Click here to download a High Resolution PDF of this itinerary.
Teach By Travel - Splendors of France - France
Day 1:
Departure Flight.
Day 2: Versailles
Arrive at Paris airport, meet your Teach by Travel tour manager, and transfer to Versailles for hotel check-in. Included visit to the magnificent Chateau de Versailles, home of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Built over a half-century, the Palace of Versailles boasts the opulant Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Apartments, Chapel, and more. Time to enjoy the spectacular Trianon Gardens before dinner and overnight in Versailles.
Day 3: Versailles - Deauville
Board your coach this morning and journey to the home and gardens of Monet. See how Giverny inspired the Impressionist artist, with its colorful surroundings. Continue to Rouen and Etretat and view the high limestone cliffs overhanging the English Channel. Time to visit Honfleur, a picturesque port painted many times by artists such as Johan Jongkind, Claude Monet, and Gustave Courbet. On to Deauville, a resort where the American Film Festival takes place. See the glitzy casino, beach, and the hotels Le Royal and L'Hermitage, built by Napoleon III. Dinner and overnight in Deauville.
Day 4: Deauville - St. Malo
Board your coach and ride along the coast of Normandy to Cabourg and Bayeux, where you will view the famous tapestry, sewn by Queen Mathild. Continue to Arromanches and the D-Day beaches, where the allied forces landed during World War II. Also see the sobering American Cemetery at Coleville, a sea of white crosses marking the final resting place of many American military. Transfer to St. Malo for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: St.Malo - Loire Valley
Morning walking tour of the walled city of St. Malo. Also see Dinan and its Maisons a Colombage (half-timbered houses) dating from the Middle Ages. On to the Gothic island-abbey of Mont St. Michel, an architectural masterpiece built in the 13th century. Its fortifications enabled the islet to withstand repeated English assaults during the Hundred Years' War. The abbey also served as a prison during the reign of Napoleon I. Climb to the top and see spectacular views of the bay and sea! Travel south to Angers and Tours in the Loire Valley. Dinner and overnight in the Loire Valley.
Day 6: Loire Valley
Go back in time to the Renaissance period as you visit the magnificent Chenonceau Castle, along the Cher River, and Clos Luce, where Leonardo Da Vinci lived and worked along the Loire River. The explosion of arts during the Renaissance is showcased at its best in the beautiful province of the Loire. Also see the castle of Amboise overlooking the "Royal River" and the crypt of Leonardo Da Vinci. Dinner and overnight in the Loire Valley.
Day 7: Loire Valley - Paris
Depart the Loire Valley and travel north to Paris, with a stop at Chartres Cathedral and its famous stained glass windows. Chartres, with its exquistely preserved architecture and venerable history, has been a major pilgrimage destination since the early Middle Ages. Upon arrival in Paris, enjoy a guided city tour of the French capital, including the Champs-Elysees, Notre Dame Cathedral, Place de la Concorde, and more. Memories are made tonight with your dinner at the Eiffel Tower's restaurant, Restaurant 58 Tour Eiffel, followed by a Seine River Cruise and an Illumination Drive to truly appreciate the City of Lights!
Day 8: Paris
Morning visit to the Louvre Museum to view famous masterpieces. Free time to stay in the Louvre, shop for souvenirs, visit the Orsay Museum, climb the Arc de Triomphe, or stroll the Latin Quarter. Dinner and overnight in Paris.
Day 9:
Transfer to the airport for your return flight.
Highlights:
Round-trip Airfare
Full Time Tour Manager
All Breakfasts and Dinners
Versailles
Trianon Gardens
Monet's Giverny
Honfleur
Bayeux Tapestry
D-Day Beaches
American Cemetery
Mont St. Michel
Chenonceau
Clos Luce
Amboise
Chartres Cathedral
Guided City Tour of Paris
Eiffel Tower Dinner
Seine River Cruise
Illumination Tour of Paris
Louvre Museum
