Paris and Normandy
Including Rouen, Bayeux, the Normandy Beaches and Mont San Michel
Sept 18 - 24
in conjunction with our 2023 Northern Italy Group Tour
Including Rouen, Bayeux, the Normandy Beaches and Mont San Michel
Sept 18 - 24
in conjunction with our 2023 Northern Italy Group Tour
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Please join Tour Director Sandy Gregory for this wonderful adventure through Northern Italy and France.
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This itinerary will run in conjunction with our September 2023 Northern Italy Tour
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DAY 9: FLY FROM BOLOGNA TO PARIS. |
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Included group flight from Bologna and transfer to our Paris hotel.
Our hotel is a smart and cheerful hotel located right in the heart of the Left Bank, perfectly situated and just a short walk from the eastern gates of Luxembourg Gardens in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, the center for bookstores, design shops, museums, churches, high-end art galleries, boutique hotels, historic cafés, restaurants, and the most beautiful real estate in Paris.
We'll start our time in Paris with an orientation walk and prepare for our included French picque nique lunch. We’ll stop at a few of the local shops and markets to pick up our groceries and learn a bit about the local delicacies. Add a few bottles of tempanade, some French mustards, exquisite breads and pastries, and then we’re off to meet my oh-so-French assistant who will have set up for our oh-so-French picque nique.
Tonight we are going to begin our Included Welcome Dinner festivities with a cruise on the Seine. Taking a boat ride down the Seine river at the beginning of your trip is a great way to get a feel for the layout of the city and gives you a wonderful perspective of all of the sights. After our tour we are off to a nearby brasserie for a classic French dinner.
Included dinner
Overnight in Paris, 3 nights with breakfast
Our hotel is a smart and cheerful hotel located right in the heart of the Left Bank, perfectly situated and just a short walk from the eastern gates of Luxembourg Gardens in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, the center for bookstores, design shops, museums, churches, high-end art galleries, boutique hotels, historic cafés, restaurants, and the most beautiful real estate in Paris.
We'll start our time in Paris with an orientation walk and prepare for our included French picque nique lunch. We’ll stop at a few of the local shops and markets to pick up our groceries and learn a bit about the local delicacies. Add a few bottles of tempanade, some French mustards, exquisite breads and pastries, and then we’re off to meet my oh-so-French assistant who will have set up for our oh-so-French picque nique.
Tonight we are going to begin our Included Welcome Dinner festivities with a cruise on the Seine. Taking a boat ride down the Seine river at the beginning of your trip is a great way to get a feel for the layout of the city and gives you a wonderful perspective of all of the sights. After our tour we are off to a nearby brasserie for a classic French dinner.
Included dinner
Overnight in Paris, 3 nights with breakfast
DAY 10: A DAY IN PARIS |
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On our private tour, we’ll drive through the important sights on the Left Bank, then go on to the Champs Elysees, past the Arc du Triomph and Les Invalides, and Place du Concorde. We’ll finish with a walk through the Tuilleries Gardens and a guided tour of the highlights of the Louvre. Your tour includes admission to the Louvre, private guide, car and driver.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy Paris. Consider:
• Exploring the neighborhood and the bridges along the Seine. Along the banks there are the bouquinistes, or book sellers. The green boxes are filled with used books, great prints and all kinds of souvenirs. Across the Seine, near Saint Chapelle and the central police station is a flower and bird market. We will keep you apprised on the reconstruction of Notre Dame.
• Viewing the Impressionist Masterpieces at the Orsay Museum
• Seeing the Monet Waterlilies at the L’Orangerie, sculpture in the Rodin Museum, and Napoleion’s Tomb at Les Invalides
• Shopping at the funky boutiques in the Marais District
• Strolling along La Promenade Plantée, a three mile long elevated green space near the Bastille
• Paying homage to Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde at Pere Lachaise Cemetery.
You tour price includes a Metro Pass and we will show you how to get around, take you where you want to go, or make any reservations you would like.
Tonight: Included sunset tour of the Eiffel Tower and included dinner
Overnight in Paris
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy Paris. Consider:
• Exploring the neighborhood and the bridges along the Seine. Along the banks there are the bouquinistes, or book sellers. The green boxes are filled with used books, great prints and all kinds of souvenirs. Across the Seine, near Saint Chapelle and the central police station is a flower and bird market. We will keep you apprised on the reconstruction of Notre Dame.
