Explore the charm of Nice and uncover the glamour of Monte Carlo before experiencing one of the world’s great carnivals, admiring the colourful procession from grandstand seats

Your holiday begins at London St Pancras, meeting the Tour Manager and fellow travellers before boarding the Eurostar service to Paris. On arrival in the French capital, we transfer to the TGV service direct to the Côte d'Azur city of Nice, our base for five nights.

Nice is one of France's most popular and cosmopolitan holiday destinations, with pristine pebble beaches and a year-round Mediterranean climate, set on a beautiful sweeping bay on the spectacular French Riviera. Since the Middle Ages, Nice has been celebrated for its vibrant carnival, which lights up this coastal city each year during the two weeks leading up to Mardi Gras.

After checking in to our hotel, this evening is at leisure to explore the city. Our accommodation is a short distance from the famous Promenade des Anglais, and you could stroll along this wide historic seafront before dining independently. There are several restaurants to choose from around the hotel, or you can wander down to the city's charming old town which has many inviting eating places, from cafés to cosy traditional restaurants.

This morning, we transfer to Masséna Square, Nice's main square, where we set out on a tour of the fascinating city. This historic market square is lined with palm trees and surrounded by red ochre buildings. Our tour takes us to the historic Old Town; a charming jumble of alleyways lined with buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Here, we see the Opera House and Nice's striking cathedral. There's also the option to visit the Colline du Château, which has stunning, panoramic views across the Old Town.

This 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 is around 20 minutes' walk from the city centre or can be reached by bus. The Matisse Museum in the hilltop Cimiez quarter, contains colourful Fauvist works by Henri Matisse, who spent many years in Nice.

Along the Promenade des Anglais, you could visit the Hotel Negresco to sample the famous Royal Negresco cocktail containing champagne and flakes of gold, before meeting the group for dinner at a local restaurant.

With a full day at leisure today, you could opt to make use of the Côte d'Azur's excellent and affordable trains. The charming harbour town of Antibes boasts historic streets lined with quaint fisherman's houses and has attracted visitors for centuries. Among them was Pablo Picasso, who lived in Château Grimaldi for six months and today, the castle is home to the Picasso Museum. The town's covered Provençal Market is another highlight, offering a taste of local flavours and Provençal life.

Alternatively, you could travel by train to stylish Cannes, originally a small fishing village, which can still be found in the cobbled streets of Le Suquet. The Croisette boulevard hosts the world-renowned film festival and is dotted with palms and upmarket boutiques. In Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, near Nice, you could visit the pink villa formerly owned by Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild, a socialite and art collector of the prominent Rothschild dynasty.

You dine independently this evening and can savour the tastes of the region at any number of relaxed bistros or restaurants.

This morning, we drive along the scenic Lower Corniche Road to Monaco, admiring the fantastic views of the azure Mediterranean enroute. As the world's second-smallest sovereign state, Monaco is renowned as a playground for the rich and famous, with superyachts lining its marina.

Despite its small size, Monaco manages to fit a wealth of culture, history and glamour into its two-square-kilometre area, which we explore on a guided tour. We visit the world-famous Monte-Carlo Casino and take in the atmosphere of the surrounding Place du Casino, before continuing to Le Rocher, strategically positioned on top of a large rock and home to Monaco's Old Town. Our tour takes us to the Palais du Prince, the residence of the current Prince of Monaco, where we witness the time-honoured Changing of the Guards ceremony.

After the tour, there's free time to explore independently, perhaps wandering the grand boulevards, browsing the designer boutiques or soaking up the sparkling views across the Mediterranean. We return to Nice later this afternoon and enjoy dinner together in a local restaurant this evening.

Today you are at leisure to soak up the festive atmosphere of the city, before the main highlight of the holiday this evening. You might choose to walk beside locals and visitors along the famous Promenade des Anglais, strolling under palm trees beside the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. You could also revisit the old town or look around one of the city's many galleries or museums.

