Cypress Trees in Tuscany

The sun-washed Luberon and Verdon regions of Provence are a walker's paradise, filled with vineyards, orchards, herb-covered hills and ancient Roman ruins. Provence delights the senses with its fragrant smells of lavender, rosemary and sage along with its luminous light that has inspired artists, musicians and writers. Come along and paint with us, this wonderful region of France, escorted by Artist/Instructor Henry Vyfvinkel.

  • In Brief
  • Full Itinerary
  • Photo Gallery
  • Tour Map
  • Tour Details
  • Terms and Conditions
Day Date Itinerary
Meals
1 Saturday May 7th Arrive Nice, France
-----
2 Sunday May 8th Castellane, France
BD
3 Monday May 9th Castellane, France
B
4 Tuesday May 10th Aix-en-Provence, France
B
5 Wednesday May 11th Aix-en-Provence, France
B
6 Thursday May 12th Aix-en-Provence, France
B
7 Friday May 13th Aix-en-Provence, France
B
8 Saturday May 14th Aix-en-Provence, France
B
9 Sunday May 15th Depart Aix-en-Provence, France
B

Friday May 6th - Depart Home City Board your international flight to Nice, 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 Nice, France - Welcome to France! Meet up with Artist/Instructor, Henry Vyfvinkel and other members of the group.
Overnight: Nice

DAY 2: Entrevaux and Castellane After breakfast we travel from Nice up into the region of the 'Alpes de Haute Provence' to Castellane. Enroute we make a stop in Entrevaux, an amazing little village hugged within a loop of the Var River. We enter the village of Entrevaux by crossing the drawbridge (over the river providing a natural moat) and through the "Porte Royale" gate. The Town was fortified by order of Louis XIV's masterful military engineer "Vauban". This along with the totally pedestrian streets, tall, narrow houses, ancient fountains in the little public squares and fascinating zigzag ramps to the citadel - all set in this rugged region, gives us the experience of an authentic fairytale escape into another world and time. After some time painting we carry on to Castellane where we will spend the next two nights, and as the Chef is so wonderful we will have our Welcome Dinner here.
Meals: (BD) Breakfast, Welcome Dinner
Overnight: Castellene

DAY 3: Castellane Today we will have our painting workshop in and around the lively market town of Castellane. It's little streets, alleys and squares lined with cafes and shops are a delightful place to paint. Our hotel is right on the main square and fountains can be found throughout the town. Castellane, although provincial and small has seen a lot of history over time. Situated on the 'Route Napoleon' at the eastern end of the great Verdon Gorge the surrounding scenery creates a terrific backdrop and Napoleon himself was known to take a night's shelter with his men here as he travelled back toward Paris after his exile on Elba.
Meals: (B) Breakfast
Overnight: Castellene

DAY 4: Verdon Gorge and Moustiers Ste. Marie After breakfast today we leave Castellane. Our route to Aix-en-Provence takes us along the stunning 'crete sublime' giving you a full-length view of the Verdon Gorge, which has carved out deep ravines along a stretch of land more than 21 kms in length. The spectacular scenery creates a wonderful backdrop for our lunch break in the village of Moustiers Ste. Marie. This village seems to clamber over the rocks that cling to the hillside of the Verdon Gorge. Originally named Monsterium it was so named after the monastery founded here in the 5th century. After lunch we carry on to 'Aix' where we will spend the next five wonderful nights!
Meals: (B) Breakfast
Overnight: Aix-en-Provence

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 5: Cassis on the Mediterranean and the Route des Crêtes Today after breakfast we enjoy the 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
Overnight: Aix-en-Provence

DAY 6: 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
Overnight: Aix-en-Provence

DAY 7: The 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. We will be painting in the village of Lourmarin, considered one of the most beautiful villages of Provence and we go there on Market Day! Now we get to experience a country market when everyone of the village is out socializing and adding even more colour to this lovely rural scape. We paint and enjoy 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
Overnight: Aix-en-Provence

DAY 8: 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 is 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
Overnight: Aix-en-Provence

DAY 9: Depart for Home City After breakfast our program is over. Aix-en-Provence is about 30 kms from Marseille airport. There is very frequent shuttle service right from Aix-en-Provence to Marseille at a cost of approximately 12 Euros per person.
Meals: (B) Breakfast


Tour: Come Paint in Provence - 8 Nts / 9 Days
Artist/Instructor: Henry Vyfvinkel
Dates: Saturday May 7th - Sunday May 15th, 2011
Arrival City: (NCE) Nice, France
Departure City: Aix-en-Provence, France
Overnights: - 1 Nt Nice
- 2 Nts Castellane
- 5 Nts Aix-en-Provence
Price: - $2,889.00 per person
- Double or shared twin
- Single rate upon request
- All taxes inlcuded
Tour Highlights: - Visit the ancient village of Entrevaux
- The spectacular Verdon Gorge
- The villages of the Luburon made famous by Peter Mayle's book,
"A Year in Provence'
- The beaufiful village of Cassis
- Painting Mte. Ste. Victoire from Cezanne's favorite vantage point
- Stunning fields of poppies
- Market Day in Aix-en-Provence
Tour Inclusions: - 1 Nt Nice Hotel
- 2 Nts Castellane Hotel
- 5 Nts Aix-en-Provence Hotel
- Tour transfers per itineary
- Sightseeing and excursions per itinerary
- Daily painting workshops and painting opportunities
- Fully escorted by Artist/Instructor Henry Vyfvinkel
- All taxes
Meals Included: - Breakfast daily
- Welcome dinner in Castellane
Tour Exclusions: - International airfare to Nice, France and from Marseille, France
- Airport transfers, optional excursions or deviations from itinerary
- 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
- 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:

  1. Fault of negligence or omissions on the part of said travel suppliers;
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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.

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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

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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.

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Tour Name:

Come Paint in Provence -
8 Nts / 9 Days

Artist/Instructor:

Henry Vyfvinkel

Dates:

Saturday May 7th to
Sunday May 15th, 2011

Arrival City:

(NCE) Nice, France

Departure City:

Aix-en-Provence, France

Overnights:

  • 1 Nt Nice
  • 2 Nts Castellane
  • 5 Nts Aix-en-Provence

Price:

  • $2,889.00 per person
  • Double or shared twin
  • Single rate upon request
  • All taxes included

Meals Included:

  • Breakfast daily
  • 1 Welcome dinner

May Weather
(Min to Max):

  • Aix-en-Provence
    (55°F/13°C to 73°F/23°C)
  • Nice
    (57°F/14°C to 69°F/20°C)
  • Castellane
    (48°F/9°C to 70°F/21°C)