Current Programs:
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Aix-en-Provence, France Program
 Protected by the Montagne Ste Victoire which rises to 1,011m. Aix is surrounded by a countryside full of authentic Provencal houses and traditional French style gardens. The name Aix comes from the source discovered when the city was founded in 123b.c. by the Romans.
Aix was the capitol of Provence in the 15th century, Wealthy merchants and local dignitaries helped turn this city into the Florence of Provence as we know it today. One can find all the beauty of the noble Provence of the17th and 18th centuries: handsome houses of the upper class, private mansions, city squares bursting with flowers, ancient fountains and shaded narrow streets.
Please choose from the following week-long programs:
 Dates:
April 13th – 19th, 2008
April 20th – 26th, 2008
Itinerary:
Each morning, Monday through Thrusday, from 900 AM until 12:00 Noon, you will attend classes. From 1:00 PM and into each evening you will participate in a privately-guided excursion. A beautiful dinner will be included each evening.
Sunday Evening: A Welcome Reception & Dinner, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Monday afternoon: A Tour of Luberon, the Hilltop Villages
 Luberon is an unrivalled place in France for its spectacular landscapes: perched villages of castles, ochre cliffs, lavender fields…We will visit age-old villages of captivating charm: Bonnieux, formerly a papal estate - Lacoste, ruins of the Marquis de Sade's castle - "impregnable" Menerbes on its rocky foundation, then to romantic Oppede-le-Vieux.. Dinner in beautiful Aix-en-Provence.
Tuesday afternoon: A Tour of Les Baux de Provence
 We will tour the village of the Baux de Provence, situated in the heart of the Alpilles on a rocky plateau 245m high. A brilliant view of Arles, the Camargue and the Alpilles can be seen from the look-out points! This immense and superb stone fortress is without doubt one of the "must-sees" on the Provencal.!
The village is officially classified and labeled as "one of the most beautiful villages in France". Its cultural heritage is exceptionally rich, with 22 architectural treasures classified as "Historic Monuments" (including the church, chateau, town-hall, hospital, chapels, houses, doorways... without counting items of furniture and a collection of paintings). A beautiful dinner on our return to Aix-en-Provence.
Wednesday afternoon: A Tour of Saint-Remy-de-Provence
Situated in the heart of the Alpilles, Saint Rémy is one of the "must-sees" in Provence. Surrounded by lush green perfumed valleys, its ancient streets are lined with beautifully restored old houses... you will soon be seduced by Saint Rémy's charm!
We will stroll through the narrow winding streets and discover fantastic old fountains, shady squares, picturesque  restaurants and elegant boutiques. From the place Jean Jaurès to the gates of the old town, we will come across a long succession of "hôtels particuliers" (often converted into museums or art galleries), convents, chapels, and ornate houses from the 17th and 18th century.
The beauty of the countryside and the quality of light has inspired many artists, writers and painters. Without a doubt, the most famous was Vincent Van Gogh who produced more than150 paintings of the countryside surrounding Saint Rémy de Provence. Dinner on return to Aix-en-Provence.
Thursday afternoon: A Tour of Marseilles
 We will tour the unforgettable city of Marseilles. Although part of the region of Provence, Marseilles has a soul of its own. Founded in 600 b.c. by the Greek sailors of Phocaea, this great city is the oldest in France and surely the most complex.
Second largest city in France and the largest commercial port, Marseilles, in the time of the French colonies, was the gateway to the Mediterranean, Today Marseilles remains a capitol of southern Europe, cosmopolitan and exuberant, with its picturesque old port, its Bouillabaisse and its folklore. Dinner on our return.
Friday: A Full-day Excursion to Lourmarin Provencal Market Roussillon; Gordes; Senanque Abbey
 We will arrival in Lourmarin at the foot of Luberon. Free time to wander through the open provencal market and the village (castle...) Late in the morning, we will depart for the colourful village of Roussillon and its ochre cliffs (Free time for discovery and lunch). In the afternoon, we will visit the 12th century Cistercian Abbey of Senanque and a last stop in the beautiful hill top village of Gordes (panorama and stop) before going back to Aix for a delicious dinner.
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