Creative Arts Holidays
Join Valerie Kent for an art enthusiast's dream trip, spending 7 nights cruising the wine regions of Burgundy and Provence aboard the deluxe River Royale.
Provence is brilliant with lavender, sun flowers, and the azure blue of the Mediterranean. You can smell the Rosemary and Thyme growing wild. No wonder Cezanne stayed here all his life, Van Gogh made splendid canvases here and Gaughin was as happy with the colour here as in the South Pacific.
After the seven night cruise, we will spend an additional 5 nights in the beautiful Roman Spa and university town of Aix-en-Provence!
- In Brief
- Tour Map
- Full Itinerary
- Photo Gallery
- Tour Details
- Terms and Conditions
| Day | Date | Itinerary | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday July 18th | Arrive Lyon, France | D |
| 2 | Monday July 19th | Rhône River Cruise, France | B L D |
| 3 | Tuesday July 20th | Rhône River Cruise, France | B L D |
| 4 | Wednesday July 21st | Rhône River Cruise, France | B L D |
| 5 | Thursday July 22nd | Rhône River Cruise, France | B L D |
| 6 | Friday July 23rd | Rhône River Cruise, France | B L D |
| 7 | Saturday July 24th | Rhône River Cruise, France | B L D |
| 8 | Sunday July 25th | Aix-en-Provence, France | B |
| 9 | Monday July 26th | Aix-en-Provence, France | B |
| 10 | Tuesday July 27th | Aix-en-Provence, France | B |
| 11 | Wednesday July 28th | Aix-en-Provence, France | B |
| 12 | Thursday July 29th | Aix-en-Provence, France | B |
| 13 | Friday July 30th | Depart Marseille, France | B |
Monday July 17th - Depart Home City Board your international flight to Lyon, France. (As a full service travel agency were happy to assist with flight arrangements to join this tour. We suggest booking early to obtain the best flights and rates available.)
DAY 1: Arrive Lyon, France - Embark on 7 Night Rhône River Cruise Welcome to France! We arrive in Lyon and transfer to our River Ship the River Royale waiting for us in the heart of Burgundy.
Meals: (D) Dinner
River Royale Lavishly appointed riverview staterooms and suite have hotel-style beds draped in fine linens. The staterooms and suites on the Azure Deck have French balconies. Other amenities include: generous built-in closets, hair dryer, safe, individual thermostat for air conditioning and heat, direct-dial telephone, flat-screen TV with satellite, bottled water, and bathroom with L'Occitane body products, magnifying mirror, and waffle bathrobes. The River Royale has a beautiful panoramic main lounge with full-service bar, cozy library, elegant restaurant, sun deck with chess and shuffleboard, fitness room, sauna, Jacuzzi, massage treatments, gift boutique, and elevator. Included ammenties include complimentary 24-hour specialty coffee and tea bar, 24-hr reception service, wireless internet access in public areas and use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks.
DAY 2: Chalon sur Saône
Centered in the heart of Burgundy, Chalon is an important centre for France's wine trade. From here, we will travel to nearby Beaune once the capital of the Duchy of Burgundy and visit the famous 'Hospices de Beaune'. Its history aside, it is an architectural jewel with a splendid multi-coloured tiled roof, now a symbol of Burgundy. Founded in the 15th century, the Hospices were given some vineyards so they could make wine and to this day the money raised from the annual auction of the wine supports many charities. In the town square is the Burgundy Wine market where we will
make a visit and enjoy a tasting of fine Burgundy wines!
Meals: (BLD) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Excursion: Beaune and Hospices de Beaune
DAY 3: Lyon
Lyon was founded by the great Roman, Julius Caesar, and has a wealth of Roman remains. It was also
a wealthy merchants' town in the Middle Ages producing the finest silks in all of Europe - they are still
producing some of the finest silks today. Lyon is very proud of its UNESCO protected "Renaissance
Quarter" that is so charming to explore.
Meals: (BLD) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Excursion: City tour of Lyon
DAY 4: Tournon and Tain L'Hermitage Nestled among the famous vineyards, the twin cities of Tournon and Tain L'Hermitage provide the perfect setting for
those who are true connoisseurs of chocolate and wine. Celebrate the region by indulging in some Côte du Rhône wines. Cross the Marc Seguin suspended bridge and visit Tournon and its historic castle. Discover the secrets of world-famous Valrhona chocolate during an informative onboard lecture and tasting arranged by the Valrhona School of Chocolate.
Meals: (BLD) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Excursion: Wine tasting and Tournon walking tour
DAY 5: Viviers Charming Viviers has retained its old-world charm. The town developed around its Romanesque cathedral. Our tour in Viviers starts in the 'Old Town' with an introduction to the city. We'll stop by Rue Chévrerie, Porte Riquot, Maison de Chevaliers, Rue du Château, and Maison Elémentaire du Commercant. Finally, we'll walk through the medieval streets of this charming town on our way back to the ship with time to explore the shops and little winding streetscapes.
