Intimate France
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RT Intimate PO PASS FRANCE 2021 Tour st be Catalog the to rope Eu of Perched village of Gordes • Provence tour, May 2-14, 2021. SPRING 2021 – Provence • Burgundy & Alsace FALL 2021 – Dordogne, France • Languedoc, France Intimate France • 1826 Woodhaven Way • Oakland CA 94611 (800) 676-1247 • www.IntimateFrance.com Let Intimate France take you there Provence • Burgundy & Alsace, France • Dordogne • Languedoc, France The most peaceful rivers Cruise on the Drônne, Brantôme, Dordogne tour. The most audacious cathedrals Fortress-like Ste. Cécile stands watch over Albi, Languedoc tour. Wikipedia Intimate France Tours in 2021 Spring Provence, France • Burgundy & Alsace Fall Dordogne, France • Languedoc, France FRANCE Burgundy & Alsace L L Provence Dordogne L Languedoc L SPAIN Provence, France, May 2-14, 2021 . Page 6 Burgundy & Alsace, France, May 16-28, 2021 . Page 8 Dordogne, France, September 5-17, 2021. Page 10 Languedoc, France, Sept. 19-Oct. 1, 2021 . Page 12 TO BOOK A TOUR, PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 14. Combine tours and take advantage of this offer k Combine two tours back to back and take advantage of this special offer: • We’ll transport you from the end of one tour to the beginning of the next. • We’ll include lodging and meals during the transition. Intimate France • (800) 676-1247 • www.IntimateFrance.com 1 Welcome to Intimate France fter 25 years of travel and research, we founded Intimate France in 1994 to A share our accumulated wisdom and exciting discoveries with you. In the years since then, we’ve taken close to 1,700 travelers to France, Italy, Spain and other European destinations. Our small groups (usually eight, never more than 16) assure the utmost in personal service and attention to detail. How are we different? ur small group size allows O us to take care of you and your needs the way you deserve. Our long familiarity with Europe has taught us the hidden, Intimate France founder George Nevin is initiated into authentic visits and sights not in the Order of the Aligot Tasters, in which a string of any guidebook. Our cheerful, aligot (a cheese and potato dish) is draped on the head. experienced, bilingual guides love Europe with a passion and want to share this feeling with you. Our carefully planned itineraries feature a multitude of enriching visits – all included in the tour price. Optional excursions at additional expense are virtually non-existent. e believe that W cookie-cutter hotels, tourist-oriented restaurants and fast- paced sightseeing are barriers to enjoying the real Europe. Over time we have discovered small, family-run hotels, local bistros and insider sights. You’ll visit the top attractions in each Market day, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Provence tour, May 2021. town while also having experiences that are more typically European. 2 per Who’s behind Intimate France person I George Nevin, a professional traveler, editor, pho- tographer and writer, has specialized in intimate travel to France for 40 years. He designs each tour itinerary. George left a career in journalism (newspaper reporter and editor, then editor of a health-orient- ed newsletter) in 1997 to devote himself to travel. Over the years he has organized exceptional travel experiences for close to 1,700 Americans, as well as a smattering of Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and (Asian) Indians. George Nevin, founder-owner, I Mathias Bernal was born and raised in Southwest France, near the Basque area and the border with Intimate France Spain, and has lived in Florida since 2006. Since 2015 he has served as co-tour director on several Intimate France tours. A frequent visitor to France as well as to Spain, where some of his family has lived, Mathias is fluent in French, Spanish and English. What they say wonderful trip – it ranks way up there in our travel memories. We look forward to traveling with you again one day. A Robert and Mary Philadelphia had the hardest time coming down from the high I was on upon returning from France. What a wonderful trip. I’ve been all over the world but I don’t I think I’ve seen such a lovely part of the world as I did in southern France. The trip was wonderful and I have you to thank for it. Peggy Alpine, Calif. hristine and I greatly appreciate the wonderful trip that you provided, and the exceptional service on your part. We really enjoyed the meals C at the special restaurants. John San Francisco HOW TO BOOK References Please call Intimate France at (800) 676-1247. Tour Pricing Once you book, you lock in current pricing, except for possible adjustments due to currency fluctuation. Airfare and pre-tour hotel nights are at your expense. 