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FRANCE

Christmas in France: Joyeux Noël

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13 Days | 12 Nights
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Love to learn in a small-group setting? This collection of programs has at most 10-24 participants.
See our Small Group programs.
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EasyFor people looking to exercise their minds more than their bodies. There’s minimal walking and not too many stairs.
ModerateThese programs get you on your feet and include activities such as walking up to a mile in a day through a city and standing in a museum for a few hours.
ActiveFor people who enjoy walking as much as two miles a day, perhaps to explore historic neighborhoods or a nature trail.
Moderately ChallengingFor hardy explorers who enjoy a good physical challenge, spending most of their days on the go.
ChallengingGet ready to keep up with our highest-energy group. These demanding — and rewarding — programs are for seasoned outdoor enthusiasts.

Program Details > Daily Schedule

Itinerary for Dec 14 — Dec 26, 2013

Expand all
Day One: Saturday, December 14 - Travel to France
Close [ x ]
Type: Hotel

 Description: Nestled at the corner of the Passage du Grand Veneur, the Villa Beaumarchais echoes the charm of typical lanes of the Place des Vosges.

Contact info:
5 rue des Arquebusiers
Paris, 75003 France
phone: +33 (0)1 40 29 14 00
web: www.villa-beaumarchais.com

Room amenities: Cable television, complimentary newspaper, air conditioning, phone, internet access, minibar, wake-up calls, private bathroom, bathrobes, hair dryer, pay movies, in-room safe

Facility amenities: Buffet breakfasts, room service, air conditioning, mini bar, WiFi, safe.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: TBA
Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services for rates and availability.

Day Two: Sunday, December 15 - Arrival in Paris 
Morning: Arrivals at Charles de Gaulle airport and independent transfers to the program hotel in Paris. Please note that rooms are not generally available until early to mid-afternoon, so you should plan to drop off your luggage at the hotel and then take some time to explore Paris or relax and have a leisurely lunch (on your own). There are Paris maps available at the hotel, and your Group Leader and hotel staff will be present to provide recommendations and directions.

Afternoon: Check in at your hotel and take the afternoon to unpack and relax. In the early evening you will meet with your group at the hotel for introductions, a review of the program itinerary and site orientation.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant

Lodging: Villa Beaumarchais

Meals Included: Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Hotel

 Description: Nestled at the corner of the Passage du Grand Veneur, the Villa Beaumarchais echoes the charm of typical lanes of the Place des Vosges.

Contact info:
5 rue des Arquebusiers
Paris, 75003 France
phone: +33 (0)1 40 29 14 00
web: www.villa-beaumarchais.com

Room amenities: Cable television, complimentary newspaper, air conditioning, phone, internet access, minibar, wake-up calls, private bathroom, bathrobes, hair dryer, pay movies, in-room safe

Facility amenities: Buffet breakfasts, room service, air conditioning, mini bar, WiFi, safe.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: TBA
Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services for rates and availability.

Day Three: Monday, December 16 - Montmartre / Ile de la Cite 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: This morning enjoy a lecture at the hotel on “France’s history, regions, and traditions.” Then travel to Montmartre and the Sacred Heart Basilica to admire the Christmas nativity scene and learn about Christmas religious celebration in France.

Lunch: On your own to explore local restaurants in Montmartre

Afternoon: Field trip to Notre Dame Cathedral followed by an Overview of Paris by coach to admire the streets and monuments, shops, the Champs-Elysées and the Eiffel Tower lit and stylishly decorated for the Christmas season. In an en route lecture learn about “Paris, capital of France, the City of Light.”

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant

Lodging: Villa Beaumarchais

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Hotel

 Description: Nestled at the corner of the Passage du Grand Veneur, the Villa Beaumarchais echoes the charm of typical lanes of the Place des Vosges.

Contact info:
5 rue des Arquebusiers
Paris, 75003 France
phone: +33 (0)1 40 29 14 00
web: www.villa-beaumarchais.com

Room amenities: Cable television, complimentary newspaper, air conditioning, phone, internet access, minibar, wake-up calls, private bathroom, bathrobes, hair dryer, pay movies, in-room safe

Facility amenities: Buffet breakfasts, room service, air conditioning, mini bar, WiFi, safe.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights before: TBA
Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services for rates and availability.

