ITINERARY - Southern France
MFA SENIOR ASSOCIATES INTERNATIONAL TRIP SOUTHERN FRANCE
April 22-29, 2020
Your Bases for Exploration
Aix was once a Roman spa and then the capital of the region of Provence. Today, this city located about 20 mi/30 km north of Marseille is known for romantic streets, stately houses and Art with a capital A. Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne was born there, and artists still fall in love with the place and never leave. It is also a university town, and this combination gives Aix a young, upbeat, energetic feel. With its tree-lined cobblestoned streets, Aix is also one of the most charming towns you can visit. Stroll through the Quartier Mazarin, the Cours Mirabeau and the Bourg St. Sauveur to see vestiges of Roman and medieval architecture, as well as wonderful 16th- and 17th century fountains and facades. One of the highlights of Aix is a "Cezanne Walk," which takes you by the painter's atelier (it has been renovated to look the way it did when he was alive), and the Hotel de Maurel de Ponteves, where he grew up. Other sights include the town hall and its 17th-century balcony, the cathedral and the Tapestry Museum (housing some Beauvais tapestries). The Vasarely Foundation exhibits works by Victor Vasarely and contemporary artists.
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Graced with an average of 2,640 hours of sunshine per year, Nice proudly wears the colors of Chagall and Matisse: Its Mediterranean bay is azure blue, its tiled roofs are red, its houses ocher and yellow, and its gardens emerald green. All those colors also show up at the wonderful flower market on Cours Saleya and on the tiny bikini bottoms worn on the pebbly but oh-so-fashionable beaches. Greeks and Romans, Savoyard kings and wealthy visitors have shaped the destiny of Nice, and still this is the only town on the Cote d'Azur that doesn't seem to depend on its 4 million tourists per year. The dynamic capital of the departement of Alpes-Maritimes may be the most visited French city after Paris, but it is still a very local affair. Enjoy the local cuisine and soak up the Mediterranean light that Picasso so loved. And the stunning highlights of the French Riviera are just a few minutes' drive away.
IMAGES:
Paul Cézanne, Mont-Sainte-Victoire, 1885-87
Henri Matisse, Odalisque Sitting with Board
Pablo Picasso, French Riviera, Stone Lithograph (Mourlot), 1962
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Itinerary
Group-Designated Flight from Boston to Marseille
Tuesday, April 21
8:30 p.m. Depart Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Munich (MUC) on Lufthansa #425
Wednesday, April 22
9:40 a.m. Arrive Munich (MUC) on Wednesday, April 22nd
11:30 a.m. Depart Munich (MUC) to Marseille (MRS) on Lufthansa #2262 1:05 p.m. Arrive Marseille-Provence Airport (MRS)
Day 1: Wednesday, April 22 (D)
Arrival in Marseille / Aix-en-Provence
∙ Arrive no later than today at Marseille-Provence Airport (MRS). ∙ Meet your local guide and transfer to your hotel by private coach (one airport transfer from MRS is included in the Tour Price for those arriving on the group designated flight; assistance will be provided for all others at an additional cost). ∙ Transfer to the four-star Renaissance Hotel in Aix-en-Provence (about 25 minutes) ∙ Time at leisure to rest and wander the city on your own.
∙ An early, light supper at the hotel will suffice as a welcome dinner to ensure an early end to our first day on tour,
Overnight: Aix
Day 2: Thursday, April 23 (B, D)
Aix
∙ This morning, explore Aix-en-Provence, a treasure-trove of art and architecture. A walking tour will highlight some of the most interesting hôtels particuliers— private mansions built in the 17th and 18th centuries.
∙ Morning visit at Atelier Cézanne, the artist’s perfectly preserved home and studio.
∙ Free time in Aix for lunch and to see the weekly market in Aix where food, flowers, craftwork, and old books are for sale.
∙ This afternoon visit the Musée Granet, situated in a city mansion with art from the 16th to 20th centuries. Our primary interest will be works by Paul Cézanne including a painting produced prior to his monumental versions of The Bathers, and a recent addition to the museum’s collections, Portrait of Zola. Also see works bequeathed by collector Philippe Meyer, composed entirely of masterpieces of 20th-century European modern art.
