Join BRET’S TABLE for an experience of a lifetime in the south of France. Revel in the extraordinary beauty of the Côte d’Azur. While relaxing with an apéritif, maybe on the terrace of our hotel or at a bistro overlooking the Mediterranean, we begin our week immersed in the food, wine et la belle vie (and the good life). 

This Beaches and Bistros Tour along the Côte d’Azur, is budget friendly and has a laid-back approach with plenty of downtime to enjoy the azur waters of this region and wander its villages. This tour also includes optional curated excursions, adventures, and meals to enjoy to your heart’s desire.

Take a dip in the Mediterranean.

Day 1 (Sunday Evening) – Guests arrive to a warm bonjour on Sunday afternoon/evening and begin their Provençal immersion starting with an apéritif and welcome dinner at a bistro in old town Nice, France.
Meal included: Dinner

Wander around a village before or after dinner.

Day 2 (Monday) – Welcome to the Côte d’Azur A petit déjeuner includes a café latte and a croissant or pain au chocolate. It’s the French way to jumpstart the day. We know it as a continental breakfast.

This morning we may break from the typical petit déjeuner and head to the home of my friend Emma for a breakfast spread like none other. The feast ends with plenty of time to explore the neighboring villages of Biot, Grasse, or Valboune.

If Emma is not available, another option may be our participation in a croissant baking class overlooking the Mediterranean. Of course, we will enjoy the fruits of our labor. With either option, there will be plenty of time to relax or explore for the reminder of the day.

Later in the afternoon, if you want to immerse yourself in the world of French parfum, there is an optional hands-on class. There you can make your own scent as a reminder of your stay in the Côte d’Azur.
Meal included:  Breakfast

Optional add on experiences:
1) 1 – 1.5-hour afternoon Parfum Making Class
2) Join the group for a Bistro Dinner

Bistro in a 16th century cave.

Day 3 – (Tuesday) Discover the French Riviera
Included: Continental Breakfast.

Option 1 – Explore Nice and the surrounding villages you didn’t get to see yesterday.

Optional add on experience:
1) Join the group for a Bistro Dinner

Option 2 – Participate in a Market Tour and Lunchtime Cooking Class. If you want to delve in Provençal cuisine, sign up for the market tour and cooking class. We’ll explore everything the market has to offer, picking up what we’ll prepare for our lunchtime class. Afterwards, we’ll enjoy a multi-course meal and of course savor more Provençal wines.

Optional add on experiences:
1) Morning Market Tour and Cooking Class
2) Join the group for a Bistro Dinner

Seasonal ingredients for our cooking class.

Option 3 – You may want to explore or relax in the morning, then head to the sandy beach in Antibes. We’ll meet up with you in the afternoon for a street food tour.

Optional add on experience:
1) 3-hour afternoon/evening Street Food Tour

A sandy beach near Nice.

Day 4 – (Wednesday) Spend the Day exploring Cannes If we’re all going to Cannes (where the Festival de Cannes is held each May), we can enjoy our petit déjeuner when we arrive via the train. After enjoying our continental breakfast near the market, I’ll give you the lay of the land with time to explore on your own to pick up some goodies like fromage, saucisson, or herbes de Provence. From there we’ll meander through the narrow streets of the old town on a walking tour. Afterwards, you are free to join me for lunch and/or wander along the beach and harbor before heading back to Nice via the train.
Meal included: Continental Breakfast in Cannes

Optional add on experience:
1) Join the group for a Bistro Lunch

Day 5 – (Thursday) A Day exploring an Artsy Village and enjoy a Bistro Lunch Today presents us with more options. Meals included:  Continental Breakfast

Option 1: We’ll start the day with our petit déjeuner before catching the train/bus to Saint Paul de Vence. Perched on a hill and surrounded by medieval walls, the village is filled with art galleries and surrounded by beautiful vistas. It just might be one of my favorite places on the French Riviera. We’ll enjoy an amazing lunch and meander the village before heading back to Nice.

Optional add on experience:
1) Join the group for a Bistro Lunch

Option 2: After our petit déjeuner, we’ll have a driver pick up the entire group for our private all-day tour sampling the wines of Provence, particularly rosé, the specialty of the region. After a couple of wineries, we’ll stop for a gourmet lunch. Afterwards we’ll resume our adventures for at least one more winery before heading back to our home base.
All-day Wine Tour and Gourmet Lunch

Option 3: Enjoy the day exploring on your own or head to the beach.

Optional add on experience:
1) Join the group for a Bistro Dinner

How about an àpero before dinner?

Day 6 – (Friday) The Beach and Bistro Lunch We’ll meet again for a petit déjeuner then afterwards you can spend the day exploring or visiting the many museums in the area.

Otherwise, we’ll head off by bus to Villefranche-sur-Mer, a nearby village, to dip our toes in the Mediterranean. Then it’s an uber ride to Eze for lunch with a spectacular view of the French Rivera.
Meals included: Continental Breakfast

Optional add on experiences:
1) Morning at the beach and Lunch
2) Join the group for an evening Bistro Dinner

Optional lunch with this view.

 Day 7 – (Saturday) We will say our sad au revoirs before heading home with amazing memories

Fine Print –
Each tour is based on the availability of the local independent business partners associated with Bret’s Table and may vary from the outline listed above.
Flight and hotel are not included, which allows you to choose your departure and arrival cities. It also gives you the freedom to book a budget or lux hotel as well as take advantage of flight/hotel packages.

For inquiries regarding cost and time of year, please email me at bretbannon@bretstable.com