La Francaise Tour 2012
Number of days: 17 Days
Departs from: Paris
Avg distance travelled / day: 194 kms
Chateaux of Chambord, France (MDLF/Leonard de Serres)
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Paris
Your tour commences this evening with a welcome drink and dinner in your first class hotel. This is an ideal chance to meet, and get to know, your Tour Manager and fellow travellers.
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Your Paris hotel – Millennium Hotel Paris Opera
Day 2: Caen in Normandy
Your morning stop will be in Rouen, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. The old town still boasts wonderful half timbered buildings and the Notre Dame Cathedral. In the afternoon we will explore the pretty fishing harbour of Honfleur with its cobbled streets lined with shops and pavement cafes. Later at Pont l’Evêque we stop at the Calvados distillery of Père Magloire to take a guided tour of the distillery and a tasting of this apple liquor. Your hotel for the next three nights is in the centre of William the Conqueror’s city – Caen, opposite the marina and close to the pedestrian area.
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Your Normandy Hotel – Mercure Caen Centre Porte de Plaisance
Day 3: Caen in Normandy
A fascinating morning exploring the Normandy landing beaches, including visits to Arromanches-les-Bains and the Landing Beaches Museum. Later we will also visit the magnificent Bayeux Tapestry, depicting William the Conqueror’s invasion of Britain in 1066. The remainder of your afternoon will be at leisure in Caen with its well preserved historical old town, heritage buildings, castle and abbeys.
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Day 4: Caen in Normandy
Driving through the lush countryside we reach the borders of Normandy and Brittany and visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mont St Michel. The abbey is perched atop a rocky outcrop linked to mainland France by a narrow causeway.
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Day 5: Chateau de Chissay in the Loire Valley
Today we make our way south to the verdant Loire Valley where, during the 15th and 16th centuries, the Kings of France and their courtiers created their grand holiday palaces. First stop is in the city of Angers where we have included entrance to the massive 13th century granite chateau, which houses the carefully restored medieval Apocalypse Tapestry with its magnificent glowing red, blue and gold threads. In the afternoon we follow the River Loire past Saumur and Usee with its 16th century ‘Sleeping Beauty’ chateau, to reach our Chateau hotel where we spend the next three wonderful nights.
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Your Loire Valley hotel – Chateau de Chissay*
Your feature hotel, located near Montrichard is an imposing Chateau decorated with 19th century style furnishings. All bedroom windows open onto the surrounding 10 hectare of grounds. Visit www.chateauchissay.com.
* The July departure stays at the Chateau de Rochecotte and dines in a different restaurant on day 6.
Day 6: Chateau de Chissay in the Loire Valley
This morning we visit the city of Amboise with its Royal Palace, where Leonardo da Vinci once lived as a guest of King Francois I. Today’s popular Sunday markets, on the banks of the River Loire, make a wonderful visit. This afternoon we will stop at Chambord to view the magnificent chateau. This enormous chateau was created by King Francois I as a hunting lodge within the surrounding grounds, which consisted of over 5,000 wooded hectares. Later we take an afternoon break in Blois, known for its historic castle and old town with narrow cobbled streets. Dinner tonight is included in a local character restaurant.
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Day 7: Chateau de Chissay in the Loire Valley
We enjoy a morning cruise along the River Cher to take in the wonderful view of the magnificent Chateau Chenonceau, spanning the river on a series of graceful arches. Possibly one of the most photographed of the Loire chateaux this was the former home of Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici. After cruising under the arches we visit the stunning gardens and interior of the chateau (audio guide included). Lunchtime will be spent in the charming village of Azay-le-Rideau with its elegant chateau. Later we visit the gardens of Chateau Villandry. Inspired by the classic gardens of the 16th and 18th century, different levels of the gardens include ponds, topiary, ornamental hedges and an extraordinary kitchen garden covering 12,500 square metres.
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Day 8: Bordeaux
Arriving on the coast, our lunch time stop will be in delightful La Rochelle, arguably one of the most attractive and unspoiled towns on France's Atlantic seaboard. Later we make a stop in the town of Cognac to enjoy a tour though the famous Remy Martin Distillery, including a mini train ride and tasting. We arrive in the bustling city of Bordeaux, on the banks of the Garrone, and make our way to our centrally located first class hotel, where we stay for the next three nights.
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Day 9: Bordeaux
This morning we visit the steep, narrow, hilly streets of St Emilion with its medieval ramparts, the ruins of the Cloître des Cordeliers and the unusual 14th century underground church. In the afternoon we drive to visit the Medoc, which is possibly the most famous, high quality wine producing region in the world. As a finale we have arranged a wine tasting in one of the superb local vineyards.
