The Glistening French Riviera

The Glistening French Riviera
A 12 Day, 11 Night Tour staying at the 4 Star Novotel
Cannes Montfleury & Including the Millau Viaduct
The Cote d’Azur – This sprawl of spectacular beaches and zillion-dollar
houses has always captivated sun lovers and socialites. Make sure you
don't miss the Côte d'Azur's world-famous points of interest including; St
-Tropez; the Belle Époque aura of Cannes; the towns made famous by
Picass, Antibes, Vallauris, Mougins; the urban charms of Nice; and a
number of locations where the per capita, the population of billionaires is
amongst the highest on the planet, these include; Cap d'Antibes,
Villefranche-sur-Mer, and the pricipality of Monaco.
Millau Viaduct - Millau viaduct holds the world record for the tallest
bridge, culminating at 343 metres (higher than the Eiffel tower), 2460
metres long and touching the bottom of the Tarn valley in only 9 places.
The viaduct constitutes the most spectacular link in La Méridienne: the
A75 motorway, linking Clermont-Ferrand with Béziers and Narbonne,
which is the least congested and cheapest route between Paris and the
Mediterranean. Conceived by the French engineer Michel Virlogeux and
designed by the English architect Lord Norman Foster, it fits perfectly
into the naturally intact and grandiose landscape.
16th - 27th September 2016
Price £999* Per Person
 Return P&O Ferry Crossing from Dover to Calais
Alternative Crossings Available)
 2 Overnight stops on outward & return journey
 7 Nights at the Novotel Cannes Montfleury
 11 Buffet Breakfasts & 3 Dinners
 Detailed Road Book featuring Great Drives, Maps &
Directions
 Complimentary Parking at all Hotels
 Commemorative Tour Rally Plate
* Above prices are per person based on 2 persons
occupying a car and room. Single room occupancy
supplement £700 for the duration.
Suggested Tour Itinerary
DAY 1 - AM Ferry crossing from Dover to Calais followed by the drive south to
Orleans. Your routing takes you via Rouen, Evreux, Dreux and Chartres with
arrival at the Novotel Orleans la Source, late afternoon/early evening. After
check-in and some free time to freshen up a Welcome group Dinner has been
arranged in the restaurant so that you can meet your fellow participants Mileage: approx 276 miles
DAY 2 - Departing the hotel and Orleans after breakfast your journey continues
south passing through Bourges and Clermont-Ferrand en route to Millau and
the Cévenol Hôtel. Our scenic route today takes you via the Auvergne
Volcano's National Park. After check-in and some free time to freshen up a
Welcome group Dinner has been arranged in the restaurant so that you can
meet your fellow participants - Mileage: approx. 321 miles
DAY 3 - After breakfast today you'll depart the hotel, for what will be for many,
one of the highlights of the tour - The Millau Viaduct. Opened in December
2004, Norman Foster's magnificent motorway bridge over the Tarn valley at
Millau has established itself as one of the must-see modern monuments in
France. It is the world's highest multi-span bridge (the deck is 900 ft above the
valley floor at its deepest) and the longest suspended bridge in the world, and
an engineering wonder of the world. Toll prices (as at January 2015) Cars:
Summer (July and August) €9.10 - Rest of the year €7.30. From Millau your
journey takes you via Clermont-l'Herault, Montpellier, Nimes and Aix-enProvrence before arriving in Cannes and the Novotel Montfluery late afternoon/
early evening with the remainder of the day at leisure.
DAY 4 - Breakfast followed by the day at leisure in Cannes
DAY 5 - Breakfast followed by the day at leisure in Cannes
OR - Enjoy the quintessential coastal drive from Cannes to Nice via Antibes and
Cagnes-sur-Mer. Nice - with its unusual mix of real-city grit, old-world opulence,
year-round sunshine and exceptional location, is one of the most popular
destinations on the Cote d'Azur. Eating and shopping options are some of the
best you’ll find in France, the nightlife is buzzing and the art scene thriving. You
could happily spend a week here, let alone a day and still be hungry for more.
Return to Cannes & the hotel mid/late afternoon with the remainder of the day
at leisure. Mileage: approx. 40 miles (round trip)
DAY 6 - Breakfast followed by the day at leisure in Cannes
OR - Today you can enjoy a great morning drive through the winding roads of
the l'Esterel National Park before making your way via Frejus and Ste Maxime
to the world-famous restort of St.Tropez. Pouting sex-symbol Brigitte Bardot
came to St-Tropez in the 1956 to star in 'And God Created Woman' and
transformed the peaceful fishing village overnight into a sizzling jet-set favourite
where yachts like spaceships jostle for millionaire moorings, and infinitely more
tourists jostle to admire them. Your return drive to Cannes follows the coastal
road along the southern edge of l'Esterel National Park and is considered to
one of the most scenic coast roads in France. The remainder of the day is at
leisure - Mileage: approx. 95 miles (round trip)
DAY 7 - Breakfast followed by the day at leisure in Cannes
Tour Itinerary continued...
