Walking in Provence & Cinque Terre

Day One – Paris
Arrive Paris.  Our centrally located hotel is in the heart of Paris, close to galleries, museums, monuments and shopping. Meet this evening in the hotel bar for a welcome drink and dinner (D)

 

Day Two – Paris to Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
Today we travel to Provence by TGV (fast train) to our home for the next six nights, an exquisite hotel located in a charming riverside village. The hotel is furnished in beautiful Provencal style, and offers private facilities, swimming pool and relaxing outdoor areas by the river.  After settling in we do a short walk to the river source, tumbling from  the cliffs, and visit the WW2 museum highlighting the activities of the French Resistance in this area. This evening we dine in a village restaurant with a beautiful courtyard garden setting. 
(B, L ,D)

 

Day Three – Pont du Gard, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Today we discover the 2000 year old Pont du Gard, the spectacular Roman aqueduct spanning the Gard River. A beautiful walk through the remaining channels of the aqueduct takes us to the lookout where we enjoy a picnic lunch with lovely views. Dinner this evening at Isle sur la Sorgue, a delightful village in a picturesque setting on the River Sorgue, which retains a handful of charming ancient water wheels. (B, L, D)

 

Day Four – Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
Through beautiful countryside, cedar forests and valley views, today we discover the “Pest Wall” near Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. The 300 year old wall was built to protect Provence from the 1720 plague.  Walking along the remains of the wall your guide will entertain you recounting some of the captivating history and anecdotes of the region. Dinner in a local village café. (B, L, D)

 

Day Five – Alpilles and St Remy-de-Provence
The Alpilles are one of the absolute "musts" in Provence – a harmony of sublime landscapes, a still untamed natural environment and proudly preserved traditions. Today we do a “loop” up to the most beautiful view over the whole region at 391 metres high, and picnic on the rocks at the top. On the way back we stop for a wonderful view over the ancient Roman city of Glanum, before dinner at a local restaurant near the lake of St Remy-de-Provence. (B, L, D)

 

Day Six – Buoux Fortress
The Buoux Fortress has been the focus of a fascinating history, from the Ligurians to the Romans and the Wars of Religion in the 17th century.  After our walk to the fortress today, we’ll lunch in the exquisite Luberon village of Bonnieux, one of the “most beautiful villages of France”. Dinner this evening will be a gourmet picnic in the garden of our hotel, by the river. (B, L, D)

 

Day Seven – Pernes-les-Fontaines market, Mont Ventoux, Venasque, Avignon
Today we take a break from serious walking to enjoy some of the local villages and flavours. Beginning at the charming Saturday market of Pernes-les-Fontaines, afterwards we drive to St Didier for lunch at a lovely local restaurant with views over Mont Ventoux. Then a wander through the pretty villages of Le Beaucet and Venasque, before finishing in the magnificent walled city of Avignon where we will dine in the square in front of the Pope’s Palace.
(B, L, D)

 

Day Eight – Provence to Moneglia in Luguria, Italy
Today we transfer from Provence to Moneglia on the Ligurian coast (just north of the 5 towns of the Cinque Terre), where we stay for the next six nights.  From this lovely Italian seaside town, we walk daily in the Cinque Terre and Portofino areas.  Settle into our comfortable beach-front hotel then stroll down the pretty avenue of trees for a welcome drink at one of the many inviting bars that line the main boulevard.  Dinner each night will be at the hotel restaurant which serves exceptional Ligurian cuisine with mussells, anchovies, sardines and other wonderful seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables, pesto, meat dishes and risottos, all matched with very good Italian wines. (B, L, D)

 

Day Nine – Levanto, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corneglia
Today we take the train to Levanto in the morning, where we walk through the town to join the panoramic coastal track, passing the Sanctuario di Sant’Antonio before dipping down into Monterosso.  From Monterosso we take a train to the southernmost village of Riomaggiore and after time to explore this little fishing town, join the Via dell' Amore to walk back along the spectacular Ligurian coastline from Riomaggiore to Manarola. We lunch in a restaurant in Manarola specialising in seafood and recipes from local produce before continuing to Corniglia railway station and taking the train back to Moneglia.  (B, L, D)        

 

Day Ten – Corniglia, Vernazza, Monterosso
This morning we take the train to Corniglia and walk up, up, up the many stairs from the station to the path on the other side of the village that will take us to Vernazza, through shady olive groves, stone steps and winding cliff paths – gorgeous views in all directions. After a light lunch in Vernazza, walk up narrow steps and lanes through the village and continue on to Monterosso, walking beside stone-walled vineyards with some steep ascents and descents along the way. Return to Moneglia from Monterosso by train with time to relax before dinner.  (B, L, D) 

 

Day Eleven – Monterosso, Portovenere, Moneglia
Travel by local train today to the northernmost of the five Cinque Terre villages, Monterosso, to catch the ferry down past all five villages to Portovenere with its 16th century castle and windswept church of San Pietro. Take in dramatic views from the seaward end of the promontory above San Pietro and visit the church to see the exposed 5th temple floor.  We then walk up to the imposing Doria castle, and shop in the tiny, winding streets behind the waterfront. Lunch in Portovenere before returning mid afternoon by ferry to Monterosso, then by train back to Moneglia.  (B, L, D)        

 

Day Twelve – Portofino, San Fruttuosa
Today we take the train north to Santa Margherita and the ferry to San Fruttuoso. Here, picturesquely situated in a small rocky cove, is the former Benedictine Abbey of San Fruttuoso, appearing in the records as early as 984AD, with an early Gothic church and a cloister.  From here we start our walk along dramatic promontory cliffs and paths to Portofino.  Lunch in Portofino and time to look around this fashionable seaside town before getting the ferry back to Santa Margherita and train back to Moneglia.   (B, L, D)     

 

Day Thirteen – Manarola, Volastra
This morning we take the local train to the village of Manarola for a walk to Corniglia.  The walk starts with a climb up the many ancient stone steps of the 6D track to Volastra where we’ll stop to rest under the shady trees that surround the little Romanesque church of Nostra Signora della Salute ("Our Lady of Health"). From here, we walk through steeply terraced vineyards high above the coast with breathtaking views seawards. Picnic lunch along the way and time to explore the village of Corniglia before returning by train to Moneglia.  (B, L, D)

 

Day Fourteen – Sestri Levante
Train to Sestri Levante for a stroll along the pretty waterfront of this enchanting Italian seaside resort, past 17th century villas and quaint old-world hotels and the many churches and convents. Browse the great little shops that line the cobbled streets. Lunch in Sestri, then return to Moneglia for a relaxing afternoon on the beach.  (B, L, D)        

 

Day Fifteen – Moneglia – Genoa or Sestri Levante
The tour finishes late morning with a transfer to either Sestri Levante railway station (this is on a major rail route to other Italian and European destinations) or to Genoa International Airport to meet your flight.  (B)               

 

 

 

TOUR INCLUSIONS:

• All meals throughout the tour including wine with dinner, transport including private air conditioned buses on day tours, accommodation in four star hotel in Paris and three star hotels in Provence and Italy, all wine tastings, entries and excursions, the full time services of your tour director.

  
  

  Note: This tour includes walks that are classified Easy, Medium and Hard. In particular, the Cinque Terre part of the tour is designed for people who are physically fit and enjoy challenging walks. Ask us what kind of preparation you will need to undertake in order to fully enjoy the wonderful panoramas, historic monuments and characteristic flora and fauna.