Itinerary
SATURDAY Depart your hometown for an overnight flight to Paris.
SUNDAY Upon arrival, you will be met by a driver who will whisk you off to your luxury hotel in the heart of Paris. The Prince de Gaulle is located on Avenue George V, perfect for exploring the Champs Elysées and the most famous landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. Dating back to 1928, the hotel has all the essence of Paris in the Art Deco era – complete with sweeping curtains and gold chandeliers. The restaurant has dramatic glass doors leading to a magical courtyard for outside dining. Enjoy two nights in the city of lights, there are many dining and entertainment options, not to mention the shopping which is world class and of course the museums. If you are an art fan, you are in the best place – the Louvre allows you to be a few feet away from some of the world’s most famous paintings in the setting of an 18th century Royal Palace.
TUESDAY After breakfast, you will be collected and transferred to the airport for a short flight to the south of France. Your hotel is located on the famous ‘Cote d’Azur’, holidaying haven of the glitterati that runs from Monaco to St Tropez. Your white palace is located just 30 minutes’ drive from Monte Carlo on its own 5-acre peninsula that juts out into the sparkling blue Mediterranean Sea. Originally built by a Russian Prince, the hotel has seen many celebrities and luminaries coming to stay – including Sir Laurence Olivier and the Beatles amongst others. Your spacious room is luxurious simplicity at its finest, and has a balcony or terrace with a seaview.
After settling into your room and a quick change of clothes, your first stop has to be the pool. Probably one of the most stunning in the world, the saltwater infinity pool has wraparound views of the sea and the coastline. Savor the view with a refreshing cocktail and relish the next four days of living the good life.
You have a fantastic base to explore the coast – Monte Carlo is a breathtaking trip, as the road hairpins downwards and you realize you are on the Formula One racing track, it is like a scene from a movie. You are now in the second smallest country on earth! Have a coffee and pastry at the Café de Paris and watch the scene develop in the main square – Lamborghinis, Ferraris and their flamboyant designer-clad owners pull up to pose and ‘be seen’. Stay until the evening and try your hand at gambling in the casinos, a very James Bond affair, quite different from Las Vegas.
For a more romantic evening, head to the medieval village of Eza, perched like an eagle nest on a narrow rocky peak, looking down to the Mediterranean below. You will find a Michelin star restaurant at the Chateau Eza, with a tantalizing menu and panoramic views.
SATURDAY Back to the airport by private car for a short flight to the island of Corsica – an island of pure, unspoiled, natural beauty. The gulf of Porto-Vecchio in the southeastern part of the island, boasts mesmerizing views over the Mediterranean Sea and the wild, wild mountains. It is here, where your contemporary accommodations await and your four-day pampering begins. Surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens, a stunning infinity pool and with its own private beach, Casa Del Mar blends the beauty of its surroundings with the luxury of a design hotel and the serenity of a spa. Your room overlooks the sea and has the calm, tranquility of the elements, with bright splashes of color to rejuvenate your soul.
Enjoy breakfast on the terrace, lunch at the grill and dinner at the Michelin star restaurant – all round, dining at Casa Del Mar is first class. Should you wish to venture out for dinner, the island has many restaurants. You can eat in small and cosy restaurants hidden in small hillside towns or top gourmet restaurants in the glitz and glamour of Porto Vecchio, overlooking the bay. Specialties include pork and seafood – pork gets its distinctive flavor from the acorn and chestnut diet of the island’s 60,000 free-roaming pigs. Wines are the island’s gourmet pride and are known worldwide. From Cap Corsica to the Southern tip near your hotel, the wine road is long but delicious. You may be driven to take a nap under the chestnut trees or stop at one of the hidden sandy coves dotted around the island to take a refreshing dip.
WEDNESDAY After breakfast, you will be whisked off back to the mainland for a final stop in the heart of France – Provence, where the pace is slower, roads are lined with lavender fields and olive groves, villages cling to the sides of hilltops and food tastes better than anywhere else on earth. Your private luxury enclave is a short drive from the airport… by convertible of course! Relish your first chance to inhale the scents, scenes and sounds of Provence. Upon arrival you will be blown away by the view - from your vantage point, you can see endless rolling hills slope off into the distance.
The Domaine des Andeols is the passion of Alain Ducasse, celebrity chef and a luxury brand in himself. This extraordinary hotel is composed of nine warm and beautiful independent houses – each a unique blend of originality and comfort, a showcase of an amazing collection of rare objets d’art. Your surroundings are manicured gardens, brimming with flowers and lavender. Nestled somewhere along the twisty paths, you will find an infinity pool and a hammam, fitness and massage room – an intensely relaxing experience. As expected, the food is out of this world at the restaurant, but the setting is to die for. In the summer months, dine al fresco between olive trees by candlelight, with the fragrance of herbs and flowers intertwining all around.
As tempting as it is to stay where you are, Provence beckons. Hit the road in your convertible to discover the landmarks of the region. Gordes is the closest village, just 10 miles away and is a perfect example of a ‘perched village’. The buildings including the 12th-century castle, are made of an beige stone that glows orange in the morning sun. Enjoy a treat from the village patisserie and admire the view - a southern panorama out across fields and forests and other tiny, perched villages to the mountain of Luberon. Then onwards, through the legendary Provencal countryside, make sure you have your camera ready for fields of lavender and poppies (coquelicots) that bloom between March and June. Or pull over to take a walk through the shady forest of chestnut trees. Another fascinating town is Avignon, declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Once in Avignon, you won't want to leave, and the town is too interesting to let you go. Avignon is ancient, full of history, life, youth, art, music and activity. Just to see the town itself, you could wander the narrow streets inside the fortified walls for days without tiring of them.
SUNDAY After breakfast, it’s time to end your tour de France with a connecting flight back to your hometown, arriving on Sunday evening. You have had a taste of France’s finest. Virginia Woolf once famously described her French vacations as "undoubtedly what one will do in Heaven - motoring all day, eating vast meals and drinking red wine and liqueurs." How better to spend your first two weeks of wedded bliss?
