ITINERARY DAY 1 Arrive Paris On arrival at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport you are met and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon enjoy a welcome drink with your Tour Director and learn about your tour. DAY 2 Paris - Rouen - Honfleur - Cabourg This morning, with a local guide our sightseeing tour includes the Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Place de le Concorde, views of Notre Dame Cathedral and ascends to the second level of the Eiffel Tower by elevator. Then we drive to Montmartre where we take the funicular to the Place du Tertre, haunt of artists and painters and bustling with bistros – all in the shadow of the Sacre Coeur Basilica. Afterwards, we drive to Rouen, where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake. From here we make our way to Honfleur before our final destination for the night, Cabourg, favourite vacation resort of Marcel Proust. (BB D) DAY 3 Cabourg - D-Day Landing Beaches - Bayeux - Mont St. Michel Today, we discover the Normandy Coast visiting the Landing Beaches of the 1944 campaign and the Omaha Military Cemetery which last year, celebrated the 60th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. Then on to Bayeux to visit the Tapestry Museum before we head to Mont St. Michel, for the night. Here we visit the Benedictine Abbey with time to explore. (BB D) DAY 4 Mont St. Michel - Loire Valley - Tours (2) We travel via Chateau Gontier to Angers, dominated by its chateau. Then through the Loire Valley, renowned for its cateaux and vineyards. Here we sample a recent vintage on a visit to a wine cellar in Saumur. Finally to Tours for two nights. (BB D) DAY 5 Chateaux Excursion Today with a local guide, we will visit fairytale Chenonceau, Catherine de Medici's chateau. Next, on to Chambord to view the largest chateau in the region before we continue to Amboise. Here we'll visit the chateau which dominates the town where Leonardo da Vinci died. Then back to Tours with the rest of your day at leisure. (BB) DAY 6 Tours - Chartres - Paris (2) Our first stop today is at Chartres to visit the Cathedral. Then we visit the Palace of Fontainebleau, before our drive brings us back to the romantic city of Paris, for two nights. (BB) DAY 7 Paris at leisure Enjoy a full day at leisure. You may wish to ightsee further or perhaps shop in the boutiques for next year's fashions. Or why not browse around the Left Bank and take a Seine cruise? (BB) DAY 8 Depart Paris Bid 'au revoir' as we transfer to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for our return flight home. (BB) |