Day 1 Moscow - Nice: Arrival V Nice.Detailed information on recommended flights from Russian cities and transfers is presented in the “Recommended Flights” section under the tour description. Transfer and hotel accommodation. We also organize transfers from Genoa. Free time.

After noon walking tour of Nice , founded by the ancient Greeks, which turned into a popular seaside resort in the 19th century European aristocracy. Many artists have linked their fate with Nice. IN Matisse Museum there is one of the largest collections of paintings by the master. IN Marc Chagall Museum presents works by the famous artist on biblical themes. Free time.

Day 2 Nice - Verdon Gorge - Moustiers Saint Marie - Roussillon - Marseille: Departure for a journey through the south of France along picturesque national roads. Visit on the way Verdon Gorgewith a stop at Lake of the Holy Cross. Then You will stop at a mountain village Moustier Saint Marie(~ 140 km), then you will have a stop at Roussillon(~100 km), which is a member of the Association of the "most beautiful villages France", With a short excursion and his famous natural park with ocher hills. Free time for lunch.

Then you will go to Marseille (~ 95 km). Accommodation at a hotel in Marseille. Free time. While in Marseille you should definitely tryBouillabaisse - Provencal fish soup, which is usually prepared for 2 - 3 people and which will cost about €50 - €60. You can try Marseille Bouillabaisse, for example in a restaurant Les Miramar at Quai du Port 12.Alternatively, you can also have a nice dinner in a restaurant Toinou at Cours Saint-Louis, 3 , located near the Old Port. Here you can try almost everything that local fishermen catch: oysters, shrimp, crabs, mussels, scallops, snails, which are delivered here 6 times a day!

Day 3 Marseille - Avignon: Sightseeing tour of Marseille, a port city in the south of France, founded by Greek traders in the 7th century. BC. At the top of the city is the Romano-Byzantine-style Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde, which offers magnificent views of Marseille and is included in a city tour. The most famous modern buildings are the Radiant City complex, designed by Le Corbusier, and the CMA CGM Tower skyscraper by architect Zaha Hadid.

Free time. We recommend visiting Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations- a building in the form of a huge black cube near the Old Port. From the roof of the museum there are beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea and old port, and the building itself is connected pedestrian bridge with Fort Saint-Jean - St Jean of the 17th century. On the roof of the museum good restaurant with original cuisine Le Môle Passédat- address Quai du Port, 201. Lunch according to the “formula” will cost ~€20 here. Moving Avignon(~105 km). Hotel accommodation.

Day 4 Avignon - Pont du Gard - Nimes:Avignon walking tour - medieval city, famous for the Papal Palace of the 14th century. Papal Palace - a monument of history and architecture, object World Heritage UNESCO and one of the largest palaces in Europe. Avignon hosts an annual Theater Festival. Free time in Avignon. We recommend visiting Papal Palace, where you can walk with an audio guide in Russian. If you go to the very top, you can see beautiful panorama Avignon overlooking the famous Avignon Bridge and the Rhone River. Free time for lunch.

In the afternoon, a trip to the monument of the Roman era - the aqueduct bridge Pont du Gard(~25 km). The Pont du Gard is the highest surviving ancient Roman aqueduct with a length of 275 meters and a height of 47 meters. UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Then excursion to Nimes(~ 30 km) with a tour of the ancient Roman Arena for 23,000 spectators, built under Caesar, and the Maison Care Temple, erected under Emperor Augustus. We recommend visiting the Arena inside - it is still used for concerts - the acoustics are amazing. Free time. Return to the hotel in Avignon (~ 44 km)

Day 5 Avignon - Orange - Beau de Provence: Excursion trip to Provence. First you will go to the city Orange(~30 km). Orange, which was one of the most prosperous centers of Roman Provence under Emperor Augustus, is famous today mainly due to Ancient Roman theater, in which in summer months are carried out music festivals. This horseshoe-shaped theater has no equal in terms of its state of preservation: the rear wall is more than 100 meters long, and in the central niche stands a 3.5-meter high statue of Emperor Augustus. Next to the theater there is a wonderful museum dedicated to the history of Ancient Rome.