DAY 8 - Breakfast followed by the day at leisure in Cannes
OR - Today you can take a tour inland via Grasse to the spectacular Gorges du
Verdon, also known as the Grand Canyon du Verdon - a spectacular canyon
that forms a border between the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the Var. Up to
700 m deep, the 21-km-long canyon varies in width between 6 and 100m at the
bottom and 200 to 1500m at its rim. Please note: A full loop around the canyon
is just over 100km including the Route des Crêtes and would be a full day tour.
Return to the hotel late afternoon/early evening with the remainder of the day at
leisure - Mileage: approx. 120 miles (round trip)
DAY 9 - Breakfast followed by the day at leisure in Cannes
OR - Enjoy a full day tour to Monaco. Squeezed into just 200 hectares, this
confetti principality might be the world’s second smallest country (the Vatican is
smaller), but what it lacks in size it makes up for in attitude. Glitzy, glam and
screaming hedonism, Monaco is truly beguiling. Monte-Carlo has arguably one
of the most beautiful harbours in the world and is one of the most expensive
and exclusive shopping locations in the world. There are five casinos in
Monaco, including one of the world’s most famous – Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Even if you don’t like to gamble, be sure to visit to see the amazing decor.
Monaco is home to the most millionaires per capita in the world, hence there
are incredible fancy cars everywhere you look. Return to the hotel late
afternoon/early evening with the remainder of the day at leisure - Mileage:
approx. 66 miles (round trip)
DAY 10 - Breakfast followed by departure from the hotel and Cannes as you
begin your journey home. The routing today takes you via Avignon, Orange and
Valence before arriving at the Novotel Lyon Gerland late afternoon/early
evening. Our scenic route give you the option to visit Chateauneuf-du-Pape
before following the Rhone river via Montelimar, Valence and Vienne. After
check-in and some free time to freshen up dinner is included in the hotel
restaurant. Mileage: approx. 275 miles
DAY 11 - Breakfast followed by departure from Lyon. Today your journey takes
you north via Macon, Beaune and Langres to the Champagne town of Troyes
where you spend your final night at the excellent Mercure Troyes Centre hotel.
The evening is at leisure in Troyes - Mileage: approx. 235 miles
DAY 12 - Breakfast followed by departure from Troyes for the final drive north to
Calais for your crossing back to the UK. Your routing today takes you through
the Champagne region including the beautiful city of Reims. Mileage: approx.
248 miles
Our Tour Hotels
Novotel Cannes Montfleury
The 4-star Hotel Novotel Cannes Montfleury is a 10-minute walk from the city center
and the La Croisette beaches, and 17 miles drive from Nice. The Novotel Café
restaurant serves regional cuisine. Make the most of a range of free services during
your stay including; a shuttle service to the Port and the Cannes Palais des
Festivals, undercover car park, swimming pool, fitness center, sauna and steam
room, WIFI and web corner. Guest rooms are equipped with all the usual facilities,
including air conditioning, flat-screen TV, free WIFI, safe, tea and coffee making
facilities and balcony or terrace.
Novotel Orleans La Source
This Novotel Hotel is located in a large park, 15 minutes south of Orleans city
centre. It offers modern accommodation with an outdoor swimming pool and tennis
court. Each guest room at the hotel is serviced by a lift and equipped with free Wi-Fi
access. Rooms also have a private bathroom. Guests can enjoy the restaurant and
relax in the hotel bar. There is a garden with a terrace and a separate children’s
playground. Free private parking is available on site and the Orleans La Source
also provides a 24-hour reception. It is only 1.2 miles from Limère Golf Course.
Cevenol Hotel, Millau
Located next to the Millau Viaduct, the Cévenol Hotel offers spacious and
comfortable rooms with Wi - Fi. In the summer, it offers an outdoor pool. Relax on a
sun lounger by the pool after a busy day exploring the sites of Millau. A pleasant 10minute stroll you can reach the city centre. Cévenol Hotel's restaurant offers
traditional regional specialities and the bar is open from 07:00 to 23:00 for aperitifs
and cocktails. In summer, the hotel grill serves meat and grilled fish. Parking is free
at the Hotel Cévenol, facilitating your travel by car in the region.
Novotel, Lyon
Novotel Lyon Gerland Musée des Confluences is located in Lyon, on the banks of
Rhône River. It offers an outdoor pool with terrace & free WiFi. The air-conditioned
guestrooms at the hotel have a modern décor and feature a flat-screen TV. All
rooms have facilities for making tea and coffee. The Novotel Café provides a daily
buffet breakfast. The hotel restaurant serves a range of French dishes and guests
can also enjoy a variety of snacks at the bar. The hotel is a 5-minute drive to A7
highway. A secured and covered private parking is available on site, at an extra
cost.
Mercure, Troyes Centre
This Mercure Troyes is housed in a converted factory building 550 yards from the
historic centre of Troyes. It is part of the multiplex Cinema City complex that
includes 3 restaurants. The air-conditioned guest rooms are equipped with flatscreen satellite TV a private bathroom. Rooms for people with disabilities are also
available. The hotel also has a bar and an outdoor terrace with tables and sun
umbrellas. Guests have free access to the web corner and free Wi-Fi access is
available from the lobby area. The hotel has a large underground car park.