Villas and Gardens of the Cote d'Azur by Rail Tour
Villas and Gardens of the Cote d'Azur by Rail Tour
8 Days Starting and ending in St Pancras, United Kingdom
Visiting: Nice, Menton, Cap Ferrat, St Paul de Vence
Tour operator:
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
0 - 25
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Meat
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on a captivating journey through the enchanting landscapes of the Côte d'Azur with the "Villas and Gardens of the Côte d'Azur by Rail Tour." This exquisite tour invites you to explore the region's most iconic villas and gardens, including Eileen Gray's Villa E1027, the opulent Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, and the ancient Greek-inspired Villa Kerylos. Delight in the lush Hanbury Gardens and the serene Villa Val Rahmeh, while immersing yourself in the rich cultural tapestry of St Paul de Vence and Renoir's Maison les Collettes. Travel in comfort by Eurostar and TGV, staying at the elegant Hotel Napoleon in Menton. Enjoy insightful talks and guided visits led by Nicholas Merchant, ensuring a truly enriching experience. With a blend of art, history, and breathtaking scenery, this tour promises an unforgettable exploration of the French Riviera's hidden gems.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1:
Location: Nice
Accommodation Name: Best Western Mediterranee, Menton
Meals Included: Breakfast
Travel by Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris and onwards to Nice by TGV. On arrival transfer to hotel for check-in for seven-night stay on bed and breakfast basis. On arrival at the hotel there will be light refreshment served in the restaurant.
Day 2: Serre De La Madone And Maria Serena Gardens.
Location: Menton
Accommodation Name: Hotel Napoleon, Menton
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning we enjoy our first talk ‘The Creation of the Cote d’Azur’ by Nicholas Merchant, Former Chairman of the Art Fund West Yorkshire Fundraising Committee who has lectured extensively on the decorative arts both for branches of The Arts Society and independently in America, South Africa and Europe. Situated in the hills behind Menton, this 9-hectare terraced garden was the creation of Lawrence Johnston, better known for his creation of Hidcote in the Cotswolds. Plants from Burma, China and South Africa thrive in this gently and sunny climate. It has now been restored after a period of decline. This afternoon we will have a guided tour of the Maria Serena Gardens. Right on the sea front, and the last house before the Italian border, the Maria Serena Villa and Gardens, was constructed around 1880 for the family of Ferdinand de Lesseps. Today it is a guest villa for the city of Menton. The villa is surrounded by a hectare and a half of gardens, where tropical and sub-tropical plants thrive, including a large collection of palm trees and cycad trees. They command a splendid view overlooking the sea and the old city of Menton.
Day 3:Villa E-1027 And Free Afternoon In Menton.
Location: Menton
Accommodation Name: Hotel Napoleon, Menton
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning we will have another talk from Nicholas ‘Eileen Grey and the Villa E-1027’ before departing for a visit of the Villa E-1027. A veritable icon of modernist architecture overlooking the sea, Villa E-1027 was architect and designer, Eileen Gray’s first architectural creation and testifies to the thought and attention that she put into every detail of the design. It is tantamount to a manifesto both for its architecture and for the fixed and free-standing furniture, lamps and decorations that are inseparable from it. Eileen spent three whole years designing the furniture and working with her partner Jean Badovici on the plans. Le Corbusier was a visitor after Eileen Gray had left and painted murals on some of the walls, some of which remain in situ. After a long and checkered history, the villa has been carefully restored since 1999 and is now accepting visitors and offers a fascinating insight into its architect and the era. In the afternoon you will have some free time to spend in the town of Menton. A favourite resort for the English in the 19th century, including Queen Victoria, this town enjoys one of the most beneficent climates along this coast. Highlights include the Musee Cocteau, the Salle des Mariages in the Town Hall and the Basilica of St Michel is a magnificent example of baroque architecture.
Day 4: Full Day Nice.
Location: Nice
Accommodation Name: Hotel Napoleon, Menton
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning there will be a talk ‘Queen Victoria in the South of France’, by Nicholas before we then depart for our full day visit to Nice. France's fifth largest city, Nice has been a popular destination of the rich and famous including Queen Victoria for some 150 years. It is a wonderful city to explore with several distinctive districts, a wealth of galleries and museums, lovely port and famed Promenade des Anglais. Nice was Italian until 1860, reflected in the pastel facades and balconies of the old town which have a distinctly Italiante feel. Nice is overflowing with things to see and do - highlights include several museums including the Chagall, Matisse, Modern Art and Beaux-Arts, characterful flower market area, 17th century Palais Lascaris, Russian Church and much more.
