Treasures of France Including Normandy

Bienvenue! The 'City of Light' welcomes you as you prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey through France. Join your fellow travelers and Travel Director this afternoon for an orientation drive to admire the glittering cityscape of Paris – past grand boulevards and iconic sites like the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe and get to know your traveling companions over dinner this evening.

Leave Paris behind and head to Rouen, where the story of Joan of Arc comes to life in the very place she met her fate. From here, you'll continue to the charming port town of Honfleur, with its half-timbered buildings and colorful harbourfront that’s long drawn the eye of artists. Take time to wander its cobbled streets and see the views that inspired Monet and Boudin before heading to Distillerie Busnel, one of Normandy’s oldest working distilleries. Step inside to discover the craft of Calvados, and round off your visit with a tasting that brings the region’s flavors to life.

Today you'll explore the poignant D-Day Landing Beaches in the company of your Local Specialist. Begin with a visit to the American Rangers Memorial at Pointe du Hoc. Pay tribute to the brave souls who lost their lives at Omaha Beach, imagining the mingled sense of terror and triumph felt on the day Allied forces set foot on mainland Europe. Stop for lunch in the seaside town of Arromanches, setting of the Mulberry Harbor, once at the heart of the Normandy landings. Later, you could join an Optional Experience in Bayeux for a mini train ride through the town, followed by dinner in a local restaurant.

Travel through the Normandy countryside admiring the land of Calvados before exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-listed bay of the Mont-Saint-Michel. Your Local Specialist reveals the history of the impressive medieval Benedictine Abbey perched on the hilltop. In Brittany enjoy the afternoon your way or perhaps, discover the beauty of the port city Saint-Malo with a Local Specialist on an Optional Experience.

Journey onward through the countryside, with the option to join a scenic drive to Cancale for coastal views, a photo stop and time around its fishing port and oyster market. Later, Connect With Locals over lunch with wine in a 17th-century chateau during your Be My Guest experience, set within peaceful grounds. Continue through the landscapes of western France to the Loire Valley, where you’ll spend the next two nights.

In the morning, you are invited to taste hand-crafted chocolate at Maison Bigot for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Afterwards, you'll spend the day admiring the beautiful châteaux of the Loire Valley and join a Local Specialist for a visit to the Amboise Royal Château. It is here that King François I hosted Leonardo da Vinci, whose tomb now lies in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert adjoining the château. You will continue with a visit to Château de Chenonceau, built on the Cher River. The château is often referred to as the 'Ladies Castle', due to the many women who influenced its construction and development. Today it contains priceless collections, including Renaissance furniture, tapestries and masterpieces by Rubens and Tintoretto.

Your first stop today is the town of Chartres and its beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral, regarded as one of the most authentic and complete works of religious architecture from the early 13th century. You'll then journey back to Paris this afternoon and spend the rest of your day in the 'City of Light'. Celebrate with your Travel Director and newfound friends this evening at a dinner with local wines at a Parisian bistro.

For now it's time to say a fond au revoir to France and your fellow travelers at the end of a memorable trip.