Paris

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport - Arrive at Paris Airport on Saturday or Sunday. Travelers will arrive at various times. We arrange group/small-group transfers from Charles de Gaulle Airport to the hotel for all flights coming from the US.

The tour description is designed for the program starting on Saturday. However, we include important information for travelers arriving in Paris on Sundays.

Paris - Hotel check-in after 14:00. If you arrive earlier, you can use the hotel’s luggage storage. Free time.

Latin Quarter - 18:00 Latin Quarter walking tour. Paris’ Latin Quarter, located on the left bank of the Seine, dates back to the Middle Ages. Known for its bohemian atmosphere, it has long attracted students, writers, and intellectuals. Named centuries ago because Sorbonne University students spoke and learned in Latin, it remains lively with a village feel, beautiful fountains, trees, and historic monuments like Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre Church, Saint-Séverin Church, the medieval Cluny Museum, and Place St. Michel.

Paris — Loire Valley Castles (optional day trip)

Loire Valley - Free time in Paris. You can explore museums and parks on your own or join one of our optional excursions suggested by your guide.

An optional full-day trip, “Three Loire Valley Castles from Paris with Tickets & Wine Tasting,” is highly recommended for learning about the French Renaissance. For those arriving in Paris on Sunday or Monday, this experience will be offered on Wednesday.

07:30 Meet at Opera Garnier Steps to start the day trip. The 245 km drive on the highway takes 3 hours, with one rest stop. The guide will provide general information about French history related to the Loire Valley castles.

Chateau de Chenonceau - 10:30 Arrival at Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley.

After receiving information from our guide during the comfortable coach trip about the history of French kings, the Loire Valley, and its castles, you will enjoy a guided visit to each castle and see the glamorous architecture and beautiful nature of the region. Our guide will also bring old maps, pictures, and other materials to enhance your understanding of each castle’s history.

10:30 to 12:00 Visit Château de Chenonceau and its garden, nicknamed “ladies’ castle,” known for its feminine history involving famous French women like Catherine de Medici, stunning architecture, and unique arches over the River Cher. The Renaissance-style gardens with over 130,000 flowering plants will also impress you.

Free time.

Plou Et Fils - 12:00 to 13:30 Visit a local winery with wine tasting.

Chateau Royal d’Amboise - 14:00 to 15:15 Visit Château Royal d’Amboise.

Skip-the-line access with a guide to Chateau d’Amboise, a grand 15th-century residence of King Charles VIII, showcasing the transition from Gothic to Renaissance architecture. Learn about the castle’s history, known for the birth of princes, the reign of kings, and the death of Renaissance master Leonardo Da Vinci, whose grave is in the chapel.

15:15 Departure from Amboise to Chambord, arriving around 16:00.

The drive takes about 40 minutes, with a 5-10 minute walk from the parking area to the chateau entrance.

Chateau de Chambord - 16:00 - 18:00 Visit Château de Chambord.

Château de Chambord is renowned for its French Renaissance architecture. Built between 1519 and 1547 by Francis I, it is the largest castle with 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases, including a famous double-spiral staircase possibly designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

18:00 Departure to Paris. The return drive to Paris is approximately 180 km and takes 2.5 hours, with one rest stop.

Paris — Sightseeing City tour — Eiffel Tower — Versailles

Paris - 08:30 Meet participants in Paris at Opera Garnier Steps.

The guide will welcome participants, ensure everyone is on board, and begin the sightseeing tour. The guide will provide general information about French history, culture, architecture, and interesting facts about France.

11:45 End of the Paris sightseeing city tour at Opera Garnier Steps.

Eiffel Tower - 11:45 Departure from Opera Garnier Steps to the Eiffel Tower, a 10-15 minute drive.

