Grand Tour of France

Grand Tour of France

A 'grand' tour of classic pitcurebook French treasures exploring Normandy, the Dordogne, the Ardeche and the Riviera. 

14 days from £1329

Excursions & Visits
• Honfleur, Mont St. Michel & St. Malo - seaside resorts for the Parisians
• Loire Valley - enchaning and impressive
• Rocamadour - spectacular Dordogne town
• Carcassonne - majestic fortified town
• Bormes les Mimosas - pretty floral village
• Ardeche - beautiful scenery
• Paris - "city of lights"

Your holiday itinerary
Day 1 Local departure by coach then to the Rouen area for an overnight stay.
Day 2 Honfleur, Mont St. Michel and St. Malo - Included) excursion exploring the beautiful Normandy and Brittany coastline; Hornfleur with its 17th century Old Dock is always a favourite. Next we visit the picturesque island site of Le Mont St. Michel with its impressive Abbey, then the fortified town of St. Malo, with its splendid city walls. Overnight in St. Malo area. (B,D)
Day 3 Tours, Amboise - We head for the Loire Valley for a two-night stay in Tours, a smart ‘bourgeois’ town. Enjoy an included visit to Amboise, with its fine chateau, then why not join our optional winetasting in Vouvray. (B,D)
Day 4 Loire Valley Châteaux - Included full day exploring the lovely Loire Valley and its châteaux . We begin at the leafy village of Azay-le-Rideau with its small, but incredibly beautiful château, then spectacular Chenonceau, which spans the River Cher. (B,D)
Day 5 Oradour-sur-Glane - En route to Rocamadour, in the Dordogne for a two-night stay, we visit the remembrance village of Oradour-sur-Glane, scene of a German SS massacre of the villagers. The village had been left exactly as it was during the war. (B,D)
Day 6 Rocamadour - Full day at leisure in Rocabadour, perched high on a limestone cliff in the heart of the Dordogne. (B,D)
Day 7 We drive through the beautiful Dordogne countryside to Carcassonne for an overnight stay. (B,D)
Day 8 Carcassonne, Béziers and the Grotte de Clamouse - Morning at leisure exploring Carcassonne with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside from the walls of the old city. We will later call at the medieval town of Béziers, then the famous Grotte de Clamouse, to see the famous calcite and aragonite formations.  Continue to  Aix-en-Provence for a three-night stay. (B,D)
Day 9 Bormes les Mimoses, Fréjus and St. Raphael - Included excursion to the Côte d’Azur. We begin at the pretty floral village of Bormes les Mimoses. Then to Fréjus and St. Raphael, two striking riviera resorts, both with charming old centres, fine beaches and home to the rich and famous. (B,D)
Day 10 Gorges du Verdon - Free time in Aix-en-Provence or join our optional tour to one of the most impressive natural sights in Europe. This dramatic gorge, is a sight not to miss, as the pretty River Verdon flows through this precipitous valley. (B,D)
Day 11 Ardèche Tour - En route to the Lyon area for an overnight stay we explore the wild rugged yet intensely beautiful scenery of the Ardèche, seeing quaint villages clinging to the hillsides, as well as the famous Gorges de l’Ardèche and the Pont d’Arc. (B,D)
Day 12 To the Paris area for a two-night stay. (B)
Day 13 Paris - Included full day in the 'city of lights'. Join our optional guided sightseeing tour to see all the major sights. (B)
Day 14 To Calais, then return home. (B)
Included Meals:B=Breakfast, D =Dinner
Please note: entrance fees to châteaux are extra cost

Your hotels
In Tours you'll stay at the 3-star Novotel Tours Sud for two nights, followed by two nights at the 2-star Hotel Lion d'Or or similar in Rocamadour or Loubressac. You will then spend one night at a 2-star hotel in the Carcassonne area, and three nights at the 3-star Novotel Beaumanoir, or similar in Aix-en-Provence. Overnight stays in Rouen, St Malo, central France and the Paris area will be in minimum 2-star city-style hotels.

What’s included?
• 13 nights' accommodation with continental breakfast & 9 evening meals
• Excusions and visits as detailed above
Travel by Silver Service coach for
• Extra legroom for your added comfort
• Rear lounge to relax and chat
• Porterage at your hotels