Overview
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A French vacation would not be complete without a visit to a castle and on this tour, Visit the 16th-century castle of Catherine de Medici, Chenonceau, a fairytale castle complete with moat and towers. You’ll also visit the famous Abbey of Mont St. Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated on a rocky isle which has been a pilgrimage site for centuries. Another famous place of pilgrimage is Lourdes. Here, visit the grotto where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. In Grasse visit one of France’s most famous perfume factories and learn about the history of perfume making. In Brittany, visit the Neolithic dolmen La Roche-aux-Fées, which dates back to 3500-3000 BC. In Lyon, sit back and let a Local Guide explain the sights on a private river cruise. In Orange a visit to the well-preserved Roman Amphitheater.
All of this—plus walking tours to explore Bordeaux, the medieval, walled town of Carcassonne, and the elegant city of Aix-en-Provence—are included on the magnificent La France tour, the vacation of a lifetime!
Highlights
PARIS Welcome dinner at a local restaurant, orientation drive, guided sightseeing, visit the courtyard of Les Invalides
CAEN Visit the Memorial Museum for Peace
NORMANDY BEACHES Visit the American Cemetery at Omaha beach
MONT ST. MICHEL Guided visit of the abbey
SAINT-MALO Orientation by little train
ESSÉ Visit La Roche-aux-Fées
ANGERS Orientation
LOIRE VALLEY Visit Chenonceau Castle
BORDEAUX Dinner at the Brasserie Bordelaise; walking tour; wine tasting
ARCACHON Stop in the seaside resort
DUNE DU PILAT Marvel at the tallest sand dune in Europe
BIARRITZ Orientation
LOURDES Visit St. Bernadette’s grotto
CARCASSONNE Walk by the ancient battlements
AIX-EN-PROVENCE Walking tour
GRASSE Visit a perfume factory, enjoy a lecture on the history of perfume-making
FRENCH RIVIERA Drive along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice
ORANGE Visit the amphitheater
LYON Private cruise with Local Guide, visit Old Lyon
DIJON Orientation
DIJON–PARIS By high-speed TGV train (first-class)
Tour itinerary
Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.
Total meals included:
- 15 breakfasts, 6 dinners
ARRIVE IN PARIS, FRANCE
Day1
Welcome to Paris! At 5:30 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions, and leave the hotel for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and an orientation drive for a first impression of this magnificent city.
Meals included:
- Dinner
PARIS
Day2
In the morning, an optional excursion is available to the impressive Palace and Garden of Versailles, built by the “Sun King,” Louis XIV. Guided sightseeing features the Opéra, Madeleine, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, and Notre Dame Cathedral. Visit the impressive COURTYARD of Les Invalides, a complex of buildings, originally built as a home and hospital for war veterans, which houses various museums as well as the Dome Church, burial place of Napoleon. This evening, why not join an optional cabaret show?
Meals included:
- Breakfast
PARIS–CAEN. EXCURSION TO NORMANDY BEACHES
Day3
Arrive in Caen and visit the fascinating MEMORIAL MUSEUM FOR PEACE with its great exhibits and audiovisual show about the Battle of Normandy. Continue to the Normandy Beaches, scene of the Allied Forces’ landing on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Stop in Arromanches and see the Mulberry Harbor. Then, drive to OMAHA BEACH for a picture stop and visit the AMERICAN CEMETERY and memorial.
Today’s Distance: 236 mi / 380 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
CAEN–MONT ST. MICHEL–SAINT-MALO
Day4
Visit the famous ABBEY OF MONT ST. MICHEL, with a history going back to the 8th century and spectacularly perched on a rocky isle. Look forward to another highlight: LF in the corsair city of Saint-Malo ride the LITTLE TRAIN, the best way to fully discover the historic walled town with Saint Vincent’s Cathedral and St. Peter’s Gate. Enjoy the panoramic views of the Gulf of Saint-Malo.
Today’s Distance: 124 mi / 200 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
ST. MALO–ESSÉ–ANGERS–LOIRE VALLEY
Day5
Drive through Brittany and stop in Essé to visit LF LA ROCHE-AUX-FEES, a dolmen dating back to 3500-3000 BC. On your way to the Loire Valley, enjoy an orientation of the beautiful town of Angers. This evening, you may wish to sample traditional cuisine at a local restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 267 mi / 430 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
LOIRE VALLEY–CHENONCEAU CASTLE–BORDEAUX
Day6
Visit the 16th-century castle of Catherine de Medici, lovely CHENONCEAU, a fairytale castle with a moat and towers. Continue to Bordeaux, and join your Tour Director for a walking tour through this elegant city on the Garonne River. Tonight, savor dinner at the well-known Brasserie Bordelaise restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 280 mi / 450 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
BORDEAUX
Day7
Today, an exclusive WINE TASTING has been arranged for you to learn all about the local wines for which the Bordeaux area is famous. Balance of the day is at leisure with the possibility to join an optional excursion to the charming village of Saint Emilion.