12:00 - 13:30 Eiffel Tower Skip-the-Line Visit. Tickets are to be paid on-site at official rates. Upon arrival at the Eiffel Tower, you will have skip-the-line access:

• €16.60 ticket to the 2nd floor by lift (most popular)
• €25.90 ticket to the summit by lift (rare option)
• €10.40 ticket to the 2nd floor by stairs
• €19.70 ticket to the top by stairs & lift

Versailles - 13:30 Departure from the Eiffel Tower to Versailles. The trip to Versailles takes 5 hours (longer than standard 4-hour trips).

14:15 Arrival at Versailles Palace, skip-the-line access to the palace, and an audio-guided visit to the palace. Live guided park visit. You will learn about the entire Versailles estate:

• The Palace
• The Estate of Trianon
• The Gardens and the Park
• The Coach Gallery

The palace visit takes 1.5 hours. Afterward, the guide will show you the most important parts of the garden, Trianon, and the Coach Gallery. You will then have free time for walking around and taking pictures.

17:45 Departure from Versailles to Paris, arriving at Opera Garnier (Meeting point No. 1) around 18:30.

Paris - 18:30 Arrival in Paris at Opera Garnier Steps.

Paris — Montmartre — Latin Quarter

Paris - Free time in Paris.

Montmartre - 19:00 - 21:00 Walking tour of Montmartre.

Montmartre, the highest hill in Paris, is crowned by the white-stone Sacre Coeur basilica, built in 1876. It can be reached by stairs or funicular. From its top, at an altitude of 130 meters, you get an amazing view of Paris.

For a long time, Montmartre residents considered their area a separate village from the rest of the city. For artists like Toulouse-Lautrec, Utrillo, Picasso, and Matisse, as well as poet G. Apollinaire and pianist E. Satie, Montmartre was the embodiment of freedom. Since the late 19th century, it has been known as a bohemian haven.

Latin Quarter - 09:00 Latin Quarter walking tour for those arriving in Paris on Sunday.

Paris’ Latin Quarter, located on the left bank of the Seine, dates back to the Middle Ages. Known for its bohemian atmosphere, it has long attracted students, writers, and intellectuals. Named centuries ago because Sorbonne University students spoke and learned in Latin, it remains lively with a village feel, beautiful fountains, trees, and historic monuments like Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre Church, Saint-Séverin Church, the medieval Cluny Museum, and Place St. Michel.

Paris

Paris - Free time in Paris. You can explore museums and parks on your own or join one of our optional excursions suggested by your guide.

Loire Valley - For those arriving in Paris on Sunday, the optional full-day trip “Three Loire Valley Castles from Paris with Tickets & Wine Tasting” is an excellent opportunity to learn about the French Renaissance.

Paris — Rouen — Etretat — Honfleur

Paris - 07:30 Departure from your hotel in Paris to Rouen. The guide will provide general information about French history related to Normandy: Rouen, Honfleur, Mont Saint-Michel, etc. The 122 km drive on the highway from Paris to Rouen takes around 2 hours in our comfortable air-conditioned Mercedes minivan with WiFi.

Rouen - 09:30 - 12:00 Visit Rouen, the capital of the Duke of Normandy. Enjoy a sightseeing walking tour of Rouen, known for its Gothic cathedrals and as the city of a hundred bell towers. You will have the opportunity to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, famous from Monet’s paintings, the Vieux Marché area, the site of Joan of Arc’s execution, the Church of Joan of Arc, the 16th-century Palace of Justice, and the medieval clock on the pedestrian street of Gros-Horloge. The walking tour lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. Free time. 12:00 Departure from Rouen to Etretat (about 80 km).

Etretat - 15:00 Arrival in Etretat. Walk to the cliffs. Free time for lunch. Étretat is famous for its chalk cliffs, including three natural arches and the Needle, which rises 70 meters above the sea. It was a popular spot for impressionist artists like Claude Monet. Today, it is a classic seaside resort nestled between two sets of chalk cliffs. You can walk on the beach or climb for excellent views. Along the seafront, there are many restaurants/cafés offering variations of Moules/Frites. Free time. 15:00 Departure to Honfleur, about a one-hour drive.

