16-28 Sept & 7-19 OCT 2008
The tour starts and ends in Vichy, a 3 hour train trip south of Paris.

Day 1
Arrive at our guesthouse in a charming village near Vichy in time for pre-dinner welcome drinks and a leisurely meal.

Day 2-5
We’ll spend 4 days exploring the walks, villages and eating establishments of the region.

Day 6-9
Drive to our mountain chalet near Ambert in the Massif Central. We’ll spend the next 4 days walking, visiting the local markets and villages, and simply relaxing in the heart of truly magnificent mountain scenery.

Day 10
Walk to “La Juscine” where we’ll stay for 2 nights and explore the alpine area. Luggage and food will be transported for you OR you can choose to stay on at the chalet, join us for some walking, or simply do your own thing.

Day 12
A leisurely walk down from the alpine area enjoying sweeping views of the valley and return to local accommodation for some creature comforts.

Day 13
We return to Vichy with lunch and an activity on the way.

Grade
Most days will involve some exercise. People of average fitness or above will have no problems. The full day walks will have 4 to 5 hours of actual walking, leaving time to smell the roses and lie around in the sun over lunch. There will be many less scheduled days with shorter walks of 1 to 3 hours, allowing you time to sit in cafes, wander around villages, visit the sites or just relax.

EXTENDING YOUR TOUR
You may also want to consider booking into CAVILAM, a world reknowned language school in Vichy that provides French tuition as well as accommodation.  Packages can be booked through Cavilam by the week. If you intend to travel more widely in France or Europe, either before or after our tour, we suggest TRAVELMAKERS to help you organize your sightseeing and accommodation.