Customised Tours: Paris, Provence, Cote D'Azur & Barcelona

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Dear All!

I am very much looking forward to seeing some old friends and meeting some new ones on our upcoming tour.  Joe & Franny Andoloro have put together a fantastic itinerary with wonderful places to visit,  some wonderful activities to do and some great guides booked. I wanted to address some general issues about our Tour and provide useful information.  Remember you can sign in to the US Airways website to check in for your flights, or you can do this at the airport as you prefer, all tickets are e-tickets.  You can get miles and upgrade your tickets.  If anyone has any special meal or medical requirements please let me know in advance.  Very much looking forward to seeing you all in Paris next week!

Flight Details:  (Booking #  AL39WC)

Outbound: 23^rd September  US Airways 754  Philadelphia to Paris CDG:  Depart  6.20pm  Arrive Paris  7.55am (should be Terminal 1)  Where I’ll meet you & we’ll transfer to the hotel.

Return  4^th October US Airways flight 743 Depart Barcelona at 10.45am Arrive Philadelphia at 1.35pm

Hotels:

Paris Hotel:

Hotel  Campanile Paris 11 Bastille,

9 Rue Du Chemin Vert, Paris 75011

+33 1 433 85808

Avignon Hotel

Hôtel  Médiéval

15 Rue Petite-Saunerie

84000 AVIGNON

Tél . +33 (0)4 90 86 11 06

Nice Hotel:

Hotel Regence,

21 Rue Massena,

06000 Nice, Tel +33 (0) 4 93 87 75 08

Barcelona: 

Hotel Acevi Villarroel,

C/Villarroel 106, Barcelona 08011

Tel: +34 93 452 0000

Please make a note of the address and number of each hotel before you leave in case people want to contact you there. Please remember that in France & Spain are 6 hours behind the United States.

1. Money:

Both Spain and France use the Euro  €.  In Italy we will be using the Euro.  Currently the exchange rate is hovering 70 Euro cents to each $.  So for $100 you should be getting about €70.  These days most people use their own bank ATM card and there are plenty of ATM machines everywhere we go.  I would recommend this as the most effective way to take money out.  If you have a credit or debit card, make a separate note of the cancellation number you need to call in the unlikely event that it is stolen.  If you have a preloaded card make sure you know the roughly amount on it in local currency.

2. Phone Calls:

Emergency Contact Phone Number: Should anyone wish to contact you when we’re on tour, they can call my mobile from the U.S. on 011 44 7748 775 005. Please make sure all your contacts have this number but remember it’s the emergency number.  Some of you may wish to bring a mobile, if so please bear in mind that it may cost you up to $4 a minute to receive calls as well as make them.  Make sure you know your personal plan so you are aware of international charges.  The cheapest way to call is to use skype or an international phone card, you can buy these in Paris for about €5 ($7.50) and they will give you about 250 mins of call times.

3. Internet and Laptops:

All our hotels have wireless Internet connections.  There are internet connections in both cities near both hotels.

4. Passport and Wallet

I know it’s obvious, but please check you are traveling on a valid up to date passport.   This is your most important travel document; make sure you are careful with its whereabouts.  If you lose this, it’s a whole world of hassle. L

5. Insurance:

Make sure you have a copy of your travel insurance documents with the relevant numbers readily available.   Medical cover in Europe is excellent and costs very little. Usually you have to pay up front and then your insurance company will reimburse you.  Make sure you keep a copy of any bills.

6. Packing:

Pack as light as you can!  Remember we will be walking on a lot of marble and hard stone floors, so bring comfortable walking shoes.  The weather should be from mid 50s to Mid 70s (hopefully the latter) so bring warm clothes but not too heavy.  Bring a light rain coat just in case.

7. Electricity: 

In Spain and France it’s 110v 2 round pin. You can buy good adaptors at Philadelphia airport.  Make sure any hair dryers and curling tongues etc are compatible with this, you may need to buy a separate step down transformer.  Most new ones have a built in step down transformers and work fine abroad.  If you turn on your hairdryer or curling and blow all the lights in the hotel, I’d keep quiet about it. ;)

8. Security:

Bear in mind there are now long security delays at the airport. Remember that you are not allowed to bring liquids of more than 100ml in your hand baggage.  If you have medication, please try to keep them in the original packaging.   Obviously no sharp objects are allowed in your hand luggage- scissors, nail files etc.  This should be packed in your checked in bag.

