Expeditions to France



ANNECY (French Alps) and the NOCTIBULES FESTIVAL (night street festival), LYON and medieval PEROUGES
DATES: July 16-24, 2008 - 9 days/8 nights
PRICE: $2,975 (land arrangements based on single occupancy).
ARRIVAL: July 16 in Lyon. You will need to depart the USA on July 15 in order to arrive in Lyon the next morning. From Lyon St Exupery Airport, you will take either a coach or the train to Annecy (Detailed directions will be provided once we know your air schedule).
DEPARTURE: July 24, from Lyon.

Located in the northern French Alps, in Haute-Savoie, about 50 miles south of Geneva, Switzerland, Annecy is known as the Venice of Savoy. A well-deserved title for this medieval city built around a 14th Century Chateau and whose center is criss-crossed with small canals and streams running out of Lake Annecy, the purest in Europe. Annecy also wins all ornamental contests with its amazing flower beds found throughout the city and its parks from Spring to Fall.

We'll spend delightful hours exploring the old city, its medieval arcades, its cobblestone pedestrian walkways, enjoying its open-air markets and sidewalk restaurants, and take a day cruise on Lake Annecy, famous for its pure and clear waters, and stop in the small village of Talloires for lunch.

It is in this picturesque setting that the Noctibules Festival of performing arts takes place, enlivening the summer evenings with dance, music and theater. For four days the heart of Annecy and the lake edges become a huge open-air theater, filled with musicians, artists, and performers of all kinds. Touring companies from all over France come to Annecy for the annual festival, giving us great opportunities for action and people photography. Amazing performances choreographed with pyrotechnic displays will keep you in awe!

Magic is in the air in Annecy during the Noctibules!

We'll enjoy a summer picnic at Col de la Forclaz or hike on Mont Semnoz, both overlooking the Lake Annecy, and watch paragliding enthusiasts take off from the site for the ride of their lives.

We'll spend three days in Lyon, a city older than Paris, in the heart of the Rhone Valley, and often bypassed by travelers, yet so much worth the stop. We'll explore the "traboules" - semi-secret pedestrian passageways unique to Lyon, joining two parallel streets and dating from the Roman era - and stroll leisurely in the Vieux Lyon (old Lyon) rife with historical and architectural gems. Lyon is also the French capital of gastronomy.

Not far from Lyon and perched on top of a the hill, the medieval village of Perouges awaits us, with its cobblestone lanes, fortress church and picturesque houses, for a day excursion.

Lyon is also known as the French capital of gastronomy, and a farewell dinner in the convivial atmosphere of a traditional "Bouchon" restaurant will give us a culinary experience worth remembering.

Expedition Cost: $2,975 (land arrangement only, based on single occupancy).
Reservations: A $1,000 per person deposit is required to secure a place on our expeditions, which can be paid via Paypal or by check (preferred). If you are two persons booking together and sharing a double room, the cost is $2,575 per person. The balance is due 60 days prior to beginning of expedition.
Group Size: minimum 3, maximum 6. Under 3 sign-ups a small-group supplement of $300 p.p. will be requested.

*Expedition Cost includes:
Hotel accommodations in 2-star hotel in the center of Annecy Old Town and in Lyon; ground transportation to the various sites visited; all breakfasts, 7 meals (lunch, dinner and picnic) taken with the group (as indicated in itinerary that will be sent to you); entrance fees (Castle of Annecy, Palais de l'Ile, Annecy Lake cruise); train or coach from Annecy to Lyon; services of expedition leader.

Cost does NOT include:
Airfare to/from your home city and Lyon, transfer by train or coach from Lyon airport to Annecy (about E23) and taxi from Annecy train station to hotel (within walking distance), transfer from Lyon train station to Lyon hotel (within walking distance), alcoholic beverages, meals not indicated in itinerary, items of personal nature and incidentals, luggage porters, mandatory travel insurance, entrance fees not mentioned above, passport fees, gratuities.

NOTE 1: American and Canadian nationals do not need visa to enter France. Other nationals should check with their French consulate. You need a valid passport.

NOTE 2: Please try to book a flight arriving in Lyon as early in the morning as possible. That will facilitate your transfer either by coach, train or TGV (High Speed train) to Annecy (about 2 hours) and give you more time to rest upon arrival in Annecy. From the USA most airlines have connections to Lyon through their European hubs.

For complete details, see our General Information page.

To register for an expedition and make a payment, go to Registration