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13 Days Normandy, Brittany, Paris and the Loire Valley Tour Package
Duration: 13 Days / 12 Nights
Priced From: $4990 pp dbl. occ.
Dates: Apr - Oct
Our journey through Normandy tours Brittany and the lovely Loire Valley as well, capped off with three nights in Paris. See firsthand the famous Normandy beaches that played a pivotal role in the D-Day invasion; visit magnificent Mont-St-Michel; dine at a private Loire Valley estate, where you'll enjoy a hunting hound demonstration; visit Monet's beloved Giverny; have lunch atop Montparnasse Tower and tour Musée d'Orsay in Paris as you explore the historic and artistic heritage of France with us.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 – Welcome to France!
Tour begins: 6:00 PM at Trianon Palace & Spa. A transfer is included from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Trianon Palace & Spa. If you wish, you may take an included independent visit to Château de Versailles that can be arranged through the hotel concierge. Meet your traveling companions for this most intriguing of Normandy tours at a welcome reception and dinner this evening at 6:00 PM at the hotel.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Trianon Palace & Spa, Versailles, France
Day 2 – Historic Rouen, Honfleur and Deauville
The French Gothic Cathedral at Rouen is a highlight of this historic town, which you'll see on a tour with a local guide. Also visit the Church of Ste. Joan of Arc, where she was sentenced to die at the stake. Visit pretty Honfleur en route to the seaside resort town of Deauville, and arrive at your accommodation for the next two nights, a spectacular 5-star Anglo-Norman country mansion that is the epitome of Belle Époque.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Royal Barrière Deauville, France
Day 3 – The Normandy Beaches and the American Military Cemetery
A poignant Normandy tour moment is your visit to the beaches on which Allied forces landed on June 6, 1944 to begin the World War II liberation of Europe and the long march to Berlin; enjoy a scenic drive along the region's Yellow Roads and visit Le Mémorial de Caen. You'll also journey to Pointe du Hoc (the 100-ft. cliff taken by the 2nd Ranger Battalion on D-Day), Omaha Beach, and the American Military Cemetery.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Royal Barrière Deauville, France
Day 4 – Magnificent Mont-St-Michel and medieval St-Malo
Travel through the Normandy countryside to Villedieu-les-Poêles, a small medieval village that became a center for crafts ranging from copperware to lacemaking. Considered to be one of the Western civilization’s premiere achievements, the impressive Abbey of Mont-St-Michel was once totally unreachable at high tide. Discover the range of architectural styles it embodies – with lots of walking up and down hills – and continue on this most satisfying of Normandy tours to the walled medieval town of St-Malo.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Le Grand Hôtel des Thermes, St-Malo, France
Day 5 – Rance Estuary and delightful Dinan
Our most delightful of France and Normandy tours visits the scenic Rance Estuary, and continues through the countryside to Dinan, one of Brittany’s jewels. Stroll the streets of this well-preserved medieval town sitting high above the harbor, before returning to St-Malo for the night.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Le Grand Hôtel des Thermes, St-Malo, France
Day 6 – From Josselin to Port du Crouesty
Visit the ancient town of Josselin and take a tour of its castle, Château Josselin, which is one of the oldest châteaux in western France and the residence of the aristocratic Rohan family. Continue on to Port du Crouesty to enjoy a stay in the elegantly furnished and quite unusual Miramar Crouesty.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Miramar Crouesty, Port du Crouesty, France
Day 7 – Charming Vannes and Gauguin’s Pont-Aven
More of Brittany’s medieval history reveals itself as you view the Cathedral and meander along the Promenade de la Garenne in Vannes. The artist Paul Gauguin was so taken by the beauty of the idyllic riverside village of Pont-Aven that he made his home here. The School of Pont-Aven, of which Gauguin was a part, had a major influence on French Impressionism. Your return to Port du Crouesty via ferry includes a view of the mysterious antiquities of Carnac.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Miramar Crouesty, Port du Crouesty, France
Day 8 – Angers and the Loire Valley's châteaux country
In the midst of the wine-growing area of Anjou lies the 13th-century Château D'Angers, home to the famous Apocalypse Tapestry. After a visit to this medieval fortress, journey onward into the château country of the lovely Loire Valley. Spend the next two nights at Château de Rochecotte, once the private estate of diplomat Prince Tallyrand and the Duchess of Dino.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Château de Rochecotte, Langeais, France
Day 9 – Château Villandry and Château de Langeais
Experience the charm of the Loire Valley on visits to two stately châteaux. Château Villandry is reputed to have the most spectacular gardens in all of France, and Château de Langeais is a historic fortress well known for its impressive collection of 15th- and 16th-century tapestries. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a private country estate, where you'll experience a hunting hound demonstration in full regalia.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Château de Rochecotte, Langeais, France
Day 10 – High-speed train to Paris
In just over an hour, the TVG train transports you to the heart of exciting Paris. Following lunch overlooking Paris from the top of Montparnasse Tower, check out such famous Parisian landmarks as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the glamorous Champs-Élysées on a city sightseeing tour. Your home for the next three nights is Paris' first Art Deco hotel, set in Saint-Germain des Prés on the city’s stylish Left Bank.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Lodging: Hotel Lutetia Paris, France
Day 11 – Exploring the Musée d'Orsay
Immerse yourself in the soft beauty of the works of the Impressionists during a locally guided visit to the famous Musée d'Orsay, whose great collection of art is displayed in the restored Gare d'Orsay, a former railway station built around 1900. Note: Friday departures of this tour will experience the Musée d'Orsay on day 12.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Lutetia Paris, France
Day 12 – Monet’s Giverny or more of Paris at your leisure
Today presents a choice of a day at leisure in Paris, or an excursion to Giverny to visit the home and gardens of Impressionist painter Claude Monet, and see a special exhibition of his works at the Musée d'Art Américain. Exchange memories with your new friends this evening as you glide along the River Seine during our farewell dinner cruise, bidding Paris adieu as your most fascinating of France and Normandy tours draws to a close.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Lutetia Paris, France
Day 13 – Journey Home
Tour ends: Paris. A transfer is included from the Hotel Lutetia Paris to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Allow a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
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