Day Four: Tuesday, December 17 - Grands Boulevards / Dessert at Ladurée 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Field trip on foot to the Grands Boulevards to enjoy the festive and animated windows displays in the big departments stores, the Opéra quarter, Place Vendôme, and Place de la Madeleine.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant

Afternoon: Stop at the famous pastry shop, Ladurée, for a gourmet Parisian dessert. Afterward enjoy free time in Paris.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to explore local restaurants

Lodging: Villa Beaumarchais

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Close [ x ]
Type: Three-Star Hotel

 Description: This charming hotel is ideally located in the heart of the old Colmar, an historic city known for its delicious wines and yearly Christmas market. The hotel is located in a quiet lane close to the Maison Pfister, the Place de l'Ancienne Douane and restaurants of Little Venice and offers tastefully decorated rooms well equipped and nicely furnished. Enjoy traditional and seasonal cuisine and the tasty wines of Alsace in the comfort of the hotel's restaurant. Also, take advantage of the 40 m² indoor swimming pool with underwater massage. After a strenuous work-out in the fitness centre you can unwind in the sauna and the marble steam bath.

Contact info:
1-3-5 rue Weinemer
COLMAR, 68000 France
phone: +33 (0)3 89 41 62 10
Room amenities: Hairdryer, AC , phone, TV + cable, towels. WiFi. Internet socket. Soundproof. Fully equiped bathroom with bath and shower.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, Newspapers, Elevator, Soundproof Rooms, Heating, All Spaces Non-Smoking (Public and Private), Air Conditioning, Restaurant With Dining Menu, Sauna, Massage, Turkish Bath/Steam Bath, Indoor Pool, Indoor Swimming Pool (All Year), Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying, Free Wi-Fi is available in all areas.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Five: Wednesday, December 18 - Colmar 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Transfer by coach to Paris Gare de l’Est. Then travel by TGV train (Train Grande Vitesse; i.e., high speed train) to Colmar, the Alsatian Wines Capital, also known as “Little Venice."

Lunch: Lunch on your own on board the train

Afternoon: Enjoy a guided walking visit of the old town of Colmar, seeing the festive illuminations with its theme of "The Magic of Christmas." The town center which is essentially pedestrian has numerous architectural treasures such as monuments, churches, museums and alleys, built from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant

Evening: This evening enjoy the music of Christmas in a concert.

Lodging: Hotel Le Rapp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Three-Star Hotel

 Description: This charming hotel is ideally located in the heart of the old Colmar, an historic city known for its delicious wines and yearly Christmas market. The hotel is located in a quiet lane close to the Maison Pfister, the Place de l'Ancienne Douane and restaurants of Little Venice and offers tastefully decorated rooms well equipped and nicely furnished. Enjoy traditional and seasonal cuisine and the tasty wines of Alsace in the comfort of the hotel's restaurant. Also, take advantage of the 40 m² indoor swimming pool with underwater massage. After a strenuous work-out in the fitness centre you can unwind in the sauna and the marble steam bath.

Contact info:
1-3-5 rue Weinemer
COLMAR, 68000 France
phone: +33 (0)3 89 41 62 10
Room amenities: Hairdryer, AC , phone, TV + cable, towels. WiFi. Internet socket. Soundproof. Fully equiped bathroom with bath and shower.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, Newspapers, Elevator, Soundproof Rooms, Heating, All Spaces Non-Smoking (Public and Private), Air Conditioning, Restaurant With Dining Menu, Sauna, Massage, Turkish Bath/Steam Bath, Indoor Pool, Indoor Swimming Pool (All Year), Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying, Free Wi-Fi is available in all areas.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Six: Thursday, December 19 - Gertwiller Gingerbread / Obernai 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: At the hotel enjoy a lecture on "Alsace’s Culture and Christmas Traditions." Afterward depart by coach to Gertwiller, the Alsatian capital of the gingerbread. Visit Gertwiller’s famous Gingerbread House (a traditional factory and museum). While there listen to Alsatian tales and legends and taste gingerbread. A large variety of gingerbreads exist in Alsace. These are manufactured according to the traditional recipes of yesteryear: gingerbread glazed with icing sugar or chocolate and decorated with a traditional Christmas image, tender gingerbread with local honey or gingerbread filled with chocolate, or almond cream. It is a tradition in Alsace to decorate Christmas trees with gingerbread. Afterward continue by coach to the medieval town of Obernai and enjoy free time at the gourmet traditional market.