• Viewing the Impressionist Masterpieces at the Orsay Museum
• Seeing the Monet Waterlilies at the L’Orangerie, sculpture in the Rodin Museum, and Napoleion’s Tomb at Les Invalides
• Shopping at the funky boutiques in the Marais District
• Strolling along La Promenade Plantée, a three mile long elevated green space near the Bastille
• Paying homage to Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde at Pere Lachaise Cemetery.
You tour price includes a Metro Pass and we will show you how to get around, take you where you want to go, or make any reservations you would like.
Tonight: Included sunset tour of the Eiffel Tower and included dinner
Overnight in Paris
DAY 11: TO ROUEN AND BAYEUX |
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This morning we head to Normandy, one of the wonders of the world.
Enroute, we’ll make a stop in Rouen, the city best known for Joan of Arc. Our local guide will meet us in Rouen for a tour of the city. We’ll visit the Cathedral, the old town and the XXL exhibition showing Rouen at the time when Joan of Arc lived.
Included lunch at the oldest inn of France and the restaurant that introduced Julia Child to French cuisine. This 600 year-old inn sits on Old Market Square in Rouen, a stone’s throw from the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.
5:00 depart Rouen to Bayeux (about 1.5 hour drive). 2000-year old Bayeux is the only city that was not destroyed during the battle of Normandy.
Overnight in Bayeux, 2 nights with breakfast.
Enroute, we’ll make a stop in Rouen, the city best known for Joan of Arc. Our local guide will meet us in Rouen for a tour of the city. We’ll visit the Cathedral, the old town and the XXL exhibition showing Rouen at the time when Joan of Arc lived.
Included lunch at the oldest inn of France and the restaurant that introduced Julia Child to French cuisine. This 600 year-old inn sits on Old Market Square in Rouen, a stone’s throw from the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431.
5:00 depart Rouen to Bayeux (about 1.5 hour drive). 2000-year old Bayeux is the only city that was not destroyed during the battle of Normandy.
Overnight in Bayeux, 2 nights with breakfast.
DAY 12: FULL DAY AT THE NORMANDY BEACHES |
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Today is the day when we remember the sacrifices of a young generation of Americans, Canadians, British and French Soldiers who fought for our freedom. Our local guide will tak us on a full day tour of the Landing Beaches. We will first drive to Sainte Mere Eglise to see the famous church. This area is where everything started on D-Day: June 6. We are then off to Utah Beach. We’ll spend a moment at the Memorial of Major Winters (Band of Brothers, 101st Airborne), before reaching the German Cemetery of La Cambe. We then will go thru Pointe du Hoc, before continuing on to Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. The visit of the German guns at Longue Sur Mer will make you realize what the Atlantic Wall was all about. The day ends at Arromanches and its temporary Mulberry Port, an all-important just-made-on-time portable port and bridges which allowed the arrival of thousands of troops and equipment necessary to the Battle of Normandy and the invasion of Germany. A poignant day.
Dinner on your own in Bayeux. Overnight in Bayeux.
Dinner on your own in Bayeux. Overnight in Bayeux.
DAY 13: MONT SAN MICHEL AND BACK TO PARIS |
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This morning we check out of the hotel and take a 1.5 drive to our tour of the rocky island of Mont San Michel. Perched on a rocky islet in the midst of vast sandbanks exposed to powerful tides between Normandy and Brittany stands the ‘Wonder of the West’, a Gothic-style Benedictine abbey dedicated to the archangel St Michael, and the village that grew up in the shadow of its great walls.
Our local guide will be waiting at the entrance of the village, in front of the tourism office. Our guided tour will last about 2.5 hours and include the visit of the abbey.There will be free time for you enjoy the area and have lunch before we reboard the bus and retur n back to Paris.
Overnight in Paris, 2 nights in Montmartre
Included dinner
Our local guide will be waiting at the entrance of the village, in front of the tourism office. Our guided tour will last about 2.5 hours and include the visit of the abbey.There will be free time for you enjoy the area and have lunch before we reboard the bus and retur n back to Paris.
Overnight in Paris, 2 nights in Montmartre
Included dinner
DAY 14: A DAY IN MONTMARTRE |
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Once a haven for the artists and bohemians of Paris, Montmartre has become an area heavily populated by tourists eager to see one of the most quintessentially Parisian neighbourhoods. Today we’ll spend the day in the 18th arrondissement.
We’ll start our day at the Basilica de Sacre Coeur. It’s worth climbing up the 270 steps to take in the stunning architecture of the second-most visited church in Paris. When you step inside you’ll find stunning mosaics and beautiful architecture.
