Highlights of France

(12 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Paris, Normandy, Loire Valley

On this tour, experience the charms of Parisian neighborhoods, the historic villages of Normandy, and the romance of Loire Valley chateaux. Begin with three nights in Paris. Flexible private touring allows you to explore the city according to your interests. First-time visitors to Paris may wish to visit major attractions such as Notre-Dame, St-Chapelle, the Eiffel Tower, the Luxembourg and Tuileries Gardens, and major museums such as the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay. Other possibilities include an epicurean tour of specialty chocolate shops, fromagerie, copperware stores and tea sellers; walking tours through the exclusive residential streets on Ile St-Louis, the old Jewish quarter in the Marais, the former art colony of Montmartre, the medieval streets of the Latin Quarter, or to Left Bank cafes made famous by poets and philosophers; and shopping for antiques in flea markets or haute couture in fashionable boutiques.

Next, transfer by private car to Normandy, stopping en route to visit the opulent palace and extensive gardens of Louis XIV's Versailles, or Giverny to admire the house, gardens and lily ponds where Monet lived and painted in his final years. Alternatively, visit Rouen, the vibrant capital of Normandy, whose cathedral Monet immortalized in his paintings. Stay in a luxury hotel in the upscale resort town of Deauville. Walk along the boardwalk, admiring the Beaux Arts and half-timbered buildings facing the beach, and stroll the town’s exclusive shopping streets and markets. Also visit the old fishing port of Honfleur and the Pays d’Auge to see Normandy’s thatched cottages, orchards, and charming villages. Sample the gourmet cheeses of the in the towns that give them their names: Livarot, Camembert and Pont l'Eveque. Follow the Cider Route, visiting cellars and sampling Calvados and Pommeau.

Continue deeper into Normandy and stay two nights near the English Channel at an 18th century château surrounded by ancient parkland. Visit the historic town of Bayeux, and see the famous tapestry illustrating the Norman invasion of England in 1066. With your private Normandy expert, visit the D-Day landing beaches and the associated war memorials. Continue to the fishing port of Cancale, in Brittany, for an overnight stay at an acclaimed gourmet retreat. En route, visit Mont St. Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of France's true wonders, this majestic ancient abbey emerges from a rocky islet in the bay. Time permitting, also visit St. Malo.

Transfer by private car to the Loire Valley for two nights, using Domaine des Hauts de Loire as your base. Tour castles and rural villages of the region, including the Renaissance-era Chateau Amboise and Clos-Luce, the mansion in which Leonardo da Vinci lived until his death. Inside, admire sketches and models at a small museum dedicated to the great Italian Renaissance master. Also visit Chambord, the largest chateau in the Loire, and the romantic Chateau de Chenonceau, built on arches across the Cher River. Stroll the formal gardens at Chenonceau, and perhaps enjoy a gourmet lunch at its Orangerie restaurant. Also visit the fairytale Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau, with turrets, moats and a blue-slate roof reflected in the Indre River.

Return to Paris by private car for two nights, touring the ancient town of Chartres, famous for its stunning cathedral, en route. There will be plenty of time to explore Paris’s many museums, monuments, boutiques and restaurants independently.