Transfer to a picturesque village Beau de Provence , which is included in the Association of “the most beautiful villages in France”, leads serpentine roads (~ 60 km). We recommend climbing to the very top of Beau de Provence, visiting the fortress and looking at the magnificent landscapes of Provence from above. The excursion day will end Wine tasting in Chateauneuf du Pape*. Return to Avignon.

Day 6 Avignon - Gordes - Senanque - Aix-en-Provence: Moving to a medieval village Proud(~50 km). A short stop. Medieval buildings dating back to the 12th century have been preserved here. Many people remember Gord from the movie " Good year". A short stop at Abbeys of Senanque(~ 5 km), located against the backdrop of lavender fields.

Moving to Aix-en-Provence(~75 km) is a university town in Provence, where the famous post-impressionist artist Paul Cézanne was born. The city is also known forEuropean Academy of Music and many art festivals. Excursion around Aix-en-Provence. Free time. Accommodation at a hotel in Aix-en-Provence.

Day 7 Aix-en-Provence - Arles - Camargue - Carcassonne: Moving to Arles(~80 km). Hiking around the city of Arles, one of the historical cities in the south of the country associated with history ancient Rome. Moving to Camargue(~ 12 km) regional natural park of the South of France. Moving to Carcassonne(~228 km). Hotel accommodation in Carcassonne.

Day 8 Carcassonne - Bordeaux:Walking tour of the fortified city of Carcassonne, one of the most beautiful fortified cities medieval Europe: double ring of fortress walls, 52 towers with a length of fortifications of 3 km. It was here that Kevin Costner starred in the film “Robin Hood”, for which the walls of this famous fortress served as the backdrop. Free time for lunch. Moving from Carcassonne to Bordeaux(~340 km). Accommodation at a hotel in Bordeaux.

Day 9 Bordeaux - Cognac - Angouleme: Walking tour of Bordeaux. A trip through the picturesque surroundings of Bordeaux with a visit to the city Cognac(~125 km). You will learn all the secrets of Cognac production technology and will be able to take part in a small tasting. You will learn what "Angel's Share" is. Then the city awaits you Angouleme(~47 km) with its famous cathedral. In the evening return to the hotel l in Bordeaux.

Day 10 Bordeaux - Saint-Emilion - Rocamadour - Narbonne: Moving to Saint-Emilion (~ 50 km) - amazing medieval city on top of a hill above a valley of vineyards on the right bank of the Dordogne river.

Moving to Rocamadour(~ 180 km) - a medieval city on the top of a cliff overlooking the Dordogne Valley, with an amazingly beautiful scattering of medieval houses, churches and terraces, a place of pilgrimage for believers and tourists, one of the three most visited attractions in France. Excursion to Rocamadour. Free time for lunch. Moving to Narbonne(~320 km). Hotel accommodation.

Day 11 Narbonne - Sigean - Nice: Walking tour of Narbonne. Moving to the safari park Sizhan(~22 km). Safari Park Sigean is considered unique reserve African wild nature in France. Sizhan is interesting because here you cannot see the usual enclosures in which their inhabitants huddle closely. All collected animals are in conditions close to their usual habitat and roam freely around its territory. Entry tickets 35 euros to be paid on the spot. Transfer to Marseille (~ 280 km). Free time for lunch. Transfer to Nice (~ 200 km) - the capital of the Cote d'Azur of France. Hotel accommodation.

Day 12 Nice:

"EXTRA PACKAGE NICE"

Day 12 Nice: Free time in the morning. After noonExcursion to Monaco On the way, stop at the medieval the village of Eze, rising at an altitude of 427 meters above the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, from where beautiful views to the Cote d'Azur, with a visit Perfume factory and perfume museum. During your free time in Monaco, we recommend visiting the magnificent aquariums at the Oceanographic Museum and the Garden of Exotic Plants. Fans of vintage cars will be interested Automotive Museum Prince of Monaco. Return to Nice.

