zTreasures of Normandy & the Loire

Check in to the Warwick Hotel Champs-Elysées, located just off the city’s most famous boulevard, and meet your Trip Leader for an introductory briefing.

Travel to Giverny to visit the home of Claude Monet and the lovely gardens that inspired many of his paintings. Continue to Honfleur, a charming little port which captivated Monet and many other 19th-century artists, and explore the town’s lovely seaside promenade. Sample fine Calvados at the family-owned Manoir d’Apreval and check in to the Hotel Villa Lara in Bayeux. Meals B,D

Your exploration into some of the most inspiring moments of World War II history begins fittingly in Sainte-Mère-Eglise, the first town liberated after D-Day! Visit Utah Beach and the battlefield at Pointe du Hoc and then continue to the American Cemetery, where we’ve made special arrangements with the officer on duty to pay tribute to the American heroes buried here. Stroll along Omaha Beach and tour the unique D-Day Museum in Arromanches. Return to your hotel in Bayeux where your evening is free. Meals B

Sightseeing begins at the Memorial of Caen, where innovative exhibits explore Europe’s tumultuous history from the World Wars through the fall of the Berlin Wall. Then discover the medieval architecture of Bayeux, the Norman Gothic styling of its 11th-century Cathedral and the Bayeux tapestry, embroidered in 1067. Later, meet with an esteemed lace maker in her shop to see her intricate work and to learn about the long history of lace-making in Bayeux. Meals B

This morning you’ll visit the breathtaking medieval abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. Then drive through the lovely French countryside and check in to the Manoir les Minimes in Amboise before sitting down to a memorable dinner here in the heart of the Loire Valley. Meals B,D

Enjoy a guided walk through charming Amboise and a tour of the Castle, built in the 15th century and regarded as France’s first true royal residence. At Clos Lucé, the Renaissance manor house where Leonardo de Vinci spent the last years of his life, there are fascinating giant replicas of his most intriguing inventions. Then tour a nearby family vineyard and sample some of their fine organic wines. Meals B

For those who wish, the day begins with a gentle bike ride through the lovely landscapes of the Loire, before we all meet in Tours. In the afternoon, visit Château d’Azay-le-Rideau; with its turrets and picturesque island setting, it’s one of the most unique castles in the Loire. At Château de Chenonceau, you’ll discover a superb example of early French Renaissance style. Meals B

Perched on a rocky spur overlooking the picturesque Vienne Valley, the Royal Fortress of Chinon was once home to Richard the Lionheart. In the fairytale gardens of the Château du Rivau, you will enjoy an exclusive wine and cheese tasting with a cheese maker from the nearby village of Sainte Maure de Touraine. Return to Amboise. Meals B

Transfer to the station and board the TGV train back to your choice of either Paris city-center or Charles de Gaulle airport. Meals B