A highlight of our holiday awaits tonight as we travel by tram to Masséna Square. Here, from our reserved grandstand seats, we experience this evening's dazzling carnival extravaganza. Watch the decorated floats as they pass, adorned with an amazing array of flowers, and marvel at the fabulous performers in colourful costume, as they weave their way through the illuminated streets.

More than a thousand dancers, actors and performers take part in this incredible spectacle, with processions taking place through the streets in a vibrant display of spirit and colour.

This memorable holiday on the stunning Côte d'Azur has shown us the highlights of this sparkling coastline. We toured the fascinating city of Nice, exploring the charming market squares and impressive architecture, before watching it burst into life at carnival time. Watching the spectacular floats wind along the streets added a touch of magic to this idyllic location. We also visited glamorous Monte Carlo, another jewel along the French Riviera. taking in the iconic casino and opulent harbour, before watching the Changing of the Guards.

Checking out of our hotel after breakfast this morning, we board a direct train to Paris for a journey that takes us through the heart of France. After changing trains in Paris, we arrive back in London this evening, where you are free to make your way home.

Please note that the order of your itinerary may vary dependent on your departure date. Please call for details.

Step aboard the high-speed international rail service, linking London St Pancras to Paris and Lille in France, Brussels in Belgium and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Eurostar's Standard Class coaches feature two seats on either side of the central aisle, most of which are arranged in an 'airline' seating configuration with drop-down tray tables. There are two tables for four per carriage. Passengers travelling in Eurostar Standard Class coaches can take advantage of the Bar-Buffet which sells a range of snacks, meals, and hot and cold drinks - including Champagne!

The highest class of Eurostar travel available for leisure customers is Plus class. In your dedicated Plus carriage you'll find a less dense seat configuration, meaning the seats are larger and you have ample space to relax and stretch out. As part of the service, you'll enjoy complimentary drinks and refreshments, served at your seat by friendly, helpful waiting staff.

For the class of travel used on your chosen tour, please refer to the 'What's Included' section of the tour page.

Introduced in 1981, France's TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) was the original European high-speed train. Linking Paris with Lyon, the new service revolutionised train travel and meant that travelling by air over medium and short distances was no longer seen as the best option, even for business travel.

The network has expanded rapidly and today these sleek, stylish trains offer links to over 60 destinations throughout France. Operated by SNCF, the French national rail operator, TGV trains travel over specially constructed high-speed lines. The trains can achieve speeds of up to 186mph (300km/h) on most long-distance routes and 200mph (320km/h) on the new TGV Est line, which links Paris with Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Basel. With the exception of shorter journeys, TGVs almost always have an on-board buffet car, serving a selection of drinks and light refreshments.

A short walk from the beaches of the palm-lined Promenade des Anglais, this contemporary 3-Star hotel is also near the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice. With a stylish roof terrace and access to a private beach, the Hôtel Locarno Nice is a great place to relax and enjoy the riviera sunshine. Although there's not a bar on-site, the surrounding streets have many restaurants and places to grab a drink. Air-conditioned guest rooms are modern and light, and all come equipped with free Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV, midi-fridge, safe and hairdryer.

Your holiday begins the moment you meet your Tour Manager at St Pancras International and board the Eurostar train for mainland Europe. If you wish to get your holiday off to an extra special start, why not consider upgrading your on-board accommodation from Standard Class to Plus Class?

As well as all the amenities enjoyed in Standard Class, Plus Class travellers benefit from extra spacious, comfortable seats, complimentary newspapers and magazines and a light snack with drinks served at your seat during the journey. Before 11am, the light snack comprises breakfast pastries, yoghurt, fruit juice and tea or coffee. After 11am there is a choice of 2 main dishes and a dessert, accompanied by soft drinks, wine or beer and tea or coffee.

Prices for an upgrade from £110pp each way. Please call us for more details.

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.