First-Class Côte d'Azur & Nice Carnival

Your wonderful tour of the French Riviera begins at London St Pancras, where we meet the Tour Manager this morning. We board the Eurostar to Paris, enjoying a light meal on the way. In the French capital, we change trains for a journey in First Class to Nice, arriving in the French Riviera this the evening.

On arrival, we check in to our four-star hotel on the famous Promenade des Anglais, the shimmering palm-lined seafront looking out onto the Mediterranean Sea. Tonight, we have an evening at leisure, relaxing at the hotel or stepping out to enjoy dinner in a local restaurant.

• Eurostar Light Meal

After breakfast at our hotel, we explore Nice on a guided coach tour. Beginning at Mont Boron, an exclusive hilltop neighbourhood of Beaux-Arts mansions, we admire panoramic views across the city and the glimmering Mediterranean. Next, we explore the Cimiez Roman Ruins, where the city of Cemenelum once stood. Today, it's a collection of weathered white stones, the remnants of public baths and an amphitheatre where the Romans held games.

Returning to Nice's colourful Old Town, we wander through the picturesque maze of alleyways lined by centuries-old buildings, stopping to see the ornate Opera House, colourful flower market and striking cathedral.

In the afternoon, you are free to explore this artistic city at your own pace. The Musée National Marc Chagall honours the Belarussian-born French artist and pioneer of modernism, while the Matisse Museum in Cimiez contains Fauvist works by Henri Matisse, who spent many years in Nice. Along the Promenade des Anglais, you could visit the Hotel Negresco for a famous Royal Negresco cocktail containing champagne and flakes of gold, before a three-course dinner at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today, you are free to enjoy the atmosphere of the city before we experience a highlight of the holiday this evening. You could walk along the famous Promenade des Anglais, strolling under palm trees with the Mediterranean Sea by your side. Alternatively, use the area's excellent public transport to visit to some of the French Riviera's most renowned towns, like Cannes, Antibes, Juan les Pins and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Tonight, we travel by tram to the city's Masséna Square, where we experience this evening's carnival extravaganza from our reserved grandstand seats. More than one thousand dancers, actors and performers take part in this incredible spectacle, making this an unforgettable experience and an explosion of colour and vitality.

Sit back and relax, admiring the innovative floats adorned with meticulously arranged flowers and the talented performers in colourful costumes as they wind their way through the illuminated streets.

• Breakfast

In the morning, we embark on a coach journey along the Lower Corniche Road to Monaco. Winding around the coast, we bask in fantastic views of the azure Mediterranean.

One of the world's smallest sovereign states, Monaco is renowned as a playground for the rich and famous. Our first stop on a guided tour is Monaco's medieval Old Town, the stronghold of the ruling Grimaldi dynasty since the 13th century. Arriving at the honey-coloured Palais du Prince, we witness the time-honoured Changing of the Guards ceremony before visiting the Place du Casino, an open, modern square in front of the world-famous Monte-Carlo Casino. After the tour, you have some free time to explore the city.

Leaving Monaco in the afternoon, we stop at nearby Èze, a medieval village set high on a rocky peak above the glistening sea. Its labyrinthine lanes are lined with ancient stone houses, many of which have been converted into galleries or craft shops. Enjoy free time to explore this picturesque village before we head back to our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast this morning, the rest of the day is yours to explore. You might like to use the Côte d'Azur's excellent and affordable trains to visit one of the nearby towns. Antibes, a charming resort town between Nice and Cannes, boasts historic streets lined with quaint medieval fisherman's houses. You can visit Château Grimaldi, home to the Picasso Museum, or the lively Provençal market in the heart of the Old Town.

Alternatively, you could head to the glamorous resort city of Cannes. Stroll down the palm-lined La Croisette, where the world-famous film festival takes place every year, explore the city's upmarket boutiques or visit the colourful Provençal market. In Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, closer to Nice, you can find the pink-hued villa formerly owned by Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild, a socialite and art collector of the prominent Rothschild dynasty.

Tonight, we dine independently. You might like to try a local speciality, like fried courgette flowers seasoned with salt, parsley and garlic, or salade Niçoise, a fresh salad with tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives and fish. >

• Breakfast

Heading into the beautiful countryside of Provence today, we explore its charming towns, starting in Grasse. Surrounded by aromatic fields of jasmine, roses and lavender, Grasse has been renowned worldwide for its perfume making for centuries.

One of the town's oldest perfumeries is Parfumerie Fragonard, which has been in its current premises since 1782. In the 1920s, it changed its name to honour Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Grasse's most famous artist. Today, the factory produces perfumes, soaps and cosmetics using their time-honoured traditional methods. We enjoy a guided tour of the premises to learn more about its fascinating history.

Later, we make our way to St-Paul-de-Vence, a beautiful medieval village perched on a hilltop. With free time to explore, you could visit the Maeght Foundation, which houses one of Europe's most important collections of 20th-century art, or walk along the village's historic ramparts for views over the surrounding sandstone villas and cypress trees.

• Breakfast

On this wonderful tour of the French Riviera, we saw Nice come alive for its yearly carnival. The lively atmosphere and colourful floats add a special charm, and the nearby principality of Monaco offered plenty of great attractions. We also visited the fragrant town of Grasse, explored the medieval ramparts of St-Paul-de-Vence, and enjoyed the beautiful sea views in Èze.

Your tour concludes after breakfast this morning. Boarding a train to Paris, we journey through the heart of France. Changing trains in Paris, we board our First Class seats and arrive back in London this evening, saying farewell to the Tour Manager and making your way home.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Light Meal