9. Baggage: Hand Baggage:
These allowances apply for all passengers entering Paris:

·         one standard-sized bag - maximum size of the bag, 56x45x25cm (22x18x10in)

·         plus one laptop or briefcase

·         Do not take sharp objects in your hand baggage that will be confiscated at  security.

·         Cigarette lighters are not permitted in hand baggage.

Make sure you take medication, important documents, valuable items and cash in your hand baggage.

US Airways Checked in Baggage Allowances:

2 bags:  Maximum dimensions per bag (H+W+L): 158cm (62in) Maximum weight per bag: 23kg* (51lbs)

Checked baggage

·         Don’t pack any valuables in your checked baggage.

·         Remember that you won’t have access to your checked baggage on board the flight.

·         Any items over your allowance will be charged as excess baggage.

·         Make sure your bags are labeled with your name and destination address.

·         Also label each bag on the inside with your name and home address.

·         Remove tags and labels left over from previous flights.

·         Make sure there are no loose straps or other items hanging from the bag. 

10. Tips and Tipping:

I know Joe has collected all the tip money in advance so either Joe or I will make sure all the appropriate tips are given to the guides/ restaurants and drivers.  Other than that if you go to a restaurant for lunch I recommend tipping about 10%.  We will have a private coach and driver staying with us through some of our tour (from Avignon to Nice for 3 days) for our personal use.  

ITINERARY

(this is where I will up pictures each day as we're doing the tour)

Day 1, 23rd September: Fly to Paris

23^rd September  US Airways 754  Philadelphia to Paris CDG:  Depart  6.20pm  Arrive Paris  7.55am (should be Terminal 1)  Where I’ll meet you & we’ll transfer to the hotel.

Day 2, 24th September: Arrive in Paris

Walking tour, visit Ble Sacre (the finest patisserie in Paris!) 

Dinner at the Eiffel tower 1st Level.

Guided boat tour on the River Seine

Day 3, 25th September: Full Day Paris  

Half day guided sightseeing tour of the highlights of Paris on our private luxury coach with Christine, our Parisian guide, including a guide to the luxury shops.

Lunch.

Afternoon: privately guided tour of the major exhibits of the Louvre with Jo. Leitner

Dinner at Place du Terte, Montmarte

Day 4, 26th September: Half Day Paris- TGV to Avignon

Morning free for shopping and to pursue your own interest

Transfer from the Hotel to Paris Gare Lyon train station for the 3 hour journey on the high speed TGV to Avigon.

Transfer to our medieval hotel in the centre of Avigon.

A delicious 3 course provencal style dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 5, 26th September: Full Day Avignon

Depart on your half day wine tour of the famous Cheateauneuf du pape vineyards with Francois. Afternoon cooking class with Chef Larrue at the  Jardin de la tour restaurant. 

Day 6, 27th September: Full Day Avignon

Morning Mass at Avignon cathedral, then a guided tour of the Papal Palace with Jo.

Free afteroon, optional visit to Van Gogh's city of Arles

Day 7, 28th September: Transfer to Nice via St Tropez

Today we'll head to the coast and enjoy a stunning drive to Nice with a stop in the exclusive resort of St Tropez.

Dinner in Nice

Day 8, 29th September: Monaco & Monte Carlo

Another stunning drive today as we head along the Cote D'Azur to Monte Carlo where we'll have the option to gamble away our life savings. Aternatively, we can visit the royal palace and the harbour filled with billionaires yachts. This glamorous city was summed up perfectly by Somerset Maughn as a "sunny place for shady people" however since Prince Albert took over the tiny principality he's made some efforts to put ethics back on stage.

Day 8, 1st October: Fly to Barcelona

8am Transfer to the Airport for our flight to Barcelona

Transfer to the hotel and enjoy a walking tour of the city with Jo. in including Las Ramblas and perhaps some Sangria at the Placa Reial   

Day 8, 2nd October: Guided tour of Barcelona, optional Flamenco Show

Today we have our privately guided bus tour of Barcelona with our Spanish Guide Patrick, we'll do all the main highlights including of course the Sagrada Familia.

The afternoon is free for shopping and this evening is free for your own dinner arrangements with an optional flamenco show.

Day 9, 3rd October: Free day Barcelona

Today is free to explore the city at your leisure.  Jo. will go through some of the many options available, you may wish to do a walking tour of the gothic quarters, visit some of the Gaudi houses or just relax by the squares or the beaches.  Tonight we'll have a traditional last night dinner

Day 10, 4th October: Fly to Barcelona4^th 

Return flight from Barcelona to Philadelphia:  US Airways 743V Depart Barcelona at 1045am arrive Philadelphia 1.35pm