Day 13 Nice: Excursion trip Cannes - Grasse with a visit to the perfume museum. Cannes- the venue of the famous Cannes Film Festival and the city Grass- the capital of French perfumery, located 20 km from the seashore, has retained its provincial charm. You will see a picturesque Old city, on the streets of which ancient perfume shops still operate.

Day 14 Nice: Free time. Transfer to Nice airport.

KMP Group – tour operator in France, with over 27 years of experience in this popular tourism destination.

We offer you a large selection of tours along this amazing country, annually attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. Today, France is the most visited country in the world by tourists. The number of tourists coming here is more than 86 million people a year. Rich story, special atmosphere and French sophisticated style are the main reasons for such popularity.

Besides, France is a country of high fashion, exclusive cuisine and winemaking. Once you visit Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lyon or Bordeaux, you will definitely want to come back here at least again.

Location and climate: The northern and western regions of France are occupied by low mountains and plains, the snowy Alps rise in the southeast, the center, east and southwest of the country are occupied by mountains. The geographical location of France allows tourists to visit regions with completely different climatic and cultural characteristics. The southern Mediterranean regions - the Côte d'Azur, Provence and Occitania are one thing, and Norman, Brittany and the central regions of the country are quite another. And it’s very difficult to see all this within one tour of France! Each region is so unique and gives so many new emotions and impressions that any traveler wants to stay here longer. We will help you choose from this variety exactly those tours that will be most interesting to you.

Climate of France also varies significantly by region. In the central regions - sea, moderate and quite mild, which allows you to comfortably travel around the country practically all year round. Southern regions Mediterranean Sea are located in the subtropical zone. In the eastern regions of France the climate is continental. In January average temperature: 1-8°C, July average temperature: 17-24°C;

The most favorable time to visit Paris is May and September-October, the Riviera is September. Mountain areas have their own microclimate, characteristic of high-altitude areas. The best months to visit Corsica are May to June and September to October.

Capital: Paris

Time: Time in France is 2 hours behind Moscow

Currency: National currency is Euro

Official language: The main language of communication is French, but throughout France it is possible to communicate in English language. In addition, German is spoken in Alsace, and different provinces have their own dialects of French.

Tour operator in France KMP Group offers not only excursion tours, but also wine and wedding tours, with visits to ancient castle hotels, holidays on the beaches of the Cote d'Azur and much more.

Popular resorts

France is one of the first countries that people dream of as a travel destination. Holidays in France are magnificent palaces, and museums where the originals of the greatest works of art are stored, and streets that are described in the works of classics, and with which the most important events of European and world history are associated. These are the most prestigious ski resorts and first-class seaside resorts on the Cote d'Azur, where the most influential people in the world vacation. Holidays in France are a combination of modern French luxury, the charm of small cozy restaurants with gourmet cuisine and the modest French province.

When purchasing tours to France, most tourists first go to Paris. Take a walk through the streets of Montmartre, try real French coffee, sit and savor the wine, praised by many connoisseurs. You will definitely meet lovers on the numerous stairs and bridges of Paris - believe me, it is impossible not to fall in love here. There are more than 200 museums here, including the Louvre, the Picasso and Rodin museums and the Paris Wine Museum. The heart of Paris is the Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris, from which distances to other cities are measured.

When planning a trip to France, be sure to plan a visit to Disneyland Paris - this is a whole world of exciting adventures that will delight your children. You can’t get around all the attractions of this legendary Disneyland in a whole day.

You can also choose the Moulin Rouge, Crazy Horse or Lido cabaret. Or admire the views of the capital of France from Eiffel Tower, and then have dinner at the famous restaurant “Altitude 95” (“58 Tour Eiffel”), from the windows of which a beautiful panorama of the Seine and Trocadéro Square opens.

Tours to France are in great demand among tourists, most tourist routes invariably pass through this country. We have developed for you the most interesting routes and excursions to all the significant attractions of Paris and other regions. Choose the most suitable tour for you and call - we will be happy to help you visit the most alluring and romantic country in the world!

Among all lovers and connoisseurs of quality recreation, one of most popular destinations are tours to France. This multifaceted country is incredibly attractive both for beginners in terms of foreign holidays and for experienced travelers.

