After breakfast, join your tour director for a panoramic tour of Paris, taking in the city’s most celebrated landmarks. Wind past the iconic Eiffel Tower for a photo stop, cruise along the Champs-Elysees, admire the grandeur of the Arc de Triomphe, take in the exterior of the Louvre and marvel at the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The afternoon is yours to explore at your own pace. Perhaps wander the boutiques and galleries of the Marais, find a pavement cafe along the Seine or lose yourself in one of the city’s world-class museums.
After breakfast, depart Paris and head northwest to Giverny, where you’ll visit the house and gardens of Claude Monet, the inspiration behind some of the most celebrated paintings in art history. Wander through the iconic water lily pond and flower-filled gardens that captivated the artist for decades.
Continue to the picturesque harbour town of Honfleur, one of Normandy’s most charming coastal gems. Join a guided walk through its cobbled streets and colourful timber-framed houses before taking some time at leisure to find lunch at one of the waterfront restaurants.
As the afternoon draws on, head to Bayeux and settle into your chateau accommodation.
Travel time: Driving – approx. four hours
Today is dedicated to the D-Day landing beaches of Normandy, the site of the Allied invasion on 6 June 1944, one of the most pivotal moments of World War II. A WWII expert will lead your group on a private guided tour of the beaches, covering the key landing zones, including Omaha and Utah Beach. The tour includes a visit to the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, where more than 9,000 American soldiers are buried overlooking the sea, along with key memorial sites along the coast. A private commemorative moment adds a deeply personal touch to what is a moving and memorable day.
Travel time: Driving – approx. 30 minutes
D-Day beaches tour
A big day of travel with two iconic stops. First up is Mont Saint-Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed island commune off the Normandy coast, topped by a medieval abbey that dates back to the 8th century. You’ll have time to explore the island and its abbey before continuing to Saint-Malo, a fortified coastal town in Brittany known for its well-preserved ramparts and sandy beaches. There’s time for a panoramic stop to take in the views before heading to Vannes, your base for the next two nights.
Travel time: Driving – approx. four hours
Mont Saint-Michel visit
Today is a full day out in Brittany, visiting two of the region’s most characterful towns. First stop is Quimper, the cultural capital of Brittany, known for its well-preserved medieval old town, half-timbered houses and its distinctive Breton identity. Here you’ll also take part in a private crepe-making experience, learning how to make one of the region’s most beloved dishes from a local.
From Quimper, continue to Concarneau, a historic fishing town built around a walled island known as the Ville Close. There’s time to explore before heading back to Vannes for the evening.
Travel time: Driving – approx. three hours
Private crepe-making experience
Today marks the transition from Brittany to the Loire Valley, with two stops along the way. First is Angers, a city in the Maine-et-Loire department known for its medieval château and proximity to the Loire Valley wine region. There’s time for a short visit before continuing to the Chateau de Villandry, one of the Loire Valley’s most celebrated Renaissance châteaux, famous for its ornamental gardens arranged across three terraces.
The day wraps up with a visit to a local winery before arriving at your château hotel in the Loire Valley for the next two nights.
Travel time: Driving – approx. four hours
Chateau de Villandry gardens
Today is a full day exploring three of the Loire Valley’s most visited sites. First up is Chateau de Cheverny, one of the best-preserved chateaux in the region and still privately owned by the same family today. Next is Chateau de Chenonceau, a Renaissance chateau built across the River Cher, known for its distinctive arched bridge spanning the water.
The final stop is Clos Luce in Amboise, the manor house where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last three years of his life after being invited to France by King Francis I. The house contains scale models of some of da Vinci’s most famous inventions. In the evening, the group gathers for dinner at your chateau.
Travel time: Driving – approx. two hours
Chateaux of the Loire Valley
After breakfast, the group heads back to Paris. The afternoon is free to explore at your own pace – a good opportunity to revisit any neighbourhoods you didn’t get to earlier in the trip or simply find a cafe and watch the city go by.
In the evening, the tour wraps up with a farewell dinner cruise along the Seine. The boat passes some of Paris’s most recognisable landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the Louvre, all lit up after dark.
Travel time: Driving – approx. three hours
After one final breakfast, it’s time to say au revoir to France. A private transfer will take you to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for your onward journey.