Discover, Plan & Go!

Provincial France

Featuring Burgundian Canal Boating & the TGV
24 Nights in Europe
2 May to 26 May 2008
12 September to 6 October 2008

This program explores the byways and waterways of France as we explore Alsace, Burgundy, the Jura Mountains, the Côte d' Azur, and finishes in Paris.

The wine clad slopes and half-timbered villages of Alsace provide an introduction to the diversity which is France. The Germanic influence in this area is reflected in both the Vosges Mountains and the city of Strasbourg, so long a point of contention between Germany and France, but now seat of the European Parliament. Burgundy was once a great mediaeval Duchy but is now better known for its quaint villages and slow-flowing canals. In Burgundy we spend a day boating on a canal and explore the local typical villages. From Burgundy we head towards Switzerland and explore the Jura Mountains, a region rarely visited by tourists. This range of wooded hills and undulating plateaux is known for its verdant slopes, unaffected by tourism. Its appeal is the natural beauty and tranquility.

We next explore Provence and the Côte d'Azur, France's sun drenched southeastern regions which have inspired artists such as Van Gogh, Cézanne and Picasso. In the summer months holidaymakers flock to the beaches and chic resorts. However, in the relatively quiet Spring and Autumn we explore the remote mountain plateaux, perched villages and dramatic gorges as well as the Mediterranean coastline, whilst learning of the Roman heritage and cultural aspects of Provence. Using the TGV, France's very fast cross-country train, we traverse F00rance to Paris where the program ends.

Led by local experts, on walks and visits to the best of these fascinating regions we not only explore real France but we experience it as guests of VAL Villages de Vacances. Here we live French culture as the French do - staying in their holiday villages located in outstanding natural settings in apartments or chalets, clustered around a central reception area with a typical restaurant and where there are often other excellent facilities including a pool.

The accommodation in VAL centres includes private facilities and full board with authentic French cuisine and wine with meals! The arrangement of chalets means that in most centres, 2 people can share a "gîte", each benefiting from his or her own bedroom with a shared bathroom. Single travellers may share a "gîte" with 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.
Due to limited single rooms, these will be allocated in order of registration.

Itinerary at a Glance

• Zurich - 1
• Alsace Orbey - 7
• Burgundy Semur en Auxois - 4
• Jura Mountains Prémanon - 4
• Côte d'Azur Sainte-Maxime - 6
• Paris - 2
• Program ends in Paris, prior to boarding your return flight.

Program Information
Provincial France
Departs 2 May, 12 September 2008
Price from $8,955 per person twin share
Limited Singles With No Single Supplement
Ex Zurich

Prices quoted are in USD

Program Includes

• 21 nights Villages de Vacances accommodation throughout France.
• Typical local breakfast, lunch and dinner daily in Villages de Vacances.
• 2 nights hotel accommodation in Paris share twin rooms with private facilities.
• 1 nights hotel accommodation in Zurich share twin rooms with private facilities.
• Typical local breakfasts daily in Paris & Zurich.
• Transport, lectures and field trips as indicated.
• Services of a study / group leader.
• Applicable entry fees and services of local guides.
• Gratuities and necessary tips.
• Group transfer to the airport at the conclusion of the program.

Program Excludes

• Airport transfer on Day 1.
• Return economy class international airfare.
• Departure taxes applicable to the standard itinerary.
• Lunches during transfers between centres.
• Comprehensive travel insurance.
• Items of a personal nature.
• Dinner in Zurich on Day 1.

Paris Extension There is the chance to extend your stay in Paris on Bed & Breakfast basis which will allow you the opportunity to explore Paris and the surrounding countryside.        

Itinerary

Zurich

Upon arrival in Zurich make your own way to the hotel. There will be free time to explore the Zurich.  On Day 2, we will transfer by coach to Orbey.

Alsace, Orbey

For centuries this region of France has seen French and German conflict for sovereignty. This resolved conflict has resulted in strong Germanic influences in a tranquil region of pastel-colored villages, vineyards and fortified towns. Bordered by the Rhine, Alsace is a fertile area between the mountains of the Vosges and the Black Forest in Germany. Strasbourg, the capital city is often known as the crossroads of Europe. It has a 16th century centre and a fine red-stone mediaeval cathedral as well as a charming quarter - Petite France - criss-crossed by bridges and canals. It is now the seat of the European Parliament.