France fully satisfies the curiosity of sightseeing connoisseurs, replenishes the wardrobes of stylish fashionistas, and tempts gourmets with the splendor of its cuisine. Bustling cities, picturesque provinces and luxurious beaches - no one can resist such beauty and diversity!

So different and always beautiful

The starting point for most tours in France was and remains Paris. But having paid due attention to the capital with its brilliant shine, be sure to visit other big cities countries. By visiting the cities of Normandy - Rouen and Deauville, Etretat and Saint-Malo, you will get a complete impression of the culture, history and modernity of France.

You can enjoy the mild climate of the southern regions and watch the life of movie stars on the coast of Nice, Cannes, Marseille and Monaco. Tours to France, including visits to these cities, will appeal to connoisseurs of beauty and harmony. After all, every lover here beach holiday Hotels for every taste and budget open their doors.

French provinces - witnesses of centuries-old history

Traveling through various provinces with their unique attractions will allow you to plunge into the depths of the fascinating history of these places. And the tour operator in France VAND will help you with this.

Normandy, Brittany, Alsace and Lorraine, Corsica... - all of them are known to us from books and films. With VAND you can see with your own eyes the beauty of these provinces of France and, as if in a time machine, be transported to the distant past. You can trace almost all the milestones of European palace architecture by visiting the Castles of the Loire Valley.

Heady atmosphere

Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne, Cognac - the “fragrant” names of these regions and cities give rise in the minds of a sophisticated connoisseur to memories of the best French wines, famous brands of champagne and cognac. With the leading tour operator VAND, everyone has the opportunity to touch the mystery of the production of real wines and cognac, the likes of which cannot be found in any country in the world.

Cozy cafe on the streets with wicker furniture

Provence, warmed by the southern sun, appears warm, hospitable and generous to tourists. Lovely provincial towns are home to numerous gastronomic masterpieces that attract travelers from all over the world. Juicy fruits, real French cheeses, exquisite seafood, aromatic Provençal herbs - this unforgettable cocktail will not leave any gourmet indifferent.

Buying a trip to France and not visiting Provence is simply a crime for lovers of gastronomic tours who know a lot about truly good food.

Better than the mountains can only be the mountains of France

The blessed nature rewarded this hospitable country not only with its magnificent coastline, but also with one of the most picturesque mountain ranges. The French Alps offer a holiday to suit every taste.

Modern comfortable hotels in ski resorts France: Courchevel, Chamonix, Meribel, Les Menuires will become ideal place to celebrate the New Year.

The genre of “Great Walks” arose in the late 60s of the 20th century and today has become one of the most popular types of recreation in France and Europe.

Active tours in the provinces of France lasting from 5 to 8 days consist of "Great Walks" lightly between villages, castles, landmarks, among rural landscapes or in the lap of wild nature.

On foot or by bike, 2-3 hours before lunch and the same amount after, with overnight stays in rural hotels, guest houses, and camp sites. A real journey - after all, every night in a new place!

A separate, more sporty genre is a trip by sea kayak along the coast of Corsica or by canoe along the rivers of the nature reserves of France.

"ProjectFrance"– an information bureau in Russia designed to popularize active tours in the provinces of France from the French tour operators of the group

On your own or with a guide

On your own, with a tour guide and GPS

A guide is not always necessary if there is a quality guide and GPS track. The navigator will not let you get lost. The guide will describe the attractions. And the assistance service will help in case of difficulties.

Not having a guide will save your budget and give your trip around the province an unforgettable taste of adventure.

Small and cozy rural hotels with half board, located in old, often historical buildings, are booked. Luggage transfers between hotels are reserved.

You can go starting with a group of 2 people and on any dates.

Flexible formula, well developed in the French provinces since the 70s tourism infrastructure provided the genre of travel “Great Walks” with extraordinary popularity, without destroying the wild nature and provincial atmosphere of towns, villages and hamlets.

With a guide

If you don’t want to worry about where to turn on a rural path, leave it to your guide.

Guided tours of the province are designed both for the picturesque countryside, full of historical sites, and for those interested in the wildlife of France. There are combinations of the first and second.

The duration is the same - from 6 to 8 days.

