Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
France in depth: Paris, the Loire, the Dordogne, Provence and the Riviera
15 days from Paris to Nice: three nights in Paris, the Loire châteaux from Amboise, the TGV to Bordeaux, the Dordogne from Sarlat, Carcassonne, three nights in Avignon and two on the Riviera.
15 days · Paris to Nice · up to 12 guests
The French Riviera from the air, from Cap Martin towards Nice, where the trip ends Photo: Olivier Cleynen, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Backlit_view_of_the_complete_French_Riviera.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 15 days, 14 nights
- Start and end
- Paris to Nice
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Mostly easy walking on cobbles, old-town lanes and château floors, 2 to 4 hours on foot on most days, with stairs at Sainte-Chapelle and Chambord, steep lanes in Saint-Émilion, Beynac, Carcassonne's ramparts, Les Baux, Gordes and Èze. Optional extras such as the Chambord roof terraces, the climb to Beynac castle and the ochre trail each have a seated alternative.
- Meals included
- 14 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 3 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 2,000 (estimated price)
- Season
- Best late April to June and September to mid-October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Sainte-Chapelle at opening and the Impressionists at the Musée d'Orsay with a local guide
- Chenonceau in the late-afternoon light, when the day visitors have gone
- Chambord at opening and Leonardo da Vinci's last home at the Clos Lucé
- The TGV south to Bordeaux and an evening on the Garonne waterfront
- Saint-Émilion's church cut into the rock, then two nights in medieval Sarlat
- The painted cave at Lascaux IV and a flat-bottomed gabarre under the cliffs of the Dordogne
- The walled Cité of Carcassonne after the day visitors leave, with cassoulet for dinner
- The Palais des Papes at opening, Roman Arles, and Èze and Monaco before the crowds
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 2,000 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Paris
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to your hotel in central Paris
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Paris
- Drive about 1 h
Fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) at any time. A driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the drive into the city, 45 to 75 minutes depending on traffic, and your hotel is central, within walking distance of the Seine.
Afternoon
Rooms are usually ready by mid-afternoon, so if you land early, leave your bags and walk: the Île de la Cité and the Latin Quarter are close to most central hotels. At 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group at the hotel for a short briefing on the fifteen days ahead: how the two train days work, why we stay two or three nights in most places, and where each base has free time built in.
Evening
Then we walk to a neighbourhood bistro for the welcome dinner, a first chance to meet the rest of the group, never more than 12 of you.
Included
- Pick-up at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner at a local bistro
Free time: Free until the 6 pm briefing
Activity: Plan to land by about 3 pm to reach the briefing comfortably; later arrivals are met and join the group at dinner.
Paris: Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame and the Musée d'Orsay
Île de la Cité, the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain, then the Musée d'Orsay
- Breakfast
- Stay in Paris
We are at the Sainte-Chapelle when the doors open at 9 am, with a timed ticket, because its upper chapel, walled almost entirely in 13th-century stained glass, is best seen before the room fills. Next door is Notre-Dame, reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire, its stone cleaned and its interior restored; entry is free and we use a reserved slot where one is offered.
Afternoon
Your guide then walks the group across the river into the Latin Quarter, past the Sorbonne to the Panthéon and down through the Luxembourg Gardens to Saint-Germain, where lunch is your choice from dozens of cafés. In the afternoon a local guide takes us through the Musée d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station turned museum, for Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne and Van Gogh, ending at the great clock window over the Seine.
Evening
The evening is free.
Included
- Sainte-Chapelle at opening, with a timed ticket
- Notre-Dame de Paris
- Walk through the Latin Quarter, the Panthéon and the Luxembourg Gardens with your guide
- The Musée d'Orsay with a local guide
Optional experiences
- An evening boat on the Seine
Easier option: Take a taxi or the metro between the Luxembourg Gardens and the Musée d'Orsay instead of walking.
Free time: Lunch and the evening free
Activity: About 6 to 8 km on foot over the day, with a spiral stair up to the Sainte-Chapelle's upper chapel. The Musée d'Orsay is closed on Mondays, so this day never falls on one.
