Eastern France
Dates: Sept 10 - 22, 2025 (13 Days) with Steve Smith Begins Strasbourg, Ends Marseille
Cost: $4995 Early Pay Discount ($300) until Jan 10, 2025 Single Supplement $1000 Maximum tour size: 24
This tour celebrates France’s diverse and stunningly beautiful eastern regions. We’ll start in the Alsace and Europe’s capital city of Strasbourg, then climb to the Alps and the dreamy lakefront city of Annecy. From there we head south, spending four nights based in the handsome town of St. Remy de Provence before ending our trip on the Mediterranean in the cozy port town of Cassis. On our way we’ll taste Alsatian and Rhone wines, take a cruise on Lac d’Annecy, spend all day in the high Alps in Chamonix and visit Roman ruins like the Pont du Gard, the theater in Orange, the village of Glanum and the arena and Maison Carrée in Nimes. This "slow stroll" tour features two 3-night stays, one 4-night idyll, and a final 2 night stop.
Day 1 Strasbourg
Our tour starts this evening in the European Capital city of Strasbourg. We’ll meet for our get-acquainted meeting late this afternoon, take an orientation walk, and have dinner together.
3 nights
Day 2 Strasbourg
Walking tour; Canal boat
We’ll devote our morning to exploring Strasbourg, starting with a walking tour highlighting its soaring cathedral and La Petite France neighborhood, and continuing with a boat ride along its rivers and canals. You’ll have free time this afternoon to visit some of the city’s engaging museums.
Day 3 Strasbourg
Colmar; Unterlinden; Wine Road/tasting
We’ll meet our bus and driver today and take a short ride south to Colmar where we’ll spend much of our day wandering this city’s generous pedestrian zone and learning about its surprising history. We’ll tour its impressive Unterlinden Museum before being free to visit Colmar’s other sights. We’ll return to Strasbourg along Alsace’s lovely wine road, breaking for Hansel and Gretel villages and a wine tasting.
Day 4 Annecy
Lausanne; Olympic Museum
We depart Alsace today and head south toward the mountains, making a lunch stop in Lausanne Switzerland on stunning Lake Geneva. We'll visit the engaging Olympic museum with its 10,000 square feet of interactive exhibit space, beautifully situated in a park overlooking the lake. Then, it's on to our base of the high Alps: the serenely set city of Annecy. Fondue dinner this evening!
3 nights
Day 5 Annecy
Walking tour
Today starts with a locally guided city walk, after which you’ll be free. The many opportunities offered in Annecy include: rent a bike and ride the lakeside path, take a boat cruise around the lake, explore neighboring lake-front villages, or savor Annecy’s arcaded lanes and atmospheric cafes.
Day 6 Annecy
Chamonix; Mt Blanc
We’ll take the scenic route to Chamonix where we’ll have all day to enjoy Mt. Blanc, the centerpiece of the Alps and Europe’s highest point. You can take gondolas and hike spectacular trails, visit France’s longest glacier, and enjoy Chamonix’s fun town center. We’ll stay for an early dinner together in Chamonix, then return to our hotel in Annecy.
Day 7 St. Remy
Orange
It’s a scenic route south as we lose altitude and gain warmth en route to Provence. We’ll stop for a visit of the best reserved Roman theater anywhere in the pleasant city of Orange, then move on to our small town base for the next four nights in St. Remy de Provence.
4 nights
Day 8 St. Remy
Market Day, Glanum; Les Baux
It’s market day in St. Remy and you’ll have the morning free to shop till you drop at this perfectly “Provencale” market. Or explore the Pompei-like ruins of Glanum and visit the clinic that treated Vincent van Gogh (after his ear-slicing event). Our afternoon will be spent visiting the nearby hilltop castle and village of Les Baux
Day 9 St. Remy
Pont du Gard; Wine Tasting
We’ll devote our morning to the awe-inspiring Roman aqueduct at the Pont du Gard. Our local guide will walk us through the water channel at the top of the aqueduct, then you’ll have free time to find the best views and tour the Pont du Gard museum. Later we’ll cruise the local wine road, visit a winery and sample the local product before returning to our home in St. Remy.
Day 10 St. Remy
Nimes
Our morning will be spent in the hands of our hand-picked local guide who will lead us expertly through the historic city of Nimes. We’ll tour France’s best-preserved Roman arena, see the Maison Carrée Temple, which rivals Rome’s Pantheon as the most complete and splendid building that survives from the Roman Empire. You’ll then have free time to tour Nimes’ other sights including the brilliant Romanity Museum which puts all the pieces together.
Day 11 Cassis
Marseille
It’s an easy drive to Marseille where we’ll spend much of our day. We’ll take a walking tour of the historic center, admire views from the sky-high basilica Notre Dame de la Garde, before ending our day nearby in the charming Mediterranean port town of Cassis.
2 nights
Day 12 Cassis
Free day
Today is free for lounging harborside and exploring the fjord-like Calanques. You can hike or take a boat to experience the Calanques, sift your way through stylish shops in Cassis, play on the beach, and watch the locals play pétanque. Let’s meet for a happy hour before having our last supper together.
Day 13 Tour over after Breakfast
The tour is over after breakfast. Marseille’s airport has international connections and its train station has good service to destinations throughout France. Imprint will assist with airport and station transfers. Bon Voyage!
What’s Included: 12 nights accommodation; All breakfasts, 5 dinners, 1 lunch; All tour transport; All tips (tour manager, local guides, drivers, group meals, hotel staffs); Full-time services of an Imprint tour manager, local guides; All entrances: Unterlinden Museum, Olympic Museum, Orange Theater, Le Baux, Pont du Gard, Nimes Arena & Maison Carree All activities: Walking tours of Strasbourg, Annecy, Nimes, Marseille; canal boat cruise La Petit France, Alsace Wine Road, wine tastings (2), market visit, Chamonix excursion, and more.
Important exceptions: Tour participants are responsible for the cost of drinks, free-time sightseeing and meals, and expenditures of a personal nature.