A private guided tour requires a minimum 4-6 people in a group and up to 12 people maximum (limited by the concept itself, as well as the small capacity of rural hotels).

If you speak French, you can join a French group for fixed dates.

By default, the guide is French and Anglophone. Since the genre of active tours around the provinces of France is just coming to the Russian market today, there are no Russian-speaking guides in this tourist package, with rare exceptions.

Optionally, you can order support from a Russian-speaking translator.

SPA tours “Relaxation and form”

It could be like independent walks with a guidebook and GPS, and guided walks.

For all 7 days tour You are staying at a SPA resort in the mountains or on the seashore.

First half of the day You dedicate yourself to invigorating, refreshing walks along scenic routes that combine local attractions.

In the second Relaxation awaits you: SPA treatments, thermal baths, balneo-, thalassotherapy.

The combination of balanced physical activity, fresh air and relaxing procedures has an effective restorative effect on the body, weakened by an urban lifestyle.

How tiring are Big Walks?

To each active tour Provinces are assigned 1 to 3 stars.

"One star": 2 hours of leisurely walks before and after lunch on flat terrain, for example, on the sea coast.

"Three Stars": 3 hours of walking before and after lunch along paths in the mountains. Such walks can already be called light trekking.

The undoubted advantage of “Big Walks” is its accessibility to everyone.

If you haven’t had enough activity since your last vacation, then fresh air and even exercise from walking for 7 days will put you in good shape.

Learn more about physical activity while traveling

Total travel duration

Regardless of which individual tours to the provinces of France you choose, the total is a classic two weeks of vacation.

It takes 1-2 days to get to town “A”, where the travel route around the province begins.

The same amount - from town “B”, where the tour ends, to Paris, for example, from where you fly home from France. Round up to 4.

Total, we get 7+4 = 11 days.

You'll probably want to spend a couple more days in Paris or the regional capital (Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lyon), go see nearby classic attractions (Carcassonne, Pont du Gard, etc.) or lie on the beach.
This is another 3-5 days.

Total, 11+5 = 16 classic vacation days.

Optional booking of hotels and train tickets in France

Everything that is located before the aforementioned town “A” and after town “B” is not included in the price of the catalog tour of the province.

You have the right to purchase either only the catalog package, or add options to it:

Railway tickets,
hotels in regional capitals and small towns,
necessary transfers, meetings.

Example of a trip to France
in 14-16 days

Let's say you fly to Paris.

You can transfer immediately to domestic flight to the regional capital of France (Lyon, Toulouse, ...), or you can book a night in Paris and on one of the following days a train network to the regional capital. By high-speed TGV (from 2 to 6 hours) or on an overnight sleeper train.

You fly directly to the regional capital

Usually, having previously made a transfer in Europe. You immediately fly to Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Marseille, Perpignan, etc.

In the French countryside

You book a night in a regional capital and explore.

One of the following days you take a regional train and get to a certain town. It may be like the aforementioned town “A”, where the program of your long walks around the provinces of France begins, or you may also have to use a regular regional bus or a custom transfer.

In Town "A" you may also want to reserve a day to explore the sights. Grasse is a great example!

Return trip

The return journey, at the end of the catalog tour route around the province, follows the same logic.

In details

Baggage

The walks unfold easily. Luggage is transported by car between hotels.

In addition to your large suitcase, when traveling around France, take with you a lightweight city bag. backpack 30-40 liters for personal items, such as, for example: a windbreaker from the rain, a jumper if it gets cool or windy, sunscreen, a personal first aid kit, a bottle mineral water, sometimes a picnic.

Recommendations for a personal first aid kit on the Health page

There are a number of trails around the province with a pack burro! In this case, your luggage travels, or rather, walks next to you during your walk. This happens either in the case of hiking routes along wildlife, where you spend the night in a tent, or the owners of rural hotels take care of the donkeys themselves (included in the price).

Nutrition

Lunches during walks are organized in village cafes or in the form of a picnic, and then taken with you. Breakfast and dinner - with the owners or in a restaurant near the place of residence.

Self-guided tours offer half board by default.
Individual tour with guide - full board.

