Loire Valley, Normandy, Giverny

Check in at your hotel in Tours – Hotel De l’Univers**** or similar

Hotel de l’Univers**** – or similar

Your hotel is set in a fashionable shopping area one kilometer from the Old Town. This hotel has been the most prestigious address in Tours since 1846. In addition to its rich and historic past, as underlined by its celebrated portrait gallery, it offers all the comfort of a grand hotel established in the best traditions of hospitality and elegance “à la Française”.

Accommodation for 3 nights in a Comfort room with breakfasts and taxes included. Dinner is at your leisure.

Pick up

Your private English-speaking driver guide will meet you at your hotel at 9 am.

Guided tour of the city of Chinon

With its medieval streets, Chinon has remained an outdoor museum of architecture and history. Discover the medieval half-timbered houses and the Renaissance townhouses built by the King’s financiers or ministers. With its fortress built by Henry II Plantagenet and Richard the Lion’s heart, Chinon is the town where Joan of Arc met King Charles VII in 1429.

Wine tasting lunch at a local domain

Guided tour of the Château of Azay le Rideau

This is one of the purest gems of Renaissance architecture in the Loire Valley. Financer Gilles Berthelot’s Chateau, delicately placed on an island on the Indre river, still shines today thanks to the lightness and balance of its mullioned, pepper pots, dormers and above all its graceful staircase.

Drop off

Drop off at your hotel. around 5 pm.
Overnight at your hotel in Tours.

Pick up

Your private English-speaking driver guide will meet you at your hotel at 9 am.

Chateau de Chenonceau: guided tour

The unique architecture of the Chateau makes it one of the most exquisite Chateaux in the Loire Valley. Nicknamed “the ladies castle”, Chenonceau is related to important French women such as Catherine de Medici. The magnificent Renaissance gardens around it make it even more spectacular.

Wine tasting lunch at les Caves Duhard in Amboise

You are welcomed in Caves Duhard established in 1874. Its owner and winemaker Daniel Gatay is specialized in mature Vouvray wines. You can discover a large range of vintages, from 1947 to our days. Made of chenin blanc, the Vouvray is a mineral wine with a high acidity level which gives the wine a great aging capacity.
This meal is based on the discovery of Loire Valley wines around a tasting of local products.

Guided tour of the Chateau of Chambord – World Heritage of UNESCO

In the middle of a forest as large as the city of Paris Chambord was the first Loire Valley chateau listed in the world heritage by UNESCO. Ordered in 1519 by King Francois I, with 426 rooms, 77 staircases and 282 fireplaces,, it is the largest castle in the region. Leonardo da Vinci is the creator of its incredible double helix staircase.

Drop off

Drop off at your hotel around 5 pm.
Overnight at your hotel in Tours.

Pick up

Your private English-speaking driver guide meets you at your hotel at 9 am.

Transfer to the Mont Saint Michel

Lunch at a traditional restaurant

Half day in the Mont Saint Michel & visit of the Abbey

Mont Saint-Michel may be Brittany’s best-known attraction. Surrounded by the most powerful tides in Europe, perched high on a rocky island, this medieval city and its abbey are a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site. Many of its monastic buildings date from the 13th century and are considered outstanding examples of Gothic architecture.

Drop off

Drop off at your hotel around 5 pm.

Domaine de Bayeux*** in Bayeux – or similar

Stay at the Domaine de Bayeux, allows you to be a few steps from the famous Bayeux Tapestry, recognized world heritage of the UNESCO, which retraces the epic English of William the Conqueror, the Cathédrale Notre Dame of Bayeux which offers many treasures, the Bayeux medievale, that will move you through time.

Each of the rooms offers all the comfort expected of a 3-star hotel, ideally located in the centre of the historic capital of the Bessin.

Accommodation for 3 nights in a Verger room with breakfasts and taxes included. Dinner is at your leisure.

Pick up

Your private English-speaking driver guide will meet you at your hotel at 9 am.