Lunch: Lunch on your own to explore local restaurants

Afternoon: This afternoon explore the old town of Obernai with a local expert, walking in the footsteps of the famous characters of the Alsatian Christmas and the traditional decorations: Saint Nicholas, Christkindel, Hans Trapp, the Three Wise Men, the Christmas Tree, and the nativity scenes. Taste “manalas”; traditionally these all-butter brioche, in the shape of a little man, were the delight of the family celebration of the feast of St Nicholas on December 6th.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to explore local restaurants

Lodging: Hotel Le Rapp

Meals Included: Breakfast
Close [ x ]
Type: Three-Star Hotel

 Description: This charming hotel is ideally located in the heart of the old Colmar, an historic city known for its delicious wines and yearly Christmas market. The hotel is located in a quiet lane close to the Maison Pfister, the Place de l'Ancienne Douane and restaurants of Little Venice and offers tastefully decorated rooms well equipped and nicely furnished. Enjoy traditional and seasonal cuisine and the tasty wines of Alsace in the comfort of the hotel's restaurant. Also, take advantage of the 40 m² indoor swimming pool with underwater massage. After a strenuous work-out in the fitness centre you can unwind in the sauna and the marble steam bath.

Contact info:
1-3-5 rue Weinemer
COLMAR, 68000 France
phone: +33 (0)3 89 41 62 10
Room amenities: Hairdryer, AC , phone, TV + cable, towels. WiFi. Internet socket. Soundproof. Fully equiped bathroom with bath and shower.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, Newspapers, Elevator, Soundproof Rooms, Heating, All Spaces Non-Smoking (Public and Private), Air Conditioning, Restaurant With Dining Menu, Sauna, Massage, Turkish Bath/Steam Bath, Indoor Pool, Indoor Swimming Pool (All Year), Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying, Free Wi-Fi is available in all areas.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Seven: Friday, December 20 - Alsatian Cooking Class in Colmar 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: This morning enjoy free time in Colmar.

Lunch: Lunch on your own to explore local restaurants

Afternoon: This afternoon learn how to prepare some Alsatian Christmas dishes with a local chef in Colmar.

Dinner: Dinner at the cooking studio: partake in the meal you just prepared and enjoy Alsatian wine tasting.

Lodging: Hotel Le Rapp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Three-Star Hotel

 Description: This charming hotel is ideally located in the heart of the old Colmar, an historic city known for its delicious wines and yearly Christmas market. The hotel is located in a quiet lane close to the Maison Pfister, the Place de l'Ancienne Douane and restaurants of Little Venice and offers tastefully decorated rooms well equipped and nicely furnished. Enjoy traditional and seasonal cuisine and the tasty wines of Alsace in the comfort of the hotel's restaurant. Also, take advantage of the 40 m² indoor swimming pool with underwater massage. After a strenuous work-out in the fitness centre you can unwind in the sauna and the marble steam bath.

Contact info:
1-3-5 rue Weinemer
COLMAR, 68000 France
phone: +33 (0)3 89 41 62 10
Room amenities: Hairdryer, AC , phone, TV + cable, towels. WiFi. Internet socket. Soundproof. Fully equiped bathroom with bath and shower.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, Newspapers, Elevator, Soundproof Rooms, Heating, All Spaces Non-Smoking (Public and Private), Air Conditioning, Restaurant With Dining Menu, Sauna, Massage, Turkish Bath/Steam Bath, Indoor Pool, Indoor Swimming Pool (All Year), Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying, Free Wi-Fi is available in all areas.

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Day Eight: Saturday, December 21 - Christmas Market of Strasbourg / Sauerkraut and Mulled Wine Tasting 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Travel by coach to Strasbourg, one of the biggest “Christmas capitals” in France. Explore on foot the old town, including Notre Dame cathedral, and the picturesque district, ”la Petite France,” with its magnificent half-timbered houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Lunch: For lunch partake of the local specialty, sauerkraut, at a traditional restaurant.

