Riviera sceneries, hidden Provence & majestic Paris
Region
in French Riviera, Provence & Paris
Countryside
Art & Museums in France
From the colors and fragrances of the South-East of France, to the beautiful monuments, restaurants and concerts in Paris, this trip will awaken all your senses.
I can echo everything that has been said in the previous three reviews. The personalization of this entire trip was incredible and Emilie communicated quickly and completely, both …
I can echo everything that has been said in the previous three reviews. The personalization of this entire trip was incredible and Emilie communicated quickly and completely, both in the planning of the trip and after we were in France. My husband and I were spending four weeks in France in celebration of our 50th anniversary. We were a little reluctant to take a trip this long and do this much driving but Emilie's planning and suggestions were so great that we never had any problems. And she arranged the best bed and breakfasts possible. All of the hosts were wonderful and we had some very good dinners around a table with many people from other countries, which was one of the reasons why we wanted to stay at bed and breakfasts. Our tour guides were amazing and at two different places Emilie had left personal notes and gifts. That is just the type of person she is. We asked Emilie if we could meet her and we were fortunate enough to be able to do that in her hometown of Langeais. She is just was delightful as you would expect her to be and she spent over an hour with us. It was one of the highlights of our trips. Every day we had to pinch ourselves that we were doing all of these fabulous things from Paris, to Normandy, to Brittany, to the Loire Valley, to Burgundy, to Provence and to the French Riviera. As you can see, we covered a lot of territory because of Emilie's willingness to customize our trip so that we could see a lot of France. We agree with the suggestion to go with your own GPS. It certainly helps to know how to use it before you arrive. We also suggest that you book your trip well in advance so that Emilie has time to arrange the best bed and breakfasts and the best tour guides. We certainly felt like we had that and we booked our trip seven months ahead. And read your tour book(s) before you go. You will still refer to them each and every day but there is so much general information in the books that we found very helpful. We have NEVER had a better trip and it's because of Emilie. Thank you, Emilie, for truly giving us the trip of a lifetime. We have memories that will last forever because of you.
#1 - A quiet house nestled in a garden in the heart of Niceyour BandB home in Nice
#1 - A quiet house nestled in a garden in the heart of Nicerefresh at night in a very quiet garden
#1 - A quiet house nestled in a garden in the heart of Niceenjoy a relaxing room, decorated with a lot of care...
#1 - A quiet house nestled in a garden in the heart of Nice...and a warm welcome
#2 - A welcoming mas house in the heart of ProvenceStay in a former convent
#2 - A welcoming mas house in the heart of ProvenceAt the gates of Luberon and near Avignon
#2 - A welcoming mas house in the heart of ProvenceIn a very large room
#2 - A welcoming mas house in the heart of ProvenceMeet with fellow travelers around dinner or at the pool
#3 - A 3* Boutique-Hotel in Quartier Latin districtA family owned Boutique-Hotel in the Latin Quarter
#3 - A 3* Boutique-Hotel in Quartier Latin districtStay in a comfortable room...
#3 - A 3* Boutique-Hotel in Quartier Latin district...with a balcony and nice view over one of Paris most famous landmarks
#3 - A 3* Boutique-Hotel in Quartier Latin districtSavor breakfast in the historical vaulted cellars
Step by step
The French Riviera
We recommend to our travelers to fly into Nice International airport (which is not necessarily more expensive than Paris and will save time and energy). You will pick up your rental car at the airport.
For you to enjoy the seaside, we plan for you to stay for 4 nights in a lovely Bed & Breakfast located right in the beating heart of Nice, in a impressive home which was restored very recently with a lot of taste and art by your lovely hosts. Your room opens onto the garden and you will walk everywhere in Nice. The famous Promenade des Anglais and the beach are less than a 10 min walk away and you are very central to drive along the French Riviera from Menton, to Monaco and Cannes.
Enjoy a peaceful atmosphere while playing Petanque or having a drink of pastis at a table at an outdoor cafe, typical southern French activities.
In one of the most famous perfume houses, be introduced to perfume making technics and make your own fragrance - which you will keep as a great souvenir!
In the Riviera hinterland, you will have the opportunity to discover some of the most beautiful handicrafts in France, particularly ceramics, sculptures and paintings. For art lovers, the many art museums of Nice and its surroundings will amaze you with masterpieces by Chagall, Matisse and Picasso.
But the Riviera is even more than all of the above. The “Cote d’Azur” is a marvel of fabulous 19th century villas and sapphire water coves. Wander about the narrow alleyways of the old city of Nice and visit the many famous art museums. Go shopping or enjoy views of the Mediterranean in seaside restaurants from Monte Carlo to Antibes.
Provence
On the 5th day, settle in your central base camp to explore Provence. Stay for 5 nights in a welcoming Provencal stone house, a former convent, perfectly located between Avignon and the Luberon. You will stay in a large room and at night, relax in the garden, by the pool or meeting with fellow travelers around the barbecue, with a glass of wine.
So many things to see in less than an hour's drive from your B&B: beautiful Avignon, also referred to as “the City of Popes”, where you will visit the Palace of the Popes, the well-preserved ramparts and the old city with a private guide.
You will enjoy hilltop villages on market day, walking in the footsteps of famous painters such as Cézanne or Picasso. We will also tell you about some hidden jewels, off the beaten track, where you will stroll around charming streets or have a drink at a provencal café with locals. We can also recommend a farmer’s market and wine cellar for each day of the week!
If you are interested in history, don’t miss the Roman ruins at Arles, Orange and the Pont du Gard. We will also take you to smaller sites – less famous and much quieter.
Explore a family-owned olive oil mill, with one of the daughters. She will explain olive oil farming from the tree to the bottle. Then you will enjoy a crash course on cooking some olive oil dishes. A very Provençal experience !