Paris: the Louvre and a free afternoon
The Louvre, the Tuileries and the Palais-Royal on foot
- Breakfast
- Stay in Paris
Morning
A second Paris morning goes to the Louvre, timed for opening, when the queue at the pyramid is shortest and the galleries are still quiet. A local guide takes the group on a route of about two hours through the parts most people come for and get lost looking for: the Winged Victory of Samothrace on the Daru staircase, the Venus de Milo, the Italian paintings around the Mona Lisa and the great French history canvases of David and Delacroix. Afterwards your guide walks you out through the Tuileries Garden and back up to the Palais-Royal, whose arcaded garden and striped Buren columns make a quiet place to stop. From lunchtime the day is yours. Many people climb the Arc de Triomphe or the Eiffel Tower, walk the Marais, or go up to Montmartre for the view from Sacré-Cœur.
Evening
Your guide can suggest a route and book a table for anyone who wants company at dinner.
Included
- The Louvre at opening with a local guide
- The Tuileries Garden and the Palais-Royal with your guide
Optional experiences
- The Eiffel Tower summit or the Arc de Triomphe roof
- Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur on your own
Easier option: Leave the Louvre tour at the halfway point and rest in the café under the pyramid.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free
Activity: The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, so this day never falls on one. About 4 km on foot in the morning, much of it on museum floors.
TGV to the Loire and Chenonceau
Paris Montparnasse to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps by TGV, then Château de Chenonceau and Amboise
- Breakfast
- Stay in Amboise
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
After a slow breakfast the vehicle takes the group and luggage to Montparnasse for a late-morning TGV to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, beside Tours, about an hour away.
Afternoon
That is the easy way out of Paris: no ring-road traffic, and lunch is your choice at the station or on the way. Our Loire vehicle and driver meet us on the platform and we drive along the Cher to the Château de Chenonceau, built across the river on a row of arches and shaped by the women who owned it, Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de' Medici among them. We go in the mid to late afternoon, when the morning tour groups have left and the light comes low across the water. Your guide takes you through the gallery over the river, the kitchens in the piers and the two formal gardens.
Evening
It is a short drive on to Amboise, where we check in below the château walls with the evening free.
Included
- TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
- Château de Chenonceau and its gardens with your guide
Free time: Lunch and the evening free in Amboise
Activity: You carry your own bag on and off the train; your guide helps the group with the platforms.
Chambord, a Vouvray cave and the Clos Lucé
Amboise to Chambord, then Vouvray and back to Amboise
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Amboise
- Drive about 2 h
We drive about 50 minutes east to the Château de Chambord to be there when it opens. François I's hunting palace, begun in 1519, has a double-helix staircase at its centre, two spirals that wind past each other without meeting, and a roofline of chimneys and lanterns you can walk among from the terraces. It sits in a walled forest park of about 5,400 hectares, enclosed by a 32 km wall.
Morning
Late morning we drive back west along the Loire to Vouvray, where the hillside is full of caves cut into the soft white tufa stone.
Afternoon
A winegrower takes us into one to taste the dry and sparkling Chenin Blanc, and lunch is served in the cave. We are back in Amboise by about 3 pm for the Clos Lucé, the manor where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last three years, with models of his machines in the park.
Evening
The evening is free in Amboise.
Included
- Château de Chambord at opening
- Cave visit and tasting with a Vouvray winegrower
- Lunch in a Vouvray cave
- The Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci's last home
Optional experiences
- The Château d'Amboise and Leonardo's tomb in the free evening, on your own
Easier option: Stay on the ground floor at Chambord and skip the climb to the roof terraces.
More active option: Climb Chambord's double staircase to the roof terraces for the view over the chimneys and the forest.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Amboise
Activity: Tastings are small pours; there are soft drinks for anyone not drinking. The cave stays cool, so bring a layer.
TGV to Bordeaux and the Cité du Vin
Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to Bordeaux Saint-Jean by TGV, then Bordeaux on foot
- Breakfast
- Stay in Bordeaux
- Drive about 30 min
This is the longest hop of the trip, so we take the train.
Morning
The vehicle drops us at Saint-Pierre-des-Corps after breakfast for a mid-morning TGV to Bordeaux, about two hours on the high-speed line instead of more than four on the road. Our second vehicle and driver, who stay with us all the way to Nice, meet the train and take the luggage to the hotel.
Afternoon
Lunch is your choice near the station or in the old centre. In the afternoon your guide walks you through the 18th-century city that UNESCO listed as the Port of the Moon: the Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d'Eau, the shallow reflecting pool on the quay, the Grosse Cloche gate and the Cathédrale Saint-André. Later we ride the tram downriver to the Cité du Vin, a museum of the world's wine cultures in a building shaped like wine swirling in a glass; the visit ends with a glass of your choice and a view over the city.
