Final-year school trip to the French Riviera: Nice, Monaco, Èze, Cannes, the Lérins Islands and Antibes (9 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and overnight stop in the Lyon area

• Departure from your school early in the morning, at the agreed time, and daytime drive via Luxembourg, Lorraine and Dijon (about 700 to 750 km depending on your school, 8 hours excluding breaks).
• Our drivers drive for a maximum of 3 hours, then take a 30-minute break, day and night; two drivers take turns at the wheel.
• Free lunch at a motorway service area.
• Overnight stop in the Lyon area, dinner and quiet evening.

Day 2: The Rhône valley and arrival in Nice

• Departure after breakfast, around 7.30 am, and drive via the Rhône valley, Aix-en-Provence and the Esterel (about 470 km, 5½ hours excluding breaks).
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Arrival in Nice in the afternoon and a first walk along the Promenade des Anglais and the beach.
• Check-in at the accommodation in or near Nice for six nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 3: Nice, from Old Nice to Cimiez

• The Cours Saleya market, the lanes of Old Nice and the Place Masséna.
• Up Castle Hill for the view over the Baie des Anges (free access).
• Free lunch, then drive up to Cimiez hill and visit to the Matisse Museum (on request).
• The gardens of the Cimiez monastery (free access), then free time on the Promenade du Paillon.
• Dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: Monaco and Èze

• Drive to Monaco (about 20 km, 30 minutes) and up to the Rock: the changing of the guard in front of the Prince’s Palace, at 11.55 am.
• Visit to the Oceanographic Museum, clinging to the cliff (on request), then Monaco Cathedral (free admission).
• Free lunch, then Monte-Carlo: the Place du Casino (outside view) and the famous hairpin bend of the Formula 1 circuit.
• Stop in the hilltop village of Èze, free tour of the Fragonard perfumery and visit to the exotic garden at the top of the village (on request).
• Return to Nice, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 5: Cannes and Sainte-Marguerite Island

• Drive to Cannes (about 35 km, 45 minutes), the Croisette and the steps of the Palais des Festivals.
• Boat crossing to Sainte-Marguerite Island, in the Lérins archipelago (on request).
• Free lunch on the island, then visit to the Royal Fort and the Museum of the Man in the Iron Mask, in the former prison of the famous inmate (on request).
• Back to Cannes and up to the Le Suquet district for the view over the bay, then return to Nice.
• Dinner and supervised evening.

Day 6: Antibes and Saint-Paul-de-Vence

• Drive to Antibes (about 25 km, 35 minutes), the Provençal market and the ramparts of old Antibes.
• Visit to the Picasso Museum, housed in the Château Grimaldi facing the sea (on request).
• Free lunch, then Port Vauban and La Gravette beach.
• Stop in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a walled hilltop village of artists, and return to Nice.
• Dinner and supervised evening.

Day 7: Villefranche-sur-Mer and Cap Ferrat

• Drive to Villefranche-sur-Mer (about 8 km, 20 minutes) and a walk through the old village and around the harbour.
• Supervised hike along the coastal path of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (about 2 hours, free access).
• Free lunch, then visit to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens (on request).
• Return to Nice and supervised free time for some last-minute shopping.
• Dinner and last supervised evening.

Day 8: Drive to the overnight stop in the Lyon area

• Check-out after breakfast and departure around 8 am.
• Daytime drive via the Esterel, Aix-en-Provence and the Rhône valley (about 470 km, 5½ hours excluding breaks).
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Overnight stop in the Lyon area, dinner and quiet evening.

Day 9: Return to your school

• Departure after breakfast and daytime drive via Dijon, Lorraine and Luxembourg (about 700 to 750 km depending on your school, 8 hours excluding breaks), with regular breaks.
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Arrival at your school in the evening.