You can choose options for every day. For example, in a large village or town where there are restaurants and cafes, you don’t have to book dinner and breakfast at the hotel or guest house. In small villages and farmsteads, on the contrary, there may simply be no alternative.

Moving

Active tours in the provinces of France are full of attractions, natural and/or cultural, which makes it possible to realize the concept of the “Great Walk” in itself.

Where attraction density drops, travel by chartered car or local bus is usually scheduled, depending on the program.

Get there yourself / estimate the total budget

If you decide to book train tickets in France on your own, book hotels on the way to and from the tour location, or simply want to estimate the overall travel budget, below the link we provide a list of some reliable companies with a convenient Internet booking system with which you can confidently start.

Get there on your own

Included in the price of the catalog package

Price individual tour by province is calculated using the formula "From Town A to Town B".

Not included in list price

Dossier fee 15 euros (for self-guided tours);
Your journey to town “A” and after town “B”;
Flights;
Insurance and visa;

Individual tours, what are they?

Independent travel

You know English or French, you are traveling around Europe/France not for the first time, you want to look beyond the classic tours or have already looked more than once. The French province and its hinterland intrigue you.

You love an active lifestyle and welcome the opportunity to get out into the fresh air; you prefer freedom of decision to following a guide.

Then independent travel is your choice. To help you:

a detailed guide designed for each individual tour,
in advance booked hotels on the route with or without half board, at your discretion,
luggage transportation between hotels,
transfers when necessary.

The cost of an independent individual tour of France does not depend on the number of people in your company, but only on whether it is even or odd (determined by the accommodation formula and the availability of custom transfers).

To learn more
View catalog

Active premium tours

Combine the refined comfort of quaint French guest houses, castles and historic residences with an active holiday - refreshing walks or bike rides through the French countryside between historic towns, villages and landmarks. On your own, with detailed guide and GPS navigator, or with a guide.

Travel as a couple, with your family, with friends or colleagues - we will provide memorable overnight stays, gourmet cuisine, transportation of your luggage and necessary transfers.

An individual premium tour is designed for a group of 2 to 8 people.

To learn more
View catalog

Individual tours for families with children

You will enjoy walks in the fresh air, on foot or by bike, which combine the historical sights of the provinces of France, meetings with local residents, for example, with artisans, farmers, shepherds and foresters of the Natural Parks, a game plot, the basics of sports activities (cycling, canyoning, acro-branche , etc.) and getting to know nature.

The Big Adventure style program is organized by professional children's guides.

Individual family tour Usually designed for a group of 6 to 12 people, including children.

An active and educational holiday that will keep the whole family in good shape!

To learn more
View catalog

Private Guided Tours

Walks in the French countryside - among picturesque countryside or wild nature, along mountain paths or rolling plains among vineyards, on the Atlantic or Mediterranean coast, between colorful ancient towns and villages.

A professional guide, a native of the region, speaking English and French, will take you among the natural beauties and attractions.

Individual guided tours of the provinces of France are designed for groups of 4 to 12 people.

To learn more
View catalog

Individual travel to order

If you have your own idea, or you would like to transform a catalog tour to suit your requirements, then you can do this either directly with the French tour operator (negotiations in English or French), or by submitting your request through us.

To learn more

Find your custom tour
by province of France

You can select an individual tour from the catalog:

by region
by duration
according to the preferred season for this trip
according to comfort level
by activity (walking, cycling, canoeing, sea kayak...)
by topic (for example, wine tours, castles, thermal springs…)
by relief (for example, seashore, mountains...)

The “Comfort” label, for example, means accommodation in rural hotels or guest houses with shower and toilet in the room for the entire duration of the tour, probably with the exception of one or two nights, which is specified in the program description.