The Ardenne Abbey – The North Nova Scotia Highlanders Memorial – The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment Memorial – Hell’s Corner – Anguerny (part of the ELM line) and its Inukshuk – The Canadian Cemetery in Bény-Reviers – The Canada House – The Hotel Graves – Juno Beach Center and its park – Juno Beach.

Your driver-guide will share the highlights of the Juno sector. Your day will start at the Ardenne Abbey built in the 12th century and occupied by the monks until the French revolution. In the 20th century, the place was under the control of a farmer Jacques Vico and became under the german occupation a training camp for the French resistance. A few weeks before D-day, the buildings were occupied by the Hitlerjugend Division or called the Baby division (12 SS division). Today a Memorial commemorates a tragic event that happened there with the execution of 24 Canadian soldiers.
On the way to Juno beach, you will see two Memorials dedicated to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and to the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment. One stop will be held at Hell’s corner where the Canadians resist repetitive attacks by the Germans and bombardments for a month until the victory at the Carpiquet aerodrome on July 4. We will stop in Anguerny (Elm line), where the 3 Canadian Regiments (La Chaudière, the Queen’s Own Rifles and the Fort Garry Horse) set up their camp for the night. An inukshuk, a stack of human-shaped stones from the Inuit tradition, symbolizes brotherhood, mutual respect and friendship between people.

To conclude the morning, you will pay tribute to the 2.049 brave and young Canadians who are buried in that small Cemetery in Bény-Reviers before you gather at the Canada House where a memorial has been erected in honour of the Queen’s Own Rifles Regiment and the Fort Garry Horse Armoured Division who paid a heavy price in the assault. Not far away, you will see the Hotel Graves, the headquarters for the Canadian and British War correspondents.

Lunch

After the lunch break, you will head to Juno Beach Centre, its park and the landing beaches where the Regina and all Canadian Scottish regiments landed. Juno Beach Center presents the story of a new nation, the civilian war effort of the entire population, the early involvment of the country to help England to fight the Nazis as well as the various Canadian campaigns through Europe and even Asia. The park is very interesting too to go for a pleasant walk and see some remains of the atlantic wall (strongpoints, tobrouk, command post …), a Churchill AVRE tank (Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers), armed with a 290mm gun used to destroy enemy fortifications. On June 6, 1944, “One Charlie” got stuck in the mud 100 m from the shore and remained there until 1977 when it was excavated, restored and offered on display. Closed to the char, you can’t miss the Cosy’s Pillbox, easily recognisable by its tilt, which was the site of fierce fighting on 6th June 1944. Juno sector is the place where the Prime Minister Churchill, the first steps of Charles de Gaulle since his exile in England and King of England. That is why today a huge silver Lorraine French resistance cross to mark the return of Charles de Gaulle in France. .

Drop off

Drop off at your hotel around 5 pm.

Overnight at your hotel in Bayeux.

Pick up

Your private English-speaking driver guide will meet you at your hotel at 9 am.

Guided tour of Bayeux and its famous tapestry – World Heritage of UNESCO

You will start the day by the tour of Bayeux Tapestries with audio guide – the guide is not authorized.

Walking guided tour of the city and of the cathedral.

Major episcopal see of Normandy, Bayeux owns two historical pieces of art: the Notre-Dame cathedral and the Tapestry attributed to queen Maud, wife of William the Conqueror. Built between the XIth and XVth century, the cathedral shows the transition from romanesque to gothic style. Inside, you will admire a collection of stained glasses evoking the saga of William, duke of Normandy, crowned king of England on Christmas Day 1066, after the Battle of Hastings.

Lunch at a traditional restaurant

Visit and calvados tasting

Visit and cheese tasting

Drop off

Drop off at your hotel around 5 pm.

Overnight at your hotel in Bayeux.

Pick up

Your private English-speaking driver guide will meets you at your hotel at 9 am.

Transfer to Giverny

Lunch at a traditional restaurant

Guided tour of Giverny, Monet’s house

Drop off

Drop off in Paris around 5 pm. – Porte Maillot

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