Meals: (BLD) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Excursion: Viviers walking tour
DAY 6: Avignon Nestled in the lush hills of the Rhône Valley lies the medieval walled city of Avignon,
Named the "City of the Popes". It was the centre of the Catholic Church in the 14th
century when the Palace of the Popes was equivalent of today's Vatican. Our walking
tour of Avignon starts at Clocktower Square, with its many cafes, shops and namesake
clock tower dating back to the 1300s, and now part of the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall). Next,
it's on to the Pope's Palace Square for an inside visit of the grand Palace of the Popes.
Meals: (BLD) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Excursion: Avignon walking tour and Palace of the Popes
DAY 7: Arles The name of Arles is closely connected with that of Vincent Van Gogh. Inspired by the
unique Provençal light, he spent a period of intense and impassioned work under the
bright sunny sky of Provence. During our walking tour we will discover Van Gogh's
Arles as well as the fascinating wealth of Romanesque monuments, such as the Roman
Amphitheatre and Constantine's Roman baths.
Meals: (BLD) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Excursion: Arles walking tour
DAY 8: Disembark River Royale - Les Baux - Aix en Provence After breakfast we leave the River Royale by private charter coach for the next component of our program.
We first head off to the ancient hilltop village of Les Baux. We will have time to wander the higgly-piggly streets where there are art galleries around every corner. If you want to buy art you'll have a wonderful time here. Just out of the village is an amazing treat. We have an appointment at the Cathédrale D'Images. 'Cathédrale' is the best way to describe this cavernous walk-in quarry which annually holds massive and dramatic expositions each year that allow you to actually walk into the world and time of the current subject. And this year the subject is one of the most secretive lands: Australia! Be delighted with amazing images in a journey through this beautiful country. We will then continue on to Aix-en-Provence for a four night stay.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
The City of Aix-en-Provence The city of Aix-en-Provence was first known as Aquae Sextiae (the water of Sextius).
Sextius Calvinius was the Roman proconsul who founded the city in 124 BC after finding
the thermal springs here. Even now, 'Aix' is referred to as the "City of 101 Fountains"
The city's old-time elegance reflects its former role as regional capital.
"A complacently conservative and stunningly beautiful place
that considers culture the sustenance of life."
The medieval quarter and the Cours Mirabeau, a majestic tree lined avenue in the heart
of the city, (a verdant tunnel of foliage protects against the Provençal sun. Aix's life revolves
around this very area) are just steps from our hotel. Lining the north side of the street are
cafés (namely the Café des Deux Garçons, once an important meeting place for artists and
writers such as Frédéric Mistral, 1901 Nobel prize winner and founder of 'Le Félibrige' society
whose aim it was to preserve the history, culture and language of Provence).
DAY 9: Cassis on the Mediterranean and the Route des Crêtes Valerie loves to take her passengers out to paint on location. Today after breakfast we drive down from Aix to the sleepy fishing village of Cassis on the rugged Mediterranean coast. It shows off the Mediterranean just as we picture it in our mind-sparkling and brilliantly blue as it contrasts with the sun-baked white of the limestone fingers that reach into the sea and shelter pockets of sand beaches between them. Cassis, with its wide semi-circular quay is a great location to paint with its shops and cafés on one side and bobbing sailboats from everywhere around the world on the other. After some free time for a leisurely lunch or optional boat ride to view the amazing 'calanques', we will leave the village and travel the 'Route des Crêtes' offering a Mediterranean view that you will always remember.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
DAY 10: Villages of the Luberon After breakfast we travel north of Aix and up onto the Luberon Plateau. Here are the timeless villages kept a secret until the book, 'A Year in Provence'. Just as Peter Mayle tells it, these tiny villages, dotted sparsely over the plateau, have a timeless quality. Everyone who explores them will come away with an idea of what the Provençal are about. The legendary potent herbal brew "pastis" came from these villages. It is known locally as the "good-natured thirst quencher". We will be painting in the village of Lourmarin, considered one of the most beautiful villages of Provence! We paint and visit these lovely villages, view a true Roman bridge, and admire a fortified castle perched like a broach on the Luberon slope, before returning to Aix late in the afternoon.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
DAY 11: Mont Ste-Victoire - Cezanne's favorite location to paint After breakfast we travel just a few miles out into the countryside to paint in the little village of Le Tholonet.
