Carcassonne, Avignon & Provence

Day 1

Fly to Toulouse, or directly to Carcassonne, meet your tour manager and make the scenic transfer to your welcoming hotel in UNESCO-listed Carcassonne. Relax after checking in, and later take the opportunity to dine out and sample the famous local cuisine during your stay.

Day 2

Join your guide for a fascinating included walking tour of Carcassonne, one of the most striking walled settlements in the whole of Europe, and where the remarkably preserved, double-walled Cité is the jewel in its spectacular crown. Restored in the mid-19th Century, this fairy-tale bastion includes the inner Château Comtal and the beautiful church of St-Nazaire, which offers spectacular views across the fortress from its tower. Wander the narrow, sometimes steep, streets of this medieval time-capsule, past the colourful cafés, restaurants and craft shops that are squeezed into its tiny buildings, or take in the views from the city walls. After the tour, you'll have the rest of the day free to explore at your leisure. Beneath the turrets of the Cité and across the languid River Aude, the equally charming Ville Basse, the second of Carcassonne’s two "towns", offers a wider variety of places where you can enjoy lunch or dinner.

Day 3

Today’s included excursion takes you, first, to Castres, stopping to explore its quiet paved streets and see the tightly clustered houses overhanging the banks of the River Agout. We'll return to Carcassonne via the Haut Languedoc region and the historic Cathar city of Albi, nestled alongside the River Tarn beneath the vast, red-brick cathedral, and birthplace of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Spend some time discovering the city, perhaps visiting the great Gothic church and the adjacent Palais de la Berbie castle, which houses over 1,000 of Toulouse-Lautrec’s works, or wandering the atmospheric old town.

Day 4

Today you're free to relax and explore. Why not return to Carcassonne's beguiling Cité for a lazy stroll and a long lunch – one of the great pleasures of a holiday in this corner of the world?

Day 5

An unforgettable day awaits, today, as you journey to two of southern France’s most sparkling jewels. Our first stop is the breath-taking, three-tiered Roman aqueduct now known as the Pont du Gard. This towering stone watercourse straddles the River Gard, was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1985, and is regarded as a masterpiece of Roman engineering. From there, we'll continue to historic Avignon, encircled by its low ancient walls, and dominated by its monumental centrepiece, the fortified Palais des Papes. This 14th-century home to popes and cardinals also supported a court of assorted princes, barons and other nobility who helped the city build a dubious reputation as one of medieval Europe’s most decadent and colourful places. Don’t miss the remains of the Pont Saint-Benezet, the "Pont d'Avignon" of the famous French folk song, that juts out into the fast-flowing waters of the River Rhône as they make their way towards the Mediterranean. Avignon’s bustling main square, the Place de l’Horloge, is lined with cafés and restaurants, perfect places to stop for a rest and a relaxing drink.

Day 6

Today you'll enjoy a delightful included cruise on the tree-lined Canal du Midi, part of the 240 kilometre-long waterway constructed in the 17th Century to connect the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Day 7

On your last day, you're free to enjoy Carcassonne or join our full-day tour of France’s south-west corner. You'll begin with a visit to the exquisite port-town of Collioure, one-time home to the artist Matisse. Discover the palm-fringed promenade that curves around the bay of this particularly attractive coastal settlement overlooked by the monumental Château-Royal before we continue to Narbonne. Once the Roman capital of all of southern Gaul, Narbonne is dominated by an imposing 13th-century cathedral, its central canal and its now exposed section of the famed Roman road, the Via Domitia, that runs beneath the main square, before we climb to the Chateau de l'Hospitalet to enjoy a wine tasting and take in the spectacular Mediterranean views.

Day 8

Say "au revoir" to Carcassonne, transfer to the airport and check in for your flight home at the end of a wonderful tour of the South of France.