Meals included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
BORDEAUX–ARCACHON–DUNE DU PILAT–BIARRITZ
Day8
Stop in the seaside town of Arcachon, famous for oyster harvesting, and marvel at the Dune du Pilat, the tallest sand dune in Europe. Arrive in Biarritz, an ancient fishing village. Time to relax and enjoy the beach or browse through the little shops. Your Tour Director will have suggestions how to make the most of your stay.
Today’s Distance: 174 mi / 280 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
BIARRITZ–LOURDES–CARCASSONNE
Day9
In Lourdes, one of the world’s most famous pilgrimage sites, visit the GROTTO where the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in 1858. Next is the beautifully preserved, medieval, walled town of Carcassonne.
Today’s Distance: 267 mi / 430 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
CARCASSONNE–AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Day10
This morning, enjoy a leisurely walk by the ancient battlements before continuing to Aix-en-Provence, one of France’s most elegant cities, and birthplace of painter Cézanne, that has always attracted artists from all over the world. Join your Tour Director for a walking tour through the center of the town and wander through the maze of small streets and along shaded Cours Mirabeau.
Today’s Distance: 186 mi / 300 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
AIX-EN-PROVENCE–GRASSE–FRENCH RIVIERA
Day11
Arrive in Grasse, and visit the famous Fragonard Usine Historique, where LF an expert will give a lecture about PERFUME-MAKING. Then, enjoy spectacular views as you drive along the Mediterranean coast and the famous Promenade des Anglais in Nice.
Today’s Distance: 130 mi / 210 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
FRENCH RIVIERA
Day12
A full day at leisure on the enchanting Côte d’Azur gives you a chance to visit the beach or browse through the elegant shops. Optional excursions are available to the famous artist town of St. Paul de Vence and to Monte Carlo to try your luck at the Casino!
Meals included:
- Breakfast
FRENCH RIVIERA–ORANGE–LYON
Day13
Follow in the footsteps of the Romans and arrive in Orange, Visit the ROMAN THEATER, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the best-preserved examples of Roman architecture in France. Next is Lyon, the third largest city of France.
Today’s Distance: 298 mi / 480 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
- Dinner
LYON–DIJON
Day14
Sit back and relax during LF a PRIVATE CRUISE on the Rhône and Sâone Rivers with a Local Guide, who will explain the sights. Time to walk through OLD LYON to discover the Traboules, secret, hidden passageways winding their way through buildings and along staircases, with a history going back to the 4th century. Continue to Dijon, capital of Burgundy and famous for mustard. During your orientation, hear about the dukes who ruled over the area, admire the architecture, and learn about toits bourguignons (Burgundian polychrome roofs).
Today’s Distance: 124 mi / 200 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
DIJON–PARIS
Day15
Ride the high-speed TGV TRAIN to Paris, where an optional excursion to the artists’ hill of Montmartre, followed by a relaxing cruise on the Seine River, is available.
Today’s Distance: 199 mi / 320 km
Meals included:
- Breakfast
PARIS
Day16
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
Meals included:
- Breakfast
Things to note
- For operational reasons, slight schedule changes for the Paris program cannot be excluded.
Extend your tour and see even more
On selected tours you can extend your time at the beginning or end of your holiday. To book your holiday with an extension, call us on 0330 0588 237 or speak to your travel agent.
To book your holiday with an extension, call 0330 0588 237 or speak to your travel agent.
What's included
Tour only
Prefer to book your own flights and transfers? You have the freedom to do that with our Tour Only holiday option.
- Services of a tour director
- Accommodation
- Selected meals
- Excursions
- Free Wi-Fi on coach
- Headset
Tour with flights
Let us take care of everything. Our package option includes return flights from your chosen airport, plus overseas transfers to your hotel.
- Flights
- Transfers
- Services of a tour director
- Accommodation
- Selected meals
- Excursions
- Free Wi-Fi on coach
- Headset
- All airport taxes
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