NORMANDY, BRITTANY & CHATEAU COUNTRY
Day 1 - Board your overnight transatlantic flight. Day 2 - Arrival in Paris, France. The day is free to rest or to start exploring the splendid French capital. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a welcome dinner with wine at one of Paris" lively restaurants. After dinner you may wish to join an optional outing to get a first impression of the City of Light. (D) Day 3 - Paris. Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Louvre, and Champs-Elysées. Visit magnificent NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL, and for a panoramic view take the elevator to the second floor of the EIFFEL TOWER. Balance of the day at leisure and lots to do. An optional excursion to Versailles Palace and gardens and exciting evening outings are available. (BB) Day 4 - Paris - Rouen - Caen. A pleasant morning drive takes you to historic Rouen in the lower valley of the River Seine. Time here for a leisurely stroll along the lovely cobbled Rue du Gros Horloge leading from the cathedral to the square where Joan of Arc was burned in 1431. From Rouen continue to Caen and look forward to the highlight of the day: a visit to the fascinating MEMORIAL MUSEUM FOR PEACE. Its great exhibits and audiovisual show focus on the Battle of Normandy. (BB,D) Day 5 - Caen - Normandy Beaches - Bayeux - Mont St. Michel. Drive to the scene of the Allied Forces" landing on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Visit the NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY and see the Ranger Monument at Point du Hoc. Then to Bayeux where you admire QUEEN MATILDA'S TAPESTRY, depicting in extraordinary detail William the Conqueror's conquest of England. In the afternoon visit the famous ABBEY OF MONT ST. MICHEL, perched on a rocky isle in the Gulf of Saint Malo. Overnight on the coast near Mont St. Michel. (BB,D) Day 6 - Mont St. Michel - Blois. Enjoy a scenic ride right across Brittany via Châteaubriant to Angers. Stop here for pictures of the impressive 13th-century castle. Then continue your journey to Blois where you will stay for the next two nights. (BB,D) Day 7 - Blois. Châteaux Country Excursion. A rich day of sightseeing. Visit the jewel of the French Renaissance, Château CHAMBORD, and the 16th-century Château of Catherine de Medici, lovely CHENONCEAU. On to Amboise. Visit CLOS LUCÉ and marvel at an amazing collection of models of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions, painstakingly reconstructed from the drawings of the great renaissance genius. Tonight is your chance to sample French cuisine at one of the area's excellent bistros. (BB) Day 8 - Blois - Chartres - Paris. This morning visit Chartres with its superb 13th-century gothic CATHEDRAL - a jewel of medieval architecture. Arrive in Paris in the afternoon. An optional excursion to the Louvre Museum is available as well as exciting possibilities for an unforgettable night out on the town. (BB) Day 9 - Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB) |