Day 5: Villa Ephrussi De Rothschild At Cap Ferrat And Villa Kerylos.
Location: Cap Ferrat
Accommodation Name: Hotel Napoleon, Menton
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Built in 1895 for the enormously wealthy Beatrice de Rothschild, this pink, treasure-filled palace sits atop the promontory surrounded by its own lush gardens. Lunch is included in the villa's elegant restaurant overlooking the bay. After lunch we visit Villa Kerylos, one of the most extraordinary villas on the coast. Designed as a recreation of an ancient Greek Villa, this houses teeters on the water's edge, its rooms filled with furniture and artefacts taken from images on ancient Greek Vases.
Day 6: St Paul De Vence, Foundation Maeght And Maison Les Collettes.
Location: St Paul de Vence
Accommodation Name: Hotel Napoleon, Menton
Meals Included: Breakfast
One of the great galleries of France, this privately funded establishment dating from 1964 has an enormous range of paintings, ceramics, stained glass and sculpture by Giacometti, Miro, Chagall, Calder and Braque to name but a few. Built by the Catalan architect Jose-Luis Sert, the building is itself an astonishing sight. Following some free time in St Paul de Vence, one of the most famous of the hill-villages of the region has proved a magnet for artists, and now contains not only galleries but also offers from its ramparts breath-taking views of the surrounding countryside and the sea. Return to Menton via Cagnes sur Mer where the Maison les Collettes contains ten of the paintings of Auguste Renoir who lived here up to this death in 1919.
Day 7: Villa Hanbury Gardens And The Villa Val Rahmeh.
Location: Menton
Accommodation Name: Hotel Napoleon, Menton
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we have our final talk by Nicholas, ‘English Gardeners in the South of France’ before we set off for our day of visits. An excursion just over the border into Italy takes us to the 100-acre Villa Hanbury gardens laid out by Sir Thomas Hanbury in the mid-19th century. A dramatic site on a promontory the garden is planted with a wide range of specimens ranging from succulents to rose and plants indigenous to the site. Afternoon return via Villa Val Rahmeh (above Menton) a garden created by an Englishman, Sir Percy Radcliffe, former Governor of Malta. A private domain, now an outstation of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. This evening we will have a farewell dinner all together at the hotel.
Day 8:
Location: Nice
Transfer to Nice station for return TGV to Paris and onwards by Eurostar to St Pancras.
What's Included
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Return standard class Eurostar and TGV from St Pancras to Nice via Paris
The tour includes return travel by standard class Eurostar and TGV from St Pancras to Nice via Paris.
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Seven nights' bed and breakfast at the four-star Hotel Napoleon, Menton, based on shared occupancy of a twin room
Accommodation for seven nights at the four-star Hotel Napoleon in Menton is included, with a bed and breakfast arrangement based on shared occupancy of a twin room.
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Small cold plate at the hotel on arrival on the first night and a farewell dinner at the hotel on the last night
A small cold plate is provided on arrival at the hotel on the first night, and a farewell dinner is included on the last night.
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One lunch at Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
The tour includes one lunch at the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.
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Full coaching itinerary
A full coaching itinerary is included in the tour.
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Entrance fees
Entrance fees to the various sites and attractions are included.
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Talks and accompanied visits by Nicholas Merchant, Former Chairman of the West Yorkshire Art Fund
The tour includes talks and accompanied visits by Nicholas Merchant, Former Chairman of the West Yorkshire Art Fund.
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Tour manager throughout
A tour manager is provided throughout the duration of the tour.
What's Not Included
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Double for sole use supplement
A supplement is required for a double room for sole use.
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Holiday insurance
Holiday insurance is not included and must be arranged separately.
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Room upgrade to a Seaview Room
Upgrading to a Seaview Room is not included and requires an additional cost.
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Standard Premier/1st Class upgrade on Eurostar/TGV
Upgrades to Standard Premier or 1st Class on Eurostar/TGV are not included.
On Eurostar, this upgrade includes upgraded seating and a light meal with a complimentary drink, while the French railway leg offers upgraded seating only. -
Meals other than those stated
Meals other than those specifically stated in the inclusions are not included.
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Items of a personal nature such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls
Personal items such as drinks, laundry, and telephone calls are not included.