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∙ Your entrance ticket is also valid at the Granet XXe: Collection Jean Planque, which you can see on your own on Friday or Saturday. Granet XXe opened in 2013 in a gutted and refubished 17th-century Carmelite chapel to house the collection of Jean Planque (d. 1998), a Swiss painter, dealer and art collector, who was a personal friend of Pablo Picasso. The collection contains over 300 works of art, including paintings and drawings by Degas, Renoir, Gaugun, Monet, Cézanne, Picasso, Pierre Bonnard, Paul Klee, Fernard Léger, Giacometti and Dubuffet.
∙ Dinner included at a restaurant in Aix.
Overnight: Aix
Day 3: Friday, April 24 (B, L, D)
St Remy and Avignon
∙ Take an excursion to St. Rémy (1 hour by coach), near which is the asylum at St.- Paul-de-Mausole where Vincent Van Gogh admitted himself in 1889 and then, in a creative flurry, painted over 140 works including Starry Night. We will visit the emotionally-charged reconstruction of the artist’s room, learn about his psychiatric disorder, and see more than 20 large-scale reproductions of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings on the site where they were created. This place, which strikes the visitor with a feeling of great serenity, still functions as a psychiatric hospital today.
∙ Next to St.-Paul-de-Mausole we will see Les Antiques, a well preserved Roman mausoleum and arch dating to 40 BCE, among the best preserved in the world. ∙ Time at leisure in St. Rémy for shopping.
∙ Travel to Villeneuve les Avignon (40 minutes) for lunch either in a restaurant or in the garden of Abbaye Saint André, where we will be welcomed by the owner. We will visit the gardens and terraces, laid out in the Tuscan Renaissance and Mediterranean style, which are among the most beautiful gardens in France. They include vestiges of Romanesque churches and tombs from the Middle Ages, roses, Mediterranean vegetation, and centuries-old pine and olive trees. The terraces afford magnificent views over the Palais des Papes, the Alpilles, the Luberon, Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail.
∙ Continue to Avignon for a walking tour. Choose between these two sites (there is time only to see one or the other).
∙ Guided tour of the Musée Angladon, housed in am exquisite mansion with a small but impressive collection of realist, impressionist and expressionist treasures, including works by Cézanne, Sisley, Manet, Modigliani, Degas and Picasso. The star is Van Gogh's Railway Wagons, the only painting by the artist on display in Provence.
∙ Return to Aix by 6 p.m.
∙ Dinner included at a restaurant in Aix.
Overnight: Aix
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Day 4: Saturday, April 25 (B, L)
Aix and Luberon
∙ Morning visit to a private “bastide” under the guidance of the owners. This chateau, famous for having housed Pauline Bonaparte in 1807, is one of the bastides that is most representative of the Aix spirit of the 18th century. The façade covered in stone dominates an 18th century garden designed by Nicolas Ledoux, decorated with pools and statues.
∙ Lunch included at a restaurant in Aix.
∙ Continue to Le-Puy-Sainte-Réparade and tour the grounds of Château La Coste, a wine estate featuring modern art installations by Louise Bourgeois, Frank Gehry and Tadao Ando, among others. We will also enjoy a wine tasting. ∙ https://chateau-la-coste.com/en/
∙ Dinner at leisure in Aix.
Overnight: Aix
Day 5: Sunday, April 26 (B, L)
Aix / Île de Porquerolles / Nice
∙ Check out after breakfast and depart by coach.
∙ En route to Nice we will take an excursion to Porquerolles, a tiny island accessed via a 20-minute ferry from the port at La Tour Fondue (no vehicles are allowed on the island).
∙ Walk to the village, stopping en route at Le Moulin de Bonheur, an authentic windmill with views of the sea and village.
∙ Lunch included at a local restaurant in the village.
∙ Walk about 10 minutes through woodlands to Fondation Carmignac for a guided tour of its marvelous collection of contemporary art. The collection is housed in a former Provençal villa that has been expanded to 2,000 square meters of exhibition space filled with natural light that is filtered by a ceiling covered by water – to stunning effect. A 15-hectare (37 acres) garden with sculptures surrounds the villa. The temporary exhibition, An Imaginary Sea, will have opened on April 25th, so we will be among the first to see it!