Additionally, in the “tag cloud” at the bottom of the page there is a selection of popular and interesting topics, such as for example:

Holidays on the French coast
Historical tours
Traveling by bike…

Let's summarize

The concept of individual tours

Active lifestyle, travel on the move, in the fresh air;
Big walks in the provinces of France: on foot, by bicycle, by sea kayak, canoe - in mini-groups of up to 12 people;
Always carry light– transportation of luggage from overnight stay to overnight stay;
A real journey– overnight stays in a new place each time. Or permanent accommodation in a hotel/chalet with outings;
Comfort– from simplicity to sophistication. Wherever possible - in old houses, interesting from the point of view of history and cultural heritage: small original hotels in the city, cozy village hotels or in private houses in the countryside, and in the wild - at camp sites, mountain shelters or even in tents;
Discoveries– a live acquaintance with the people and nature of the French province beyond the classical routes. Meetings with residents who are remarkable in their lives, professions, and creativity;
Safety and thoughtfulness routes. Both in the countryside and in the wild;
Escort professional guide (spoken English and French) or independent travel with a detailed guide and GPS navigator;
For families with children– active and educational adventure travel;
"Relaxation and Form." A separate direction of tours aimed at relaxation and peace: a combination of walks on the mountain or sea air with thermal baths, spa treatments, balneo- or thalassotherapy.

Do not confuse active recreation with hiking

All individual trips offered in the catalog refer to active recreation. However, they should not be confused with sports or hiking tourism.

Photos of sights of France

France is more than we imagine. The provinces are all different from each other: nature, architecture, mentality... You picture in your imagination: castles, lavender fields, vineyards on the hills, Paris, Cote d'Azur, skiing in the Alps, something else... But you can’t immediately imagine how much more there is of this!

You can be inspired by new ideas to independently develop your own tours of the provinces of France by looking at a selection of Google Panoramio photographs taken along the routes of individual tours on the “Photos of France” page.

Or just open Google " Planet Earth"! A file is attached to the page of each individual tour kmz(Google Earth format). Click on the file, and the program will take you to the scene of the trip with scatterings of photographs!

Finally, I’ll post photos from this year’s summer trip - " big Adventure By southern province France "with DSBW. Route: Nice - Avignon - Pont du Gard - Nimes - Carcassonne - Bordeaux - Cognac - Angouleme - Sarlas la Caneda - Rocamadour - Toulouse - Arles - Marseille - and 4 more days of rest in Nice. The tour is very interesting and beautiful, especially if you are interested in Roman architecture. Personally, I am more interested in the Black Virgin Marys - so for me this tour also turned out to be quite eventful and educational, although in some cities (I brought a list from Moscow where I could see the Black Madonnas along the route) I had to search, and here and there there were some little adventures.

The main disadvantage is that we came at the worst possible time, late July - early August. It depends on you, but by the middle of the tour I was simply feeling ill from the heat (although a whole day of partying for fun in Bordeaux improved the situation somewhat). If interested, I can tell you about the organizer and the guide.

And the advantages... what can I say about them, they are all in the photographs.

Market in Nice

Panorama

Avignon. The square in front of the Papal Palace.

In Avignon at that time there was exactly theater festival, and throughout the central part the artists gave their little performances

View of the Saint-Benezé bridge (pont d'Avignon from a song that every Frenchman allegedly knows; however, the motive is familiar even to me)

Pont du Gard is a stunning monument of Roman architecture...

And a little memory of our ancestors-tourists (note the date in this “Vasya was here”)

Gallery on the first level of the bridge. Here, it seems to me, the scale and power of the structure can be felt very well...

Roman Arena in Nîmes (1st half of the 1st century AD)

She's inside. You can walk around the entire amphitheater from the top, although you need appropriate physical conditions - you constantly have to climb considerable steps, up and down. But it's worth it!

And this is just my personal very strong impression. Something like a stone mound, and among the stones... faces. What does this mean - I don't know

Bordeaux, St. Andrew's Cathedral

Local entertainment is a fountain on the Garonne embankment. Just an area covered with a thin layer of water that barely covers your feet. Personally, I took off my shoes and frolicked. Local residents are clearly having fun with the same thing.

Of course, there are Roman ruins here too...

Triumphal Arch

And this is the statue in front of the building Faculty of Medicine. The students were clearly celebrating their graduation...

Sardia la Caneda. Foie gras production center, by the way! Therefore, the geese are honored and respected here.

