NORMANDY, BRITTANY, PARIS AND THE LOIRE
VALLEY ITINERARY:
1. Arrive Paris / Chantilly
Tour departs: 9:00 AM from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Travel to the
lovely town of Chantilly for a tour of Château Chantilly, set in
its own park and forest. Join us this evening for a welcome
reception and dinner. Meals LD
2. Rouen / Honfleur / Deauville
Visit the historic town of Rouen and the Cathedral; at the old
market square, see the Church of Ste. Joan of Arc. Continue to
picturesque Honfleur, then arrive in the glamorous seaside
resort of Deauville. You’ll feel like a count in a castle on
your two-night stay at Normandy Barrière Deauville, a 5-star
Anglo-Norman country mansion – the epitome of Belle Époque.
Meals BL
3. Beaches of D-Day / Bayeux
On June 6, 1944 the combined Allied Forces landed at five
beaches along the Normandy coast; the beaches were given code
names such as Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword – they are forever
etched in the annals of history. A scenic drive along the Yellow
Roads brings you to Le Mémorial de Caen (Peace Museum) and then
to Bayeux to see the exquisite Bayeux Tapestry; created in 1077,
it chronicles the story of William the Conqueror and the Norman
invasion. Visit Pointe du Hoc (a 100-ft. cliff taken by the 2nd
Ranger Battalion on D-Day), Omaha Beach and the American
Military Cemetery. Meals BD
4. Mont-St-Michel / St-Malo
Traverse the Normandy countryside to Villedieu-les-Poêles,
a small medieval village that became a center for crafts from
copperware to lacemaking. Next stop is Mont-St-Michel, an abbey
perched on an island linked to the mainland by a road. A tour of
the abbey reveals a range of architectural styles from
Anglo-Norman to Gothic and Romanesque – be prepared for a fair
amount of walking up and down hills. Travel through charming
villages along the bay to St-Malo, a walled, medieval town in a
dramatic setting by the sea. Meals BD
5. Rance Estuary / Dinan
Cross the Rance Estuary, which flows into the English Channel;
view the scenic estuary before traveling upriver. Tiny villages,
fields and orchards line the country road to Dinan, where the
picturesque harbor is dominated by the ancient town above;
stroll the town's quaint streets before heading back to St-Malo
for the evening. Meals B
6. Josselin / Port du Crouesty
The lifestyle and traditions in Brittany have endured for
centuries. Visit the medieval town of Josselin, dominated by its
castle, Château Josselin, residence of the aristocratic Rohan
family. A guided tour of the ground floor rooms reveals its
turbulent history. Arrive in Port du Crouesty, where your
accommodations are at the unconventional, elegantly furnished
Miramar Crouesty. Meals BD
7. Vannes / Pont-Aven
Visit medieval Vannes; see the Cathedral, and enjoy a stroll
through the colorful Promenade de la Garenne. Travel to the
village of Pont-Aven in an idyllic setting by the river. The
painter Paul Gauguin was so enchanted by this town and its
surroundings that he came here to live. Other artists followed,
and the School of Pont-Aven had a profound impact on French
Impressionism. Return to your hotel via a ferry ride across the
Bay; pass by Carnac, where thousands of ancient granite rocks
were arranged in mysterious patterns by Megalithic tribes. Meals
BL
8. Angers / Loire Valley
Journey to Angers, the area’s center for the wine trade. Visit a
13th-century medieval fortress that is home to the famed
Apocalypse Tapestry, majestic Château d’Angers. Continue on to
châteaux country; your hotel, Château de Rochecotte, was the
private estate of diplomat Prince Talleyrand and the Duchess of
Dino – it is surrounded by romantic gardens and a woodland
setting. Meals BD
9. Villandry / Langeais
Explore the beautiful châteaux, gardens and towns of the Loire
Valley today. Visit Château de Villandry, boasting exquisite
furnishings and spectacular formal gardens, and explore medieval
Château de Langeais, one of the oldest and best maintained
medieval fortresses. Dine tonight at a private country estate,
featuring a hunting hound demonstration in full regalia. Meals
BD
10. TGV to Paris / Musée d’Orsay
Ride the TGV high-speed train first class to Paris in just under
one hour! After lunch atop Montparnasse Tower overlooking
the French capital, a local guide leads you on a tour of the Musée d’Orsay,
displaying an extensive collection of French Impressionist
painting and art objects in a restored 1900 railway station.
Spend the next three nights on the Left Bank at stylish Hotel
Lutetia Paris - the first Art Deco hotel in Paris. Meals BL
11. Musée d’Orsay
Musée d’Orsay, located in a 1900 railway station, contains an
extensive collection of French Impressionist paintings and art
objects. A local expert leads a morning tour of the museum –
your afternoon is free to explore. Meals BD
12. Giverny / Siene Dinner Cruise
You have a choice of spending the day in Paris, or traveling to
visit the home and gardens of painter Claude Monet at Giverny,
depicted in some of his most celebrated works; see the special
exhibits at the
Musée d’Orsay American and return to Paris in the
afternoon. Gaze upon famous Parisian sights tonight during
a private farewell dinner cruise along the romantic River Seine.
Meals BD
13. Journey Home
Tour ends: 8:30 AM at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Persons departing at
other times should secure their own transportation to the
airport. Meals B
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