∙ Time and interest allowing, visit the Jardin Emmanuel Lopez, a one-hectare botanical garden with plants adapted to the Mediterranean climate: olive, laurel, cacti and a variety of palm (palmetto, Canary palm, palm apricot). You will also find spectacular plants from the 4 corners of the world: South Africa, Australia, South America, Southeast Asia and Florida.
∙ Return by ferry to La Tour Fondue on the mainland, and continue by coach to Nice (just over 2 hours by coach).
∙ Check into the 4-star Hotel Westminster, located on the Promenade des Anglais. ∙ Dinner at leisure in Nice
Overnight: Nice
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Day 6: Monday, April 27 (B, L, D)
Nice / Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat / Nice
∙ Walking tour of Nice including the distinctive Belle Epoque villas with their red tiled roofs. Finish with a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais.
∙ Free time on your own.
OPTIONAL: For those who are interested, consider visiting either of these two museums in Nice (transport is not included; uber/lyft services operate in Nice): o Musée Chagall, opened in 1973 to house the artist’s Biblical Message and since then its collection has expanded to become monographic in scope. Entrance: 8 Euros; 8-10 minutes by car from the hotel
o Musée Matisse, which gathers one of the world's largest collections of his works, tracing his artistic beginnings and his evolution through his last works. The museum, which opened in 1963, is located in the Villa des
Arènes, a seventeenth-century villa in the neighborhood of Cimiez. Entrance: 10 Euros ; 12 minutes by car from the hotel
∙ Lunch included at a local restaurant.
∙ Visit Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, a seaside villa located at Saint-Jean-Cap Ferrat, constructed between 1905 and 1912 by Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild (1864–1934). A member of the Rothschild banking family and the wife of the banker Baron Maurice de Ephrussi, Béatrice de Rothschild built her rose-colored villa on a promontory on the isthmus of Cap Ferrat overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The Baroness filled the mansion with antique furniture, Old Master paintings, sculptures, objets d'art, and assembled an extensive collection of rare porcelain. The gardens are classified by the French Ministry of Culture as one of the Notable Gardens of France.
∙ Return to Nice for some free time.
∙ Dinner included at a restaurant in Nice.
Overnight: Nice
Day 7: Tuesday, April 28 (B, D)
Nice / Antibes / St Paul de Vence / Nice
∙ Early morning visit to Old Town to explore the famous Flower Market (8:30-9:30 a.m.).
∙ Depart by coach to Antibes (less than an hour) for a guided tour at the Musée Picasso, housed in Chateau Grimaldi overlooking the sea. Picasso, who was living nearby in Golfe-Juan with Francoise Gilot at the time, set up a studio in the castle during the fall of 1946, where he created 23 paintings of various media and a total of 44 works on paper while there. Today the collection has expanded in depth and scope to include some 245 paintings, carpets, and other treasures by
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Picasso, as well as works by other artists including a collection of sculptures by the Germaine Richier.
∙ Time at leisure and lunch on your own in Antibes.
∙ Drive to Vence (35-40 minutes) to visit the Matisse Chapel, which the artist regarded as his masterpiece.
∙ Continue to Saint Paul de Vence (10 minutes). Overlooking this village is the Maeght Foundation’s impressive modern art collection and Joan Miró sculpture garden, which we will visit.
∙ Return to Nice.
∙ Farewell dinner at a gourmet restaurant near the hotel.
Overnight: Nice
Day 8: Wednesday, April 29 (B)
Departure
∙ Morning at leisure in Nice.
∙ OPTIONAL: Return to Old Town to re-visit the Flower Market (8:30-9:30 a.m.). Return to the hotel in time to finish packing.
∙ Transfer to Nice Airport (NCE), about 15 minutes from the hotel, for your departure to the U.S. or onward journey (one airport transfer to NCE is included in the Tour Price for those departing on the same flight; assistance will be provided for all others at an additional cost).
Group-Designated Flight from Nice to Boston
2:45 p.m. Depart Nice (NCE) to Zurich (ZRH) on Swiss #669
4:00 p.m. Arrive Zurich
5:30 p.m. Depart Zurich (ZRH) to Boston (BOS) on Swiss #62
7:55 p.m. Arrive Boston Logan International Airport
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Fitness Level
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Tour Prices
The Tour Price is based on a minimum of 15 paying participants. Private visits are subject to availability of hosts and their confirmation. Travel Muse reserves the right to make comparable changes to ensure quality and excellence.
