Best of France
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight flight to Paris.
Day 2 - Arrive Paris On arrival at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport you're met and transferred to your hotel. After check-in you are free to explore this beautiful city or just relax. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome dinner and drink with your Tour Director in a lively bistro just off the Champs Elysées. and meet your fellow travellers. (Welcome Dinner)
Day 3 - Paris — Beaune — Lyon We drive southwards into Burgundy wine country and past the Cote d'or vineyards of Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-St. Georges to the medieval town of Beaune. Here we sample some of the regional wines at one of the local wine cellars before we head to Lyon for the night. Tonight, why not try out some of the gourmet specialities for which Lyon is justifiably famous" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 4 - Lyon — Avignon — Nice (2 nights) — Monte Carlo Excursion Today's scenic drive brings us to Avignon where we will see the Papal Palace and famous bridge. Then we continue through the Provence of Van Gogh and Cézanne to the French Riviera and jet-set Nice. Later, enjoy French cuisine in a local restaurant and a taste of the high life on a visit to the Principality of Monaco, to see the famous Monte Carlo casinos! (Buffet Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 5 - Nice at leisure After breakfast you'll have a full day at leisure to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the Côte d'Azur. Perhaps lounge on the beach, shop in the elegant boutiques or maybe visit the hilltop town of St. Paul de Vence. This evening, why not dine in one of the many pleasant seaside restaurants" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 6 - Nice — Nîmes — Carcassonne Today our drive takes us through Cannes along this magnificent coast and then through the Camargue to Nîmes. Here we see the Roman arena, the Maison Carré and city gardens. Then on past Alaric's Mountain to the walled city of Carcassonne. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 7 - Carcassonne — Lourdes — Biarritz This morning we enjoy an orientation tour of this magical city. Then we wind our way through the Corbieres Hills and 'Cathar' landscapes toward the Pyrenees and the pilgrimage site of Lourdes. Here we will see the Basilica on top of St. Bernadette's grotto en route to Biarritz. There's time for a walk along the beach before we reach our hotel for dinner and overnight stay. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 8 - Biarritz — Bordeaux We leave Biarritz and cross the country of Les Landes to the classical town of Bordeaux. Here an orientation tour shows us the magnificent Esplanade des Quinconces and the banks of the Gironde. Then, take some time at leisure to explore in the old quarter. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 9 - Bordeaux — St. Emilion — Dordogne Valley Bordeaux — St. Emilion — Dordogne Valley Our first stop is at St. Emilion, famous for its red wines. Here we will be able to wander through the winding streets, admire the ancient architecture and perhaps buy some fine wine. Then through the Dordogne, we travel via Bergerac to see the castle of Beynac, the fortress of Castelnaud and Josephine Baker's Château of Les Milandes. Next via La Roque-Gageac, with its quaint houses clinging to the Dordogne cliffs. From here we continue via Les Eyzies, 'the cradle of pre-history' before arriving at our château-hotel in the Dordogne Valley. Tonight, we will enjoy a gourmet dinner
in the elegant dining-room of this 19th century château. (Buffet Breakfast / Highlight Dinner)
Day 10 - Dordogne Valley — Loire Valley — Tours Our journey continues to Limoges, where we'll see a porcelain manufacture demonstration. Then we stop to visit the beautiful fairytale Palace of Chenonceau in the Loire Valley before reaching our hotel in Tours. This evening, why not take the opportunity of dining with the Troglodytes" (Buffet Breakfast)
Tours — Mont St. Michel — Omaha Beach (Bayeux) This morning we continue our journey into Brittany, to visit the island-town of Mont St. Michel, with its picturesque streets and abbey. From here we travel along the Liberty Highway to St. Lô and the D-Day Landing Beaches. Then we make our way to Bayeux where we visit the Bayeux Tapestry Museum with its scenes of the Battle of Hastings in the preserved 900 year old embroidery. Enjoy views of Bayeux' magnificent Cathedral before we reach our hotel for dinner and overnight stay. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 12 - Omaha Beach (Bayeux) — Giverny — Paris (2 nights) This morning we set off towards the valley of the river Seine to make a stop in Giverny. Here we visit the house and gardens of Claude Monet — inspiration for his 'water-lily' paintings. Next we continue to lively Paris for two nights. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 13 - Paris sightseeing & at leisure Today's sightseeing tour with a local guide includes the ascent of the Eiffel Tower to its second level for wonderful views over the city. Other highlights include views of Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elysées before we enjoy a guided walk through the gardens of Les Invalides with its golden dome as part of the Army Museum, its most important relic is the tomb of France's most influential ruler, Napoleon Bonaparte, which we will visit. Our tour will be enhanced by the use of our audio system. For the rest of the day you may choose to stroll through the Luxembourg gardens, visit the Louvre or relax over a 'café au lait' in a sidewalk café" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 14 - Paris — USA It's 'au revoir' today as we transfer to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport for our return flight to America. (Buffet Breakfast)
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