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The coast at Cassis from the Route des Crêtes, the calanques running west toward Marseille

France: Paris, Giverny, Provence and the Riviera

Spring 2025. A client’s 20th-anniversary trip, photographs by Christina D. Paris first, a day at Giverny, then south to Provence and the coast.

43°12′10″N5°33′34″ERoute des Crêtes · Cassis, Provence

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Overview

This report follows a client’s trip: Christina and Colin’s twentieth anniversary, planned and booked by Jeannie, and the photographs are Christina’s. It runs north to south. Paris for the churches, the river and a ride through the streets in a 2CV; a day out to Monet’s garden at Giverny; then Provence, the olive groves Van Gogh painted at Saint-Rémy, Les Baux on its rock, and the calanques at Cassis by boat; and the Riviera to finish. Who else travelled and for how long: to be confirmed.

Getting there

Dallas–Fort Worth to Paris nonstop on American Airlines, with an airport meet-and-greet on arrival: met at the gate, walked through immigration and out to the car. Every other move was by private car and train: Paris to Lyon, Lyon to the coast, and back to Paris at the end.

Paris

The first day was a shopping appointment at Louis Vuitton on arrival, a private tour of the city with an English-speaking driver in a two-seater, and dinner at Le Petit Saint Honoré. The second was a full day out: a walking tour, lunch at Café Marly under the arcades of the Louvre, a photo shoot at the Eiffel Tower, and dinner at La Renommée. The third was the hour west to Monet’s house at Giverny, back for a concert at Sainte-Chapelle with champagne, and dinner at Le Café des Musées. The Paris hotel was the Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal.

The classic sights, taken on foot and from the open roof of a 2CV. Sacré-Cœur from the lawns of Montmartre, the Rue Saint-Dominique with the Eiffel Tower closing the view, and Notre-Dame with its new spire up and the last of the scaffolding still on. Two interiors that photographs undersell: the starred blue vault of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, repainted and reopened in recent years, and the upper chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, which is fifteen walls of thirteenth-century glass and very little else. The tower itself is best late: the second-floor deck as the sunset goes out over the city.

The last of the sunset from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower
The last of the sunset from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower
A Paris street at night from the hotel window, a crescent moon over the rooftops
A Paris street at night from the hotel window, a crescent moon over the rooftops
The upper chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, fifteen windows of thirteenth-century glass
The upper chapel of Sainte-Chapelle, fifteen windows of thirteenth-century glass
Christina and Colin at Notre-Dame, the new spire up and the scaffolding still on
Christina and Colin at Notre-Dame, the new spire up and the scaffolding still on
The painted nave of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a starred blue vault over the arches
The painted nave of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a starred blue vault over the arches
Christina and Colin in a 2CV on the Rue Saint-Dominique, the Eiffel Tower at the end of the street
Christina and Colin in a 2CV on the Rue Saint-Dominique, the Eiffel Tower at the end of the street
Sacré-Cœur on the hill of Montmartre, from the lawns below
Sacré-Cœur on the hill of Montmartre, from the lawns below

Giverny

Monet’s house and garden are an hour west of Paris. In late April the beds are tulips, wallflowers and forget-me-nots, and the village street is wisteria over stone walls. Go early; the garden fills by mid-morning.

A path through the spring beds in Monet's garden at Giverny
A path through the spring beds in Monet's garden at Giverny
Tulips and wallflowers in Monet's garden at Giverny
Tulips and wallflowers in Monet's garden at Giverny
Wisteria over a stone wall on the main street of Giverny
Wisteria over a stone wall on the main street of Giverny

Lyon

From Paris, the train south to Lyon and a night at the InterContinental Lyon – Hôtel-Dieu, the old hospital on the Rhône turned hotel, with a half-day guided tour of the city.

Provence

From Lyon, a private transfer to the station and the train on to the coast, with lunch at La Villa Madie above the water at Cassis on arrival. The base was Les Roches Blanches in Cassis; the Provence day went out from there. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence keeps the olive grove Van Gogh painted in 1889, with a panel showing the canvas beside the trees that are still there. Les Baux-de-Provence sits on its limestone outcrop above a valley of pines and farmhouses. At Cassis the Route des Crêtes climbs Cap Canaille for the view back over the coast, and a boat from the harbour runs into the calanques, white cliffs straight into turquoise water. Dinner after the Provence day was at Les Belles Canailles; the last full day was the market in Cassis.

The valley below Les Baux-de-Provence, limestone cliffs and pines above the farmhouses
The valley below Les Baux-de-Provence, limestone cliffs and pines above the farmhouses
Limestone cliffs over turquoise water in the calanques, from the boat
Limestone cliffs over turquoise water in the calanques, from the boat
The coast at Cassis from the Route des Crêtes, the calanques running west toward Marseille
The coast at Cassis from the Route des Crêtes, the calanques running west toward Marseille
The olive grove at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence that Van Gogh painted in 1889, with the panel that shows the painting
The olive grove at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence that Van Gogh painted in 1889, with the panel that shows the painting

Cassis

The coast to finish: the infinity pool at Les Roches Blanches, on the rocks at the water’s edge, umbrellas still furled at first light. Then the train back north for a last night in Paris at the Hôtel Grand Powers, with dinner at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Saint-Germain.

The infinity pool at Les Roches Blanches, Cassis, at the water's edge at first light
The infinity pool at Les Roches Blanches, Cassis, at first light.

Where they stayed

  • Paris: Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal, then Hôtel Grand Powers for the last night.
  • Lyon: InterContinental Lyon – Hôtel-Dieu.
  • Cassis: Les Roches Blanches.

Where they ate

  • Paris: Le Petit Saint Honoré, Café Marly, La Renommée, Le Café des Musées, and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Saint-Germain on the last night.
  • Cassis: La Villa Madie, Les Belles Canailles.

Pro tips

  • Book Sainte-Chapelle and the Eiffel Tower ahead. Both sell timed tickets; take the tower at sunset.
  • Giverny opens April to October. Late April is tulips and wisteria; the water lilies come in summer.
  • A 2CV tour seats two comfortably. The roof rolls back, which is the point.
  • Book the airport meet-and-greet. Met at the gate and walked through; the queue at Charles de Gaulle is the one you skip.
  • Make the Louis Vuitton appointment before you fly. Walk-ins wait; an appointment on arrival day does not.
  • Café Marly for lunch, not dinner. The terrace under the Louvre arcades is the daylight view.
  • Book the Eiffel Tower photo shoot for the light. Early morning or the last hour; midday is flat and crowded.
  • Train, not car, between the cities. Paris to Lyon is two hours; Lyon to the coast under two. A driver at each end does the rest.
  • Spring is the season for this route. Giverny is open, Provence is green, and the coast is warm but not full.

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Jeannie planned and booked this one. See Book with Jeannie.