Evening
The evening is free on the Garonne waterfront, where the Pont de Pierre lights up at dusk.
Included
- TGV from Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to Bordeaux Saint-Jean
- Bordeaux on foot with your guide: the Place de la Bourse, the Miroir d'Eau, the Grosse Cloche and the cathedral
- The Cité du Vin, with a glass of wine at the end of the visit
Easier option: Ride the tram both ways between the old centre and the Cité du Vin.
Free time: Lunch and the evening free
Activity: You carry your own bag onto the train. About 5 km on foot in the afternoon, all on the flat.
Saint-Émilion and on to Sarlat
Bordeaux to Saint-Émilion, then the Dordogne valley to Sarlat-la-Canéda
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Sarlat-la-Canéda
- Drive about 3 h
We leave Bordeaux at about 9 and are in Saint-Émilion in under an hour, a village of honey-coloured stone on a limestone slope above its vineyards, listed by UNESCO with the surrounding wine landscape. The tourist office guide takes us underground into the monolithic church, carved out of the rock in the 11th and 12th centuries, and the catacombs beside it, which can only be seen on a guided tour.
Afternoon
At a family wine estate outside the village we walk through the vines and the cellar and taste the year's wines, and lunch is in the village. In the afternoon we follow the Dordogne upstream past Bergerac, about two hours with a coffee stop, into the Périgord Noir, the land of walnut groves and limestone cliffs.
Evening
We reach Sarlat by about 5:30, check in for two nights, and walk to a Périgord dinner: duck, walnuts and, in season, truffles.
Included
- The monolithic church and catacombs of Saint-Émilion with a local guide
- Vineyard and cellar visit with a tasting at a Saint-Émilion wine estate
- Lunch in Saint-Émilion
- Périgord dinner in Sarlat
Easier option: Sit out the climb to the top of the village and wait in the square before lunch.
More active option: Climb the bell tower of the monolithic church for the view over the rooftops and vineyards.
Free time: Free after dinner
Activity: Saint-Émilion's lanes are steep and slippery when wet; wear shoes with grip. The underground church is cool all year.
Lascaux IV and the Dordogne by gabarre
Sarlat to Lascaux IV at Montignac, then La Roque-Gageac and Beynac, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Sarlat-la-Canéda
- Drive about 1.5 h
We take the first group slot of the day at Lascaux IV in Montignac, about half an hour north of Sarlat. The original cave, painted around 17,000 years ago, has been closed since 1963 to protect it; Lascaux IV is a full-size replica of almost the whole cave, made to the millimetre by artists and lit to reproduce the low light of the original, and a guide leads the visit through the bulls, horses and deer. It is part of the Vézère valley's UNESCO-listed caves and shelters. Then we drive south to the Dordogne at La Roque-Gageac, a village pressed against a cliff, for a gabarre trip, a flat-bottomed wooden boat of the kind that once carried wine down the river, under the castles of the valley.
Afternoon
Lunch is in the village.
Evening
In the afternoon we visit the Château de Beynac on its rock above the river and are back in Sarlat by about 4:30, with time to walk the medieval centre before dinner on your own.
Included
- Lascaux IV, the International Centre for Cave Art, with a local guide
- Gabarre boat trip on the Dordogne from La Roque-Gageac
- Lunch in La Roque-Gageac
- Château de Beynac
Optional experiences
- The Sarlat market on Saturday or Wednesday morning, when it falls on a free hour
Easier option: Stay in the lower village of Beynac and skip the steep lane up to the castle.
More active option: Walk up from the river to the Château de Beynac, about 20 minutes on a steep cobbled lane, while the vehicle drives round.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Sarlat
Activity: The gabarre boats run from about April to early November; outside that window we drive the valley road to the Jardins de Marqueyssac viewpoint instead.
Cahors, Toulouse and the Cité of Carcassonne
Sarlat to Cahors and Toulouse, then Carcassonne
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Carcassonne
- Drive about 3.5 h
One of the three longer road days, about 3 hours 30 in the vehicle in all, broken into three parts. About an hour and a quarter south is Cahors, wrapped in a loop of the Lot, where we stop for the Pont Valentré, a 14th-century fortified bridge with three towers, listed by UNESCO among the routes to Santiago de Compostela.
