Tour Family Adventure From Lyon To Marseille

Accommodation

13 nights in charming 4-star hotels and boutique B&Bs

Meals

12 Breakfasts 1 Welcome Dinner Other meals are not included to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat.

Others

First-class TGV Train tickets Car rental from Day 4 to Day 14 Cultural and gourmet city walk in Lyon (private) Half-day Cotes du Rhone wine tour (shared) Cultural guided walking tour in Aix (private) Hike in the Calanques with your guide (private)

Transport

Air-conditioned mini-coach when with guides. TGV Train tickets 1st class from Lyon to Avignon, semi-flex cancellation option. As this is mostly a self-drive tour, you will have a car rental from Day 4 to Day 14. The rental comes with unlimited kilometers, an automatic drive, and a GPS. Your private parking fees in Marseille are also included in this cost.

Not included:

Optional

Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost and will be provided to you with your finalized travel documents. Please contact our team of Travel Experts for more information. Accommodation upgrading (optional) Private activities instead of shared (optional) Entrance to the Palais des Papes, Avignon (optional) A cooking class in the Luberon (optional)

Flights

As we have travellers from all over the world, flights before and after the tour are not included in the tour price and you need to arrange these separately by yourself once your tour is guaranteed. As we specialise in organising the best tours around the world for you, we are unable to advise on flight prices or book flights on your behalf. We recommend that you do not book your flights until your place on the tour has been confirmed.

Insurance

This adventure does not include travel insurance. Please make sure you are adequately covered. You can arrange travel insurance with your preferred provider, or our Travel Experts can recommend a provider for you.

Guide

This is a partially-guided tour offering a balance of days with and without a tour guide. Please read through the itinerary for details on guided and un-guided days. We find that families prefer this style of self-drive trip as an alternative to joining a group tour. You will not travel with a dedicated group, however, activities on tour are not conducted privately so you will join other people for the duration of those activities.

Others

Arrival and departure transfers Pre and post-tour accommodation - available on request Fuel costs, additional driver fee Car rental insurance (required) - available on request Other meals, snacks, and drinks Activities not listed in the included section

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Day 1 Day 1: Arrival In Lyon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Arrival In Lyon

Welcome to Lyon!

Lyon is France’s third-largest city and offers today’s urban explorers a wealth of enticing experiences. Outstanding museums, a dynamic cultural life, busy clubbing and drinking scenes, a thriving university and fantastic shopping lend the city a distinctly sophisticated air, while adventurous gourmets can indulge in their wildest gastronomic fantasies. From the wine-braised chicken of coq au vin to the city’s most famous sausage (rosette de Lyon), Lyon’s reputation for culinary excellence is long and well-deserved.

Tonight you enjoy a welcome dinner together at a traditional restaurant in the Vieux Lyon neighborhood – the quintessential Lyon experience.

Overnight at your 4* family-friendly boutique hotel in Lyon. Meals (-/-/D).
Day 2 Day 2: Lyon, The Cultural And Culinary Center Of France
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Lyon, The Cultural And Culinary Center Of France

Start your day in this gastronomically significant city with a private guided walk through UNESCO-recognized Old Lyon. You will learn about the local heritage and be told about the famous chefs of the region, and explore the famous Paul Bocuse Covered Market where one can find high-quality ingredients and products. It will be an opportunity to chat with the merchants who will have you taste their products. You will then go across the Saône river to find those famous "bouchons Lyonnais" (traditional restaurants).

The visit will end with a classic "mâchon", a type of sandwich you eat with a good glass of wine... (private half-day tour - 3h30, tastings included).

Overnight at your 4* hotel in Lyon. Meals (B/-/-).
Day 3 Day 3: Famous Wines And Unsuspected Vintages Of Northern Rhone Valley
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Famous Wines And Unsuspected Vintages Of Northern Rhone Valley

Today with a guide and his comfortable AC minivan, go south of Lyon towards the charming city of Vienne - a beautiful town with an ancient Roman history - and the prestigious Cote-Rôtie vineyard. Sip and swish in the middle of terraced vineyards above the Rhône River, and experience the perfection of the Syrah and Viognier grapes in their original terroir as you taste and learn about the Cotes-du-Rhône wines on seven different wines. (shared half-day tour - 4h30 transportation and tastings included).

Then you’ll be driven back to Lyon for the overnight at your hotel. Meals (B/-/-).
Day 4 Day 4: From Avignon To The Luberon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: From Avignon To The Luberon

This morning you leave the city of Lyon and go down to the South by TGV (high-speed train, 230 km). You pick up your car rental in Avignon TGV train station and head to the Luberon.

