Walking Tour of Provence

Beautiful scenery, including vineyards, orchards and fields of sunflowers and lavender. Hilltowns were alot of fun and walks challenging and varied.

Surprising and Delightful

I loved seeing this part of France "from the inside out" as walking tours permit one to do. Tristan, our tour director, made sure that we didn't miss anything that was scheduled, and he went out of his way to see that we experienced some of Provence that wasn't on the itinerary. The walks varied from challenging, such as the one to the grotto of Mary Magdelene, to supremely delightful, the walk on the Cap Ferrat beside the Mediterranean for example. The trip created some wonderful memories. I am so glad I went!!

Challenging first walk.....mostly uneven steps

Fellow tourists, as well as myself, did not expect to have to "step up" the side of a limestone rock cliff site with steps variying from 2" high to 12" high for over an hour's walk.....brutal. I expected it to be similar to the walking tour of Tuscany except perhaps more hillsides to navigate. This info should be mentioned in your brochure. Our guide, Tristan, was outstanding.....warm, smart, knowledgeable, helpful, kind, and nice to be around. The accommodations were all very nice with the exception of Cannes, which was hideous. Our room was unclean (maids refused to "redo" it....they were indignani), the manager and desk personnel were inept and the breakfast was a joke.....we were in competition with some Asian tour group and they "cleaned the place out" before we arrived and the staff there seemed overwhelmed with what to do so they did nothing. We left without breakfast. It was an awful start to our holiday and I brought along a friend who had never traveled with Go Ahead before and she took vocal note of this. The rest of the tour went smoothly, all the hotels were nice, especially the Hoel Borghese. My fellow tourists were very nice and we ALL LOVED Tristan.....you are lucky to have such a competent, fun, professional, informed individual working for your company! I say....give that man a RAISE!!

Excellent Tour with a 5-star Tour Director

This walking tour was excellent. I only rated it 4 stars for the mere reason that it was a little bit more expensive and not a lot of included meals. But overall, this tour was great. Our tour director, Tristan Bayle was excellent. He made the tour very interesting and he is very knowledgeable with all the areas we visited. He is also extremely considerate of people who may not been able to do more on the tour. I think the walk on the cedar forest can be replaced by more walks on the villages of Luberon as the villages are more unique and beautiful than the forest which is kind of usual of any forest. The hotels we stayed at are all very good. All the places we visited are extremely gorgeous. I would love to do this tour again someday even if I am not able to walk up to the very high top. Even if you don't get to walk to the challenging areas, the attractions at the foreground are still amazingly beautiful. I believe that our tour director, Tristan, made this tour extra special. This tour was my first tour with Go Ahead but will surely travel with them again.

Walking Tour of Provence and Paris ext

I found this tour challenging for my age. The only thing that disappointed me was not enough time in Montmart to shop. As we were leaving the tour guide pointed out a bldg of 4 floors of beautiful fabric. I had asked him several times about where I may get fabric and only then as we were leaving this was pointed out. Montmart had many studios that I would have liked to visit. The churches were nice but not as appealing to me.

What I did not know about the French people

Our tour with Tristan Bayle was truly an adventure. We were exposed to the French culture in many ways including discussions on the bus, visiting markets, elegant eating adventures, and visiting historical sites. I personally now have a whole new realization of how likeable the French people are. Tristan, over and over was able to amaze us with his grasp of history and the people who participated in it long ago, those not so long ago, and those today. Our group was small and that was very much appreciated as it allowed us to do more every day than would have been possible otherwise. I particularly liked how Tristan encouraged us to do as much as we felt comfortable doing physically. Our 'walking tour' group had a range of personal capabilities and I felt fortunate to be allowed to do as much as I could have hoped to do. I never once felt frustrated or unable to explore the beautiful country around us. WHAT A TRIP !

Great trip

All that one could want in a tour-------- Walks always enjoyable, some challenging. Beautiful scenery, interesting places , companionable travel mates, reasonable tour prices, amusing ,friendly helpful tour director.

Exploring Tuscany with Tristan Bayle

Our adventure in France included visits to Cannes, the Fragonard Perfume Factory in Grasse, a hike to the Shrine of Mary Magdalene atop a high ridge in Ste. Baume, a visit to the Papal Palace in Avignon, the marketplace in Bonnieux, the Luberon Valley, the market in Arles, the aqueduct at Pont du Gard, the Isle de Sorge, the fascinating market in Gordes, ochre mines in Rousillon, the church and shops in Moustiers, the Gorges du Verdon, Cezanne's art studio, the market in Aix-en-Provence, a visit to Monaco's Monte Carlo at night, a nice hike on the peninsula trail on Cap Ferrat, and a visit to the "Old Town" of Nice. Every stop was an adventure! We were challenged to learn more about the French people and forget what we had heard or experienced prior to our trip. We did and we now have a better impression of the inhabitants of this beautiful portion of France. Our expert guide's knowledge of his country and people as well as his enthusiasm and real desire to make our trip interesting, made it an experience of a lifetime. Discussions on the bus between stops were enlightening, informative, and looked forward to every day.

Walking tour of historic French cities and village

A lovely mixture of visiting and walking through small villages, marketplaces and historic spots. This tour takes one from perfume factories to open air mines, unique experiences for all. It is a blend of religious history and well known artists. Beautiful scenery of the French Riviera to fields of flowers and Provencial Alps. Travelers need to be prepared for rigorous uphill walks with good walking shoes and sticks.

provence

It was great fun to meet new friends along the walk through Provence. The food was excellent. The itinerary was well planned out. The weather that Goahead ordered was perfect!!! I will probably do it again.