Our Tour + Cruise manager, Genevieve, recently visited France on a tour with Luxury Gold and Insight Vacations.
Insight Vacations have some amazing tours! Whether you’re looking to see the best of Italy, delve into Spain, Portugal and Morocco, or tour through Switzerland’s beautiful landscapes. See more Luxury Gold holidays through our bespoke travel brand, Onboard Luxury.
Insight vacations / Luxury Gold Tour Director and Coach
On this trip we travelled from Nice to Paris and concentrated our sightseeing in the Provence region of Southern France. We were met at the Nice airport by our Tour Director, Laurence. Our coach was waiting outside and the Driver loaded our luggage onto the coach. Cabin luggage with wheels is not suitable for coach tours. We were allowed to travel with one suitcase and one soft back pack for the coach. Luggage is completely taken care of, as it arrives in your room at the next location. A quick tip is that you must be able to manage your own suitcases on and off the train. The coaches used are custom built and owned by TTC. There are 40 seats on each coach, as opposed to 51 on a normal coach. This means there is more space per guest to stretch out in comfort.
Laurence, our Tour Director, was really friendly and had over 15 years experience. There was also always a Local Guide in each destination in addition to the Tour Director. It’s good to keep in mind that we were tipping 1 Euro for the Local Guide per person. This is not included in pre-paid gratuities. Pre-paid gratuities are for the Tour Director and Driver.
On a Luxury Gold Tour, there is an average of 18 travellers which means each guest can have their own window seat. There is also a toilet onboard, however travel days are short so I never needed to use these. For solo travellers on Luxury Gold they have to pay for a solo room, whereas on Insight Vacations they can opt to share with a stranger of the same gender.
What to Expect on A France Tour
The average age on an Insight Vacations/Luxury Gold tour would be early 50s, up to about 80. At hotels, porterage is included. All meals at restaurants and breakfast are included within your travel as well. I loved this aspect, as it saves time on having to decide where to eat and allows for more time to sightsee.
The Tour Director acts as a guide but they also personalise each tour to guests’ needs. The itinerary is the building block and they bring the destination to life. The Travel Director has a budget for “flourish” which is a local delicacy that is provided for guests to surprise and delight. Luxury Gold also has VIP out of hours experiences and Michelin star restaurants will normally be included. On this France Tour, I thoroughly enjoyed dining at La Table de l’Orangerie at the Chateau Fonscolombe.
Our Insight Vacations / Luxury Gold Itinerary
Day One
After a restful flight, we were transferred from the airport to Radisson Blu Hotel Nice in our private coach. Luxury Gold includes transfers between the airport and to the hotel throughout the trip.
I had the opportunity to freely explore this beautiful part of the French Riviera and settle in for the afternoon. By the evening, I joined the Travel Director and fellow travel companions for a delicious welcome dinner- the perfect way to start this France tour.
Day Two
After a relaxing night’s rest at the Radisson Blu Hotel Nice, I was ready for a day full of sightseeing with Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold! The hotel had exceptional views of Nice, being located on the iconic Promenade des Anglais. It’s considered a 4-star hotel and has a prime beachfront location, it’s conveniently located just minutes from the centre and has modern facilities like a sauna, swimming pool and fitness centre.
We joined our Local Guide on a walk through the streets of Old Nice viewing the opera house, admiring the Sainte-Reparate Cathedral and walking around the colourful food market on Cours Saleya. On this France tour, we also visited the famous opulent Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild where we experienced a lovely fresh lunch and then toured the villa and gardens. Afterwards we headed to Monaco via our coach where we toured the Grand Prix circuit, the Oceanographic Museum, the Royal Palace and Monaco Cathedral, housing the tombs of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace.
For dinner, we ate at the beautiful La Reserve restaurant in Nice perched high off the cliffs overlooking the city.
Day Three
On day three of our France tour, we made our way to Provence via our coach. We wandered through the quaint cobblestone streets of Saint Paul de Vence, perched high above the Riviera beaches, with lots of free time to soak up the peaceful atmosphere of the medieval village.
In Aix en Provence we were spoiled and had a surprise visit to the Hotel de Caumont. An art gallery with beautiful and the most divine cafe serving a huge range of cakes and pastries for afternoon tea, a great way to wind down after a full morning of walking and exploring.
Another unique experience was dining at the Michelin star restaurant, La Table de l’Orangerie at the Chateau Fonscolombe where we stayed for 2 nights. The chateau had been restored to its former glory, with an outdoor heated pool, beautiful gardens to stroll through and an amazing salt spa, what a way to be spoiled.
Day Four
The next day we had a busy schedule of sightseeing, but had the evening free to do as we pleased. We followed the footsteps of Paul Cezanne through the Cours Mirabeau, which is a pedestrian boulevard in Aix en Provence. This was an amazing experience for an art lover as you could see various Cezanne paintings in the scenery along the way. You could imagine yourself in his paintings; it was quite surreal and a highlight of this France tour. After, we visited the stunning Chateau la Coste winery and open-air museum.
Day Five
As one of the best experiences of the entire trip, day five was getting to drive through the scenic mountains of Lourmarin in a vintage Citroen 2CV. These are the old French vehicles that were designed and built to be affordable for the French people. With the roofs off and the sun shining, it was a truly unique experience and perfect for this France tour.
We stayed at the Maison Albar Hotel Nimes Imperator for 2 nights. It was a 5-star urban resort, with many living spaces, 54 rooms and 7 private houses to stay in. I found it to be a casual yet luxurious escape, perfect if you’re looking to travel with family or friends. Highlights of the hotel was the sumptuous Codage spa and an exceptional culinary experience by Pierre Gagnaire.
Day Six
Our coach transported us to Arles and Les Beaux-de-Provence on day 6 of the trip. In the village of Les Baux we were treated to a unique experience of visiting the Carrieres de Lumieres. We entered an unused quarry which has now been converted into a sound and light show, with artworks from various French artists superimposed onto the rock walls accompanied by music. It was such a peaceful environment which we never would have found if it wasn’t for this France tour with Luxury Gold and Insight Vacations.
Day Seven
Towards the end of the trip we made our way to Paris for the last night! We were free to explore this fascinating city by ourselves. Of course that meant a visit to the Eiffel Tower and indulging in the French pattiserries!
Eiffel Tower is not offered on any tour however, it can be booked for groups of 2 to 6 by the window with amazing views.You must arrive 30 minutes before as you do need to go through security to get to the area under the Eiffel Tower. The minimum price is 125 euro pp which includes 3 courses (must pre-select meals, but with the French being French sometimes, be prepared to be eating anything), including 2 glasses of wine.
We stayed at the Paris Napoleon, located right next to the Arc de Triumph. I found it to be the best location but rooms were small and very traditional. The breakfast however was amazing! The staff were very friendly and helpful, plus it was a 2 minute walk to Champs Elysee.
Day Eight
I was sad to leave this amazing France tour on the last day. We woke up at the Hotel Napoleon and popped down to have our included breakfast at the hotel. Then, we made the journey with Inisght Vacations through the French countryside to the airport.
Overall Impressions of the France Tour with Luxury Gold and Insight Vacations
Overall the Luxury Gold and Insight Vacations France tour is elevated touring at its best. Travel onboard the coach felt like a Business Class seat, with all of the extra space afforded to you. I loved having a personal guide who wanted to get to know me and offer experiences that I’m personally interested in.
The coach had amazing views from the large windows and it was very comfortable when travelling. On this tour, expect to be spoiled by the “flourishes” which the Tour Director shares along the way. This also allows you to try the delicacies of each region that you travel through.
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