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Porterage and gratuities
Porterage and gratuities are not included in the tour package.
Mode of Transport
Travel by Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris and onwards to Nice by TGV. On arrival, transfer to the hotel for a seven-night stay on a bed and breakfast basis. Return TGV to Paris and onwards by Eurostar to St Pancras.
Accommodation
Hotel Napoleon, Menton: This comfortable four-star hotel is located on the seafront, close to the Old Town of Menton, and offers an outdoor pool, fitness room, lounge bar and courtyard garden. The modern mountain-view bedrooms have private bathroom facilities, air conditioning, TV, minibar, free wi-fi and tea/coffee making facilities.
MORE INFO
We are delighted to have received this feedback from Ms Pamela Richardson who has taken over 30 of our tours......''It took precisely one day back in a cold, damp, dark London in late October to realise why wealthy Britons and Queen Victoria headed for the Cote d’ azur for the winter. Nicholas Merchant, our eminent lecturer, regaled us most mornings with stories of beautiful gardens, extraordinary villas and their often illustrious owners. I was most looking forward to Lawrence Johnston’s Serre de la Madone in the hills above Menton and the pink tinted Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild at Cap Ferrat. They didn’t disappoint. I’d done the Tour before, in the spring of 2015, so knew the direct route to the loggia of the villa Ephrussi where I sat, sheltered from the sun, to read A Life by Maupassant and to wait for the fountains to erupt and dance to the strains of Verdi, Mozart, Offenbach and Strauss. As the fountains cascaded up and down and from side to side to the music I was reminded of the poem Absence by Elizabeth Jennings, ‘Nothing was changed, the gardens were well-tended, The fountains sprayed their usual steady jet’. It was and they did, just as beautiful in the last days of autumn as it had been in the spring. Menton is an ideal base for the daily excursions and the hotel was good. Serge Bertini, our knowledgeable and endlessly patient Tour manager guided us daily from villas to gardens with a visit to Fondation Maeght to see the modern art collection. This is a delightful Tour. Would I do it a third time? You bet I would!''......
Check out our Q&As
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What type of accommodation is provided during the tour?
The tour includes a seven-night stay at the four-star Hotel Napoleon in Menton, which is located on the seafront and offers amenities such as an outdoor pool, fitness room, lounge bar, and courtyard garden. The rooms have modern facilities including air conditioning, TV, minibar, free Wi-Fi, and tea/coffee making facilities. There is also an option to upgrade to a Seaview room with a balcony.
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Are meals included in the tour package?
The tour includes a small cold plate at the hotel on arrival on the first night, a farewell dinner at the hotel on the last night, and one lunch at Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. Breakfast is included daily as part of the bed and breakfast accommodation.
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Who will be guiding the tour and providing talks?
Nicholas Merchant, the Former Chairman of the West Yorkshire Art Fund, will be providing talks and accompanying visits throughout the tour. He has extensive experience lecturing on decorative arts.
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What kind of transportation is used during the tour?
The tour includes travel by Eurostar from St Pancras to Paris and onwards to Nice by TGV. A full coaching itinerary is provided for local travel during the tour.
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What are some of the key sites visited during the tour?
Key sites include Eileen Gray’s Villa E1027, Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, Villa Kerylos, Hanbury Gardens, Villa Val Rahmeh, St Paul de Vence, Fondation Maeght, and Renoir’s Maison les Collettes.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Final joining instructions and documentation will be despatched approximately 10 days before travel.
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Do I need any Visas or Vaccinations for my holidays?
Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change. Please check with your local doctor/GP about the current Vaccination requirements of the country you are visiting. For Visa enquiries, please contact the Embassy of the country you are visiting.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Generally, single and double rooms carry the same price, which means that single supplements for certain itineraries can seem high. We would be pleased to arrange for clients travelling alone to share with another client, however this is subject to somebody in the same situation booking on the tour. If you would be interested in this option, please let us know at the time of enquiry/booking.
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Where does the tour manager meet us?
In most cases the tour manager will travel out with the tour group from the UK. However, this is not always the case and the tour manager may meet you at the destination station / airport. The exact details specific to your tour will be given to you in your final documentation, 10 days prior to departure.
Reviews from travellers on this tour
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Mar 30, 2025 - Apr 06, 2025Book with Confidence
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CTS demo white label allows you to make 20 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 0 days before the start of the tour.
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CTS demo white label requires a minimum deposit of 55% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 30 days before departure.
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