We’ll then spend some time meandering through the Montmartre Cemetery, the second largest cemetery in Paris. It is a peaceful and beautiful place located in the heart of Montmartre. It is known as the Cemetery of the Artists. You can spend the rest of the day enjoying all of the local shops and cafes around the Place du Tertre. It may be overrun with caricaturists, but the Place du Tertre is steeped in Parisian history. During the Belle Epoque, it was frequented by Van Gogh and Picasso, and there are still touches of the incredible art scene that once thrived here. The place is still home to a variety of artists, who must apply at the town hall of the 18th arrondissement before they can set up an easel (and the waiting list is up to ten years long!).
You will have the rest of the day to wander through Montmartre, shop, sit at a cafe or pop in to one of the small museums (Musée de Montmartre or Salvadore Dali Museum) in the neighborhood.
Farewell Dinner
We’ll start our day at the Basilica de Sacre Coeur. It’s worth climbing up the 270 steps to take in the stunning architecture of the second-most visited church in Paris. When you step inside you’ll find stunning mosaics and beautiful architecture.
We’ll then spend some time meandering through the Montmartre Cemetery, the second largest cemetery in Paris. It is a peaceful and beautiful place located in the heart of Montmartre. It is known as the Cemetery of the Artists. You can spend the rest of the day enjoying all of the local shops and cafes around the Place du Tertre. It may be overrun with caricaturists, but the Place du Tertre is steeped in Parisian history. During the Belle Epoque, it was frequented by Van Gogh and Picasso, and there are still touches of the incredible art scene that once thrived here. The place is still home to a variety of artists, who must apply at the town hall of the 18th arrondissement before they can set up an easel (and the waiting list is up to ten years long!).
You will have the rest of the day to wander through Montmartre, shop, sit at a cafe or pop in to one of the small museums (Musée de Montmartre or Salvadore Dali Museum) in the neighborhood.
Farewell Dinner
DAY 15. FLIGHTS OUT FROM PARIS OR CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY WITH ONE OF OUR OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS |
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POST-TOUR OPTION TO NICE AND THE FRENCH RIVIERA
Day 1. Transfer from Provence to Nice. One of the oldest French cities, Nice became Capital of the French Riviera in the 1800’s and today is the 5th largest city of France. We'll enjoy a driving panoramic tour of Nice, including the cities Roman sites, Baroque churches, and the Belle Epoque and Art Deco architecture that characterizes the city. We’ll drive along the Promenades des Anglais and finish at our hotel where you'll have the rest of the day to enjoy the boardwalk.
Day 2. A Tour along the French Riviera. Our morning tour will begin with a stop at the Nice market, followed by a drive along the Cote d’Azur, or Blue Coast, with a visit to the Rothschild Mansion and its beautiful gardens. The heiress Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild had an Italian-style pink palazzo erected on the beautiful Cap Ferrat peninsula at the start of the twentieth century. After, our coach will drop us off at the nearby town of Eze. We'll enjoy a long winding walk up the seaside village, stopping at charming galleries and overlooks on the way and finishing at our Michelin lunch stop overlooking the Mediterranean.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy Nice
Day 3. A Day of Choices in Nice:
• Stroll the Promenades des Anglais. Sit on the blue Riviera seats that are lined up along the boulevard and watch the rollerbladers and bikes go by.
• Walk around the Port of Nice to see the impressive yachts and colorful fishing boats.
• The Chagall Museum. Chagall was involved in the construction of the museum and produced his artworks to fill the rooms. You’ll see different works from different stages throughout his life.
• Explore the culture and cooking of Nice. We’ll begin the morning at Nice’s famous Cours Saleya market with with our chef to sample seasonal produce and meet the local producers. Then we’re off to her kitchen to create the beloved Nicoise dishes for our lunch.
Add some days to your stay. You might want to think about:
• Take the train or hop a bus to Monte Carlo. Live out your inner 007 at the Casino while gawking at the fancy people with their fancy cars. Then hike up to Monaco Ville and see the Grimaldi Palace and the very well-done Aquarium.
• Channel your inner-Hollywood with a day trip to Cannes and the perfumeries of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world.
• An excursion to Antibes and Biot. If you are interested in art and glassware, think about choosing this excursion to Antibes and Biot. The Picasso Museum in Antibes is situated in the old Grimaldi chateau and features not only a superb Picasso collection but also other important 20th century artists and a permanent collection of sculptures on the terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. Biot, between Antibes and Nice, is a picturesque hill village renowned for its pretty glassware. There are several glass works where you can watch the glass blowing process and of course, shops to buy the finished product. Suggested reading for a colorful insight into Antibes: Mediterranean Summer by David Shalleck.