Accommodation
We stay at the Val Village offering twin share, double or single (limited singles allocated) with private facilities. The property lies on the edge of the village of Orbey. Facilities include meeting rooms, indoor pool, bar and restaurant. Typical local breakfasts, lunches and dinners are provided.

What We Will Experience
After arrival in Zurich we travel to Alsace where we explore the Germanic influence on this now very French region. We experience the wine growing villages of the Vosges Mountains reminiscent of the Rhine, the fortifications and defences against German occupation, quintessential Alsatian villages and the city of Strasbourg.

Included are field trips to:

• View Strasbourg with its great red Cathedral and astronomical clock in the old city plus the European Parliament.
• Typical wine producing villages of the region such as Kaysersberg whose ancient castle still dominates the town Riquewihr almost perfectly preserved as it must have been in the 16th and 17th centuries and Colmar with its old quarter of narrow streets and carved wooden houses.
• The Alsatian fortifications of Haut-Koenigsbourg, originally built in 1114 by the Swabians, reconstructed by the Hapsburgs, and restored by Kaiser Wilhelm II.
• Germany's Black Forest and the city of Freiburg.
• Route du Vin.
• The dramatically scenic Route des Cretes.

En route to Burgundy we visit the city of Nancy, a masterpiece of 18th century planning worthy of comparison with Versailles.

Burgundy

Once a strongly independent Duchy - the rival of the kingdom of France - Burgundy now considers itself to be the heart of France and is one of its richest provinces. Canals criss-cross this region of vineyards, excellent food, Romanesque architecture, and mediaeval villages.

Accommodation
We stay at a Village de Vacances at Semur en Auxois offering twin share double or single rooms (limited singles allocated) with private facilities. The property is located near the Burgundian Village of Semur en Auxois. Facilities include meeting rooms, bar and restaurant. Typical local breakfasts, lunches and dinners are provided.

What We Will Experience
We explore the typical Burgundian villages of Semur en Auxois, Vézelay, an important centre of mediaeval religious faith and pilgrimage with outstanding Romanesque architecture and Beaune with its 14th century ramparts and encircling boulevardes together with the Hôtel-Dieu, a mediaeval hospice with superb geometric multi-coloured Burgundian roof tiles. We also experience a day of canal ed-venture passing through many locks and exploring the quintessential Burgundian villages along the canal.

Included are field trips to:

• Explore a Burgundian canal and its village environs aboard a canal boat..
• Learn about the production of Burgundian wine.
• Old fortified town of Avallon with its museum of period costume
• Vézelay with its fine Basilica from which Richard The Lionheart commenced his crusade.
• The Burgundian capital of Dijon, a rich cultural centre with a renowned university and famous for its mustard and gingerbread. Dijon's great art treasures are housed in the Palais des Ducs.

En route to the Jura Mountains we experience Mediaeval Beaune.

Jura Mountains

The Jura Mountains are part of the fiercely independent Franche-Comté region whose history includes being part of the Duchy of Burgundy and a province of the Holy Roman Empire, before it was finally annexed as part of France by Louis XIV. The name 'Jura' comes from the Gallic word for 'forest'. It is a region of woodlands, cascading waterfalls, grottoes and peaceful lakes surrounded by mountain peaks.

Accommodation
The Val Village 'Le Mont Fier' is in a verdant setting surrounded by forests and mountains, 800 metres from PrÈmanon. Rooms are shared twin, double or single (with limited singles allocated) with private facilities. Facilities include meeting rooms, bar, restaurant, gymnasium, sauna, and pool. Typical local breakfasts, lunches and dinners are provided.

What We Will Experience
We compare and contrast the Jura environment with adjacent Burgundy and Switzerland as we explore the geology, geography and human adaptation to this mountainous region. We will learn how the 'Franche-Comté people have developed a proud independence which is reflected in their cultural heritage.

