VIVE LA FRANCE SCHOOL & TRAVEL
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SMALL GROUP TRAVEL TO FRANCE
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Itinerary
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What's Included
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Date and Price
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Testimonials
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Terms & Conditions
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Reservation Form
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OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
Custom Trips to France

Summer 2011 Tour
The economy is improving, and people are beginning to think about traveling again. So we are confident that 2011 will be a great year to visit France. We are thinking about Geneva, Switzerland -- Annecy, France -- and of course several days in Paris. There are many wonderful sites on Lac Leman (Geneva Lake) including the dramatic Chateau de Chillon built right on the shores of the Lake. Geneva itself has much to offer both modern and ancient. Annecy in France is a charming town, also on a lake, in the French Alps and is a journey back in time.  Annecy boasts canals, flower covered bridges and Chateaus, especially noteworthy is the nearby spectacular Chateau de Menthon across the lake accessible by boat or car.

Please call 801-582-6019 or  EMAIL us and let us know if you are interested. We usually hold a preliminary orientation meeting approximately six months before the trip.



OUR PREVIOUS T
RIP
In 2009 we visited some spectacular hilltop chateaux and the unique countryside of BURGUNDY. We even took a barge ride on a Canal in Burgundy. The villages and places visited were classy Beaune (the wine capital of Burgundy), beautiful Dijon (homes of the Dukes of Burgundy), Chateauneuf-en-Auxois castle and our hotel next door, Alesia (site of Caesar's victory over the Gauls), Flavigny (from the movie Chocolat, Abbaye de Fontenay (12th century monastery), world famous Nuits St Georges winery, Vezelay (Mary Magdeleine relics, and starting point for the 1st Crusade), Semur and its striking ramparts, St. Fargeau castle, Auxerre with its Sound & Light show in he Cathedral, and of course, two days in romantic Paris.
 

ABOUT YOUR HOST
Catherine Thorpe is a native Parisian with a graduate degree in English from the Sorbonne University. She has taken tours to France for 12 years. She knows the country and the culture to give you that added bonus while traveling in La
Belle France. And she speaks perfect English so you can understand every word.
 

The Best Off-The-Beaten-Path Places in France

PHOTO/ART WORKSHOP
In conjunction with our Vive la France Tours to France,  award winning photographer, Don O. Thorpe will present an "on-the-road" workshop of Impressionist art and photography. The workshop is given as a bonus for Vive la France School travelers. It is our way of giving more service and value to our clients.
FOR DETAILS CLICK HERE
 


Register for 2011 by email: Catherine@ViveLaFranceSchool.com
Include your name and phone number in the email
.

For More Details:
PHONE: 801-582-6019
 


VIVE LA FRANCE SCHOOL offers "EASY LEARN" conversational French classes & genuine French Cuisine classes. Check our website www.ViveLaFranceSchool.com for more details, or call
801-582-6019
 


The Vive La France trip for this year has been postponed to 2011
Due to the uncertain economy and pressing family matters, we have decided to postpone the trip that was planned for this year to the summer of 2011. We know this will be a disappointment to some, and we apologize, but as the French say, "C'est la vie."

VIVE LA FRANCE TRAVEL offers unique French experiences that take you into the heart of France. Our travel groups are small and intimate to allow for a genuine French ambience. We specialize in great travel locations off the beaten track, and our usual accommodations are a cozy European style. We only take one trip to France a year, so it is a special trip and a once in a life-time experience.
A Relaxed Small Group Experience
A relaxed
small group experience is at the heart of our tours. We offer more spontaneity and flexibility because our groups are small and we have the ability to move around easily. We can take advantage of the fun and intercultural experiences that are not possible with large groups. We stay in cozy accommodations that cannot accommodate large groups. We become family and make friends that will last a lifetime.

Custom Itineraries for Small Groups
Our tour is custom-designed especially for small groups. We balance the mixture of sightseeing, cultural experiences, and free time. Our small groups make it possible to have freedom, flexibility, and camaraderie with a personal and authentic-to-the-locality travel experience. We show you the highlights and the extraordinary off-the-beaten-path places. You'll get to meet the local people who are friends or family of the host. We generally spend at least two or three nights in a place so you won't be frustrated changing hotels every night.

What We do on Our Tours
Our tours include sightseeing, scenic excursions, fun activities, and museum visits. We may even visit local homes, attend musical performances and wineries. We try to provide blocks of free-time so you can explore on your own after our guided tour. Because we usually travel in rented cars, we often stop to see a special historic sites or small villages along the way to the next tour stop.

Our Tour Director Makes the Difference
Our tour director, Catherine Thorpe, is a professional who is at the same time personable -- she gives special attention to everyone in the group. Catherine's love of travel is contagious as is her desire to share the knowledge of her native France with others. Having a small group means she will have more time to spend with you and to share her personal insights that can add to your travel experience in France and make it memorable. This is different than the impersonal experience of most large conventional tours.

Accommodations and Location
We make a special effort to find the right accommodations for each year's trip. Catherine selects hotels and B&B's that meet her high standards of quality, convenient location, and good service. However, she is conscious of cost and tries to balance cost and quality. Consequently, we do not select 5 star hotels or deluxe accommodations, but look for good, clean, and homey places that are comfortable and still located in the best, scenic area.

Travel Arrangements
We will book your flight on major commercial airlines, or you can make your own reservations. We use rental-cars and trains for transportation between cities and to visit the out-of-the-way locations that are our special attractions. We try to avoid too much walking. We sometimes rent bicycles in large cities to make getting around a little more pleasant.

Your Tour Price Includes
We design and price our tours to be comprehensive, while still making it possible for you to exercise some personal preferences. That means we include all the essentials -- airfare, accommodations, extensive sightseeing -- but leave some room for you to explore on your own or to enjoy meals that you like and can afford.

In general, every Vive La France trip includes:

• Round-trip air transportation from Salt Lake City
• Hotel or B&B accommodations
• Some breakfasts
• Extensive sightseeing as described in your itinerary
• The services of our Tour Director, Catherine Thorpe
• Train or private car transportation throughout your trip
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• $100 credit towards your next Vive La France trip
 

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Vive La France

School & Travel
801-582-6019

Web design & photographs by Don Thorpe Images.
www.donthorpe.com
© 2009 Don O. Thorpe