The Tour Price includes:
✔ Airport transfers for one designated flight for the arrival and departure days (assistance will be provided for those arriving and departing on other flights, which will be at an additional cost)
✔ 4 nights at Hotel Renaissance in Aix-en-Provence (Superior Rooms); and 3 nights at the Hotel Westminster in Nice (Superior Rooms); including porterage ✔ Breakfast daily, 4 lunches and 5 dinners (wine, beer, water, coffee/tea included) ✔ Private coach transportation for all excursions mentioned in the itinerary ✔ Wine tasting at Chateau La Coste
✔ Round-trip ferry ticket to Ile de Porquerolles
✔ Entrance fees to museums and other sites included in the itinerary ✔ Gratuities to waiters, drivers and Tour Guide
✔ English-speaking Tour Guide throughout the tour
✔ Services of a Tour Director from Travel Muse Inc. including airfare in Coach ✔
The Tour Price excludes:
✔ Airfare (group airfare is quoted separately)
✔ Airport transfers for flights other than the group-designated flights ✔ Meals (3 lunches and 2 dinners) and beverages not otherwise included ✔ Items for personal use, including phone and fax charges, minibar, and laundry services
✔ Tickets to any events or performances
✔ Housekeeping gratuities
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Terms and Conditions
Travel Muse Inc. has arranged travel and travel-related services on behalf of the sponsoring organization for the tour in which you will participate. A customized itinerary has been created exclusively for your use and may not be reproduced in any form or distributed without the prior consent of Travel Muse.
Should the number of passengers fall below the indicated minimum number of paying participants, certain program inclusions may be deleted. All amounts quoted with respect to charges for the tour and travel services are based upon rates in effect at the time the tour was first promoted. At the time of final payment, Travel Muse reserves the right to add any increased amounts arising from changes in taxes and from changes instituted by suppliers or caused by market conditions. Please note that adjustments cannot be made for unused transfers, sightseeing trips, or meals.
REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE
∙ First deposit of $1,000 per person (encouraged by January 8th to firm up space) * ∙ Balance is due 60 days prior to the tour’s start, or February 21st, 2020 * Please note: Registration cannot be accepted until the Terms and Conditions have been read, and you sign and return the Risk Acknowledgement & Liability Release along with the Booking Form.
CANCELLATION POLICY
All cancellations must be made in writing to Travel Muse Inc., 369 Montezuma Avenue, #319, Santa Fe, NM 87501.
Cancellations received more than 60 days prior to the tour,
i.e. from the time of deposit up to February 21st ...……………………………..…………......$500 * Cancellations received from 60 to 30 days prior to the tour,
i.e. from February 21st to March 22nd …….………………...............………………...30% of cost * Cancellations received after March 22nd and up until the day of departure:…....Total tour cost **
* Cancellation fee covers administrative and operational costs and any penalties assessed by suppliers.
** Travel insurance information will be sent to you upon receipt of your deposit.
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Hotels Featured in the Itinerary
Renaissance Aix-en-Provence Hotel, Aix-en-Provence **** ADDRESS : 256 Avenue de Pérouse, Aix-en-Provence, France
TEL. : +33 4-8691-5500
WEB : http://renaissance-hotels.marriott.com/renaissance-aix-en-provence-hotel Check in Time: 3:00 PM / Check out Time: 12:00 PM
Number of Floors: 8 / Total Number of Rooms: 133
Proposal is based on a Superior King (31 sqm/334 sq ft) or Two Double Beds (25 sqm/269 sq ft) ; upgrades are available upon request.
Location and History
This property is located at the heart of a residential and cultural district called Forum Culturel and is a five-minute walk from Provence Mirabeau Courts. Numerous theaters and concert halls are just outside the front door. The hotel has a sophisticated and contemporary exterior designed by architects Claude Sabin Nadjari and Remy Saada. It is a striking blend of sandstone and glass that blends well into its surroundings. The hotel is a short walking distance to the old city center with its winding streets and charming squares. The Cours Mirabeau is the city's version of Champs d'Elysees, lined with inviting cafes for a great afternoon or evening of peoplewatching. The bus station with direct links to the airport is only a five-minute walk from the hotel.