Included are field trips to:

• The villages and countryside of the Jura to see local produce
• The UNESCO protected Saline Royale (Royal Salt Works) at Arc-et-Senans
• Dole, the former capital of the Comté, and a symbol of the region's resistance to the French.
• Switzerland where we experience Nyon and take a boat on Lake Geneva to the mediaeval town of Yvoire.

En route we follow the course of the River Rhône past Lyon and Avignon to Sainte-Maxime.

Côte d'Azur, Sainte-Maxime

Bordered by the Rhône in the west, the Mediterranean in the south, olive groves to the north, and the Alps to the east, the Côte d'Azur has been for centuries a popular summer destination for Europeans seeking coastal warmth. Here we explore the culture and heritage of Provence, its remote mountain plateau, rich agricultural economy and its ancient heritage dating back to Phoenician, Greek and Roman times. Indeed even today there is much Italian influence in Provence as an important trading partner with Savoy, Piedmonte and Italy.

Accommodation
The Val Village 'Les Heures Claires' is located on 2.5 hectares overlooking the Mediterranean just outside the village of Sainte-Maxime and 14 kilometres from St Tropez. Rooms are share twin, double or single (limited singles allocated) with private facilities. Facilities include meeting rooms, bar, restaurant, pool, and tennis. Typical local breakfasts, lunches and dinners are provided.

What We Will Experience
From Sainte-Maxime we will experience the richness of Provence as we explore the hinterland and coastal regions.

Included are field trips to:

• The tiny principality of Monaco, with Prince Rainier's Royal Palace, Monte Carlo famous for its Casino, and the city of Nice - the fifth largest city in France and the biggest resort on the Mediterranean.
• St Tropez, a trading post founded by the Greeks and well known to the Romans, one of the last towns to become a Mediterranean playground of the rich and famous.
• Explore the 16th century citadel above the town with a field trip to Cannes via the coastal road from St Raphael.
• Gourdon, once the site of the Saracen stronghold. As we travel along the deep path cut by the river Loup through the hinterland we see the ancient houses perched dizzyingly on cliff sides. Fields of violets are grown for use in perfume and candied sweets.
• Grasse to learn about perfume manufacture and view the fields where lavender, mimosa, jasmine and roses are grown.
• St Paul-de-Vence - once a hilltop French frontier village with its 16th century ramparts, winding streets, and mediaeval buildings - which is a mecca for artists.

En route to Paris we traverse the French countryside by TGV.

Paris

Paris's monumental architecture reflects the city's diverse and interesting history together with its political and cultural status. Among the most important mediaeval buildings are the Cathedral of Notre Dame, begun in 1163; the nearby Sainte-Chapelle, a magnificent 13th-century Gothic structure; and the Louvre, once a royal palace. Later historic buildings include les Invalides, built as a soldiers' home by Louis XIV and now housing Napoleon's tomb; and the Place de la Concorde, laid out in the 18th century. During the mid -19th century Paris was redesigned by Baron Georges Haussmann, and several grandiose projects were undertaken to emphasise the city's significance. The Arc de Triomphe, the Opéra, the Place de l'Opéra, the Place de l'Étoile (now Place Charles de Gaulle), and many of the broad avenues with their imposing perspectives date from this time. Among the city's better known thoroughfares are the Rue de Rivoli, Rue de la Paix, Rue du Faubourg-Saint Honoré, Avenue de Opéra, Boulevard Des Italiens, Boulevard du Montparnasse, and the Champs Elysees. Modern day Parisians are still proud of their city's grandeur reflected by the integration of modern constructions such as the Tour Eiffel, the Pompidou Centre, the Louvre Pyramide and the Arche de la Défense with the great architecture of the past.

Accommodation
We stay in a central hotel offering twin share, double and single rooms with private facilities. Typical local breakfasts are provided.

What We Will Experience
We consider whether the glittering French Capital is really a mediaeval "Cité", Hausmannn's enlightened dream, or a progressively technological world city of the 21st century.

Included are field trips to:

• The Monuments and Icons.
• Boat trip on the Seine.

Our program concludes in Paris.

If you wish to extend your stay in France or Europe, please contact Springboard.

Itineraries may change if flight schedules, site availability and other inclusions have to be amended prior to departure. Springboard will notify registrants if, and as soon as, such changes occur.