Description
- Air-conditioned and licensed round-trip transportation from outside your Monte Carlo cruise terminal pier!
- English-speaking sightseeing and wine-tasting shore excursion guide/host!
- Fragonard perfume making, a demonstration in Grasse!
- Free time in Medieval Valbonne!
- Free time in Medieval Gourdon!
- Wine tasting at a local winery!
- Escape the cruise ship shore excursion crowds and enjoy the unique sights of Monte Carlo and the surrounding area!
A perfect sightseeing shore excursion day in the Provencal Countryside with perfumes, medieval towns, and local traditional wine tasting!
Your excursion driver will be waiting for you at the cruise terminal in your cruise port of Monte Carlo, Monaco. This is a small group cruise excursion with a maximum of 8 participants. You will depart Monaco, driving along the motorway to reach the fragrant town of Grasse, located on the foothills of the Alps. The drive takes approximately 40 minutes. Grasse is the center of the French perfume industry due to its perfect location for growing flowers and is referred to as the Perfume Capital.
Arriving in Grasse, you will visit the Fragonard perfume factory, housed in the same building since 1782. During your visit, you will have a 30-minute walk-through where you will see many of the procedures involved in producing perfume, and explain what a "nose" does. You will also have approximately 30 minutes to visit the perfume museum, ask the staff to recommend a fragrance that compliments you or make any souvenir purchases of perfumes, soaps, or other items.
Departing Grasse, your next stop will be the medieval town of Valbonne just 15 minutes away. Artifacts found in this area date back to prehistoric times but it was the building of an abbey around 1200 AD that marked the first real settlement. A village was built around the abbey and most of the town you see today dates back to the 16th century. You will have approximately 90 minutes of free time to stroll its quaint streets lined with cafes and shops specializing in local handicrafts on your own. Lunch is at your own expense. Please ask your guide for suggestions.
The feudal hilltop village of Gourdon is a 20-minute drive away. Situated on the mountainside more than 2200 feet above the valley made it an ideal place of refuge. You will have approximately 90 minutes of free time to explore the shops selling perfumes, soaps, honey, nougat, gingerbread, glassware, and other handmade crafts.
From Gourdon, you will follow the scenic Loup River part of the way to your final stop, the Chateau de Bellet. Here, you will have the opportunity to learn about the winemaking process and sample some of the wines made with traditional local grapes. The total time at the winery is approximately 60 minutes.
Departing the winery, you will drive back to your Monte Carlo cruise terminal, approximately 20 minutes away.
Where we meet
For this Monte Carlo Countryside and Wine Tasting Excursion, you will meet your local excursion guide just outside your terminal building shoreside in Monte Carlo. All necessary details will be printed on your Electronic Shore Excursion Ticket.
Cancellation
For the Monte Carlo Countryside and Wine Tasting Excursion, we issue full refund for your deposit or full payment to us if: Canceled by client prior to excursion date with a minimum of 24 hours prior notice by email to reservations@shoreexcursioneer.com.
For cancellation reasons below, you must contact us via email within 14 days after your excursion:
- Your ship arrives into port late and you cannot make it in time to the meeting location (we will verify with the tour operator).
- Your ship skips/misses the port.
- Weather conditions or equipment failure prevents the operator from running the excursion.
- A medical problem prevents you from safely participating in the excursion (we will verify with the excursion operator and the guest may send doctor's note). This applies to individuals only and not the remainder of the group.
- Cancellations/deposit refund requests that do not comply with the above may not be subject to refund.
- Refunds may be subject to a service charge fee as determined by the payment processor, please refer to Terms and Conditions for more information.