Afternoon
Another hour and a half takes us down the motorway to Toulouse, the pink city of brick, where lunch is near the Place du Capitole. Your guide walks the group through the Capitole's arcades to the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the largest Romanesque church still standing in Europe, and down to the Garonne. The last hour is the drive to Carcassonne.
Evening
We check in by about 5:30, and in the early evening, after the day visitors have gone, walk through the Narbonne gate into the walled Cité for a dinner of cassoulet, the bean, duck and sausage stew of the region.
Included
- The Pont Valentré in Cahors
- Lunch in Toulouse
- Toulouse on foot with your guide: the Capitole and the Basilica of Saint-Sernin
- Evening walk into the Cité of Carcassonne
- Cassoulet dinner in Carcassonne
Easier option: Stay in the vehicle at Cahors, and take a seat in a café on the Place du Capitole instead of the Toulouse walk.
More active option: Walk across the Pont Valentré and back along the Lot, about 30 minutes, while the group meets at the far end.
Free time: Free after dinner in the Cité
Activity: About 3 hours 30 on the road in three legs of roughly an hour each, with a sit-down lunch in the middle.
Carcassonne's ramparts and the Pont du Gard
Carcassonne to the Pont du Gard, then Avignon
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Avignon
- Drive about 3.5 h
We are at the Château Comtal inside the Cité when it opens, and your guide takes you along the ramparts: two rings of walls and 52 towers, restored in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc, with the pointed slate roofs that started an argument still running among historians.
Morning
The lanes inside fill up from late morning, so we have the walls before them.
Afternoon
Lunch is in the Cité. Early afternoon we drive east past Narbonne and Montpellier, about two and three-quarter hours on the motorway with a coffee stop, to the Pont du Gard. This Roman aqueduct bridge, built in the 1st century AD to carry water to Nîmes, stands about 49 metres high on three tiers of arches. Your guide walks you across the river beside it to the viewpoint, and there is time on the riverbank below the arches. Avignon is half an hour on, and we check in inside the city walls for three nights by about 6:30.
Included
- The Château Comtal and the ramparts of Carcassonne at opening
- Lunch in the Cité of Carcassonne
- The Pont du Gard and its viewpoint with your guide
Easier option: Walk only the first section of the ramparts and wait in the castle courtyard.
Free time: Evening free in Avignon
Activity: The ramparts walk has uneven steps and narrow passages. About 3 hours 15 on the road, broken by a coffee stop and the Pont du Gard.
Avignon: the Palais des Papes and a free afternoon
Avignon on foot
- Breakfast
- Stay in Avignon
Morning
The popes lived in Avignon for most of the 14th century, and the Palais des Papes they built is a Gothic fortress-palace big enough to need a morning. We go in as it opens, before the tour groups, with a tablet guide and your own guide for the stories: the great audience hall, the papal private rooms with their painted walls, and the roof terrace over the Rhône. Then down to the Pont Saint-Bénézet, the bridge of the song, which now stops after four arches halfway across the river. The palace, the bridge and the old centre are on the UNESCO list together.
Afternoon
Your guide ends the walk at Les Halles, the covered market with a living plant wall on its front, where you can put together your own lunch from the stalls.
Evening
After a run of travel days the afternoon is deliberately free: the shady squares, the Collection Lambert or a nap before dinner on your own.
Included
- Palais des Papes at opening, with your guide
- Pont Saint-Bénézet
- Les Halles d'Avignon with your guide
Optional experiences
- A Châteauneuf-du-Pape tasting in the afternoon, priced when you book
Easier option: Skip the palace roof terrace and wait in the garden café.
Free time: Lunch, the afternoon and the evening free
Activity: Les Halles is closed on Mondays; on a Monday your guide ends the walk in the Place de l'Horloge instead.
Roman Arles and the Carrières des Lumières
Avignon to Arles, then Les Baux-de-Provence and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Avignon
- Drive about 1.5 h
Arles is about 40 minutes south, and we start at the Roman amphitheatre, built around 90 AD for some 20,000 spectators and still used for bullfights and concerts, its arcades two storeys high. Beside it are the remains of the Roman theatre, and your guide walks you on to the Place du Forum and the courtyard of the old hospital where Van Gogh was treated in 1889, now planted as he painted it. Arles's Roman and Romanesque monuments have been on the UNESCO list since 1981.
