Nice with Hotel Negresco & Monte Carlo Carmen with Benjamin Bernheim & Marina Viotti
The sea glitters silvery blue in the sunlight and the palm trees sway in the gentle breeze. Painters such as Renoir, Matisse and Picasso were drawn to the south of France, inspired by the special light of the Côte d’Azur, its rolling hills, ancient sites and fields of flowers. Places of longing and unique beauty are the highlights of this journey, which will delight music lovers, art enthusiasts, nature lovers and gourmets alike.
Dates and prices
- 2026
| 19.11. - 22.11.2026 | Do. - So. | from CHF 2'048.- |
Day 1: Switzerland – Nice
Journey to Nice. Check-in at the famous Hotel Le Negresco. Welcome dinner at the hotel.
Day 2: Nice - Monte-Carlo & Opera
The day begins with a guided city tour of elegant Nice. You will stroll through the picturesque old town and discover magnificent Belle Époque façades, charming squares and the world-famous Promenade des Anglais. In the afternoon you have free time at your leisure: perhaps enjoy a coffee with a sea view, visit one of the art museums or explore the local markets on your own. In the early evening, a stylish opera aperitif awaits you, the perfect prelude to the cultural highlight of the day. You then travel on to Monte-Carlo, where you will experience Bizet’s masterpiece "Carmen". The performance at the Grimaldi Forum is billed as a "Soirée de gala".
Day 3: Excursion to St-Paul-de-Vence
Exclusive private guided tour of the renowned Fondation Maeght, with important works of modern and contemporary art. Afterwards, enjoy a fine lunch in a first-class gourmet restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the picturesque artists’ village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, one of the most beautiful villages in France, rich in history and creativity. Return to Nice, with time for a relaxed stroll along the seafront.
Day 4: Nice – Switzerland
Return journey to Switzerland.
CarRouge
The Premium vehicles are state of the art and offer generous space: 3 luxury seats per row, individually adjustable headrests and an interior height of 2.10 m create a unique sense of space.
- 30 wide, luxurious Premium armchairs in a 2+1 seating layout
- Generous seat pitch of 90 cm
- Seat belts at every seat
- Height-adjustable footrest, adjustable backrests and armrests
- A unique sense of space thanks to an interior height of 2.10 metres
- Multichannel sound system at every seat, lane assist and adaptive cruise control
- Free Wi-Fi/internet in Europe
INCLUDED
- Travel by Car Rouge, 2+1 seating
- Music tour director from/to Switzerland
- Accommodation at the 5* Hotel Le Negresco
- 3 x BB (room/breakfast buffet)
- 1 x dinner incl. drinks
- 1 x gourmet lunch incl. drinks
- 1 x opera ticket, 2nd category
- 1 x opera aperitif with wine and canapés
- Guided excursion
- Guided tour of the Fondation Maeght
- Car Rouge audio system
Hotels
You will stay at the 5* Hotel Le Negresco on the Promenade des Anglais in the heart of Nice.
About the opera
Georges Bizet: “Carmen” – Opéra comique in four acts
“L’amour est un oiseau rebelle”
The libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy is based on the novella “Carmen” by the Parisian author Prosper Mérimée. The gallant dandy travelled through Spain and studied the life of the Gypsies in Andalusia. The colour of dance, bullfighting and castanets also fascinated the Parisian composer Georges Bizet, who caught the “Hispanismo” bug. The premiere on 3 March 1875 at the Opéra Comique attracted only modest attention, and the French opera only became a success after its first Viennese performance in German. The settings in Seville are a tobacco factory, Lillas Pastia’s tavern, smugglers’ paths and a bullring.
Sergeant Don José from Navarre loves the orphan Micaela, whom his mother had taken in. In Seville, his superior officer Lieutenant Zuniga orders him to take the gypsy Carmen to prison. She has started a quarrel in the cigarette factory and injured a colleague. In prison, she persuades Don José to let her escape. This earns him a spell under arrest. In the tavern, Carmen dances and sings with her friends Mercedes and Frasquita. The toreador Escamillo is celebrated for his victory. Carmen initially pays attention to Don José, who has to return for the tattoo and withdraws from her. The smugglers Dancairo and Remendado are on their way from Gibraltar to Seville with Don José. Carmen rejects reconciliation with Don José. The cards foretell good fortune for the two gypsy women, but death for Carmen. Escamillo stirs up Don José’s jealousy. He is defeated in a duel. Micaela tries to win the son back by appealing to his pity for his dying mother. Carmen, who has become involved with Escamillo, dismisses her friends’ warnings about Don José’s rage. Carmen’s murder is inevitable.
Andalusian passions and southern machismo collide in this drama, marked by powerful sensuality. Bizet’s music drives the scenes with fiery melodies and rhythms in the Habanera, in the chansons and crowd scenes, in Don José’s moving flower aria “La fleur que tu m’avais jetée”, through to the triumphant “Toréador” and Don José’s last words of remorse in the face of her death: “O ma Carmen adorée!”