3 The adorable wine vil- lage of St. Emilion is where we begin our Dordogne tour, May 12-24, 2019 ć ž How Intimate France stacks up Intimate France tour Standard big-bus tour č Small groups (most groups eight; Groups of 30 to 40, even 50. Some čć never more than 16). so-called small groups number up Č to 30. Travel in comfortable van or Large coach that takes a long time č mini-bus. to load and unload. Restaurants of exceptional quali- Institutional meals at large din- ty, with extensive menu choice. ing halls, often “banquet” style with limited or no choice. Hotels in town center, family- Cookie-cutter hotels (often stan- owned, high charm quotient. dardized, international chains) in the suburbs. Shopping when and if you want. Ordained shopping visits where No high pressure or sales kick- merchants give kickbacks to tour backs. No forced shopping stops. guides. Extraordinary flexibility in itiner- Zero flexibility in itinerary. ary, with last-minute changes easi- ly accommodated. Please remember these important points 1. Participants may be required to carry their own bags. 2. Be prepared for some hotels with stairs (varies by tour – call us for details). 3. Please pack light: One regular suitcase, one small tote bag. Luggage space is limited. 4. Some tour days involve walking 2-3 miles; you must be in good physical condition. 5. Details of listed itineraries could change. An up-to-date itinerary will be issued closer to tour departure. 6. All tours first-come first-served. These small groups can fill well in advance. 7. Prices quoted do not include airfare or cost of pre-tour hotel (if any). 4 Tour high points • Comfortable hotels and inns – all with private bath • Transportation in a comfortable van or mini-bus • Outstanding cuisine. Possibly includes meals at restaurants that have earned the coveted Michelin star (varies by tour) • Breakfast daily plus eight other meals (lunches and dinners) per tour • A multitude of visits: Museums, châteaux, monuments to antiquity, boat rides • Charming villages and wine tastings • Fabulous outdoor markets and picnics with local produce • The services of an experienced Group members, Arles amphitheater, Provence, France Intimate France guide • Intimate, behind-the-scenes visits to enhance cultural understanding • Flexibility and personal service • We can customize your tour to match your interests Great food and fine wine – guaranteed! e pride ourselves on Wpresenting the finest food each region has to offer. You’ll dine in casual bistros, family-run restaurants and gourmet establishments. Some tours feature meals at restaurants holding the coveted Michelin star. Wine is always available at lunch and dinner, and we think you’ll be pleased at how many meals offer Main course, scallops and salmon, Sarlat, Dordogne, France wine to you at no extra charge. 5 Lavender, golden sun, L Provence stone villages, the sea The scent of herbs and wildflowers, and the tang of Southern French cooking, will linger in your memory long after you return home. Mediterranean harbor, Cassis Provence – one of our most popular tours k• Boat ride on the sparkling Mediterranean from the fishing port of Cassis • Stately Aix-en-Provence, one of France’s loveliest towns • Perched villages – among the most beautiful in Europe • Exciting, colorful outdoor markets • Wine-tasting opportunities • Some meals include wine at no extra cost • The ancient Abbey of Sénanque • Wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape • The ochre-colored village of Roussillon • Lodging in comfortable, town-center inns and hotels • Avignon, with possible visit to the Palace of the Popes • The stunning, ruined fortress of les Baux • The Pont-du-Gard, France’s most renowned Roman aqueduct Provence Provence Facts May 2-14, 2021 k 12 days and nights k Gateway – Marseille Airport k Group limited to 16 k Cost estimated at $4,295 per person sharing (see *, p.14); singles add $550 Tour price does not include airfare or pre-tour hotel. To book, see page 14. For information, call (800) 676-1247, or visit www.IntimateFrance.com 6 Provence Itinerary, May 2-14, 2021 Days 1-3 (Sunday-Tuesday) From the Marseille-Provence Airport, our first stop is lovely, historic Arles on the banks of the Rhône River. During our first three days we visit some of Arles’ renowned mon- uments, and also: the magnificent Pont-du-Gard, the world’s best-preserved Roman aqueduct; the exceedingly charming walled town of Uzès; the spectacular village of les Baux-de-Provence; delightful St. Rémy-de-Provence and its market; and the old asy- lum of St. Paul-de-Mausole, where van Gogh was a voluntary patient in 1888-89. One LUNCH, one DINNER. OVERNIGHT – ARLES Days 4-6 (Wednesday-Friday) From Arles we go north to the ecclesiastical city of Avignon, home of the Catholic popes during the 14th century. There’s lots to see, including the Palace of the Popes and the curiously truncated Pont d’Avignon. Later, after a stop in the famed wine vil- lage of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, we arrive at our hotel: the Burrhus, an art filled hostelry on the main square of Vaison-la-Romaine.