Final-year school trip to Provence, the Camargue and Catalonia: Avignon, the Pont du Gard, Arles, Aigues-Mortes, Carcassonne and Barcelona (10 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and overnight stop in Burgundy

• Departure from your school early in the morning, at the agreed time, and daytime drive via Luxembourg, Lorraine and Dijon (about 600 km from Brussels, 6½ hours’ driving 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 during a motorway break.
• Overnight stop in the Beaune area, dinner and quiet evening.

Day 2: The Rhône valley and Avignon, city of the popes

• Departure after breakfast and drive via Lyon and the Rhône valley (about 330 km, 3½ hours excluding breaks).
• Arrival in Avignon in the late morning and free lunch.
• Visit to the Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic palace in the world (on request).
• The Pont Saint-Bénézet, the famous bridge of Avignon (on request), and the view over the Rhône from the Rocher des Doms garden.
• Check-in at the accommodation in or near Avignon for three nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 3: The Pont du Gard and Roman Nîmes

• Drive to the Pont du Gard (about 25 km, 30 minutes) and visit to the Roman aqueduct, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (on request).
• Drive to Nîmes (about 25 km) and visit to the arena, one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres (on request).
• Free lunch, then the Maison Carrée and the Jardins de la Fontaine (free admission).
• Return to Avignon (about 45 km), dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: Arles and the Camargue

• Drive to Arles (about 40 km, 45 minutes) and visit to the Roman amphitheatre (on request).
• Walk in the footsteps of Van Gogh: the Place du Forum and the courtyard of the Espace Van Gogh.
• Free lunch, then visit to the Pont de Gau bird park and its pink flamingos (on request).
• Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, its fortified church and the Mediterranean beach.
• Return to Avignon (about 90 km), dinner and supervised evening.

Day 5: Aigues-Mortes and the walled city of Carcassonne

• Check-out after breakfast and drive to Aigues-Mortes (about 80 km, 1¼ hours).
• Walk along the ramparts of Aigues-Mortes, the fortified town of Saint Louis surrounded by salt marshes (on request).
• Free lunch, then drive to Carcassonne via Montpellier and Narbonne (about 220 km, 2½ hours excluding breaks).
• Visit to the Château Comtal and the ramparts of the Cité de Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (on request).
• Check-in at the accommodation in Carcassonne for one night, dinner, then supervised walk through the illuminated Cité.

Day 6: Drive to Catalonia and arrival in Barcelona

• Departure after breakfast and drive to Spain via Perpignan and the Le Perthus border crossing (about 310 km, 3½ hours excluding breaks).
• Arrival in Barcelona in the early afternoon and free lunch.
• Walk down La Rambla, the Boqueria market and the Gothic Quarter, with the cathedral.
• Check-in at the accommodation in or near Barcelona for three nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 7: Gaudí’s Barcelona

• Visit to the Sagrada Família basilica, Gaudí’s building site since 1882 (on request).
• Walk along Passeig de Gràcia, past Casa Batlló and La Pedrera (outside views).
• Free lunch in the Gràcia district.
• Visit to Park Güell, its mosaics and its terrace overlooking the city (on request).
• Dinner and supervised evening.

Day 8: Montjuïc, Picasso and the sea

• Up Montjuïc hill: the 1992 Olympic Stadium and the view over the city from the steps of the National Art Museum of Catalonia.
• Visit to Montjuïc Castle (on request).
• Free lunch, then visit to the Picasso Museum, housed in medieval palaces (on request).
• Late afternoon on Barceloneta beach and at Port Vell.
• Dinner and last supervised evening in Barcelona.

Day 9: Drive to the overnight stop north of Lyon

• Check-out after breakfast and departure around 7.30 am.
• Daytime drive via Perpignan, Montpellier and the Rhône valley (about 670 km, 7½ hours excluding breaks), with two drivers taking turns.
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Overnight stop in the Villefranche-sur-Saône area, north of Lyon, dinner and quiet evening.

Day 10: Return to your school

• Departure after breakfast and daytime drive via Dijon, Lorraine and Luxembourg (about 720 km to Brussels, 8 hours’ driving excluding breaks), with regular breaks.
• Free lunch during a break on the way.
• Arrival at your school in the evening.