Afternoon
Late morning we drive into the Alpilles to Les Baux-de-Provence, a village on a limestone spur, and have lunch nearby. In the afternoon we watch the show in the Carrières des Lumières, where paintings are projected across the walls and floor of a vast old quarry, a programme that changes each year and plays on a loop, so we walk in whenever we arrive.
Evening
We are back in Avignon by about 5 pm for a free evening.
Included
- The Roman amphitheatre of Arles
- Arles on foot with your guide: the Roman theatre, the Place du Forum and the Espace Van Gogh
- Lunch near Les Baux-de-Provence
- The village of Les Baux-de-Provence
- The Carrières des Lumières show
Optional experiences
- The Arles market on Saturday morning, when the date allows
Easier option: Stay in the lower lanes of Les Baux and skip the climb to the ruined castle.
More active option: Climb through the village to the ruined castle on top of Les Baux for the view over the Alpilles.
Free time: Evening free in Avignon
Activity: The quarry stays cool all year, so bring a layer. The show changes each year and the quarry closes for a few weeks in winter.
The Luberon villages and on to Nice
Avignon to Gordes, Sénanque Abbey and Roussillon, then Nice
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Nice
- Drive about 4 h
The third longer road day, about 3 hours 45 in the vehicle in all, with the Luberon in the middle so the drive to the coast never feels like a transfer. We leave Avignon at 8:30 to be in Gordes before its car parks fill: the village is stacked on a rock above the plain, its stone houses climbing to a Renaissance château, and the classic view of it is from the road on the way in. A few minutes north, down a narrow valley, is Sénanque Abbey, founded by Cistercian monks in 1148 and still home to a community; from late June to mid-July the lavender in front of it is in flower.
Afternoon
Lunch is a long one in Roussillon, the village built on ochre cliffs in every shade from yellow to deep red. Then about two and three-quarter hours east on the motorway, with a coffee stop, to Nice.
Evening
We check in near the old town by about 6 pm, and the evening is free.
Included
- Gordes with your guide
- Sénanque Abbey from the path and viewpoint
- Lunch in Roussillon
- Roussillon's ochre lanes
Easier option: Skip the walk through Roussillon's lanes and wait on a café terrace in the square.
More active option: Walk the short loop of the Sentier des Ocres in Roussillon before lunch, about 35 minutes through the old quarries.
Free time: Evening free in Nice
Activity: The longest road day of the trip, kept under 4 hours and split by Gordes, Sénanque and lunch. The ochre stains: wear shoes you do not mind turning orange.
Èze, Monaco and Villefranche-sur-Mer
Nice to Èze by the Moyenne Corniche, Monaco, then Villefranche-sur-Mer and back
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Nice
- Drive about 2 h
We leave Nice at about 8:30 on the Moyenne Corniche, the middle of the three coast roads, and are in Èze by 9, before the coach and cruise groups arrive. The medieval village is wrapped around a rock about 400 metres above the sea, its lanes too narrow for cars, and at the top a cactus garden among the castle ruins looks along the coast towards Italy. Then 20 minutes on to Monaco. We walk up to the Rock for the changing of the guard at the Prince's Palace at 11:55, then visit the cathedral where Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III are buried.
Afternoon
Lunch is together near the harbour. On the way back we stop in Villefranche-sur-Mer, a fishing harbour in a deep bay, for a walk along the waterfront and through the vaulted Rue Obscure.
Evening
We are back in Nice by about 4 pm, and in the evening we gather for the farewell dinner, with Niçoise dishes and wine from Bellet.
Included
- Èze village and the Jardin Exotique d'Èze
- Monaco: the Rock, the changing of the guard at the Prince's Palace and the cathedral
- Lunch in Monaco
- Villefranche-sur-Mer harbour and the Rue Obscure
- Farewell dinner in Nice
Optional experiences
- The Oceanographic Museum in Monaco in place of the harbour walk
Easier option: Stay in the lower lanes of Èze and skip the climb to the garden.
More active option: Walk down from Èze to the sea at Èze-sur-Mer on the Nietzsche path, about an hour downhill on a rocky track, where the vehicle collects you.
Free time: Late afternoon free in Nice
Activity: Èze is steep, with uneven steps throughout. The Monaco Grand Prix weekend (late May or early June, check the year) is avoided on this day.
