France Vacations

Vacation Packages

Day 1: Paris – Giverny – Normandy
Today your private guide will meet you at your hotel in Paris and you will depart for Normandy, with a stop in the lovely Giverny along the way: 
Giverny is a quaint,  French village at the eastern edge of Normandy. It is best known for its  most famous resident, Impressionist painter, Claude Monet, who lived there for 43 years, from 1883 until his death in 1926. Monet’s simple home and  elaborate gardens offer a glimpse at French life in the late 19th century.  The gardens are glorious, with roses, wisteria, and, of course, the water  garden with water lilies. The house and gardens were severely damaged during  World War II and allowed to fall into disrepair, but have since been  carefully restored.
After your visit, you will continue on to Normandy.

Day 2: Normandy – D Day Beaches
Today you will experiencse beauty, history & discovery exploring the D-Day beaches:
The were operational on the eve of 5th to 6th June, 1944. In just that one day 130,000 troops were landed on the Normandy coast at Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah beaches.  The rest is history... Some of the most remarkable things you will see... the remains of the astounding Mulberry Harbor in Arromanches also known as Port Winston, the Batterie de Longues where half a century later mammoth German artillery still sit.  Then you will drive on to Omaha Beach where the first assault wave landed on the beaches of Colleville sur Mer and St-Laurent sur Mer and where you will find Cimetiere Americain, the largest American cemetery.  It sits high on a cliff along Omaha Beach and commemorates the American servicemen who died during the Allied invasion of Normandy on that first fateful day and the ensuing operations. The cemetery – a field of simple white crosses – was established on that first day of the invasion in 1944 and was the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery contains the graves of 9387 American servicemen. Another 1557 are commemorated on the walls of the memorial. They are the American missing, whose remains were never located.

Day 3: Honfleur & the Flowery Coast
Today you will spend today uncovering more of this beautiful region, specifically Honfleur & the Flowery Coast:
Honfleur is found on the estuary of the Seine, close to the modern new bridge, the Pont de Normandie. The pretty port and houses around Le Vieux Bassin are the main attraction now, as they were 120 years ago.  The port inspired painters such as Monet, Corot and Courbet, and above all Boudin. They have also inspired the variety of art galleries that now scatter the town.  Exploring the town, the tall, slate-fronted, houses and cobbled streets built in the 16th and 17th centuries give the appearance of being little changed in the intervening centuries.  The town also contains several other fascinating manor houses, but perhaps the most remarkable building is the Church of Saint Catherine, the largest church in France to be built from wood - apparently the cheapest material available after the Hundred Years War.
On the Flowery Coast (Cote Fleurie), between Honfleur and Cabourg, the Norman coastline becomes a playground: resorts, casinos, watersports, sunshine, sandy beaches backed by wooded hills. It all started in Trouville, which triggered the 19th-century rage for sea bathing. Next comes racy, romantic Deauville – created in the 1860s by a trio of wealthy entrepreneurs, embellished in 1910 with boardwalk, casino and racecourse. In contrast, Touques and Dives-sur-Mer have historic links with William the Conqueror, while stately Cabourg is forever associated with Marcel Proust.

Day 4: Normandy Beaches
Today you will continue your discovery of the D Day beaches in Normandy.  There is so much to see here, and you will be glad to spend another day to take it all in.

Day 5: Caen + cheese & calvados tasting
Today your guide will take you to Caen:
In the mid-11th century, Caen became the favorite residence of William the Conquerer & Queen Matilda, and the beautiful twin abbeys founded by them still remain.  The survival of the abbeys is remarkable, given that three-quarters of the city - totaling 10,000 buildings - was destroyed during the 1944 invasion of Normandy. The ramparts of the castle - Chateau Ducal - are still intact, and surround the pretty chapel St-Georges. The two abbeys - the abbaye-aux-hommes and the abbaye aux-dames - and the church of Church of St. Peter are well worth a visit.  Other particular highlights are the Maison des Quatrans, a decorative half-timbered manor house of the 14th century and the Musée de la Poste, another half-timbered building this time from the 15th century.  The 'old' Vaugueux Quarter, affectionately known as little Monmartre, and the shopping region around Rue St Pierre, are where you will find shopping and cafés.  You will also go to Livarot, where you will taste the region’s cheese!  Named after the village in Normandy, Livarot is one of the oldest cheeses in the region and is circled by five bands of rush leaves that prevent the cheese from collapsing during maturing. These five bands are reminiscent of the five stripes a colonel wears on his uniform; it is for this reason the cheese is known as the Colonel.
You will also enjoy some calvados tasting  – what a delicious day!

