This is the perfect way to see the highlights of Paris plus the WWII landing beaches in Normandy, Brittany, and the Loire Valley in a short amount of time. In Paris, enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, followed by an orientation drive through the “City of Light.” Visit magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, and ascend to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower during guided sightseeing. Travel to Rouen, and walk through this pretty town, Hear about Joan of Arc, and admire the cathedral. Enjoy a cider tasting before arriving in Caen, where WWII comes alive at the fascinating Memorial Museum for Peace and the Normandy American Cemetery with its Visitor Center at Omaha Beach, where you can sign your name in the visitor’s book. Also visit the famous Abbey of Mont St. Michel before arriving in the Loire Valley, where a special “châteaux day” has been included. Visit Catherine de Medici’s lovely Chenonceaux and Clos Lucé to admire Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions. A highlight is a two-night stay in the famous Château du Breuil. To top it off, explore Chartres Cathedral, then, back in Paris, there is time to join an optional excursion to the Louvre Museum.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Paris, France. Welcome to Paris! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions, and leave the hotel for a welcome dinner with wine at one of Paris’ lively restaurants and enjoy an orientation drive to get a first impression of the “City of Light.” (D)
Day #2 Paris. Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Louvre, and Champs-Elysées. Visit magnificent NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL with its Rose Window, and for a panoramic view, take the elevator to the second floor of the EIFFEL TOWER. An optional excursion is available to the impressive Palace and Gardens of Versailles, built by the “Sun King,” Louis XIV, as well as an exciting evening outing. (B)
Day #3 Paris–Rouen–Caen. In Rouen, admire the façade of the cathedral, which was one of Monet’s favorite subjects for his Series Paintings, where he tried to prove how a subject was visually influenced by the ever-changing light. Twenty paintings of the cathedral existed, and many are today in Paris’ Orsay Museum. Time to stroll along the lovely cobblestoned Rue du Gros-Horloge leading to the square where Joan of Arc was burned in 1431. Next, stop in Beuvron-en-Auge along the Route du Cidre for [LF] a CIDER TASTING, before arriving in Caen. Look forward to a visit to the fascinating MEMORIAL MUSEUM FOR PEACE with its great exhibits and audiovisual show about the Battle of Normandy. (B,D)
Day #4 Caen–Normandy Beaches–Mont St. Michel. Focus on the scene of the Allied Forces’ landing on D-Day, June 6th, 1944. Drive by Juno Beach, then stop at Gold Beach for a view of the Mulberry Harbor remains at Arromanches. [LF] Visit the AMERICAN CEMETERY and its visitor center at Omaha Beach, where you can sign your name in the visitor’s book. Continue to Sainte Mère Eglise, the first town to be liberated, with its evocative parachute memorial. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided visit of the famous ABBEY OF MONT ST. MICHEL, perched on a rocky isle in the Gulf of Saint Malo. Overnight is on the coast near Mont St. Michel. (B,D)
Day #5 Mont St. Michel–Loire Valley. 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 the Loire Valley, where you will stay for the next two nights in [LF] splendid Château du Breuil. Tonight, why not sample French cuisine at one of the area’s excellent restaurants? (B)
Day #6 Loire Valley. Excursion to Castle Country. Today, visit three of the most important castles in the area. Start with the jewel of the French Renaissance, Château CHAMBORD. Next is the 16th-century Château of Catherine de Medici, lovely CHENONCEAU, a fairytale castle with a moat, drawbridge, and towers. In Amboise, visit CLOS LUCÉ, where Leonardo da Vinci worked and lived during the last part of his life, and marvel at an amazing collection of models of his inventions, like his design of an airplane, painstakingly reconstructed from the drawings of the great renaissance genius. (B,D)
Day #7 Loire Valley–Chartres–Paris. Stop in Chartres with its superb 13th-century gothic CATHEDRAL—a jewel of medieval architecture, and arrive in Paris. Optional excursions are available to the magnificent Louvre Museum to admire the Mona Lisa, and to the Moulin Rouge dinner show, the best way to say, “Au Revoir, Paris.” (B)
Day #8 Paris. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Hotels:
PARIS Marriott Paris Rive Gauche (SF) or Le Méridien Etoile (SF)
CAEN Mercure Centre (F)
MONT ST. MICHEL Mercure Mont St. Michel (F) or Relais St. Michel (F)
LOIRE VALLEY Château du Breuil (F) at Cheverny
PARIS Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel (F) or Mövenpick (SF) at Neuilly sur Seine