Bonvoyageurs

Luxury travel, escapes, cruises and city breaks for discerning business and leisure travelers

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Menton, France ~ The birth of the French Riviera

September 6, 2013 by Denis 1 Comment

Menton, often called “the pearl of France” and historically famous for its lemons, is situated at the far eastern end of the French Riviera, right on the border with Italy (those clouds you see on the photo are on the Italian side of the border; the sky in France is still cloudless). It enjoys the… 

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Filed Under: Europe, European Classics, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Travel Tales Tagged With: around the world, Cap d'Ail, Cap Martin, city breaks, Cocteau, Events, France, French Riviera, Italy, Jean Cocteau, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Menton, Monaco, Quebec City, Riviera, Travel

Monaco … or is it Monte Carlo? Posh either way!

September 5, 2013 by Denis 1 Comment

In addition to the extensive ferry schedule to Corsica and Sardinia, the port of Nice offers regularly scheduled day trips by boat from Nice to St. Tropez, Cannes and Monaco. The boat takes you there early in the morning and returns late in the afternoon, leaving you a full day of leisurely touring at your… 

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Filed Under: Europe, European Classics, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Travel Tales Tagged With: around the world, city breaks, Events, France, French Riviera, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Quebec City, Travel

Luncheon inspired by Tender is the Night

September 4, 2013 by Lynn 9 Comments

Luncheon inspired by Tender is the Night: F. Scott Fitzgerald was my favorite author in high school. His novels, as well as his short stories, took me to romantic places and introduced me to fascinating characters. I lived vicariously through Fitzgerald and knew that I absolutely wanted to visit the hotel described in the first… 

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Filed Under: Culinary Delights, Europe, European Classics, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Travel Tales Tagged With: around the world, city breaks, Eden Roc, Events, Fitzgerald, France, French Riviera, Hotel du Cap, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Quebec City, Travel

Antibes, Cap d’Antibes, Juan Les Pins, France

September 4, 2013 by Denis 3 Comments

Having substantially recovered from my somewhat stressful first experience with the electric car sharing service, Auto Bleue, we elected to try it again today for our trip to the Cap d’Antibes peninsula, about 15 miles southwest of Nice. That is the area made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which explains why we have lunch reserved… 

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Filed Under: Europe, European Classics, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Travel Tales Tagged With: Antibes, around the world, Cap d'Antibes, city breaks, Events, Fitzgerald, France, French Riviera, Joie de vivre, Juan Les Pins, luxury escapes, Picasso, Quebec City

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France ~ This Cape is made for walking …

September 3, 2013 by Denis 4 Comments

I have come to appreciate more and more each day the invigorating light of the Riviera. Henri Matisse once said: “Quand j’ai compris que chaque matin je reverrais cette lumiere, je ne pouvais croire a mon bonheur!” (When I realized that each morning I would see this light again, I could not believe my happiness!)…. 

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Filed Under: Europe, European Classics, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Travel Tales Tagged With: around the world, Cap Ferrat, city breaks, Events, France, French Riviera, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Quebec City, Rothschild, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, Travel, Villa Ephrussi

Cannes, France ~ Nice is nice, but Cannes … ?

September 2, 2013 by Denis Leave a Comment

Today, we took the train to Cannes, barely a thirty minute ride. For a change, I booked online for the high speed TGV train with first class pre-reserved seats. It only gets to Cannes about three minutes faster than the regional train, but it does so with a little more comfort (and with an electric… 

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Filed Under: Europe, European Classics, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Travel Tales Tagged With: Antibes, around the world, Cannes, Carlton, city breaks, Croisette, Events, France, French Riviera, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Picasso, Pink Martini, Quebec City, Travel

Le Chantecler, Essence of a 2** Michelin Luncheon

September 1, 2013 by Lynn 1 Comment

The sun is beginning to set here in Nice, and since lunch we have visited the Musée Matisse in the magnificent Nice neighborhood of Cimiez … yet I can still feel the pleasure of our three and a half hour luncheon, I can remember the flavors and the marvelous sensations of enjoying the food and… 

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Filed Under: Europe, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Nice, Travel Tales, Urban Adventures Tagged With: around the world, Chantecler, city breaks, Events, Food, France, French Riviera, Gastronomy, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Michelin, Negresco, Quebec City, Travel

Nice, France ~ Le Chantecler and Musee Matisse de Cimiez

September 1, 2013 by Denis 1 Comment

Highlights of the day Today had been planned for more than two months as a pilgrimage to the best food experience in Nice, lunch at the Michelin two-star restaurant of the Hotel Negresco, le Chantecler. By the way, a chantecler is a special breed of rooster which was developed in Oka, Quebec in the 1920s… 

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Filed Under: Culinary Delights, Europe, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Nice, Travel Tales, Urban Adventures Tagged With: around the world, Chanteclerc, Cimiez, city breaks, Events, France, French Riviera, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Matisse, Negresco, Quebec City, Travel

Flower market, the port and the sea in Nice, France

August 31, 2013 by Denis Leave a Comment

Flower Market Nice France Flower Market, the port and the sea in Nice France! Read our previous posting : “La Colombe d’Or – Luncheon in the shadow of artists” Main events of the day *Visited the Marche aux Fleurs (Flower Market) at Cours Saleya in Nice and enjoyed some socca, a local food specialty. *Ate… 

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Filed Under: Europe, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Nice, Travel Tales, Urban Adventures Tagged With: around the world, Cap Ferrat, city breaks, Events, flower market, France, French Riviera, Hotel Negresco, Joie de vivre, luxury escapes, Quebec City, Travel, Villefranche

La Colombe d’Or ~ Luncheon in the shadow of artists

August 30, 2013 by Lynn 4 Comments

Sometimes the spirit of a place is so strong that its influence sets the mood and tone.  Such is the case with La Colombe d’Or, a restaurant which was frequented regularly by artistic greats such as Picasso, Chagall, Modigliani, Matisse, Miro, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Isadora Duncan, Yves Montand, Edith Piaf and the list goes on …… 

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Filed Under: Culinary Delights, Europe, European Classics, France, French Riviera, Luxury Escapes, Travel Tales Tagged With: around the world, city breaks, Events, France, French Riviera, Joie de vivre, La Colombe d'Or, luxury escapes, Quebec City, Saint-Paul-de-Vence

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Meet the Crew.

TOP 10 travel experts and influencers on social media and rated as one of the most influential travel bloggers in the world, Denis and Lynn Gagnon have been circling the globe for more than 45 years. Former international business travelers, they know how to travel - with class, comfort, and style. Members of the National Press Club, PTBA , NATJA and SATW. Wish to connect? Email them at [email protected].

A NEW addition to the BonVoyageurs team is Atlanta-based travel writer and culinary expert Dominique Gagnon, and travel photographer Justin Ellis. By day, Dominique designs and grows new meaningful consumer brands, while Justin is a neuroscientist and psychiatrist researching early brain development. By night, they are watching Chef's Table while plotting their next culinary and sport adventure.

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