• St. Paul de Vence and Vence. These little towns tick all the boxes of Provence: winding streets, old men playing pétanque, beautiful views, manicured gardens, stone fountains and art galleries. You’ll have the whole day to explore and finish with a dinner of to-die-for rotisserie chicken and lavender creme brûlée.
Day 2. A Tour along the French Riviera. Our morning tour will begin with a stop at the Nice market, followed by a drive along the Cote d’Azur, or Blue Coast, with a visit to the Rothschild Mansion and its beautiful gardens. The heiress Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild had an Italian-style pink palazzo erected on the beautiful Cap Ferrat peninsula at the start of the twentieth century. After, our coach will drop us off at the nearby town of Eze. We'll enjoy a long winding walk up the seaside village, stopping at charming galleries and overlooks on the way and finishing at our Michelin lunch stop overlooking the Mediterranean.
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy Nice
Day 3. A Day of Choices in Nice:
• Stroll the Promenades des Anglais. Sit on the blue Riviera seats that are lined up along the boulevard and watch the rollerbladers and bikes go by.
• Walk around the Port of Nice to see the impressive yachts and colorful fishing boats.
• The Chagall Museum. Chagall was involved in the construction of the museum and produced his artworks to fill the rooms. You’ll see different works from different stages throughout his life.
• Explore the culture and cooking of Nice. We’ll begin the morning at Nice’s famous Cours Saleya market with with our chef to sample seasonal produce and meet the local producers. Then we’re off to her kitchen to create the beloved Nicoise dishes for our lunch.
Add some days to your stay. You might want to think about:
• Take the train or hop a bus to Monte Carlo. Live out your inner 007 at the Casino while gawking at the fancy people with their fancy cars. Then hike up to Monaco Ville and see the Grimaldi Palace and the very well-done Aquarium.
• Channel your inner-Hollywood with a day trip to Cannes and the perfumeries of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world.
• An excursion to Antibes and Biot. If you are interested in art and glassware, think about choosing this excursion to Antibes and Biot. The Picasso Museum in Antibes is situated in the old Grimaldi chateau and features not only a superb Picasso collection but also other important 20th century artists and a permanent collection of sculptures on the terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. Biot, between Antibes and Nice, is a picturesque hill village renowned for its pretty glassware. There are several glass works where you can watch the glass blowing process and of course, shops to buy the finished product. Suggested reading for a colorful insight into Antibes: Mediterranean Summer by David Shalleck.
• St. Paul de Vence and Vence. These little towns tick all the boxes of Provence: winding streets, old men playing pétanque, beautiful views, manicured gardens, stone fountains and art galleries. You’ll have the whole day to explore and finish with a dinner of to-die-for rotisserie chicken and lavender creme brûlée.
OPTIONal stay at a french farmhouse in the vines.
If your group would prefer a country stay rather than being in Avignon, consider our luxury villa option in the Luberon. A driveway bordered by cyprus, olive trees and lavender bushes leads up to the house. A warm welcome awaits you in this elegant 18th-century stone country house or "bastide". Its 57-acre vineyard grows Grenache, Syrah, Roussanne, Vermantino, Cinsault and Mourvedre.
In autumn, the vineyards come alive with glowing colors and the much-awaited grape-harvesting season is in full swing!
In summer, take advantage of two swimming pools that blend perfectly into the surroundings. The first is heated and close to the breakfast terrace. It is also protected by stone ramparts and follows the form of the building. The second lies opposite the vines and merges with the greenery. Springing up like a pond, it has been restored in the spirit of the two original reflecting pools.
Indoor and outdoor dining is available for all meals as well as afternoon tea.
The spa is oriented towards nature and pleasure, where the energies from the five natural elements (wood, fire, stone, plants and water) interact to provide you with total well-being.
All of our day excursions can be easily done when staying at this villa.
In autumn, the vineyards come alive with glowing colors and the much-awaited grape-harvesting season is in full swing!
In summer, take advantage of two swimming pools that blend perfectly into the surroundings. The first is heated and close to the breakfast terrace. It is also protected by stone ramparts and follows the form of the building. The second lies opposite the vines and merges with the greenery. Springing up like a pond, it has been restored in the spirit of the two original reflecting pools.
Indoor and outdoor dining is available for all meals as well as afternoon tea.
The spa is oriented towards nature and pleasure, where the energies from the five natural elements (wood, fire, stone, plants and water) interact to provide you with total well-being.
All of our day excursions can be easily done when staying at this villa.