Cézanne consistently walked to the little village and set up his easel on the porch of a windmill, offering a stunning view of his beloved Mont Ste-Victoire, which he painted more than 50 times in his life. It's a lovely little village and Cezanne's presence is still felt here.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
DAY 12: Market Day in Aix Free day in Aix-en-Provence, and it's Market Day! Of all the town markets in France that I've been able to experience, Aix truly has the best. The entire 'old town' is taken over with stalls offering traditional sweets, art crafts, antiques, linens, provençal fabrics, china, pottery, hats, clothing, scarves (the quality and selection is to die for!) and so much more! A very indulgent day, even if you are not a shopper it is amazing experience and a wonderful insight to Provençal life. Enjoy the market or just be plain ole Provençal and plant yourself in a café along the Cours Mirabeau and be a 'Provençal'.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
DAY 13: Depart for Home City After breakfast we will travel to Marseille for our flight home.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
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| Tour: | Painting Provence and Cruising the Rhône River - 11 Nts / 12 Days |
| Artist/Instructor: | Valerie Kent |
| Dates: | Sunday July 18th to Friday July 30th, 2010 |
| Arrival City: | (LYS) Lyon, France |
| Departure City: | (MRS) Marseille, France |
| Overnights: | - 7 Nts Rhône River Cruise - 5 Nts Aix-en-Provence |
| Price per person: | - $4,589.00 in CAT 3 - $4,939.00 in CAT 2 - $5,289.00 in CAT 1 - Add $380.00 taxes - Double or shared twin - Single rate upon request |
| Tour Highlights: | - Visit to the 'Hospices de Beaune' - City tour of Lyon and UNESCO 'Renaissance Quarter' - Côte du Rhône Wine Tasting - Walking Tours (Tournon, Viviers, Avignon, Arles) - Palace of the Popes - Cathédrale D'Images |
| Tour Inclusions: | - 7 Nts Rhône River Cruise aboard the River Royale - 5 Nts Aix-en-Provence Hotel - Airport and tour transfers per itineary - Lectures and excursions per itinerary - On location workshops and painting opportunities - Visit the 'Cathédrale D'Images' - Visit to Cassis and the Villages of the Luberon - Fully escorted by Artist/Instructor Valerie Kent |
| Meals Included: | - Breakfast Daily, 5 Lunches, 6 Dinners - Captain's Welcome and Farewell Dinners |
| Tour Exclusions: | - International airfare to Lyon, France and from Marseille, France - Tips, Gratuities and Baggage Handling - Personal insurance (medical, baggage, cancellation, etc.) - Passports, Visas and Immunizations - Meals and Beverages not included in itinerary - Laundry, Hotel and Personal charges - All optional excursions or deviations from itinerary - Items of personal nature and souvenirs |
Terms & Conditions:
Creative Arts Holidays (hereinafter referred to as CAH) and/or their agent's act solely as agents for the Travel Service Suppliers such as airlines, hotels, local sightseeing and adventure companies, bus companies etc... who are providing their facilities as described on CAH's website and in CAH's brochures. We do our best to select such suppliers but exercise no control over them and cannot be held responsible for the failure of these suppliers to carry out any obligations. Any and all bookings made with these suppliers by us, for you, are subject to the terms and conditions of each and every such supplier.
Suppliers' liability may also be limited by law, tariffs, or conditions set forth in their documentation, tickets, etc. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, CAH and its agents are not responsible for any and all claims for losses, damages, delays, illness, injuries, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment, or anxiety arising from:
- Fault of negligence or omissions on the part of said travel suppliers;
- Illness, theft, strikes, mechanical problems, quarantine, governmental intervention, weather conditions, acts of hostility or violence and any other grounds beyond their control;
- Your failure to obtain passport, visas, inoculations or other ground documents;
- Your failure to report on time at an airport or ground transfer facility;
- Material damages, theft or other mysterious disappearance of your goods;
- Personal injury or death;
- Force Majeure - event(s) beyond our, or our suppliers' reasonable control including, but not limited to, acts of God, strikes, lockout or other labour disputes or disruptions, wars, blockades, insurrections, riots, earthquakes, weather conditions, floods or acts or restraints imposed by governmental authorities.
Liability:
Where travel services are purchased separately, and not as part of an inclusive package, CAH's responsibility shall extend only to the provisions of advice as to industry standard or supplier recommended, connection and check-in times. Provided CAH supplies such advice, it shall not be responsible for missed connections or departures, regardless of the cause.
Promotional Material:
CAH programs very often include photographs of our past tour participants that may be used on our websites and promotional material. If any of our passengers do not wish to have pictures, which include their image used by CAH, said passengers must advise CAH prior to departure in writing.
Website and Brochure Accuracy:
Every effort has been made to describe the travel services on our website as accurately as possible, but please note there may be different living standards and conditions with respect to the provisions of utilities and services than you are accustomed to at home. Information and photographs contained herein were accurate at time of printing and are subject to change: however, we will do our best to inform you should any significant changes occur. CAH reserves the right to decline any passenger as a member of any tour at any time. It is understood that all passengers reserving on any CAH program are personally physically mobile.
