Paris
6 days / 5 nights
The French Impressionists (school tours)
The French Impressionists
16 days / 15 nights
School tours in the footsteps of the French impressionists
Travel through France in the footsteps of the French Impressionist painters : Paris, Normandy,
Provence, and the French Riviera.
This 17-day tour will enable you to discover the towns and countryside which so inspired the Impressionist painters : the Seine Valley, the forest of Fontainebleau, Giverny and Monet, the Normandy Coast, Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Renoir, and Nice.
You will also discover the most important impressionist museums : Orsay, the Orangerie, Marmottan-Claude Monet, Granet.
All the visits will be with specialist professional guides.
Duration
16 days / 15 nights
Accommodation
included, in youth hostels
Meal plans
Half board
Our programme
Day 1 – Paris
Welcome at CDG airport by France Heritage Travel team.
- Morning : Coach transfer to hostel in the historical part of Paris 5 nights.
Organized group breakfast. - Afternoon : Guided coach and walking tour to discover places painted by the impressionists : Clichy, les Grands Boulevards, Ile de la Cité. Walk along the Seine (guided by teacher or with specialist guide).
Group Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 2 - Paris museum and scenes drawn by painter
Morning : Guided visit of the Musée d’Orsay (guided by teacher or with specialist guide)
Afternoon : Time to discover Montmatre, le Sacré Cœur, Pigalle.
Group Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 3 - Seine Valley
Whole day guided coach tour of the Seine Valley near Paris which inspired the impressionists : Louveciennes, Bougival, Croissy, Chatou and Argenteuil.
Group Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 4 - Barbizon / Fontainebleau
Whole day guided coach tour to Barbizon, Chailly (the Barbizon school of painters), Moret sur Loing (Monet and Sisley to visit Sisley’s grave) and the forest of Fontainebleau and its Château.
Group Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 5 - Musée de l’Orangerie et the Oise Valley
Morning : Guided tour of the impressionist collection at the Musée de l’Orangerie (either by teacher or with specialist guide).
Afternoon : Coach tour of the Oise Valley through Pontoise and a visit to the Musée Pissarro and Auvers-sur-Oise (Van Gogh, Pissarro, Daubigny).
Group Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 6 - From Paris to Rouen
- Morning  : Guided visit of Musée Marmottan-Claude Monet (either with teacher or specialist guide).
- Afternoon : 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 see the American impressionist museum.
Continue via Vernon and along the valley of the Seine, stopping at the spectacular area of les Andelys.
Then to Rouen Settle in your hostel for 2 nights.
Group Dinner and overnight in Rouen.
Day 7 - Rouen
- Morning : Guided visit of Rouen cathedral and the old town on the trail of Monet.
- Afternoon : Visit of the Musée des beaux-arts.
Group dinner and overnight in Rouen. - Evening : « Spectacle monumental : la cathédrale de Rouen aux pixels » Monet’s paintings of the cathedral are projected on it.
Day 8 - CĂ´te Fleurie
- Morning : Drive across the Pont de Normandie to Le Havre for guided visit of the Musée André Malraux with one of the most important collection of French Impressionist works outside Paris (more than 200 paintings by Boudin).
- Afternoon : Drive along the  “côte fleurie” to Etretat, Fécamp, Pourville (source of one of Monet’s most prolific periods, 80 paintings !).
Then to Houlgate (close to Cabourg) for 2 nights.
Group Dinner and overnight in Bernières sur Mer.
Day 9 - Whole day in Honfleur
- Morning : Drive to Honfleur through Trouville, Deauville and along the Normandy « côte fleurie » which provided the inspiration for a number of celebrated paintings.
- Afternoon : Around Honfleur for a guided visit the old town and the harbour with its memories of Boudin, Monet, Jonkind, Sisley, Pissarro and others and later in the day of the Musée Eugène Boudin.
Group Dinner and overnight in Bernière Sur Mer.
Day 10 - Aix en Provence
- Morning :Â Early morning transfer from hostel to Caen station.
Train to Paris. Transfer for TGV to Aix-en-Provence. - Afternoon :Transfer by coach to your hostel in Aix-en-Provence (3 nights).
Group Dinner and overnight in Aix-en-Provence.
Day 11 - CĂ©zanne Day
Morning : All day guided visit around and about Aix-en-Provence. Morning sightseeing around the sights of many of CĂ©zanne’ works.Â
Afternoon : visit of the Musée Granet followed by coach ride around la Montagne Sainte Victoire.
Group Dinner and overnight in Aix-en-Provence.
Day 12 – Van Gogh Day
Whole day : Guided visit « Journée Van Gogh» tour of Arles and surroundings on the theme of Van Gogh. Visit les Alyscamps, les Baux, St Rémy de Provence. (guided by teacher or guide).
Group Dinner and overnight in Aix-en-Provence.
Day 13 - Nice
Morning : Drive down motorway through Provence to the Côte d’Azur for lunch in Antibes which inspired a series of Monet’s paintings.
Afternoon : Visit of the Musée Grimaldi (Musée Picasso) before continuing the short drive to Nice.
Settle in your hostel for 3 nights.
Group dinner and overnight in Nice.
Day 14
Whole day devoted to Auguste Renoir. Visit Cagnes -sur-Mer, les Collettes (Renoir’s house). Time for lunch in Menton.  Returning via Monaco and Monte-Carlo.
 Group dinner and overnight in Nice.
Day 15
Morning visit to the Musée Cheret, with its fine impressionist collection.
The rest of the day will be free with a possible choice of visits i.e. Marc Chagall Museum, Matisse Museum.
Farewell dinner. Overnight Nice.
Day 16
Either TGV to Paris or flight from Nice (not included)
Your made-to-measure quote
France Heritage Travel offers made-to-measure and personalized tours.
Service
The quote includes
- 1 teacher FOC for 10 students
- Half-board in hostels
- All transport in France
- Guided visits
- Reservation of places to be visited
- Documentation on the tour
The quote does not include
- One light meal a day
- Personal expenses
- Insurance
- Journey to and from France
