France Private Tour and Charter: Paris, Provence and the Riviera

France is three trips in one country: Paris, the châteaux and wine country within two hours of it, and the south — Provence and the Riviera — that needs its own week. A car matters in the second and third, and gets in the way in the first.

包車 — charter, car and driver

A charter is right for the days outside巴黎: Versailles and Giverny in one day, the Loire châteaux, Champagne, Burgundy's vineyard roads, the Luberon villages from Avignon, and the coast road between Nice and Menton. It is also the only sane way to move luggage between two hotels without a station detour.

包團 — private tour, the route planned too

A private tour adds hotels in the right arrondissement, restaurant bookings that need to be made weeks ahead, and the internal trains or flights that keep the trip moving. Paris rewards a planner more than most cities: the good tables and the small museums are booked, not queued.

Routes that work

• 7 days: Paris four nights with Versailles and Giverny, then train south to Avignon for Provence.
• 10 days: add the Riviera — Nice, Èze, Menton — with the coast road by car.
• 10 days north: Paris, the Loire châteaux, Bordeaux and the Dordogne by car.

Getting around

Paris to Versailles is about 45 minutes by road outside peak hours. Paris to Avignon is roughly two hours forty by high-speed train. Avignon to Nice is about three hours by car or two and a half by train. The Riviera coast road is slow in summer and worth it anyway.

When to come

May, June and September for Paris and the south; July and August are hot and crowded on the coast. October is the best month for Burgundy and the Loire. Provence's lavender runs roughly mid-June to mid-July.

Frequently asked questions

Do we need a car in Paris?

No. The métro is faster than any car in the centre and parking is a liability. The car starts when you leave the city.

Can we visit the Loire châteaux in a day?

Two or three of them, yes, from Paris or with one night in the region. The châteaux are spread across a valley and a single day means picking carefully.

Is the Riviera doable without a car?

By train between the main towns, yes. The villages above the coast and the quiet capes need a car.

When is the lavender in bloom?

Roughly mid-June to mid-July in the Valensole plateau and the Sault area. It is harvested by early August.

Do your drivers speak English or Chinese?

We match the driver to the party. Tell us the language you need when you ask and we confirm availability for your dates.