In general, this is a real medieval city with very narrow and very crooked streets, in which it’s easy to get lost

And this is Rocamadour - a major European pilgrimage center, part of the Way of Santiago.

This is a castle and three churches, partly built on a small platform on a rock, partly carved directly into this rock.

A winding road leads from the church up to the castle, symbolizing the way of the cross of Christ; Once upon a time, pilgrims walked it on their knees. And in one of the churches one of the Black Virgin Marys is kept

(sorry about the quality)
Toulouse. The city is pink! Once upon a time it was only possible to build here with brick; and now a house made of any material will certainly be painted or at least trimmed red or pink

Capitolium

Arles. There is a Roman amphitheater here too, but in some places it has been restored in our time

Van Gogh was once treated here

Marseilles.

Top with magnificent cathedral the city blesses Notre-Dame de la Garde

And in the cathedral itself there is a wonderful silver statue of the Virgin Mary

In the group of islands, the middle one (and the smallest) is the same island on which the Château d'If is located. Unfortunately, we didn't get it

Here’s a closer look at the castle (notre-Dame de la Garde can be seen behind it)

La Major Cathedral

We went to Grasse on our own while we lived in Nice for 4 days. Small cozy town, although crawling to it from the station (quite high up the mountain) is not so easy. There are also elegant streets there...

And those where Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, apparently, lay in wait for his victims

And this is a panorama of Cannes - we stopped by on the road from Grasse

And this is Monaco - Monte Carlo - another of our independent trips.

It's a shame you can't film in princely palace, although everything is clear - the palace is residential, and, standing on the gallery of the courtyard, you don’t know - what if the prince is personally watching you from the window of his wing? If you visit, be sure to take a tour! They give you headphones, there is a tour in Russian (and very good Russian), and I highly recommend seeing the palace itself. We also visited an exhibition dedicated to Princess Grazia Patricia - actress Grace Kelly. How local resident love their princely family! The English also love their queen, but they also make fun of her and scold her... And here - such touching love...

Princely Palace

"Changing of the Page Guard"

A piece of the Formula 1 track

And there are also these racing cars in the city

Famous Casino

A small educational program: Black Madonnas, Black Virgins, Vierges Noires are statues of the Mother of God made of black/dark material or painted black. Madonna has been revered at all times, and no one knows why her images were made black. I rummaged through a lot of things (although, unfortunately, I was only able to read articles written in Russian and English), as a result I discovered: serious researchers are quite cautious, with the reservations “it is likely that it could be”, they say that these are possibly remnants of Celtic cults - newly converted Catholics tried to cross their old beliefs and gods with the new religion; this is the most common version. The “obsessed” (Eco defined them very well) claim approximately the same thing, but categorically (somewhere I even came across the theory that some of these statues are former statues Isis and Osiris). Perhaps there is some truth in this - some statues are very far from traditional Catholic images and are more reminiscent of statues from Easter Island.

So here it is. I posted Notre-Dame de Rocamadour above. Here it is closer - it’s an ordinary postcard, I took the photo on the Internet

12th century, possibly 9th. One of the few surviving originals that are so old - most often I personally have come across either copies or simply newer statues.

This is Notre-Dame de la Daurade in Toulouse.

It is from 1806, made to replace the statue destroyed during the revolution, but it is very different from the original. She is considered the patroness of expectant mothers.

In Toulouse, according to my list, there should have been another statue, but some confusion arose with it. I was looking for Notre-Dame du Palais - a statue made of dark stone, which should now be located on the Jesuit Church. We found this church in the middle of the night... There is this statue there:

In principle, everything is correct - the stone is not that light.

And then on a tour we found this one:

It is located above the entrance to the Notre-Dame du Taur church and also fits the description in all respects (to be honest, it’s quite meager)). In short, I'm still at a loss. Until I get around to contacting the author of the list where I got the information from and asking for advice.

There was another statue in Arles, but, unfortunately, we didn’t see it - we didn’t have much time in the city, according to the program it was in the evening, and the church, which I suspected was the Black Virgin there))), was closed.

But we found the Black Virgin in Marseille - Notre-Dame de la Confession