Paris to Nice through Vineyards and Mountains

The City of Light. The City of Love. Paris has so many names – and all of them are evocative of its rich culture and centuries of epic history. Meet your Tour Leader and your small group of fellow travellers in the city's vibrant heart where we’ll share our back stories over some sumptuous French fare at a local bistro. Bon appetit! 

What better way to kick off our French adventure than with a few glasses of bubbles at an authentic Champagne winery? But first: say au revoir! to Paris and settle in for a comfortable ride to Reims. We’ll walk in the regal footsteps of France’s most famous kings as we pass beneath the splendid Gothic façade of Reims Cathedral – the historic location of royal coronations. The monument also has links to Joan of Arc, so don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for the statues dedicated to the famous female warrior. 

Then, today’s pièce de résistance awaits: a family-owned winery. We’ll enjoy a masterclass in grape cultivation before sipping a trio of delicious champagnes. Salut! Feeling merry, we’ll move onto our final stop of the day: the romantic town of Troyes. The unofficial capital of Champagne, it’s awash with medieval timber-framed buildings and narrow lantern-lit lanes that will make you feel like you've stepped into a traditional Charles Perrault fairytale.  

Tonight, seek out a local restaurant to sample some tasty traditional fare – accompanied by another glass of bubbling champagne, of course! 

There’s nothing better than beginning the day with a fresh, buttery croissant smothered in jam. Once you’ve licked the last flakes off your fingers, we’ll hit the cobblestones for a walking tour of Troyes with our knowledgeable Tour Leader – soaking up key sights like the incredibly narrow Cats Alley. 

Then, you’ll be dreaming in technicolour tonight after a visit to Cite Du Vitrail. Nestled in the heart of the city, this museum is a tribute to Troyes’ mesmerising heritage of producing intricate stained-glass windows. There’ll be time to wander the town at leisure afterwards and grab yourself some lunch. Don't miss browsing the many local boulangeries for tempting treats like brioche au Chaource that’s stuffed with soft and oh-so-creamy Chaource cheese.  

And on the menu this evening? Whatever takes your fancy! There’s a plenitude of cosy cafes and intimate bistros to settle into for the night – and lots more regional dishes to devour. 

Ready for another tantalising wine tasting? Today, our path leads us out of the city and towards the vineyards of Chablis: the northernmost corner of the Burgundy region. Soak up vistas of sun-dappled vines as we glide slowly up the driveway to our next heavenly winery. The family-run estate produces several sumptuous organic wines, and we’ll savour six during a guided tasting. 

With the flavour of crisp Chablis still on our tongues, we’ll move onto nearby Beaune – our très belle base for the next few days. You’ll stumble across Gothic masterpieces at every turn in this medieval town. Spend the rest of the afternoon leisurely roaming its picture-perfect streets before we meet for another memorable group dinner. Expect to spot traditional Burgundian dishes like rich beef bourguignon on the menu – an explosion of rich flavour for your palate! 

Did you know that Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy? Or that it hosts an art museum entirely dedicated to the works of Salvador Dali? We’ll connect with Beaune on a deeper level today, including visiting the city’s crowning glory: the Hospices de Beaune. Originally founded as a hospital for the poor by the Chancellor of Burgundy back in 1443, this unique building is now a museum – and an exceptional example of 15th-century French architecture.  

Once we’ve sauntered beneath the hospice’s timbered galleries and examined the exquisite detailing of the majestic nine-panelled Beaune Altarpiece, you’ll have some free time to dive further into the city’s secrets. Peer across intricately tiled rooftops into flower-filled gardens and across serene moats while wandering around the 900-year-old ramparts. Or discover firsthand how wine was pressed in medieval times at the local Burgundy wine museum. Feeling thirsty? There’s plenty of charming little wine bars where you can pull up a stool and sample a glass or two of smooth Hautes-Côtes de Beaune.

We might be saying à bientôt to Beaune today – but there’s a tempting treat in store for us before we venture into the French Alps. If there’s time, we’ll break up the journey with a pitstop in captivating Cluny to soak up the intricate stonework and panoramic countryside views from its former Benedictine monastery. 

Then, prepare your tastebuds for utter indulgence at a vineyard that’s been owned by the same family for four generations! Gliding up the driveway of this historic winery is a moment you’ll always remember. We’ll embrace the magic further by gazing out across acres of verdant vines and up at the chateau’s enchanting turrets during a guided tour followed by an essential tasting of four sumptuous wines.  

Afterwards, we’ll settle down in the soft shade of the plane trees in the chateau’s manicured grounds for a sumptuous picnic – washed down with another glass of local wine, of course! Take another moment to soak up the peaceful surroundings before we swap southern Burgundy’s rolling hills for the jagged alpine peaks of the Haute-Savoie region.  

Annecy – the so-called ‘Pearl of the French Alps’ – is our final destination. We’ll see how it lives up to its nickname on an orientation walk around its cobbled streets which are a riot of colour thanks to sunset-hued townhouses and canal side bistros embellished with seasonal blooms. Why not find a table at one of the latter for dinner? We hear tartiflette (a delectable concoction of lardons, potatoes and melted cheese) is the local delicacy... 