Before taking the road, you can as well stop by Avignon city center for a few hours. Let yourself be captivated by this fascinating medieval city of Avignon to where, for several decades in the 14th century, the Pope Clemente V moved his court. Visit on your own the Unesco heritage sites of Le Palais des Papes and the St-Bénézet medieval bridge, the subject of the famous song Sur le Pont d’Avignon! (not included - optional).

At the end of the day, you’ll reach the Luberon. This natural park is a fascinating region: spectacular countryside of vineyards and orchards, fascinating perched hill-top villages, outstanding natural produce.

Overnight at a beautiful 4* hotel in Bonnieux. Meals (B/-/-).
Day 5 Day 5-7: The Luberon And Its Hilltop Villages
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5-7: The Luberon And Its Hilltop Villages

At your own rhythm during the three coming days, you can stroll around in the medieval village of Lourmarin and discover the village of Bonnieux. Surrounded by beautiful lavender fields in summer, the ancient Cistercian Abbey of Notre-Dame de Sénanque lies just a few kilometers from the renowned village of Gordes. You will be seduced by this hill-top village dominated by its fortified castle and church and its cobbled streets with enchanting views over the valley and the hills. You will then visit Roussillon, located in the very heart of the biggest ochre deposits in the world, which is one of the most beautiful villages of France. Discover its flamboyant colors wandering its narrow streets, squares, and steps where men have long worked in harmony with nature.

Overnights at your hotel in Bonnieux. Meals (B/-/-).
Day 6 Day 8-10: Aix En Provence, Cassis And The Mediterranean Coast
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8-10: Aix En Provence, Cassis And The Mediterranean Coast

It is time to go down from the hinterland of Provence and to take the direction to the sea!

Take your car from Bonnieux and stop by Aix-en-Provence (1h10 drive), capital of the region and city rich in heritage, art, culture, and education. "Aix" enjoys an exceptional geographic location and the picturesque charm of the surrounding villages will pleasantly surprise you, as well its magnificent landscape immortalized by painters such as Cezanne, Picasso, and Kandinsky. Discover the beauty of this city by strolling around its labyrinth of narrow streets and thousand fountains on a walking tour with our qualified guide Arthur or Mylène. You’ll be visiting The Cathedral, Hotel de Ville, Cours Mirabeau, the roman remains and maybe some secret spots known by your guides... (private tour; activity duration: 2 hours).

At the end of the afternoon, continue your journey through the outstanding landscapes of Cassis region bordering the mediterranean sea, its vineyards planted on terraces, the breathtaking view from Cap Canaille as well as the charming fishermen town of Cassis.

Overnights at a charming B&B inn in Cassis. Meals (B/-/-).
Day 7 Day 11: Hike In The Calanques National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Hike In The Calanques National Park

Today you meet your English speaking local guide and go for a private walk from the Calanques National park’s gateway up to the rocky creeks - with its sheer cliffs diving into the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea - you will be guided into this corner of paradise. (the walking tour circuit depends on security & climate conditions).

Overnight at your B&B in Cassis. Meals (B/-/-).
Day 8 Day 12-13: Marseille, European Capital Of Culture
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12-13: Marseille, European Capital Of Culture

After a short drive to Marseille, park your car in the private parking near the hotel.

It is time to relax with a good pastis on the Vieux-Port of Marseille (the vibrant heart of the city). You will have 2 days time to explore this colorful city on the Mediterranean coast that, with its 2600 years of history, is France’s oldest city. Visit on your own the characteristic district of Le Panier and along a walkway reach the Fort Saint Jean and the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations (MuCEM)... an extraordinary mix of old and new.

Overnights at a 4* family-friendly hotel in Marseille. Meals (B/-/-).
Day 9 Day 14: End Of Your Trip
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 14: End Of Your Trip

According to your scheduled flight or train back home, drop off your rental car at Marseille Airport or train station.

This is the end of your trip to France. A bientôt en Provence!

14 days tour

Family Adventure From Lyon To Marseille

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Family Adventure From Lyon To Marseille

Day 1: Arrival In Lyon

Day 2: Lyon, The Cultural And Culinary Center Of France

Day 3: Famous Wines And Unsuspected Vintages Of Northern Rhone Valley

Day 4: From Avignon To The Luberon

Day 5-7: The Luberon And Its Hilltop Villages

Day 8-10: Aix En Provence, Cassis And The Mediterranean Coast

Day 11: Hike In The Calanques National Park

Day 12-13: Marseille, European Capital Of Culture

Day 14: End Of Your Trip

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