Itinerary Changes:
Although every effort will be made to keep itineraries, hotels and carriers as they are shown on our website and in our brochures, we reserve the right to substitute itineraries, hotels or carriers due to conditions beyond our control. In such cases, we will do everything possible to ensure that the locations visited, the excursions taken and the hotels offered are similar to the ones originally planned. Any change to itineraries will not result in eligibility for a refund.
Personal Documentation Requirements:
All passengers must travel with a passport valid for at least 6 months after the return date of the trip. Visas may be required by some passengers for entry into another country - please contact a CAH representative at 1.888.830.5324 for further details. Please note that entry into any country may be refused even if the required information and travel documents are complete. It is the passenger's responsibility to obtain at the passenger's expense, all documentation required by all relevant authorities. In the event that the passenger does not possess the proper documentation, the carrier (cruiseline, airline etc...) reserves the right to refuse passage. It is absolutely necessary for CAH to be aware of the citizenship/nationality of all its passengers to ensure that we provide correct information regarding personal documentation requirements.
Pricing:
Prices in this brochure or on our website are for the most part per person, based on two persons sharing a room, and are in effect at the time of printing or loading and are subject to price increases. Costs for this program are based on the exchange rate at the time of printing and are subject to currency fluctuation. Please note that no price increases are permitted after the customer has paid in full. If the price increase is more than 7% (except for increases resulting from an increase in retail sales or federal tax), the customer has the right to cancel the booking and obtain a full refund.
Bookings, Payments, Cancellations and Refunds:
A deposit of $500.00 (CAD) per person plus the applicable insurance premium is payable at time of booking. The balance of payment is due no later than 70 days prior to departure. Please note that the deposit is non-refundable and the balance subject to cancellation charges according to the date of cancellation by the by the passenger. Please see applicable cancellation charges below:
- Cancellation notice received more than 60 days prior to departure - Forfeits full deposit of $500 (CAD) per person
- Cancellation notice received 60 - 30 days prior to departure - 50% penalty of full fare †
- Cancellation notice received 29 - 0 days prior to departure - 100% of full fare †
† Full Fare is defined as the cost of any tour, land and air element purchased from Creative Arts Holidays. Voluntary or involuntary termination by the passenger of a tour in progress will result in no refund, nor can they be exchanged for alternative travel arrangements. There is no refund for unused services or if portions of the tour are missed.
Note: Please contact a CAH representative for suggested insurance options which could protect you from the above cancellation charges.
Insurance:
Please note that Cancellation, baggage, medical, emergency medical and various additional insurance coverages are strongly recommended and are available at the time of booking your vacation. A CAH representative would be happy to offer you an insurance quotation for your upcoming vacation. Please feel free to contact an CAH representative at 1.888.830.5324 or info@creativeartsholidays.com
Tour Documents:
A tour document packet is sent two weeks prior to a passengers departure. If you request documents earlier there is a $100 CAD handling charge to cover the extra costs of early processing. If a reservation is made within three weeks of departure, a late booking fee of $100 CAD may be assessed to facilitate RUSH documentation
Booking Revision Fee:
A $100 CAD revision fee per revision is charged for any changes made to a reservation after the written confirmation is sent. Please use the names of the travelers exactly as they appear on their passports. A change in name or departure date may constitute a cancellation, and penalties may apply.
Tour Registration
To register for any of our tours, please call our office Toll Free at 1-866-830-5324
Tour:
Painting Provence and Cruising the Rhône River - 11 Nts / 12 Days
Artist/Instructor:
Valerie Kent
Dates:
Sunday July 18th to
Friday July 30th, 2010
Arrival City:
(LYS) Lyon, France
Departure City:
(MRS) Marseille, France
Overnights:
- 7 Nts Rhône River Cruise
- 5 Nts Aix-en-Provence
Price per person:
- $4,589.00 in CAT 3
- $4,939.00 in CAT 2
- $5,289.00 in CAT 1
- Add $380.00 taxes
- Double or shared twin
- Single rate upon request
Meals Included:
- Breakfast daily
- 6 Lunches and 7 Dinners
- Captain's Welcome and Farewell Dinners
July Weather
(Min to Max):
- Chalon-sur-Saône
(60°F/15°C to 77°F/25°C) - Lyon
(60°F/15°C to 80°F/27°C) - Tournon
(57°F/14°C to 80°F/26°C) - Avignon
(64°F/18°C to 87°F/30°C) - Aix-en-Provence
(66°F/19°C to 86°F/30°C) - Cassis
(66°F/19°C to 86°F/30°C)
Toll-Free: 1.888.830.5324 / Fax: 1.613.389.9028
Creative Arts Holiday is a division of The Travel Broker, registered under the Ontario Travel Industry Act.
Ontario registration No. #981363484. TICO License No. #1864205
2009 Creative Arts Holidays. All Rights Reserved.