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FRENCH GARDEN TODAY

Explore with their owners inspirational gardens around Provence, Normandy, Paris – Ile de France and Brittany.

We have found for you some of the most remarkable gardens created today in northern France and in Provence

The climate in northern France is similar to that in England and the same range of plants is used, yet the gardens created are quite different – reflecting French culture and history.

The gardens chosen for the Provence spring tour are those created by leading garden designers around Avignon and St Remy de Provence. The backdrop of Les Alpilles enhances the ingenious layout of the gardens with wisteria, judas trees and iris in flower.

Many of these gardens can only be visited with French Gardens Today. They open only for us because their owners know that you who travel with us are interested and appreciative.

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French Gardens Today offers you:

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Fascinating variety of gardens:

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Delightful countryside:

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Wonderful hospitality

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Robin Lane Fox has travelled with French Gardens Today several times. Read in the Financial Times, Robins Lane Fox’s articles on our Tours:'

The Château de St Jean de Beauregard near Paris

Ursula Buchan’s article in the RHS The Garden (November 2011) writes of the private garden in Brittany, Crech ar Pape included in our tour. ‘Hidden Close to the Breton Coast’

Even if you are already on our postal mailing list we may not have your email address, so if you would like to be kept up to date with new tours and any changes in our programme, please email info@frenchgardenstoday.co.uk Susan Worner Tours We offer garden, botanical and wild flower inclusive tours to France, Italy and Portugal or further afield to Morocco, South Africa and Guadeloupe. Contact us now for more details.

www.susanwornertours.com // Email: info@susanwornertours.com // Telephone: +44 (0)1904 651 651

About French Gardens Today - Susan Worner

Susan Worner started her own company sixteen years ago specialising in botanical, garden and wild flower tours in France and Italy (www.susanwornertours.com).

A linguist and keen amateur gardener, Susan lived in Switzerland inspiring her early interest in wild flowers.

Now venturing further afield to Morocco, South Africa and Guadeloupe, her innovative tours are carefully planned and offer a personal, attentive service.

French Gardens Today was set up by Clare Whately in 2005 after discovering the quality of these unknown gardens in northern France. Taken over by Susan Worner in 2011, it continues in the same spirit, selecting only superb gardens sometimes gaining access by invitation of the garden owners and their friends.

People who travel with Susan include those who open their own gardens in the UK, garden designers, nurserymen, garden writers, and of course people who love gardens and like visiting them. The level of knowledge varies but all are interested and happy to find they are meeting like-minded men and women of all ages.

It is because the French garden owners enjoy the appreciation of our guests that they like opening their gardens to French Gardens Today.

Testimonials from guests

Have included comments on the quality of the gardens...

‘I thoroughly enjoyed the way the garden visits went, plus the luncheons, and especially appreciated that we had privileged access to several of them. That was the ‘bonne bouche’ as it were’.

‘thank you very much indeed for organising such a splendid trip - we so enjoyed all the gardens and have come home full of ideas and inspiration for our own’

‘we particularly appreciated the variety of the gardens and the energy and dedication of the gardeners’

This sums up the quality of our tours.

Plan a special tour for you and your friends / your society / your club.

We can arrange a private Tour for you to gardens in Normandy, Brittany, Hinterland of the Riviera, or Ile de France based in Paris - chosen by discussion and for as many days as you wish.

We recommend travelling between April and October and will suggest gardens which are looking their best at the time you choose to visit.

Please get in touch to discuss your ideas.

We also offer all-inclusive garden holidays through Susan Worner Tours to France, Italy, Morocco, South Africa and Guadeloupe which include hotel accommodation and travel to/ from the UK (ATOL bonded and IPP insured).

For details please call +44 (0)1423 324080
Email: info@susanwornertours.com
www.susanwornertours.com

Tour Details

Below is a comprehensive explanation of what is and is not included within our 2012 tours. For more information, please feel free to contact us on +44 (0)1423 326 300 or email info@frenchgardenstoday.co.uk.

Our tour prices include:

There is a maximum of 22 places available on each tour Places are allocated as the Booking Forms are received on a first come, first served basis.

Please call +44 (0)1423 326 300 or email: info@frenchgardenstoday.co.uk to reserve places. These options will be held for five days.

Our Tour Prices do not include:

  1. Travel to and from France, although advice is offered.
  2. Accommodation during the tours: recommendations are made. Please make your own arrangements.
  1. Evening meals, although recommendations are made. Please make your own arrangements.

The opportunity to enjoy excellent meals in France is another good reason for joining us on these visits. We recommend local restaurants for your evening meals and will send you a list when you book.

  1. Your own travel and cancellation insurance.

Tours for Independent Travellers

We have arranged four sensational tours. Each is meticulously planned to offer you entry to some of France’s most exciting gardens of today.

PROVENCE – AVIGNON

SPRING GARDENS OF LEADING LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS

Our three-day tour to these remarkable gardens will take place on Tuesday 23rd, Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th April.

ROUEN & DIEPPE

GARDENS OF UPPER NORMANDY

Our two-day tour will take place on Wednesday 26th, Thursday 27th June.

PARIS – GARDENS OF L’ILE DE FRANCE

with PLANT SHOW AT CHATEAU DE SAINT-JEAN DE BEAUREGARD

Our three-day Ile de France Tours based in Paris will take place on Wednesday 18th, Thursday 19th and Friday 20th September.

Robin Lane Fox wrote in the Financial Times

‘Some of the heavenliest weather was the day of my visit to the charming flower show at the Château de Saint-Jean de Beauregard near Paris... I went as part of a brief French garden tour with French Gardens Today who took all the bother out of the planning and combined the show with three days of excellent private visiting in the region’.

NORTHERN BRITTANY

PRIVATE GARDENS OF THE COTES D’ARMOR

Our two-day tour will take place on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th September.

Booking Terms and Conditions

There are 21 places available for each tour. Places are allocated as Booking Forms are received on a first come/first served basis. If you would like to call/email to reserve places, these options will be held for five days.

Cancellation policy: If you cancel more than 12 weeks before the start of your Tour, you will receive a refund of 70% less a £30 administration charge per place. If you cancel 8-12 weeks before the Tour start date you will receive a 30% refund. No refund is given if cancellation is made less than 8 weeks before the Tour start date.

Currency fluctuations: we reserve the right to charge a surcharge on unfavourable changes in the currency rates. The first 2% will be absorbed by us based on the exchange rates at 12 December 2012.

Please take out your own Travel and Cancellation Insurance. Neither French Gardens Today nor the garden owners can accept responsibility for you, your possessions or your vehicles whilst you are in attendance.

Accommodation: Please note that although a representative of French Gardens Today has personally visited the recommended Chambres d’Hôtes and Hotels, no responsibility can be taken for the quality of the accommodation suggested.

French Gardens Today reserves the right to make substitutions if illness, accident or any other problem necessitates a change.

Photographs may only be taken with the permission of the Garden Owner. No photographs may be reproduced for public viewing, published on the web or used for commercial purposes under any circumstances.