Day 6: Brittany – Mont Saint Michel – Cancale
Today you will go to Brittany, where you will discover the breathtaking Mont St. Michel, taste oysters in the oyster capital of Cancale.
Mont St. Michel is a majestic granite promontory in the English Channel about three quarters of a mile from the Normandy shore. It is a tidal island, attached to the coast by a natural land bridge at low tide and surrounded by water during high tide. Mont St. Michel is home to an 8th century monastery that was dedicated to St. Michael after Bishop St. Aubert was visited by the archangel. An 11th century church adjoins the abbey. Today, visitors can take a causeway to the island – a wise decision since the tide in this area rises without warning at over two feet per second!
After lunch at Mont Saint Michel, you will then continue on to Cancale:  Cancale is on the coast at the start of the section known as the Emerald Coast.  The town has built a reputation due to the oyster beds that are along the coast and round the harbor at Cancale - it is known as the oyster capital of Brittany!  Walk on to the pier and you can see the oyster beds stretching as far as the eye can see, all seven square kilometres of them! The town also has a 'Museum of Oysters'!  The harbor (at La Houle), surrounded by pretty old fishing houses (many of them now restaurants and shops), is the highlight of a visit - there are numerous restaurants in Cancale where you can sample the local produce, especially the 'oversized' oysters for which the region is best known.  You can also head out on foot along the Sentier des Douaniers to the Pointe du Gruoin for a good view across to Mont Saint Michel, and as far as Granville and Cap Fréhel.

Day 7: More Brittany: St Malo - Dinan
Today you will uncover some of the most charming towns in the Brittany region...
Saint-Malo is perhaps best known as a major arrival point for ferries from the UK to France, but it is also a very impressive town to visit.  Saint Malo built its wealth during the 16th to 18th centuries, when it was a base for many 'official pirates' - these were ships approved by the King of France to attack and seize the goods from ships of other nations. You can explore the walled city within the ramparts, known as 'Intra-Muros', to admire the grand granite houses dating from the days of the pirates, entering through the impressive Porte St Vincent (which also accesses the rampart walk).  Other highlights include the 12th century Saint Vincent cathedral in the centre of the intra-muros; the Parc de la Briantais, which is an attractive very large open park area offering good views; and there are some interesting exhibits about the history of St Malo in the town museum.  Dinan is a very impressive walled town, a highlight of a visit to Brittany, and is set on a hillside overlooking the river Rance.  The extensive historical centre of Dinan, radiating out around Place des Merciers and Place Saint Sauveur, is a very nice place just to wander around, stopping off for the occasional traditional crepe of course! Through the medieval heart of the town admire the ancient half-timbered houses and various places of interest: Dinan Chateau, part of the ramparts that surround the town, in the 'donjon' ('keep' or 'dungeon'); The Saint Malo church, in a mix of renaissance and gothic styles, has some interesting modern stained glass windows ; Basilique Saint-Sauveur is an 'interesting' mix of roman and gothic styles, worth a visit ; Tour de l'horloge - a 15th century clock tower with great views across the town.  Dinan is listed as a 'ville et pays d'art et d'histoire' - essentially reserved for towns that demonstrate they are trying to make the most of their setting, attractiveness and architecture.

Day 8: Pink Granite Coast
Today is another special day of some of the most beautiful scenery the world has to offer.
The Cote de Granit Rose (pink granite coast) is one of the most outstanding coastlines in Europe. There are only two other examples of this peculiar pink rock in the world, one in Corsica and the other in China. This particular beautiful stretch of rocky coast, an incredible pink color edged with turquoise sea and fine sandy beaches, is a splendid vist.
The most fascinating stretch is from Perros-Guirec via Ploumanac'h to Tregastel Plage , along the ‘sentier de douaniers’, a former coastguard footpath. This winds among rocks, especially at Ploumena’ch, weathered by centuries of wind and tide, interspersed with countless rock pools, sandy coves and stunning views and seascapes. The low hills behind the coast are covered with hydrangeas, pine trees, gorse, lavender, mimosa and heather and a wide range of wild flowers.
Tregastel Plage has perhaps six or seven different Grèves’ depending on the state of the tide Coz-Pors, Grève Blanche, Grève Noir (with black sand) and at the end of the Baie Sainte Anne is the Ile Renote, another excellent beach and magnificent (climbable with care) rocks. There are many off-shore islands, some of which can be walked or waded to at low tide (but be careful!). In addition to the attractions of the shoreline, the hinterland is studded with intriguing small town, picturesque villages, pre-historic and mediaeval religious icons, menhirs, dolmens, grottoes, chapels and the intriguing Calvaires telling the stories of the gospels in carved stone instead of stained glass.  You will also see the seaside resort of St. Cast - it seven beaches, popular since the beginning of the 20th century when sunbathing began to catch on! Various artists such as Buffet made it fashionable. At the end of the main beach is a small hill with excellent views from the summit over the Emerald Coast and Cap Fréhel. Coastal walks along the jagged cliffs are particularly impressive.

"Please note: These are sample itineraries! All of our tours are tailor-made to the clients - we can organize tours for any amount of days, with any interest in mind, at any pace, anywhere in France."

Contact : Travelwizard.com 
Phone: 1-800 -330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252

12/09 

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