We’ll be taking to the skies (well, almost) today as we ascend further into the magical French Alps to Chamonix. Bask in the crisp mountain air as you wander around the market town's quaint streets – and don’t forget to look up at the majestic Mont Blanc that looms large over the entire region like a monarch surveying its kingdom.  

Depending on the weather conditions and the time of year, we might venture even higher than Chamonix via the Brévent cable car or on the charming cogwheel Montenvers railway. Breathe in the scent of fresh pine needles and gaze out across verdant foothills that are blanketed in kaleidoscopic wildflowers throughout the summer. 

Back in Annecy this evening, we’ll clink glasses and swap stories of the day over an included group dinner. Expect to encounter more classic and utterly mouthwatering Haute-Savoie dishes on the menu such as raclette. Because who doesn't love gooey, melted cheese? 

Picture-perfect canals and a backdrop of cragged peaks – it's not hard to see why Annecy has been dubbed the ‘Alpine Venice’. Romance and mystery radiate off every cobblestone of this tranquil mountain town which we’ll have an entire day to explore – beginning with a guided orientation stroll with your knowledgeable Tour Leader. 

Then, the day’s path is yours to choose. You could easily spend a morning getting lost in the warren of lanes that make up the pedestrianised Old Town – passing pink, peach and yellow houses hosting all manner of local delights. Inhale the sweet scent of fresh brioche aux pralines and sugar-dusted beignets wafting out of the doors of the town’s boulangeries. Or soak up soul-stirring vistas of the tiny Le Palais de I'Île from the flower-dotted Pont Perrière. Magnifique! 

If you spent the night dreaming of cheese (melted or otherwise), today’s your lucky day! While we will be making our retreat from idyllic Annecy, our next stop in the heart of the breathtaking Geopark du Massif des Bauges more than makes up for it. 

Fromagerie Les Aillons has been producing traditional cheeses for decades – and we’ll learn all its secrets on a tour. Make sure you bring your appetite as we’ll also indulge in a tasting of several regional varieties, including rustic tomes de Bauges and melt-in-your-mouth val bleu. Washed down with a glass of French cider, what could be more divine?  

Then, we’ll swap the cragged French Alps for the undulating hills and aromatic meadows of the Drôme region. After settling into our hand-picked hotel, we’ll reconvene for another memorable meal in excellent company. 

Oceans of fragrant lavender. Sleepy, sun-dappled stone villages. Cypress trees swaying lazily in the warm breeze. This morning, we’re stepping into a real-life Van Gogh painting in picture-perfect Provence.  

Sisteron will be our first port of call – specifically its enchanting 12th-century Citadel. Perched on a rugged spur, this historic monument offers stunning panoramic views which stretch out over 150 kilometres towards the snow-capped Alps. Spend an hour or so exploring Sisteron’s bastions and crumbling medieval keep before seeking out some lunch. Lamb is the local meat of choice, so why not tuck into a succulent grilled chop dusted in aromatic herbes de Provence? 

Then, it’s onwards to Gréoux-Les-Bains: a tranquil spa town that’s attracted visitors to its soothing thermal waters for over 2000 years. Villa Borghese will be our home for the next two nights and it’s a true oasis of calm – with palatial gardens and an outdoor pool that’s drenched in Provençal sunshine throughout the spring and summer. 

Stomachs sated with breakfast, we’ll hop back in our luxury minicoach and prepare to soak up some pinch-me-I-must-be-dreaming vistas at the Gorges du Verdon. This immense canyon is one of the largest in Europe and its scenery is utterly spellbinding – with plunging limestone walls formed by millions of years of erosion from the snaking Verdon River.   

And if that wasn’t enough, we’ll also stop to marvel the topaz-blue waters and pine-dotted shores of Lac de Sainte Croix at the very end of the canyon. You’d never guess it was a man-made reservoir and not a natural phenomenon!   

Then, our path takes us back to Gréoux-Les-Bains where one final group dinner in Villa Borghese’s restaurant awaits. Savour the fresh flavours of Provence cuisine and clink glasses as you fondly round off a wonderful journey together. Santé! 

It’s hard to believe our French fairytale is coming to an end! We’ll embark on one final chapter this morning, pressing deeper into the exquisite Provençal countryside towards Entrevaux. En route, all our senses will ignite as we weave our way through the spectacular flower fields of the Valensole Plateau.  

When we arrive in enchanting Entrevaux, you’ll have free time to wander the fortified walkways of its medieval citadel – uncovering just why the locals proudly call it the ‘most beautiful town in France’. Speaking of beauty, the French Riviera awaits... 

Golden beaches, shimmering water, glamorous resorts. As a region that’s charmed so many of the world’s greatest artists and writers over the centuries, the Côte d’Azur seems a fitting place to end our French journey! We'll arrive at its shining capital, Nice, mid-afternoon and bid a fond farewell to our fellow travellers.  

Then, the next chapter is yours to write... Why not delve further into Southern France’s many treasures on our Provence and the French Riviera tour?