Full day tour Medieval Villages Grasse Gourdon Tourettes St Paul

This is not a tour where you spend most of your time driving in traffic jams! It's not a chase like many other tours. I built the tour to avoid this problem, so you have enough time to enjoy each spot with the help and instructions of a professional guide. Treat yourself to a trip to the Middle Ages! Discover the most beautiful Provençal medieval villages, a cultural and architectural wealth! Grasse, Gourdon, Tourettes-sur-Loup and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Visit the historic FRAGONARD fragrance museum factory in Grasse. Discover Grasse: its Saracen tower and unbelievable cathedral. Admire panoramic views of Gourdon and the Loup Valley. Enjoy an ice cream made from the "violet" flower in Tourettes-sur-Loup. Discover dozens of art galleries in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

1. 1

   Grasse

   2.5 hours

   Driving to our first experience: Grace Village. Start your tour by visiting Grasse, listed in November 2018 on the list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" adopted by "UNESCO", for its know-how linked to the perfume industry. Stroll through the old streets of Grasse known for the workshops of the tannery industry in the Middle Ages. Then treat yourself to a visit to the historic "FRAGONARD" factory, one of the 60 companies that manufacture fragrances and essences, to understand the process of changing flowers into perfume. The rare flowers of the Pays de Grasse (lavender, myrtle, jasmine, rose, wild orange blossom, mimosa) make Grasse the world capital of perfume.

2. 2

   Gourdon

   1.5 hours

   After this fragrant break, head for this small village "GOURDON" perched at 758 meters, between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, discover this medieval fortress and its beautiful castle built in the 8th century by the SARAZINS. Discern the strategic advantages, (the control of all "the valley of the wolf", the Mediterranean coast and the access to the Alps), to understand the fight for the control of this fortress, between the medieval powers until the German armies during the World War II.

3. 3

   Tourrettes-sur-Loup

   1.5 hours

   After this dizzying session in the heart of the "Gourdon" eagle's nest, let's head to Tourrettes sur Loup; Provencal and medieval village. Explore the: (lanes, vaults, stairs, porches, lintels, etc.) of this medieval village and discover how the houses are built up to the edge of the ravines used as ramparts to protect the village from enemy invasions, (Germanic tributes , Huns, Sarazins, Savoy, the Grimaldi, Count of Provence…). Visit the Saint-Grégoire churches built in the 12th century. Admire and photograph "the violet", the emblematic flower and symbol of this village.

4. 4

   St-Paul-de-Vence

   2.5 hours

   Once in Saint Paul de Vence, travel in the footsteps of the great artists of the 20th century; Painters, writers, sculptors, poets, who have made this village a high place of pilgrimage for artistic creativity, because the setting is idyllic! Take advantage of the position of Saint Paul de Vence high on a rocky outcrop located between the Alps and the Mediterranean, to take great photos. The vocation of this village as a military fortress fueled the greed of the medieval Provençal and Italian powers to control this village. Discover and walk on the ramparts that protect this fortress, erected under the order of King François 1er. The "la colombe d'or" inn is an emblematic hotel restaurant, it houses masterpieces by artists such as: Picasso, Matisse, Miró, Modigliani, Braque, Fernand Léger, marc Chagall Explore this flowery village which has become one of the high places of tourism, especially for its numerous art galleries. Wander the alleys; Admire the carved stone houses. Back home.

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Pick-up and drop-off included at the locations indicated in Nice for shared tours. For addresses outside Nice, pick-ups and drop-offs are only possible with private tours.
• The tour time is 8 hours, including driving time.
• If you are a group of more than 8 people, contact us for a 30-seat bus.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.