Transalpine Gaul (known colloquially as 'The Province' - from which Provence takes its name) had already been colonised by the Greeks before the Romans arrived. Consequently the local celtic population had no more difficulty in adopting the already hellenised Roman life-style, than they did in adapting Roman building types to their own traditional techniques, resulting in some of the finest Roman structures outside Italy from amphitheatres and temples to text-book exercises in civil

engineering such as the aqueduct bringing water to Nimes which incorporates one of the most magnificent vestiges of the Roman world, the Pont du Gard. Long after the collapse of the Western Empire the Roman architectural tradition echoed down the centuries in the vaults and colonnades of the Catholic church, some of whose most redolent monuments are included in our itinerary.

We fly to Lyon and drive to our 4 star hotel in the centre of Avignon where we will be spending five nights. Dinner tonight is included and will be taken in a local restaurant

The inhabitants of Provence before the Greeks and the Romans, appear to have been of Celtic origin. They lived in small fortified hilltop settlements known to the Romans as Oppida. Under Roman occupation many of these oppida were deserted and new towns founded nearby. Entremont was such a settlement. After our visit, we drive the short distance to Aix en Provence, where a fine late Roman Baptistery adjoins the predominantly Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral. The influence of Graeco-Roman antiquity is particularly evident in the charming sculptures of the pretty cloister.

Though a Roman foundation, not much remains of that period in Avignon. Instead we plunge into the middle ages in the Romanesque Cathedral and the adjoining Papal Palace. The latter actually comprises two palaces side by side - the one austere and Cistercian in inspiration, the other in a more ornate Gothic style, with wonderful frescoes in the private apartments of the Popes. Our visit ends with a wine-tasting – four Crus of the Avignon region including the “incontournable” Chateuneuf du Pape accompanied by bread and cheese. In the afternoon we visit the Chartreuse of Villeneuve les Avignon with its ruined chapel and splendid, if somewhat battered, Papal tomb.

Glanum just outside St Remy, is another Oppidum, but more heavily influenced in its conception by the Greeks of nearby Marseille. It was excavated from the 1920's onwards and reveals several layers - Celtic, Greek, and Roman - which become clear as one explores the site. We also see the so-called 'Antiques' : two Roman monuments - a mausoleum and a triumphal arch - at the junction of the main axis of the settlement and the via Julia. From here we drive to the nearby village of Le Paradou for an included lunch in the atmospheric (and gastronomic) Bistrot. After lunch we continue to Arles, a former Roman regional capital and home to some splendid Roman structures - an amphitheatre, theatre, baths and a cryptoporticus. The enduring influence of the Roman architectural tradition is again evident in the Romanesque of the former Cathedral of St Trophime with one of the greatest portals in the South.

Perhaps the most famous of all the Roman structures in France, the Pont du Gard is above all witness to the extraordinary technical ingenuity of the Romans. It was designed and manufactured in numbered pieces off-site, then transported and erected over the river Gardon. The numbers are still to be seen. The contrapuntal rhythms of the arches make it one of the most pleasing of all Roman aqueducts. After our visit we drive to Nimes and see where the water from the aqueduct arrived. We then explore the amphitheatre (a 'sister' structure to the one we saw in Arles, though with some improvements to the design), the Maison Carree - a small but almost perfect Roman Temple - and the area of the ancient Celtic site of the town, transformed into a sanctuary by the Romans in honour of the local water goddess.

We transfer to Lyon today, pausing en route at Vaison la Romaine where there are two quite extensive urban sites particularly noted for their domestic architecture. We make a second stop at Orange where we visit the theatre, one of the most complete in the Roman world, and the famous triumphal arch, before continuing north to our 4 star hotel in Lyon for the last two nights.

Lyon's role as capital of Roman Gaul is reflected to this day in the title of the Archbishop as Primate of France. Today we visit the site of two theatres on the hillside overlooking the modern city, and the very fine Gallo-Roman Museum with its wealth of Roman treasures. After lunch we drive down-river to Vienne, also an important town in Roman times, where we visit the excellent museum with its famous mosaic collection and the Temple of Livia and Augustus - almost as well preserved as the Maison Carree in Nimes. We also look into the Cathedral and the nearby Lapidary Museum. Now deconsecrated, the building housing this museum is the oldest extant Christian church in France.

This morning we explore medieval Lyon. Densely clustered round the cathedral in the shadow of the Graeco-Roman 'acropolis', the handsome gothic and renaissance buildings of the old town are a warren of picturesque "traboules" - intercommunicating alleyways, courtyards and staircases - and bear witness to the prosperity generated by the medieval textile industries of which Lyon was a centre. Later in the day we return to the airport for our flight home.

• Accommodation -
  • 5 nights Bed and Breakfast in a central 4 star hotel in Avignon.
  • 2 Nights bed and breakfast in a central hotel in Lyon.
  • There are two incuded dinners and one lunch in local restaurants, plus one wine tasting.
• Transport
  • Private coach throughout for all transfers and excursions
• Excursions as outlined in the itinerary.
• Entrance fees to all places mentioned in the itinerary
• Services of an experienced lecturer/tour leader -
• Local guide where required by local legislation
• All tips and gratuities

• Insurance
  • It is a condition of booking that you have adequate travel insurance to cover your needs when you travel with us. This will need to cover a missed departure, any emergency that may arise while you are travelling with us, and should also enable you to claim back from the insurance company any monies already paid to us or due to us in the event of your having to cancel the tour after booking and before the departure date.
    
    If you have difficulty finding cover due to your age, it may be of help to know that there are at least two companies who provide Travel Insurance to those over retirement age:-
    • Age Concern - Tel 0845 601 2234 Click here for Website
    • Saga - Tel 0800 559 3231 Click here for Website
  
  
• Walking - Most of our tours involve a good deal of walking.
• Sites and Museums - Archaeological sites in some countries can be rough and uneven underfoot and do not always conform to western standards of health and safety.

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FLIGHTS:             Economy Class    Club Class (if available and at supplementary cost)    None