Afternoon: This afternoon visit the traditional Christmas market, the oldest in France, which has been in existence for over 440 years. Taste traditional mulled spiced wine at the Christmas market; a delicious concoction of star anise, cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods and orange peel infused in red wine and served warm. Enjoy some free time in Strasbourg, then take the coach back to Colmar.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to explore local restaurants

Lodging: Hotel Le Rapp

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Close [ x ]
Type: Three-Star Hotel

 Description: Ideally located in the heart of the old town of Aix-en-Provence, at the foot of the ancient fortifications and in the centre of the markets of Provence with their subtle perfumes, Hotel Aquabella offers an exceptional environment. From your window enjoy the view of the roof tiles polished by the years and the brightness of the sun which sparkles on the water of the swimming pool. Have a drink in lounge-bar "L' Instant" or savor the specialities of the Orangery restaurant and The Terrasse de la Tour. Guests can relax at the Aquabella’s spa, Gym & Spa Sensoriel. Guests have access to the sauna, hammam, and hot bath. There is also a Kneipp shower and ice fountain, and gymnastics classes are also available. The hotel’s outdoor swimming pool is open from May to September.

Contact info:
2, rue des Etuves
Aix-en-Provence, 13100 France
phone: +33 (0)4 42 99 15 00
web: www.aquabella.fr

Room amenities: The guest rooms at the Aquabella are all air conditioned and equipped with free Wi-Fi access, mini-bar and hairdryer. Bathrobes are also provided.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, 24-Hour Front Desk, Newspapers, Grounds, Terrace, Elevator, Safe, Soundproof Rooms, Heating, Baggage Storage, All Spaces Non-Smoking (Public and Private), Air Conditioning, Sauna, Fitness Center, Solarium, Spa, Hot Tub, Turkish Bath/Steam Bath, Outdoor Swimming Pool (Seasonal), Room Service, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying, Free WiFi

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights after: TBD
Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404 for rates and bookings.

Check out time: 11:00 AM

Day Nine: Sunday, December 22 - Beaune / Valence / Aix-en-Provence 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Early departure by coach to Aix-en-Provence via Beaune. In the morning stop at Beaune’s famous “Hospice” with its 15th-century Burgundy architecture and beautifully tiled roofs.

Lunch: Lunch on your own to explore local restaurants in Beaune

Afternoon: Continue by coach to the town of Valence. See Valence’s old town and taste its famous shortbread cookie specialty named "Le Suisse." This specialty is 200 years old and looks like a puppet made of sugar crust pastry and crystallized orange peel. The legend tells that a baker from Valence created it in homage to Pope Pius VI who died in Valence in 1799. Continue by coach to Aix- en-Provence and get settled in the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant

Lodging: Aquabella Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Three-Star Hotel

 Description: Ideally located in the heart of the old town of Aix-en-Provence, at the foot of the ancient fortifications and in the centre of the markets of Provence with their subtle perfumes, Hotel Aquabella offers an exceptional environment. From your window enjoy the view of the roof tiles polished by the years and the brightness of the sun which sparkles on the water of the swimming pool. Have a drink in lounge-bar "L' Instant" or savor the specialities of the Orangery restaurant and The Terrasse de la Tour. Guests can relax at the Aquabella’s spa, Gym & Spa Sensoriel. Guests have access to the sauna, hammam, and hot bath. There is also a Kneipp shower and ice fountain, and gymnastics classes are also available. The hotel’s outdoor swimming pool is open from May to September.

Contact info:
2, rue des Etuves
Aix-en-Provence, 13100 France
phone: +33 (0)4 42 99 15 00
web: www.aquabella.fr

Room amenities: The guest rooms at the Aquabella are all air conditioned and equipped with free Wi-Fi access, mini-bar and hairdryer. Bathrobes are also provided.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, 24-Hour Front Desk, Newspapers, Grounds, Terrace, Elevator, Safe, Soundproof Rooms, Heating, Baggage Storage, All Spaces Non-Smoking (Public and Private), Air Conditioning, Sauna, Fitness Center, Solarium, Spa, Hot Tub, Turkish Bath/Steam Bath, Outdoor Swimming Pool (Seasonal), Room Service, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying, Free WiFi

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights after: TBD
Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404 for rates and bookings.

