Tours are conducted in a convoy format from our home-base in St Paul de Vence (guests do not change hotels during the week).
Full driving days usually begin around 9:30 or 9:45 in the morning (following breakfast) and end between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon.
We try to leave plenty of time in the afternoon to rest, have a drink, or take a dip in the pool before dinner.
Guests are shuttled to dinner each evening except.
Day 1 – Wednesday
Arrive in Nice and transfer to Hotel La Grande Bastide, located just down the road from the medieval village of Saint Paul de Vence.
Lunch is available at the hotel for early arrivals.
Visit the village of St Paul de Vence or relax at the hotel (La Grande Bastide has a lovely heated pool, bar and food service, and a free shuttle to and from the village in their vintage Citroen).
Shuttle to dinner “under the vines” this evening.
Day 2 – Thursday
Take time this morning to relax and recover from jet-lag.
Lunch is available at the hotel or in the village (at your discretion).
This afternoon we will have a car orientation/”road sheet” meeting, during which we will review your vehicle’s Satellite Navigation System and answer any questions you may have about your car and driving in France.
Late afternoon departure for a short drive up to a beautiful mountain pass with spectacular views of the coastline, followed by a tasting and dinner at an ancient chateau.
Day 3 – Friday
This morning we begin our first full day of driving as we travel through the beautiful French countryside to a spectacular gorge often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of France”.
Lunch is casual and delicious in a beautiful location.
Later that day, our return trip back to St Paul will take us along one of the most iconic driving roads in Europe, the Route Napoleon.
Shuttle to dinner this evening.
Day 4 – Saturday
Experience the hustle and bustle of the French Riviera coast as we cruise down the world-famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice and along the moyenne corniche on our way to Monaco. If you’re a fan of F1 racing you’ll enjoy the drive along a section of the Monaco Grand Prix route.
After lunch at a favorite seaside restaurant we’ll make our way up to a dramatic mountain road in the hills above Menton.
Shuttle to dinner this evening.
Day 4 – Sunday
Today we’ll cross the border into Italy as we visit the beautiful hill-towns of Liguria.
Along the way we’ll drive through the bustling border town of Ventimiglia and Dolceacqua, where Claude Monet created his masterwork, “Bridge at Dolceacqua”.
Lunch is a “farm-to-table” affair in a remote, tiny village.
Our route back to France takes us along the iconic basse corniche.
Shuttle to dinner this evening.
Day 5 – Monday
Our final driving day takes us north into the French Alps where we will drive through two remote, yet magnificent gorges perched at the gateway to the Mercantour National Park.
Lunch is in a tiny ski village followed by a surprise stop at a local “producer” later this afternoon.
Shuttle transfer this evening for our departure celebration.
Day 6 – Tuesday
Departure.