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Day 10: Bordeaux
Your day is entirely free to explore Bordeaux at leisure. Your hotel is well located within walking distance of all the important city sites and the pedestrian shopping streets of Bordeaux old town. The city’s waterfront on the River Garonne makes an attractive spectacle and there is a stately 18th century town centre with its Place du Parlement, Place de la Bourse and medieval quarter. The perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy a baguette and a glass of wine in a sidewalk café!
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Day 11: Sarlat la Caneda in the Dordogne
Our first stop on reaching Perigueux, by the River L'Isle, will be at the fascinating Vesunna Museum which strikingly encloses the remains of an enormous Roman Villa (4,000 sq metres!), complete with beautiful mosaics and wall paintings (audio guide included). We then spend lunchtime in Perigueux town with its Cathédrale St Front looming large over the small, café filled squares, and medieval, stone alleyways. This afternoon we continue to the Dordogne Valley with its sleepy villages, medieval chateaux, meandering rivers and lush landscape that so epitomises French rural life. We stay the next two nights in perfectly preserved Sarlat la Caneda, one of the most stunning towns in France. Dinner tonight is included in a local restaurant.
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Your Dordogne Hotel –Hotel Renoir. We have selected this superior tourist class hotel because it is located within walking distance of the wonderful old town, it is family run, offers wonderful ambience and every room is different and with its own character.
Day 12: Sarlat la Caneda in the Dordogne
Your tour has been specially timed to be in Sarlat on a Saturday for the colourful, gourmet food markets, renowned as being amongst the very best in all of France. We are joined by an expert local guide to explore the market and sample the myriad of local cheeses, foie gras, truffles, walnuts and wines. It is time for you to buy some crusty bread and local delicacies to share, as we then make our way to the old town square in La Roc Gageac, to enjoy a delicious picnic and a game of Pétanque (Boules), the traditional French village sport. This is the real France at its very best! Later we will board a barge and drift slowly down the River Dordogne past medieval castles to visit the incredibly picturesque village of Domme.
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Day 13: Autun in Burgundy
This morning we will stop at Lascaux, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its magnificent Palaeolithic cave paintings. Whilst the actual caves themselves are now closed to the public, we visit the nearby Lascaux II museum to see the superb replicas of the cave paintings found in the Great Hall of the Bulls and the Painted Gallery. Later we cross the Massif Central to reach Autun, in Burgundy, where we stay for the next three nights.
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Your Burgundy Hotel - Hotel les Ursulines
This charming hotel was once a 17th century convent, it boasts a gourmet restaurant and you will dine in an 18th century former chapel. The terrace with its French style gardens overlooks the Roman ramparts of the old city and has a magnificent view of the Morvan hills. For more information on this charming hotel visit www.hotelursulines.fr/uk/index.php.
Day 14: Autun in Burgundy
Your morning will be spent in nearby Dijon. Capital of the grand Dukes of Burgundy in the 14th century, the town boasts many elegant buildings including the Palais des Ducs. Later we continue to the old town of Beaune, capital of the Burgundian wine industry, where we visit the fascinating Hospices de Beaune. Covered with multi coloured glazed roof tiles the 'Hotel Dieu' was built over 550 years ago to help the town's folk in a time of poverty and famine.
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Day 15: Autun in Burgundy
This morning has been left entirely free to explore this delightful town and relax on the terrace of your hotel, overlooking the Moravian Hills. Autun is a Celtic, Roman and medieval town containing architecture spanning the ages - from Roman ramparts to the famous St Lazare Cathedral, all within easy walking distance from your hotel. This afternoon we have included a scenic drive through the rustic Burgundy countryside, past manicured vineyards, to the village of Meursault where we have arranged a private tour and wine tasting at Chateau Meursault. Your evening is at leisure in Autun.
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Day 16: Bergeres les Vertus in Champagne
Mid morning we stop in the historic town of Troyes. Originally settled on the junction of several Roman roads, Troyes is an architectural time capsule. The pedestrianised Rue Roger Salengro is lined with fine 16th century timber and brick houses, and on Rue Champeaux the houses facing each other in the narrow alleyways virtually touch at the top. Later we enter the rolling limestone hills of the central Champagne Region where we take the famous Champagne Road to visit the wine ‘caves’ of Mercier, the largest champagne producers in the world. We stay the night in the nearby village of Bergeres Les Vertus, where we enjoy a farewell meal, with Champagne, in our family run hotel.
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Your Champagne Hotel – Hostellerie de Mont Amie
Day 17: Paris
This morning we visit nearby Reims, capital of the Champagne region, and the cathedral city where France crowned so many of her kings. There will be time at leisure before we depart for nearby Paris where your tour ends on arrival mid afternoon.
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