Depart from Nice
Your hotel in Nice to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 15 min
Morning
Your last morning on the Riviera is unhurried.
Afternoon
After breakfast, if your flight is in the afternoon, walk along the Promenade des Anglais, climb Castle Hill for the view over the Baie des Anges, or go through the flower and produce stalls of the Cours Saleya market, which runs every morning except Monday, when it becomes an antiques market. Your See Sight Tours guide arranges the transfers and sees everyone off. Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE) is about 7 km west of the centre, around 20 minutes by car, with direct flights to many European hubs and, in the busier months, some transatlantic routes. A driver takes you there at the time that suits your flight. Flights from about 11 am are easiest; for an earlier flight we arrange an early breakfast or a breakfast bag. To stay on, ask us for extra nights in Nice before you book your flights.
Included
- Drop-off at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE)
Free time: Free until your airport transfer
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 11 am for a relaxed morning.
- Paris3 nights
- Amboise2 nights
- Bordeaux1 night
- Sarlat-la-Canéda2 nights
- Carcassonne1 night
- Avignon3 nights
- Nice2 nights
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Spring brings green vineyards and gardens in flower at the Loire châteaux; September and early October bring the grape harvest around Saint-Émilion and warm, quieter days in Provence. Lavender in the Luberon is usually in flower only from late June to mid-July. July and August are hot in the south, often over 35°C, and the Riviera is at its busiest, so we start early and keep afternoons free.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers with two weeks who want to see France from north to south in one trip, without doubling back
- First-time visitors who want Paris, the Loire châteaux, the Dordogne, Provence and the Riviera together
- History lovers: Roman Arles and the Pont du Gard, medieval Carcassonne, the Renaissance Loire and the cave art of Lascaux
- Travellers who prefer trains and short drives to long coach days
- Solo travellers who want company and a fair single price
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: Saint-Émilion, Beynac, Carcassonne's ramparts, Les Baux, Gordes and Èze are steep and cobbled
- Normandy and the D-Day beaches, or Burgundy, which this route does not include
- Travellers who want to unpack once: there are seven hotels, though most stays are two or three nights
- A beach holiday on the Riviera: Nice is two nights at the end
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
14 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Paris3 nights
- Amboise2 nights
- Bordeaux1 night
- Sarlat-la-Canéda2 nights
- Carcassonne1 night
- Avignon3 nights
- Nice2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 14 nights: 3 in Paris, 2 in Amboise, 1 in Bordeaux, 2 in Sarlat, 1 in Carcassonne, 3 in Avignon inside the walls and 2 in Nice near the old town
- Central hotels of a 3-star-plus standard with air-conditioning and private bathrooms; we name each hotel when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and drop-off at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE)
- TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps and from Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to Bordeaux, second class reserved seats, with station transfers
- A private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for the group in the Loire, and another from Bordeaux to Nice
- The gabarre boat on the Dordogne and the tram to the Cité du Vin
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 15, including on the trains
- Local guides at the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, Saint-Émilion's monolithic church, Lascaux IV and wherever a site requires one
- Tips for local guides and for restaurant staff at included meals
Activities
- Paris: Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame, a Latin Quarter walk, the Musée d'Orsay and the Louvre
- The Loire: Château de Chenonceau, Château de Chambord, the Clos Lucé and a Vouvray cave tasting
- Bordeaux: the old centre on foot and the Cité du Vin with a tasting
- Saint-Émilion: the monolithic church and catacombs and a wine estate visit with a tasting
- The Dordogne: Lascaux IV, a gabarre boat from La Roque-Gageac and the Château de Beynac
- The Pont Valentré in Cahors and Toulouse on foot
- Carcassonne: an evening walk in the Cité and the Château Comtal and ramparts
- The Pont du Gard
- Avignon: the Palais des Papes, the Pont Saint-Bénézet and Les Halles
- Arles: the Roman amphitheatre, the Roman theatre and the Espace Van Gogh
- Les Baux-de-Provence and the Carrières des Lumières
- The Luberon: Gordes, Sénanque Abbey and Roussillon
- Èze and the Jardin Exotique, Monaco and Villefranche-sur-Mer
- All entrance fees for included sights
Meals
- 14 breakfasts
- 8 lunches: in a Vouvray cave, Saint-Émilion, La Roque-Gageac, Toulouse, the Cité of Carcassonne, near Les Baux, Roussillon and Monaco
- 4 dinners: a welcome dinner in Paris, a Périgord dinner in Sarlat, cassoulet in Carcassonne and a farewell dinner in Nice
Not included
- International flights to Paris and from Nice
- Travel insurance
- ETIAS travel authorisation fee, if it applies on your dates
- Meals not listed, including lunches in Paris, on the train days and in Avignon
- Drinks outside the included tastings and meals
- Tips for your See Sight Tours guide (at your discretion)
- Optional activities, such as an evening Seine boat, the Eiffel Tower or a Châteauneuf-du-Pape tasting
- City tourist taxes, where a hotel charges them on the spot
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 2,000 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the France in depth trip price include?