Check out time: 11:00 AM

Day Ten: Monday, December 23 - “13 Desserts’” Market of Aix-en-Provence / Calissons Factory 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: This morning learn about Provence's "art of living" and its traditions in a lecture at the hotel. Then enjoy a guided walking visit to the Christmas market in Aix, including a stop at the traditional "13 desserts" market. Afterward visit a Calissons factory and discover how this delicious local specialty is made. No visit would be complete without a tasting. Calissons are a delicious candy made of a paste of candied fruit and ground almonds topped with a thin layer of white icing.

Lunch: Lunch on your own to explore local restaurants

Afternoon: This afternoon enjoy free time to explore Aix-en-Provence.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant

Evening: This evening watch a French subtitled movie by the famous filmmaker Marcel Pagnol, filmed in Provence.

Lodging: Aquabella Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Three-Star Hotel

 Description: Ideally located in the heart of the old town of Aix-en-Provence, at the foot of the ancient fortifications and in the centre of the markets of Provence with their subtle perfumes, Hotel Aquabella offers an exceptional environment. From your window enjoy the view of the roof tiles polished by the years and the brightness of the sun which sparkles on the water of the swimming pool. Have a drink in lounge-bar "L' Instant" or savor the specialities of the Orangery restaurant and The Terrasse de la Tour. Guests can relax at the Aquabella’s spa, Gym & Spa Sensoriel. Guests have access to the sauna, hammam, and hot bath. There is also a Kneipp shower and ice fountain, and gymnastics classes are also available. The hotel’s outdoor swimming pool is open from May to September.

Contact info:
2, rue des Etuves
Aix-en-Provence, 13100 France
phone: +33 (0)4 42 99 15 00
web: www.aquabella.fr

Room amenities: The guest rooms at the Aquabella are all air conditioned and equipped with free Wi-Fi access, mini-bar and hairdryer. Bathrobes are also provided.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, 24-Hour Front Desk, Newspapers, Grounds, Terrace, Elevator, Safe, Soundproof Rooms, Heating, Baggage Storage, All Spaces Non-Smoking (Public and Private), Air Conditioning, Sauna, Fitness Center, Solarium, Spa, Hot Tub, Turkish Bath/Steam Bath, Outdoor Swimming Pool (Seasonal), Room Service, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying, Free WiFi

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights after: TBD
Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404 for rates and bookings.

Check out time: 11:00 AM

Day Eleven: Tuesday, December 24 - Cooking demonstration / French Christmas songs / Christmas dinner 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Explore the provençal open air market in Aix-en-Provence. Afterward enjoy a cooking demonstration and learn how to prepare Christmas dinner in the Provencal tradition.

Lunch: For lunch partake of provençal Christmas foods.

Afternoon: This afternoon learn and sing traditional French Christmas carols.

Dinner: Christmas Eve dinner at a local restaurant

Lodging: Aquabella Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Close [ x ]
Type: Three-Star Hotel

 Description: Ideally located in the heart of the old town of Aix-en-Provence, at the foot of the ancient fortifications and in the centre of the markets of Provence with their subtle perfumes, Hotel Aquabella offers an exceptional environment. From your window enjoy the view of the roof tiles polished by the years and the brightness of the sun which sparkles on the water of the swimming pool. Have a drink in lounge-bar "L' Instant" or savor the specialities of the Orangery restaurant and The Terrasse de la Tour. Guests can relax at the Aquabella’s spa, Gym & Spa Sensoriel. Guests have access to the sauna, hammam, and hot bath. There is also a Kneipp shower and ice fountain, and gymnastics classes are also available. The hotel’s outdoor swimming pool is open from May to September.

Contact info:
2, rue des Etuves
Aix-en-Provence, 13100 France
phone: +33 (0)4 42 99 15 00
web: www.aquabella.fr

Room amenities: The guest rooms at the Aquabella are all air conditioned and equipped with free Wi-Fi access, mini-bar and hairdryer. Bathrobes are also provided.

