France Travel / France Tour / France Holiday
Join Charles Thomas, world renowned
water gardens expert and co-owner of Lilypons on a very special
journey
to the gardens of France.
Paris, Nice, Versailles,
Monet's water garden in Giverny,
plus much more!
This unique tour is for those who love the beauty of waterlilies
and gardens, plus their family and friends.
Itinerary for your adventure:
Sept. 7: Depart the U.S. from New York. (Flights from other places
in the U.S., please inquire.)
Sept. 8: Arrive in Paris. Transfer to your hotel located only a short walk from many of Paris' well known sites, such as the Arc
de Triomphe.
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Monet's gardens
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Sept. 9: Tour of Paris, "The City of Lights" including
the Tuileries Garden. Le Jardin des Tuileries is laid out in a
classic French style and offers a view of many major buildings and squares,
including the Concord Square, built during the Louis XIV era, the
Egyptian obelisk, the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, and
far in the distance even the Arc de Triomphe.
The garden's sculptures are
extremely varied with contributions from Marly, Van Cleve, Coustou, and
Le Paultre. The spacious formal garden plan draws out the perspective
from the reflecting pools one to the other in an unbroken vista.
Sept. 10: Tour Giverny Gardens, see Monet's home.
Giverny, at the gateway to Normandy, has origins of ancient Gallo-Roman
times. See the two gardens here, including Monet's world famous water
garden. Ten years after his arrival at Giverny he began the water garden.
It is full of symmetries and curves and is inspired by the Japanese gardens
that Monet loved. In the other garden, Monet designed a garden full of
perspectives, symmetries and colors.
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Versailles gardens
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Sept. 11: Today a tour of Versailles Palace and its
gardens. Versailles is one the most famous gardens in the world. Yet 'garden'
is scarcely a fitting designation. The scale is monumental and there is
little sense of enclosure. Avenues project from Louis XIV's palace towards
distant horizons, enfolding town, palace, garden and forest. There are
immaculate parterres, great basins, an orangery, a vast collection of
outdoor sculpture and some of the grandest fountains ever made. Also
see the Parc De Bagatelle as we leave Paris for Versailles.
Sept. 12: Travel to Agen, the home of Latour-Marliac gardens.
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Latour-Marliac
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Sept. 13: Tour of the spectacular world famous water gardens
of Latour-Marliac, one of the highlights of your tour. Latour-Marliac's
historic nursery rates on equal status with Claude Monet's Giverny among
waterlily enthusiasts. Founded in the 1870's, this extraordinary nursery,
with basins stretching over 6 acres, is the source of most of the hybrid
waterlilies found throughout the world today. Latour-Marliac worked at
the hybridization of Nymphaeas for 40 years, and he persevered in his
passion for a long time before any satisfactory results were apparent.
Many of the early varieties were painted by Claude Monet and still grow
in the gardens of his home we visit at Giverny.
Later today travel to Montpelier, the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon
region. The city is known for Montpelier's Place de la Comedia, a grand
pedestrian and sidewalk cafe that fares the beautiful old city theatre
area.
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Jardin des Plantes
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Sept. 14: Montpelier siteseeing includes the Jardin
de Plantes, the oldest botanical garden in France dating, back to
the 16th century. Free time to enjoy the charming old city of Montpelier.
Sept. 15: Travel to Nice, one of the most beautiful of
French cities, a place where the remains of ancient Rome architecture
are admired as well as monuments such as Pont du Gard. Tour gardens
in Nimes including the Jardin de la Fontaine, a garden surrounded
on all sides by moats. Explore La Bambouseraie de Prafrance, famous
for its giant bamboo and including many rare and exotic trees. Travel
to Nice on the exciting French Riviera where you stay for three nights.
Sept. 16: See the gardens in and around Nice and the
Riviera, plus free time. Although the Riviera is known for its resorts
and beaches, it also has a variety of gardens. Nice is known for its beautiful
parks, which include Parc de Cimiez, an Amphitheater Park,
Carpeaux Square and Phoenix - Parc Floral de Nice, a floral
park with water, lawns, thousands of flowers, an aviary, exotic butterflies
and the largest greenhouse in Europe, the "green diamond". Tropical and
sub-tropical vegetation can be seen at the 2.5-acre park, Gardens of
the Villa Maria Serena, built by Charles Garnier and the Exotic Gardens,
"Jardin Exotique", suspended 429 meters between sky and sea, yields
an excellent view of the entire coast. Castle ruins, cacti, and over 400
wonderful plants are all part of these magnificent gardens.
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Lily Pons
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Sept. 17: View Lily Pons home in Nice. Born April 12, 1904
in Dragulgnan near Cannes, Lily Pons (Alice Josephine Pons) was a celebrated
opera singer not only in Europe, but South America, Mexico, Cuba and the
United States as well. In 1938 she married the well-known conductor Andre
Kostelanetz. One of the most written-about performers of her era, she
set trends in the world of fashion and glamour. There is even a town in
Maryland named after her, which of course, is the home of beautiful Lilypons
Water Gardens!
Also today, see Monte Carlo, including the famous Monte Carlo
Casino and its beautiful formal gardens. Monte Carlo is the capital of
Monaco, known for its casinos and resorts. It is a place where royalty
still rules. Sites in Monte Carlo include the 19th-century Romanesque
cathedral containing the tomb of Princess Grace with its rose garden
and many impressive works of art.
Sept. 18: Depart for the U.S. or continue on to Italy for an optional 7 day extension.
Note: Itinerary subject to change.
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Mr. Thomas gives two lectures during the tour, including how to create your
own hybrid waterlilies!