies our home for the next three nights.  Sarlat, once a prosperous commercial center in the Middle Ages, was nearly destroyed by the British during the 100-years war.  Due to a monumental restoration project, the town was given new life as a stunning example of 15th century architectural unity.
beynac castle
Chateau Beynac

Dordorgne River
Dordorgne
 
Rocamador
Rocamadour

Day10 – Sarlat - Market day

It is also the site of one of the largest and most lively open-air markets and one of the gastronomical centers of France.  Foie gras and duck confit anyone?  We’ll also be day-tripping out to some phenomenal villages, an underground river ride, and the spectacular cliff-clinging pilgrimage destination of Rocamadour.


Chateau Malene
hotel in La Malène

Tarn Gorges for two nights


August 5, 6   -     Days 11, 12:  La Malène / Tarn Gorges –  If you’ve always wanted to spend some time in a tiny French village in the middle of nowhere, this is the place for you. The miniscule village of La Malène rests on the edge of the Tarn river in the heart of the impressive Tarn Gorges.  It is from La Malène that canoeists embark to paddle through the narrowest and most spectacular section of the gorges.  There will also be plenty of time to go for walks/hikes, relax on the hotel terrace, sketch or paint, learn a bit of French, sip a glass of wine, or play boules (the French version of bocce ball) by the river.

canoe

canoeing on the Tarn River
La Malene boat launch
Tarn gorge near the boat launch

Provence for five nights




Pont du gard
  Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct

August 7 and 8  Arles -  Days 13, 14:  Roman Provence, Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct, superb museum of antiquities, Van Gogh country with plaques indicating his vantage points for celebrated paintings, Les Baux de Provence and its “ville morte” carved into the side of a cliff.  Boules.


Arles bridge
Canal bridge that Van Gogh painted


Paeyaha
Cooking paella in Arles
August 9 and 10 - Cassis -  Days 15, 16:

Depending on what traffic looks like, we may take a little detour through Marseille to see the site of the old port, established by the Greeks in 600BC.
      
Port of Cassis
Port at Cassis

  On the Mediterranean coast to the east of Marseille, lies beautiful Cassis, an old fishing port/resort and the perfect spot for our little vacation-from-the-vacation. Lie around on the beach, check out the shops and restaurants, boat or hike to the famous “calanques,” (fjord-like inlets along the coast toward Marseilles), or simply hang out at one of the cafes sipping a “pastis.”   Bathing, Basking, Bouillabaisse and Boules.
Beach at Cassis

Beach at Cassis
Vaison region
Vaison region

Vaison watercolor
Bridge in Vaison-la-Romaine


August 11 and 12 -  Vaison-la-Romaine – Days 17, 18: Northern Provence.  Vaison is three towns in one:  the Roman town, the “modern” 19th century town core, and the medieval village on the hill across the river.  Lavender, sunflowers, the Roman theatre in Orange. Wine tasting in one of Serge’s and Elroi’s favorite wine regions.



Vaison fountain   
  
Vaison-la-Romaine fountain

annecy canal
Annecy

Annecy and the French Alps for three nights
August 13, 14 and 15 -  Annecy -  Days 19, 20, 21:  Heading northeast toward the Alps, we’ll drive through the tight-squeeze Gorges de la Bourne into the beautiful Vercors region north of Grenoble, stopping along the way to see the curious cave of Choranches.  We’ll spend the last three nights of the tour in a comfy hotel just a few steps away from Annecy’s beautiful old town with its flower-lined canals.   Options for our two full days in the Haute-Savoie include a day trip to Chamonix with the highest, steepest gondola ride in Europe; a visit to Menthon to visit the castle in which St-Bernard, the patron saint of alpine travelers, was born; swimming in the cleanest lake in Europe; a boat ride around the Lac d’Annecy; or some nice, level cycling along the lake.  Raclette, fondue, tartiflette:  tasty, stick-to-your-ribs, cheesy alpine cooking.  And, of course, boules. 


 

Lake Annecy
Final Day of Tour August 16th in Annecy after  breakfast.
Train transportation is available to Paris or Geneva for international flights.  The local airport can also be used which can also connect you with other European airports such as Amsterdam, Munich or London.  There's so much to see.



tour map 2012