Facility amenities: Restaurant, Bar, 24-Hour Front Desk, Newspapers, Grounds, Terrace, Elevator, Safe, Soundproof Rooms, Heating, Baggage Storage, All Spaces Non-Smoking (Public and Private), Air Conditioning, Sauna, Fitness Center, Solarium, Spa, Hot Tub, Turkish Bath/Steam Bath, Outdoor Swimming Pool (Seasonal), Room Service, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying, Free WiFi

Smoking policy: No
Smoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.

Elevator: Yes

Additional nights after: TBD
Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services at 1-800-241-1404 for rates and bookings.

Check out time: 11:00 AM

Day Twelve: Wednesday, December 25 - Santons de Provence 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: This morning visit a a santons factory and learn about these provençal figurines of the nativity scene, the various stages in the mold creation, painting and firing. The Provençal word "santoun" means “small saint”. Santons are handmade from clay by craftsmen. They represent the inhabitants of the village visiting the Christmas creche: pétanque players, fishmongers, doctors, bakers, shepherds, etc. Here the traditional creche is in fact an ideal model of a Provençal village and its inhabitants.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant

Afternoon: Travel to the village of Aubagne to visit the santons exhibition. Enjoy a field trip to the old town of Aubagne, including “le Petit Monde de Pagnol" nativity scene, a reconstruction of the landscape of hills of Aubagne, with 200 figurines that depict characters from the movies and life of Marcel Pagnol. The field trip continues to Allauch, a typical Provencal village. Visit its traditional creche with more than 300 santons.

Dinner: Farewell dinner at restaurant

Lodging: Aquabella Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day Thirteen: Thursday, December 26 - Departure 
Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Group transfer to Marseille airport

Meals Included: Breakfast


Free Time Opportunities


Paris
Musee Jacquemart-AndreThe Jacquemart-André Museum, founded by collector Édouard André and his portraitist wife Nélie Jacquemart, is in an opulent mid-19th-century residence on one of Paris’ posher avenues. It has furniture, tapestries and enamels, but is most noted for its paintings by Rembrandt and Van Dyck and Italian Renaissance works by Bernini, Botticelli, Carpaccio, Donatello, Mantegna, Tintoretto, Titian and Uccello. Don’t miss the Jardin d’Hiver (Winter Garden), with its marble statuary, tropical plants and double-helix marble staircase. Just off it is the delightful fumoir (the erstwhile smoking room) filled with exotic objects collected by Jacquemart during her travels. The salon de thé is one of the most beautiful in the city.
For additional information, visit: www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com
Musee National du Moyen AgeThe National Museum of the Middle Ages is housed in two structures: the frigidarium (cooling room) and other remains of Gallo-Roman baths dating from around AD 200, and the late-15th-century Hôtel de Cluny, considered the finest example of medieval civil architecture in Paris. The spectacular displays at the museum include statuary, illuminated manuscripts, weapons, furnishings, and objets d’art made of gold, ivory and enamel. But nothing compares with La Dame à la Licorne (The Lady with the Unicorn), a sublime series of late-15th-century tapestries from the southern Netherlands now hung in circular room 13 on the 1st floor. Five of them are devoted to the senses, while the sixth is the enigmatic À Mon Seul Désir (To My Sole Desire), a reflection on vanity.
For additional information, visit: http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/
Musee de L’OrangerieLocated in the southwestern corner of the Jardin des Tuileries, this museum, with the Jeu de Paume, is all that remains of the once palatial Palais des Tuileries, which was razed during the Paris Commune in 1871. It exhibits important Impressionist works, including a series of Monet's Decorations des Nymphéas (Water Lilies) in two huge oval rooms purpose-built in 1927 on the artist's instructions, as well as works by Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Sisley, Soutine and Utrillo.
For additional information, visit: www.musee-orangerie.fr/
Rue du Faubourg Saint-HonoréThe rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is a street in the 8th arrondissement. Although relatively narrow and nondescript (especially in comparison to the avenue des Champs-Élysées), it is cited as being one of the most fashionable streets in the world, thanks to the presence of virtually every major global fashion house.
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