Day 1 : Bonjour Paris
Bienvenue! The 'City of Light' welcomes you as you prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey through France. Join your fellow travelers and Travel Director this afternoon for a Welcome Reception and orientation drive to admire the glittering cityscape of Paris – past grand boulevards and iconic sites like the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe.
Accommodation : Evergreen Laurel
Day 2 : Admire Normandy’s Colorful Honfleur and the Bayeux Tapestry Dive Into Culture
This morning, we depart Paris and venture to the city of Rouen, the tragic site where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake. We travel to the enchanting harbor town of Honfleur – its narrow lanes and colorful shopfronts have long attracted artists who have immortalized its beauty on canvas. Arriving in Bayeux, we visit the Tapestry Museum. Here you’ll Dive Into Culture and see the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting events before and during the Battle of Hastings in 1066. This evening, we dine at our hotel.
Accommodation : Mercure Omaha Beach
Day 3 : Explore the D-Day Landing Beaches
Today we explore the poignant D-Day Landing Beaches in the company of our Local Specialist. We begin with a visit to the American Rangers Memorial at Pointe du Hoc. Pay tribute to the brave souls who lost their lives at Omaha Beach, imagining the mingled sense of terror and triumph felt on the fateful day when Allied forces set foot on mainland Europe. We stop for lunch in the seaside town of Arromanches, the setting for the Mulberry Harbor, once at the heart of the Normandy landings.
Accommodation : Mercure Omaha Beach
Day 4 : Journey through Picturesque Normandy and Brittany
Travel through the Normandy countryside admiring the land of calvados before arriving in Brittany. Enjoy the afternoon your way.
Accommodation : Hotel de l'Abbaye Le Tronchet.
Day 5 : Continue to the Beautiful Loire Valley Connect with Locals Dive Into Culture
This morning we explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed bay of the Mont-Saint Michel. Our Local Specialist reveals the history of the impressive medieval Benedictine Abbey perched on the hilltop. Journey onward through scenic countryside, stopping to Connect With Locals at a lunch with wine in a 17th-century château during a Be My Guest experience set within beautiful gardens. Later, continue to the beautiful Loire Valley, where we will spend the next two nights.
Accommodation : Novotel Amboise
Day 6 : Discover the Stunning French Châteaux
We spend our day admiring the beautiful châteaux of the Loire Valley and join a Local Specialist for a visit to the Amboise Royal Château. It is here that King François I hosted Leonardo da Vinci, whose tomb now lies in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert adjoining the château. We continue with a visit to Château de Chenonceau, built on the Cher River. The château is often referred to as the 'Ladies Castle', due to the many women who influenced its construction and development. Today it contains priceless collections, including Renaissance furniture, tapestries and masterpieces by Rubens and Tintoretto.
Accommodation : Novotel Amboise
Day 7 : Continue to Chartres and Paris
Our first stop today is the town of Chartres and its beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral, regarded as one of the most authentic and complete works of religious architecture from the early 13th century. We journey back to Paris this afternoon and spend the rest of our day in the 'City of Light'. Celebrate with your Travel Director and newfound friends this evening at a Farewell Dinner with local wines at a Parisian bistro.
Accommodation : Renaissance La Défense
Day 8 : Farewell Paris
For now it's time to say a fond au revoir to France and your fellow travelers at the end of a memorable trip.