Honfleur - 16:00 Arrival in Honfleur. The walking city tour takes about 1 hour. Explore Honfleur with its famous port, a main defensive port of Normandy in the 15th century, now a charming resort town with a picturesque bay loved by 19th-century artists. First mentioned in 1027, Honfleur belonged to Norman Duke Richard III. The city changed hands several times during the Hundred Years’ War. In the 15th century, French pirates ravaged the English coast from here. In the 17th-18th centuries, the city grew rich from trade with American colonies. After the port closed, Honfleur’s economy declined, and it became a suburb of Le Havre. Today, it is one of Normandy’s most popular tourist cities. 17:00 to 18:00 Free time. 18:00 Departure from Honfleur to Calvados tasting.

Calvados Christian Drouin - 18:15 Arrival at a local Calvados producer. Learn how Calvados and cider have been made for centuries and enjoy a tasting. 19:00 Departure to Mont Saint-Michel.

Saint-Lo - 19:00 Departure from Honfleur to Mont Saint-Michel, a 1.5 to 2-hour drive. 20:30/21:00 Accommodation at a 3*+ hotel in Normandy.

Mont Saint-Michel — Cancale — Saint-Malo — Paris

Mont-Saint-Michel - 07:30 Departure from your hotel in Normandy to Mont Saint-Michel, less than an hour’s drive. The guide will provide general information about French history related to Normandy, Brittany, and Mont Saint-Michel. 09:00 Arrival at Mont Saint-Michel.

Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel - 09:00 - 12:30 Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Mont Saint-Michel and the Benedictine Abbey. Your guide will lead you up the narrow streets of the medieval village to the top of the island, where you can admire panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and bay and enter the Benedictine Abbey. Entrance tickets include audio guides in many languages. The entire island and bay are UNESCO World Heritage sites, unchanged since the Middle Ages when it was a pilgrimage destination. Mont Saint-Michel remains the most visited site in France. Free time for lunch and exploring the city and bay. 12:30 Departure to Cancale, about an hour’s drive.

Cancale - 13:30 Arrival in Cancale, the oyster capital of France. Enjoy an oyster tasting at the local fishermen’s market. Buy a tray from a stallholder to eat while admiring the bay of Cancale. Cancale is famous for its oysters, cultivated for hundreds of years. Enjoy breathtaking views over the Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel. 14:30 Departure to Saint-Malo.

Saint-Malo - 15:00 Arrival in Saint-Malo (Brittany). Walking tour of Saint-Malo, a historic French port on the English Channel coast. Known for its piracy history, Saint-Malo gained wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. It was the city of corsairs and the birthplace of Jacques Cartier, the discoverer of Canada, and poet Chateaubriand. The walking tour includes the Old Town, surrounded by high walls, with narrow cobbled streets and buildings from the 18th and 15th centuries. 18:00 Departure to the Loire Valley.

Paris - 21:00/21:30 Return to Paris.

Paris

Charles de Gaulle Airport 2 TGV - Hotel - Airport transfer to your flight. Note that check-out time is 12:00 p.m. You can use the hotel’s luggage room for later transfers to the airport.

Paris - For those arriving in Paris on Sunday or Monday, a full-day experience includes a Paris sightseeing city tour, Eiffel Tower visit, and Versailles half-day trip with palace and gardens visit.

• Hotel accommodation in 1/2 DR for 7 nights
• 2-day trip to Normandy — Brittany (Mont Saint-Michel, Cancale, Saint Malo, Rouen, Etretat, Honfleur)
• Excursions: Paris City tour, Louvre, Versailles, Eiffel Tower, Latin Quarter, Paris by night, Seine
• Calvados & Cider tasting by local producer
• Group transfers CDG - Hotels in 1,2,3,4,8,9,10 Arrondissements of Paris both ways
• Breakfast
• Comfortable air-conditioned Mercedes minibus up to 7 clients
• Professional English speaking Guide

• Eiffel Tower €16,60 2nd floor, €10,40 2nd floor by stairs
• Loire Valley Castles full-day trip
• Gratuities
• Souvenirs