Compare Birding: Paris, Avignon, Arles & the Camargue, France by Kaiyote Tours vs Paris and Versailles by Eskapas
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 10 days | 5 days |
| Price From | $ 2,950 | $ 1,190 |
| Price Per Day | $ 295 | $ 238 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Countries Visited | ||
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Internal airfare and ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
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| Description |
Paris is one of the art centers of the world. Not just for the collections that the museums hold, but for the inspiration is still gives to artists today. We start and end this tour in Paris, such an amazing city to see! We will be taking the train to the Rhone River Delta area known as the Camargue and spend 5 days visiting three historically significant towns: Avignon, Arles and Saintes Maries de la mer. Where a better place to enjoy the Mediterranean, but in the south of France? Voila!! You will enjoy this tour if you only wish to see Paris, the Rhone River Delta (the Camargue), the Mediterranean, the cities of Avignon and Arles and walk the land and enjoy the sights. Each day there will be time for birding, walking, exploring and learning. |
A city that simply oozes romance – the original city of love! Paris is the city of a thousand walks and is as close to perfection as is possible for a fabulous city break holiday. Paris’ monument-lined boulevards, museums, nightlife, its romantic Seine river, colorful lives, classical bistros, boutiques and much more. Paris is one of the world’s best places for food and drink. Our selection of 3*** city centered hotels and guided visits of iconic areas such as Versailles Palace, Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower, Seine Cruise etc. during this full 5 days visited journey will make your trip unforgettable. Paris can be anything you want, but as a romantic city break it is just unmissable. In fact, for business or pleasure, Paris is a city beyond compare. “Once seen, never forgotten” Join our small group tour in Paris |
Day 1: Fly to Paris
Flights usually leave in the evening, so we will be arriving in Paris the morning of day two.
Day 2: Arrive in Paris
We will arrive in Paris in the morning. We will be staying at the Hotel Royal Opera in the 2nd arrondissement near the Opéra Garnier. In the afternoon we will have time to visit Pére Lachaise Cemetery (great virtual tour). Besides being the resting place for numerous great artists, writers and composers including FrédéricChopin, Molière, Eugène Delacroix, Camille Pissarro, Georges-Pierre Seurat, Paul Signac, Oscar Wilde, Richard Wright and Jim Morrison, it is an excellent place to see birds and interesting sites. We will also visit La Basilique du Sacré Coeur and in the evening, a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Day 3: Paris
We will spend the morning at the Bois de Boulogne, which is a 2,100 acre park with woods and gardens just on the western edge of Paris. We will have time to walk down the Champs Élysées and see the Arc de Triomphe. In The afternoon we will be visiting the Museé d’Orsay. The d’Orsay opened in 1986 and contains artwork from 1848 – 1914. It is an amazing collection and a must see.
Day 4: Avignon
From Paris it is a 3.5 hour train ride to the city of Avignon on the TGV. The TGV (pronounced tay-zsah-vay) is one of the fastest trains in the world and can travel over 200 miles an hour. There numerous historical sites to see in Avignon including the Saint-Benezet Bridge which was built in the in the 12th century. We will be staying at the Hôtel de Blauvac in the heart of the old town. The Hotel de Blauvac originally belonged to the Marquis Jean-Baptiste de Tonduty, Seigneur de Blauvac beginning in 1664.
Day 5: Camargue
From Avignon, it is a 30 minute train ride and a one hour bus ride to the seaside village of Saintes Maries de la Mer. We will be staying at the Hôtel le Castelet which is perfectly located at the edge of the Camargue and the Mediterranean sea.
Day 6: Camargue
The Camargue is the delta of the River Rhone and covers 190,000 acres. It is a birding paradise and over 400 different species having been identified. The most representative species of the delta is the Pink Flamingo because the Camargue is the breeding grounds for this species. The scenery is beautiful. The Camargue is also famous for the horses that breed here. In the morning we will be going horseback riding and in the afternoon there will be birding, walking or whatever you choose.
Day 7: Camargue
If you enjoy bike riding, the Camargue is a great place to explore on bike. The Camargue is criss-crossed with dirt paths and roads atop the canals and ponds. The biking is easy and very relaxing. In the afternoon you can choose to visit the Pont de Gau Ornithological Park
Day 8: Arles
It is a one hour bus ride back to the town of Arles. Arles is an ancient town and people have been living in the area since 800 BC. Arles has been a cultural center since the late Roman Empire. The Arles amphitheater was built in 90 AD and is still used today for bull fighting and other events. Vincent Van Gough lived in Arles from 1888–1889 and created over 300 paintings and drawings during his stay. Picasso also spent time in Arles and some of his drawings and paintings are at the Museé Reattu. We will be staying at the Hôtel du Museé.
Day 9: Paris
It is a 4 hour train ride back to Paris on the TGV train. We will have time in the afternoon to visit the Rodin Museum. We will be staying at the Hotel de Saint Germain located in the Saint-Germain district in the center of Paris.
Day 10: Fly Home
Flights usually leave in the morning, so getting to the airport and getting home is our only activity for the day.
Day 1: Arrive in Paris, France
Arrival to Paris, “Bienvenue a Paris”, meet and greet and transfer to your city centered hotel in Paris.
