EXCURSIONS
Group bus excursions will be offered on three afternoons during the Feast. Further details will be shared as the Feast approaches. We have left Wednesday, October 8 open for a welcome day activity and Monday, October 13 open for you to take advantage of the onsite facilities or activities in the region.
Payment for excursions must be made online via Shopify by Tuesday, July 1. Excursion buses must be reserved ahead of time, so unfortunately, your reservation is not refundable in case of cancellation. However, once at the Feast, you may be able to find someone willing to exchange or purchase your excursion tickets.
Please note:
Costs listed are per person and cover the cost of the tour buses, as well as admission to local sites where specified/applicable.
Payment deadline: Tuesday, July 1
NICE
Date: Thursday, October 9
Departure Time: 1:00 pm
Cost:
Option A- With train tour : 48 €
Option B- Old town Nice visit only: 38 €
Children under two are free if they don’t take up a seat on the bus.
Nicknamed “Nice la Belle,” or “Nice the Beautiful,” the City of Nice came to the attention of the English aristocracy in the late 18th Century. Over the past 150 hundred years its mild climate, beautiful ocean views and fine restaurants and hotels have attracted tourists and artists from around the world. In 1822, a seven-kilometer (4.3 miles) walkway along the Mediterranean Sea was constructed which became known as the “Promenade des Anglais” (The Promenade of the English) creating a relaxing and unique way of drinking in the beauty of the area.
Given time constraints, our excursion will focus on “Le Vieux Nice,” which is the compact “old town” part of the city.
Two options are available for this unguided afternoon excursion to Nice:
OPTION A : Includes bus ride to Nice and then a 50-minute ride aboard the electric “petit train touristique de Nice.” This tourist train ride provides commentary in English and affords an opportunity to get an overview of the city without a lot of walking, while still leaving you with some free time to explore on your own.
Note: due to train capacity, we will offer two different timed tickets for the train ride (3 pm or 4:30pm) on a first-come, first-served basis. Depending on which ticket you buy, you may have free time before your train ride or after.
OPTION B : Includes bus ride to Nice ONLY. You will be able to enjoy more time to do some sightseeing on your own. Don’t forget your walking shoes, grab a map, and strike out on your own to visit some highlights of the old town.
Highlights of Old Nice:
Wandering the Old City; its narrow streets and tall, painted structures provide old-world charm punctuated with views of luxury yachts entering the old port
Strolling the Promenade des Anglais
Visiting Castle Hill (La Colline du Château) to the east of the Old City for beautiful views and a lovely park setting to relax and soak in the ambience
Sampling local delicacies in an olive oil or ice cream shop, bakery or restaurant
Visiting Place Massena and the Fontaine du Soleil (Sun Fountain)
Exploring Cours Saleya with its flower market
Visiting Place Rosetti and/or Place St. Francois
Touring the Palais Lascaris (a former aristocrat’s home described as a Baroque Jewel)
Shopping for souvenirs
More ideas for your visit can be found at: http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/nice-f-az-ni.htm
Clearly, there is more to see in Nice than one afternoon affords! So, enjoy the train ride and some time on your own, or plan your afternoon visit independently.
Note: If you would like to book a guided or specialty walking tour on your own, here is a company which offers small-group specialty tours (i.e. cultural, city overview, foodie) departing from Old Nice: www.rivieraisyours.com.
VILLA EPHRUSSI
Date: Friday, October 10
Departure Time: 12:45 pm
Cost per person: 53 €
Children under two are free if they don’t take up a seat on the bus.
Seduced by the beauty of Cap Ferrat, the Baroness Béatrice de Rothschild, insatiable traveler and wife of the wealthy banker Maurice Ephrussi, acquired seven hectares of land on the narrowest part of the peninsula in 1905. The villa, which has been likened to a French Biltmore mansion, is unquestionably one of the finest sights of the French Riviera—nestled in a green setting with stunning views over the bay of Villefranche to the west, and the Beaulieu Bay in the east. The palace was built in seven years, recalling both Venice, Florence and Ravenna. This fabulous and fragile setting would ultimately house all the decorative elements gathered by the Baroness, including opulent furnishings and art collections. This tour includes admission to the villa and an audio guide, and you will visit a suite of rooms, galleries, offices, bedrooms and boudoirs. The park is laid out in stylized gardens: Spanish, Florentine, lapidary, Japanese, exotic, English and French. If time permits after visiting the house and gardens, you can relax with a beverage and/or pastry in the tea room, or enjoy the views from the walking trail that winds along the cape.
You can see it and find out more at their website : http://www.villa-ephrussi.com/en/home
ST. PAUL DE VENCE
Date: Sunday, October 12
Departure Time: 12:30 pm
Cost: 45 € per person
Infants two and under are free if they do not take up a seat on the bus.
St. Paul de Vence is a charming, fortified hilltop village in Provence, filled with art galleries, boutiques, and sidewalk cafes. A walk through its winding streets reveals elegant fountains, vine-covered stone walls and statues tucked into nooks in the walls. You can find a variety of Provencal fabrics on sale, as well as local gourmet delicacies such as olive oil, wine, and fruit liqueurs. The custom jewelry on sale at many of the shops is quite affordable and unique. Even the ground offers an attractive sight, as you’ll discover cobblestone pathways laid in the shapes of flowers. The fortified village itself is an interesting destination, with its medieval fortress walls surrounding the city. The entrance was erected in the 1400s and features a cannon muzzle, which was a trophy from the 1544 Battle of Cerisoles in Italy. In Saint Paul de Vence, you can see the snow-covered Alps to one side, and the glistening Mediterranean Sea to the other.
The following website will give you a nice idea of the different sights to be seen in St. Paul de Vence: http://www.saint-pauldevence.com/en
An English-speaking tour guide will accompany us on the tour bus to and from St. Paul de Vence, and in the village for those who are interested in a guided tour, providing us with information about our visit and commentary on points of interest along the way.
