Experience France:
Member Event on the French Riviera

On arrival at Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport there will be three complimentary scheduled transfers to the resort. 

At the resort, the rest of the day at leisure to familiarise yourself with the resort and facilities. 

Today we head along the coast to the Cote d'Azur's capital - Nice. A guided panoramic tour will take us past the old town's many 17th and 18th century piazzas and churches. We will stroll down winding alleys with their shops and cafés and where the local Niçois love to sit and watch the world go by. We visit the stunning Cours Saleya flower market and wander along the famous Promenade des Anglais on the seafront. 

A Welcome Lunch will be included today, providing us with an excellent opportunity to get to know the rest of the group and to discuss the upcoming tour arrangements in more detail with our Big Journey Company Tour Director. There will be some free time after lunch to explore Nice at our own pace before returning to Le Club Mougins.

Lying just a short drive inland from the coast, the village of St. Paul de Vence is built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the beautiful countryside of Provence. In one of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, we will have the opportunity to stroll the local cobbled streets. St Paul de Vence became a haven for painters at the end of the 1800s and its artistic heritage continues today, the village dotted with sculptures and art shops.

As France, and Provence in particular, is famous for its perfume production we will also visit the beautiful town of Grasse for our own perfume experience. After touring the perfume factory, we will participate in a perfume workshop before having some free time to explore Pays de Grasse's provincial charm for ourselves.

After this experience we will return to our resort for an evening at leisure.

Famous for both its annual film festival and its beautiful harbour full of impressive yachts, Cannes is today's destination. We will enjoy a guided tour of the old port and town as well as exploring the modern district and the famous Promenade de la Croisette, soaking up the atmosphere of the chic Mediterranean town.

After some free time for lunch at leisure in Cannes, we will board a boat to sail across azure waters to the nearby island of St. Honorat.

Once the home of the monks of Lérins Abbey, the gardens they developed for medicines and perfumes were quite famous in the region. In the central part of the island, the vineyards planted by the monks are still in use today and we will relax here and enjoy some wine tasting.

We will return to Cannes by boat, board our coach and head back to the resort for the evening.

Today we head into the Provençal countryside and to taste the wines of the region. Provence is renowned in France for its wine, thanks to its good climate, especially its rosé.

Our first stop will be Chateau St Martin, a lovely 100-hectare estate with 50 hectares of vineyards, where winegrowing has taken place since the 1st century BC when the Romans founded one of the very first wine-growing estates in France here! It was later taken over by the Lérins monks who turned it into a wine-growing priory and then by French nobility. We'll taste their rosé wine accompanied by cheese and other local snacks.

This afternoon, we venture to another of the region's famous wine châteaux, Ste Rosaline. Built around an 11th century chapel and 12th century cloister, it was declared a historical monuments in 1980. The vineyard's 110 hectares produce renowned 'cru classé' distinction wine, with red, white and rosé on offer. We'll discover more on a tour and tasting before we return to our resort late afternoon.

Monaco - a magnet for rich and famous since the early 20th century - needs little introduction. However, there is more to the little independent principality than you first expect. We will walk around the quaint old town and visit the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the final resting place for Monaco royalty including the actress, Grace Kelly. We will stop in the Palace Square dominated by the Palais Princier, the residence of Prince Albert II and visit the palace's state apartments, whose attractions include the Throne Room and Court of Honour. At exactly 11.55am we need to be stood in front of the Palace's main entrance to enjoy the spectacle of Monaco's traditional changing of the guard ceremony, performed by the Carabiniers in full dress uniform. 

After lunch in Monaco's old town, the afternoon is at leisure to explore the principality further or do some shopping. 

We will return to Le Club Mougins by coach. Back at the resort the evening is at leisure.

The nearby coastal resort of Antibes is renowned for its old town, enclosed by 16th-century ramparts. The distinctive star-shaped Fort Carré overlooks the luxury yachts in Port Vauban marina. This morning we head on a short orientation tour of Antibes, after which there will be some free time to explore at leisure. Perhaps squeeze in some last minute souvenir shopping, discover one of the traditional street markets or relax at one of the pavement cafes for lunch before we head back to the resort for the afternoon.

Alternatively, spend your last day relaxing and enjoying the facilities of the resort.

We gather one last time this evening to enjoy a Farewell Dinner together. We will venture into the medieval village of Mougins itself to enjoy dinner in the famous artists village

Sadly, it's the end of our French adventure. There will be three scheduled departures from the resort to Nice Airport.