Property Overview
The main entrance of the hotel is flanked by a large open courtyard at the beginning of the pedestrian street. Decorative flag poles, potted shrubs, fountains and benches provide a respite for passersby. Vehicles require advance notice to be allowed access to the front door. An alternative entry is accessed through an underground parking garage. Guests enter through a revolving door into a wide, open lobby containing reception, a bar and restaurant. There is plenty
of seating on reclining chairs and sofas
throughout the lobby in addition to the backyard
lawn and terrace where guests can enjoy a
libation. Contemporary design is part of the
Renaissance ethos, which is easily witnessed in
the golden egg chairs suspended from the ceiling
and artwork from regional artists.
Complimentary newspapers in several
languages are also available in addition to a Starbucks menu. Take note of the nearly 400 pieces of artwork and photography on display around the property
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Accommodations
Computer-chip key cards allow access to the swift elevators that whisk you to the guest rooms along with a navigator who tends to your luggage. The hallways are well-lit with lightcolored contemporary design, and the furnishings and decor boast the talents of Christian Ghion. The majority of guest rooms measure in at 258 sq ft with garden or city views. The padded bed frames with twistable reading lights have calisson shape patterns in a nod to the southern French candy with the same name. The same pattern is also visible in the bright carpeting. Panoramic-view rooms on higher floors garner a larger space at 280 sq ft. Junior, Executive and one-bedroom suites measure in at 493- 807 sq ft and also include a balcony and the best skyline views. Panoramic rooms add balconies and Nespresso machines, too. All rooms are furnished with either one king or two double Renaissance Beds. The design is light and contemporary with large windows that may be opened, air-conditioning, and a desk with an electrical outlet and ergonomic chair. Power outlets
are bedside as well. The well
designed baths are spacious
with a walk-in shower or tub
and shower combination.
Modern sinks with large
countertops provide plenty of
space for the Tokyo Milk
toiletries. A lighted magnifying
mirror and high-powered hair
dryer complete the set-up.
Superior Room with a King Bed
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Westminster Hotel & Spa, BW Premier Collection ****
ADDRESS : 27 Promenade Des Anglais Nice, France
TEL. : 33 4-9214-8686
WEB : http://www.westminster-nice.com/en/
Check in Time: 3:00 PM / Check out Time: 12:00 PM
Number of Floors: 5 / Total Number of Rooms: 99
Proposal is based on a Superior Queen or 2 Twins (215 to 325 sq ft); upgrades are available upon request.
Location and History
Toward the center of the promenade, west of the action, within walking distance to shopping and dining, this belle-epoque-era gem is a good catch. The drive to the Nice airport is about 10 minutes (the airport bus stops near the hotel), and the train station is a 15-minute walk away. Its affiliation with Best Western as one of its Premier properties helps to fill rooms.
Property Overview
The hotel is a picture of faded gentility in the period public areas. The grandiose reception area makes an impression with its marble pillars, coffered and painted high ceilings, chandeliers, frescoes, acres of gilt and nary a stick of furniture. For those with early morning flights, an express breakfast in the lobby is a nice option. Access to the private beach nearby requires a daily US$20 surcharge for chairs and towels.
Accommodations
A glass elevator speeds guests up to their rooms. Soft, tasteful pastels predominate in the guest rooms, where appointments run down a more modern track. Still, there are
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traditional accents in the high, ornate ceilings, French windows and swagged drapes. The attractive, high-quality contemporary furniture is of a lighthearted nature and avoids the edgier trimmings found in Parisian hotels. Free non-alcoholic minibars and double-glazed windows are in all rooms. The baths are fairly large, with WCs, good vanity space, combination tubs and towel warmers. Toiletries are of good quality, and some baths have windows, with privacy shades, that peer into the rooms. The sea-view units are slightly larger than the city-view units, with around 200 sq ft, not including the bath. Be sure to book one of the revamped units. Business travelers prefer the city view rooms for their serenity, but many rooms facing the sea feature small balconies. The best quarters are the lovely junior suites and suites, which range from 400 sq ft to more than 1,000 sq ft. These are just as modern and inviting as the standard accommodations, and there are a few with enviable outdoor spaces. The formal, fashionable second-floor suite comes with a tremendous balcony.
Superior Room with Queen Bed
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