Ah Paris !
On the 10th day, return the car at Avignon's train station and take a TGV high speed train to downtown Paris.
End your trip living the Parisian life for 3 nights. Comfortably accommodated in a charming boutique-hotel in the heart of the Latin Quarter, you will discover the French capital city’s must sees and hidden beauties.
Being based 10 minute walk to Notre Dame Cathedral, you can explore Paris by foot, by boat or using public transportation with different and unique itineraries we have prepared for you. We also recommend our favorite restaurants and boulangeries in different districts of the city so you’ll know where to take a break. One night, you will enjoy a high quality and quite private classical music concert in a very little church - away from the crowds. A unique night in Paris that only the locals know about, which we hope will create a great memory.
On your last day, a private driver will take you to the airport.
You will enjoy the diversity of France!
Activities included
Riviera Perfume Workshop
In one of the most famous perfume houses, be introduced to the perfume making technics and make your own fragrance - which you will keep as a great souvenir!
Private Guided Tour to Avignon
Enjoy a half-day with a local guide to discover Avignon town and stroll the Palace of the Popes. A perfect way to be introduced to Provence history & culture.
Olive Oil Experience in the Alpilles
Explore a family owned olive oil mill, with one of the daughters. She will explain the olive oil farming from the tree to the bottle. Then you will enjoy a crash course on cooking some olive oil dishes. A very Provençal experience !
Classical Music Concert in Paris
Enjoy listening to a classical music concert in one of the oldest Churches in Paris. It will be a great evening!
There are not enough superlatives, or kind words, to describe the level of service Emilie, with France Just for You, provided us from the moment we contacted her, throughout our trip, and even her thoughtful emails upon our return. We contacted Emilie with a list of all the places we wished to go, the things we hoped to do, and our budget. We …
There are not enough superlatives, or kind words, to describe the level of service Emilie, with France Just for You, provided us from the moment we contacted her, throughout our trip, and even her thoughtful emails upon our return. We contacted Emilie with a list of all the places we wished to go, the things we hoped to do, and our budget. We exchanged several emails (Emilie’s response time was always immediate) and, within a couple of days, Emilie created an amazing itinerary for our 2 week stay in France that allowed us to do everything we hoped for and several things we would not have thought about on our own. Emilie is an incredible listener which was very evident when we received our itinerary. She had arranged for everything including a French Smartphone with Google Maps, a rental car, skip-the-line tickets, a stay in a castle, wine tastings, etc. All of our accommodations were superb with hosts that spoke fluent English, were very knowledgeable about their area, and had great suggestions from restaurants to local “must do’s” and everything in-between. When Emilie says she has visited all of the accommodations in person, she means it. Each host talked very highly of Emilie and reminisced about her visits. From the moment we stepped off the plane in Paris, we knew we were in for a great experience. Emilie’s detailed notes (all in a spiral bound, 400+ page book with our itinerary, addresses, suggestions,etc.) on where to pick up our French Smart Phone (an absolute must and one of our best friends during our visit - loaded with our tailored book and several other great programs) and then our rental car, made the start to our journey very easy - relatively important to us since neither one of us spoke more than 10 words of French. We had the privilege of meeting up with Emilie in her hometown and she was just as delightful in person as we experienced with our email exchanges over the last few months. While the trains were sporadically on strike, depending on the day, Emilie was there to follow the schedule and be ready to make an alternative plan for us if needed. When we hit a small snag turning in our rental car, Emilie was right there to figure things out and get us on our way. We’ve traveled quite a bit, yet we both thought this to be our Best Trip Ever. Thank you Emilie and France Just for You!
Lucelle
I was amazed when I came across the website that ALL the reviews were excellent. From the moment I started dealing with Emilie I received amazing service in planning our wonderful trip to France. I will not repeat all the details that are in the previous posts but highlight some of the exceptional service that I received. The booking of the …
I was amazed when I came across the website that ALL the reviews were excellent. From the moment I started dealing with Emilie I received amazing service in planning our wonderful trip to France.
I will not repeat all the details that are in the previous posts but highlight some of the exceptional service that I received.
The booking of the excellent tickets for Roland Garros will remain a highlight forever. The phone with unlimited data, her tour guide downloaded, waze and google maps, her phone numbers and emergency numbers, tourist information was invaluable.
The choice of accommodation was unique. She is sorting out a dispute with the car hire company - and apologised on their behalf.
Her tips on additional site seeing enhanced our experience.
Our personalized guide book will remain a treasured memoire of our trip.
I could go on and on - so don't hesitate and look no further in planning a trip to France. We loved our visit so much that we will be planning another visit to a different region in the near future.
Peter
France-Just for You is the best agency/coordinator we have EVER used. We have traveled around the world to more than 50 countries and this was by far the best job of coordination we ever experienced. The owner, Emilie, lives in France and is 100% accessible by email or phone. We emailed her the first time we learned about her business and from then …
France-Just for You is the best agency/coordinator we have EVER used. We have traveled around the world to more than 50 countries and this was by far the best job of coordination we ever experienced. The owner, Emilie, lives in France and is 100% accessible by email or phone. We emailed her the first time we learned about her business and from then on her attention to detail and efficiency were outstanding. She outlined a custom trip for us based on our criteria and then created a detailed plan for us to follow with options for various activities. She took care of every detail, bike rental, car rental, cooking class , museum passes, directions etc etc. Then, about a month before we went , she mailed us a 300+ page book custom created for our trip which gave background information on all the places we were to visit, gps directions, options for different routes, recommendations for restaurants, background on bed and breakfast hosts (whom she personally meets with), comments on French customs, and hundreds of tips and suggestions. Her guide was so complete, we did not need any other books. She created an experience for us we will never forget. When we return to France we will ask her to plan the trip for us.
