Impressionism

IMPRESSIONISM

Day 1 - Paris (6 nights)

Arrival in your Paris Hotel .
Late afternoon, meeting to introduce the program, the tour leaders and the group.
Evening : Organized group dinner (overnight Paris).

Day 2 - Paris

Morning : Guided tour of the impressionist collection at the Musée de l’Orangerie.
By coach to Montmartre. Time for lunch Place du Tertre.
Afternoon : walking guided visit of Montmartre followed by a return by coach via places painted by the impressionists such as Clichy and Pigalle.
Evening: Welcome Dinner (overnight Paris).

Day 3 - Paris

Whole day guided coach tour of the Seine Valley near Paris which inspired the impressionists : Louveciennes, Bougival, Croissy, Chatou and Argenteuil.
Group Lunch in Renoir’s favourite bistrot, the Restaurant La Fournaise.
Evening : Free (overnight Paris).

Day 4 - Paris

Whole day guided coach tour of the Forest of Fontainebleau to Barbizon, Chailly (the Barbizon school of painters), Moret sur Loing (Monet and Sisley to visit Sisley’s grave)
Group lunch in an Auberge looking over the Loing river.
Afternoon: Visit of the forest of Fontainebleau and its Château.
Evening : Free (overnight Paris).

Day 5 - Paris

Morning : Guided visit of the Musée Marmottan-Claude Monet.
Time for an early lunch.
Afternoon: Guided coach tour of the Oise Valley through Pontoise and a visit to the Musée Pissarro and Auvers-sur-Oise (Van Gogh, Pissarro, Daubigny).
Evening : Group dinner (overnight Paris).

Day 6 - Paris

Day 7 - From Paris to Rouen (5 nights)

Morning : Leave Paris with luggage on coach to travel through the Seine Valley and Normandy via Giverny to visit Monet’s most famous garden and water lilies.
You’ll also have a brief visit to the American impressionist museum.
Time for Lunch.
Afternoon : Continue via Vernon and along the valley of the Seine, stopping at the spectacular area of les Andelys.

Then to Rouen. Settle in your hotel for 5 nights.

Day 8 - Rouen

Morning :Guided visit of Rouen cathedral, the old town on the trail of Monet.
Time for lunch
Guided visit of the Musée des beaux-arts.
Group dinner and overnight in Rouen.

Day 9 - Rouen

Morning: Whole day Honfleur for a guided visit of the old town and of the harbour with its memories of Boudin, Monet, Jonkind, Sisley, Pissarro and others and later in the day of the Musée Eugène Boudin.
Lunch in a gastronomic restaurant to taste normandy gastronomie.
Evening : Free and overnight in Rouen.

Day 10 - Rouen

Morning: Guided drive through Trouville, Deauville and along the Normandy « côte fleurie » which provided the inspiration for a number of celebrated paintings.
Leisurely afternoon with time to visit the Historial de Jeanne d’Arc.
Evening : Group dinner followed by « Spectacle monumental : la cathédrale de Rouen aux pixels ». « Son et lunière » projected on the front of the cathedral. Overnight Rouen (only during summer time)

Day 11 - Rouen

Morning :Drive across the Pont de Normandie to Le Havre for guided visit of the Musée André Malraux with one of the most important collections of French Impressionist works outside Paris (more than 200 paintings by Boudin).
Time for lunch.
Afternoon: Drive along the coast to Etretat, Fécamp, Pourville (source of one of Monet’s most prolific periods, 80 paintings !)
Group dinner and overnight in Rouen.

Day 12 - From Rouen to Aix-en-Provence (4 nights)

Early morning : transfer from hotel to the station TGV from Rouen to Avignon.
Transfer by coach to your hotel in Aix-en-Provence. Settle in hotel for 4 nights.
Evening : Group dinner and overnight in Aix.

Day 13 - Aix-en-Provence

All day guided visit « Journée Cézanne » in and around and about Aix-en-Provence.
Morning sightseeing around the sights of many of Cézanne’ works.
Afternoon visit of the Musée Granet followed by coach ride around la Montagne Sainte Victoire.
Group dinner gastronomique to experience Provençal gastronomy. Overnight in Aix.

Day 14 - Aix-en-Provence

All day guided tour of Arles and surroundings on the theme of Van Gogh. Visit les Alyscamps, les Baux, St Rémy de Provence.
Lunch : Free
Group dinner and overnight in Aix.

Day 15 - Aix-en-Provence

Morning: guided visit of Cézanne’s « atelier » and of « La Maison du jas », Cézanne’s family home and source of inspiration over 40 years.
Rest of the day at leisure in Aix to explore individual interests.
Evening : Group dinner and overnight in Aix.

Day 16 - From Aix-en-Provence to Nice (4 nights)

Drive down motorway through Provence to the Côte d’Azur for lunch in Antibes which inspired a series of Monet’s paintings.
Time for lunch : Free
Afternoon : guided visit of the Musée Grimaldi (Musée Picasso) before continuing the short drive to Nice.
Settle in your hotel for 4 nights.
Evening : Group dinner and overnight in Nice.

Day 17 - Nice

The day is devoted to Auguste Renoir. Visit Cagnes -sur-Mer, les Collettes (Renoir’s house).
Group lunch in Menton.
Returning via the superb views of Eze.
Evening : Free evening. Overnight in Nice.

Day 18 - Nice

Morning visit to the Musée Cheret, for a presentation of its impressionist collection.
Time for an early lunch followed by a restful discovery of the old town and the Promenade des Anglais.
The rest of the day will be free with a possible choice of visits i.e. Marc Chagall Museum, Matisse Museum.
Evening : Group dinner. Overnight in Nice.