Fourteen nights in central hotels, 14 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 4 dinners, two TGV journeys, airport and station transfers, private vehicles and drivers in the regions, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every visit in the day plan, including the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, Chenonceau, Chambord, Lascaux IV, a Dordogne gabarre, Carcassonne's castle, the Palais des Papes and Monaco.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That means one vehicle, one slot at Lascaux IV and one table at dinner, instead of the 25 to 46 people of a typical coach tour of France, and it lets the vehicle reach villages like La Roque-Gageac and Gordes that big coaches struggle with.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the first evening in Paris to the last morning in Nice, including on both trains. Local guides join where a site requires one, such as at the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, Saint-Émilion's underground church and Lascaux IV, and professional drivers handle the roads.
How fit do I need to be?
Moderately fit: most days mean 2 to 4 hours on foot on cobbles and château floors, with steep lanes in Saint-Émilion, Beynac, Carcassonne, Les Baux, Gordes and Èze. The Chambord roof terraces, the climb to Beynac castle and the Nietzsche path at Èze are optional, and every demanding day has an easier alternative.
I'm travelling solo. What is the single supplement?
A room of your own is from CAD 2,000 more, about 17 percent of the trip price, and is shown up front when you request to book. Solo travellers join every included meal and activity like everyone else, and you can ask us about sharing a room; we confirm whether that is possible at booking.
How long are the train and driving days?
The TGV from Paris to the Loire takes about an hour, and from the Loire to Bordeaux about two. The three longest road days, Sarlat to Carcassonne, Carcassonne to Avignon and Avignon to Nice through the Luberon, are 3 to 3 hours 45, split by sights and a sit-down lunch. No day goes over about 4 hours on the road.
Is Lascaux IV the real cave?
No. The original Lascaux cave has been closed to the public since 1963 to protect the paintings. Lascaux IV at Montignac is a full-size, exact replica of almost the whole cave, made by artists from 3D scans, and a guide leads the visit. It is the closest anyone can now get to the original.
When is the best time to go, and will we see the lavender?
Late April to June and September to mid-October are the most comfortable months, with mild weather, open boats on the Dordogne and fewer crowds. Lavender in the Luberon is usually in flower only from late June to mid-July, so choose a departure in that window if it matters to you. July and August are hot in the south.
How is this different from the shorter See Sight Tours trips in France?
It joins four of them into one route. Our shorter trips cover the Loire from Amboise, Bordeaux and the Dordogne, Provence and the Côte d'Azur, and Paris with Burgundy and Provence. This one runs from Paris to Nice through the Loire, the Dordogne, Carcassonne and Provence in 15 days, with fewer nights in each region.
Do Canadians need a visa for France?
No visa is needed for stays of up to 90 days in the Schengen area for Canadian or US passport holders. The EU's Entry/Exit System records fingerprints and a photo at the border. The ETIAS travel authorisation has no confirmed start date yet; we tell you what applies before you fly.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle, from CAD 21,170 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us for a quote and we will price the same hotels, trains and drivers.
Are tips included, and how much should I tip?
Tipping your See Sight Tours guide is at your discretion and never expected; it is listed under what is not included. How tips for drivers, local guides and restaurant staff on included meals are handled is confirmed in writing before you book, so there is no collection at the end and no surprise on the last day.
How does booking work?
Choose a departure and request to book: no payment is taken at that point. We confirm availability, hotels and the final price within 24 hours, and only then ask for a deposit. Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, from CAD 11,760 for the small group.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
Book your Tour
Get in Touch
- Toll Free1-888-961-6584
- Local1-289-271-9767
© 2026 See Sight Tours. All rights reserved.