Tour Provider | Back-Roads Touring Co |
Number of Days | 9 |
Price From | $3,999 |
Start Location | Paris, Europe |
End Location | Paris, Europe |
Age Range | Avg. 60+ |
Group Size | 4 to 18 |
Tour Style | Comfort |
Tour Themes | Virtuoso |
Physical Rating | Easy |
Our first impressions of France will be formed in Giverny, Normandy, at the home of Claude Monet, one of the world’s most celebrated artists. The vivid colours in every room paint a picture of his life and the gardens outside are brimming with flowers in every shade. Our home for the next two nights is the charming port town of Honfleur, which you may recognise as the subject of a fair few Impressionist paintings.
Today we’ll take a wander past Honfleur’s historic buildings and 17th-century harbour on a walking tour before tracking the Route du Cidre towards Beuvron-en-Auge, voted one of the most beautiful villages in France. Here, we’ll pause to taste the fruits of the region’s orchards – from cool, crisp ciders to heady, amber-hued calvados – making for a delicious end to our day.
Today we turn our attention to the windswept shoreline of the Normandy beaches, where we’ll visit the sites of the D-Day landings of 1944. Afterwards, there’s the opportunity to pay a poignant visit to the American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer. This afternoon we’ll move on to charming Bayeux, where a walking tour awaits.
This morning we’ll drive on to the enchanting Mont Saint-Michel, crossing the tidal causeway to wander the buzzing island village. On the way to Dinan, we’ll stop off for photos at Dol-de-Bretagne, where we’ll see the famous Menhir de Champ-Dolent.
With a whole day to yourself in Dinan, you can really get under the skin of this quaint medieval town.
We’re deep in fairytale territory as we travel towards the Loire Valley today. Here, the landscape’s skyline is peppered with the turrets of castles. Our first port of call is Angers which was once the medieval stronghold of the Plantagenet kings. Later, we’ll move on to Chinon, where dinner at a local restaurant awaits.
Our first château of the tour is the Château de Villandry, which is especially famous for its impeccable gardens. Taking in so much beauty is thirsty work, so on our way back to Chinon we’ll enjoy a detour at a regional winery and linger over a glass or two.
Today, a stop at Château de Chenonceau gives us the opportunity to stroll through manicured gardens and explore a fascinating museum. Afterwards, we’ll make our way to Chartres, where we’ll enjoy one last dinner together.