Overnight: Paris Meals: N/A
Day 2: Paris Highlights
Spend a day exploring Paris in a very unusual way. This excursion on foot and riverboat will show you the highlights of Paris: visit the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower with our professional guide.
After breakfast, meet with our guide in the center of Paris at 08:15 am. (Arc de Triumph of the Carrousel facing the Louvre pyramid)
He/she will take you straight to the famous Louvre Museum, through this must-see museum and tell you about the main artworks: the Venus of Milo statue representing the goddess Aphrodite, the impressive painting of The Wedding at Cana the Coronation of Napoleon illustrating the emperor’s crowning in the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa which is the most visited work in the Museum.
After your tour of the Louvre Museum which takes about 2.30 hours, your guide will take you to the riverbank, before the Pont du Carrousel, to board a Batobus boat. This short cruise will show you Paris from a different angle. You will see some of the superb bridges over the Seine and Paris monuments along the banks. The boat moors at the Quai de la Bourdonnais at the foot of the Trocadéro, right opposite the Iron Lady
You will have time then for lunch on your own before going up to the Eiffel Tower
Your guide will let you disembark to go to the iconic monument of Paris. He/she will lead you up to the second floor where the secrets of the Eiffel Tower will be revealed. After hearing remarkable commentaries, you can enjoy the beautiful panorama of Paris and see the top Parisian landmarks. Keep on visiting the Tower on the second level and get down to the first one to experience the incredible glass floor.
The services of our professional guide will end on the second level of the Eiffel Tower and you will have free time at leisure (End approx 04:30 pm)
Day 3: Paris – Versailles
After breakfast, randez-vous at 08:15 am.
Departure from the center of Paris to the Palace of Versailles. Make the most of the 45-minute journey by luxury air-conditioned coach and listen to your guide’s introduction to the history of the palace.
The Palace of Versailles covers an area of over 721,000 square feet and has more than 700 rooms.
Follow your guide straight to the front of the line to see the palaces most beautiful rooms: the Kings Grand Apartments, with seven rooms each dedicated to a different god (Apollo, Mars, Mercy, Venus, etc.) and the Queens Grand Apartments, mirroring those of the king, including the Coronation Room and the Queens Bedroom, once occupied by Marie Antoinette, among others. Also, admire the spectacular Hall of Mirrors, a unique room in which guests were received and impressed, designed by the famous architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Almost 240 feet-long, it was created to dazzle visitors to the Sun King, Louis XIV; it is lit by 17 windows and some 350 mirrors, and overlooks the palace’s breath-taking gardens, the second part of your visit.</span></div>
Return to Paris at 12:30 pm
After noon free time at leisure
Overnight: Paris Meals: Breakfast</span></div>
Please note:
We strongly advise against high-heeled shoes (parquet flooring in the rooms and cobblestones in the courtyard)
Strollers are not permitted inside the palace
Access to the palace is challenging for those with reduced mobility
Photography without flash is permitted inside the palace
The skip-the-line access is subject to the Versailles Palace procedures: The Vigipirate plan, the security control or an unforeseen crowd can slow down the entrance.
Day 4: Paris
Breakfast and free day at leisure. Overnight: Paris Meals: Breakfast
Optional Tours:
Disneyland® Paris: 1 Day 2 Parks with round trip transport:
1 entrance ticket 1 day / 2 Parks
We begin our day by crossing Paris as far as the Porte de Bercy to join the A4 motorway leading to Disneyland ® Paris. (average journey : 1 hour). Our driver will leave you at the group parking area close to the park entrances. Take advantage of a nice day with your family at Disneyland ® Paris. Both adults and children will enjoy discovering the magic world of Disneyland Paris. You will be able to enter both parks:
Disneyland ® Park: Magic world where you will meet all the Disney characters who live in an endless fairy tale.
Walt Disney Studios ® Park: Go behind the scenes of the movies, cartoons and tv shows.
The group will re-join the coach at the same spot at the end of the day at 7.15 PM
Come back to Paris around 08.00 PM. Departure at 7.00 PM in winter 200€ per person Children Mont Saint-Michel Tour with lunch: (Only Friday – 14 Hour Experience) An exceptional day at Mont-Saint-Michel in the company of a professional guide. Discover the history and the riches of this Wonder of the West; through the enthusiastic commentary of our guide. 250€ per person
Loire Valley Castles: (Only Mondays - 13 Hours) Come and live an exceptional day in the heart of the Loire Valley in France. You will visit the Chateau de Chenonceau and the Chateau de Chambord with our guide, two of the greatest castles of the Loire Valley. This dive into French history will be completed by a visit to the Clos Lucé castle, the emblematic place of the famous Leonardo da Vinci. Take a seat in an air-conditioned vehicle, departure from the center of Paris at 7:15 am! 250€ per person
Normandy D-Day Beaches: (Only Saturdays - 13 Hours) Enjoy a full day excursion from Paris to the D-Day Beaches in Normandy in the company of an official guide, who will bring these historic sites to life. 250€ per person.
Day 5: Paris Departure
After breakfast, free time until your flight time. Transfer to the airport and end of ou services.
Au Revoir!
