History & Culture
PARIS - LOIRE VALLEY7 days  Day 1: YOUR REGION – PARIS
Arrival at PARIS airport or train station and pick-up by our driver and guide. Coach transfer to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2: PARIS
Breakfast. Guided tour of Paris, city of history, and its magnificent monuments: the Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe, Grands Boulevards, Opéra, Concorde, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Hôtel de Ville, Notre-Dame Cathedral… Lunch. Boarding for a river cruise with commentary down the Seine to see Paris’ most famous bridges: Pont Alexandre III, Pont de la Concorde, Pont Neuf, and also the Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Orangerie, Orsay Museum, the Louvre, Notre-Dame... The visit of Paris continues by coach: Montmartre, one of the most characteristic parts of the capital, and the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Free time, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: PARIS – ORLÉANS – BLOIS
Breakfast, free morning in the centre of Paris. Departure around 11am for ORLÉANS with a stop for lunch. On towards BLOIS for a tour of the town. This tour takes you through the picturesque streets of old Blois: the castle moat, the Church of Saint Nicholas, the banks of the Loire… Dinner and overnight stay.
Option: Light & Sound show at the ‘Château de Blois’ (from April to September).
Day 4: BLOIS – CHAMBORD – AMBOISE
Breakfast. Departure for VINEUIL, CHAMBORD. Guided tour of the Château of François Ier, emblematic palace of the first French Renaissance, with its astounding harmony of proportions and imaginative architecture. On towards AMBOISE along the banks of the Loire, admiring the landscape and the castles. Lunch. Visit of Amboise and its castle (entrance not included) , built in the 15th and 16th centuries, which brings a little taste of Italy to the Val de Loire. Free time in the town, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: AMBOISE – CHENONCEAU – TOURS
 Breakfast. Departure for a tour of the marvellous Château de Chenonceau straddling the Cher in a magnificent natural setting. It is nicknamed the ‘Château des Dames’ (Castle of Ladies) as nearly all its owners were women, and some of the most beautiful women of France. We continue towards TOURS, where we have lunch. In the afternoon, a tour of Tours, then free time in the old town. Tours, a classified ‘Town of Art and History’, bears witness to a prestigious past, the imprint of eras and styles have left the town a rich and precious heritage. Dinner and overnight stay. ALTERNATIVE: To replace the tour of the ‘Château de Chenonceau’ (from April to October).
Cruise of around one-hour leaving from CHISSEAU to the sumptuous ‘Château de Chenonceau’. The boat takes you along this romantic winding river along banks covered with forests and vineyards.
Day 6: TOURS – SAUMUR – ANGERS
Breakfast. Departure for SAUMUR, ANGERS, tour of the town and its castle. Built by Saint Louis around 1230, this imposing fortress (2000 m2) flanked by 17 towers offers an astonishing panoramic view of the Maine and the town. Inside the ramparts, discover the 106-meter long Apocalypse Tapestry, displayed in a specially designed museographic area. Lunch. Guided tour of Cointreau Museum, followed by a tasting session.
Cointreau is a liqueur made by the distillation of sweet and bitter oranges. Discover how Cointreau has become a world success brand over the last 150 years by following the educational and cultural tour. Free time, dinner and overnight stay.
ALTERNATIVE: To replace day 6 (from April to September).  Day 6: TOURS – SAUMUR – PUY DU FOU
Breakfast. Departure for SAUMUR, CHOLET heading for the famous Puy du Fou. Whole day at the Puy du Fou Park, a unique theme park that takes you on a journey through history. Discover the villages of times gone by and astonishing shows and displays. Free lunch. Dinner followed by ‘La Cinéscénie’ (from June to September, Fridays and Saturdays only): openair show with the largest stage in the world and extraordinary special effects. Experience history alongside 1100 actors through a revolutionary ‘cinema’ and relive the glory days of the Puy du Fou from the Middle Ages to the Second World War as if you were really there. Return to NANTES, ANGERS or CHOLET (according to availability) for overnight stay.
Day 7: ANGERS – NANTES – YOUR REGION
Breakfast then coach transfer to NANTES airport or train station. End of our services.
INCLUDED:
- Tour in a luxury long-distance coach (package with transport).
- 3* hotel accommodation(1) in a double room.
- Full board from dinner day 1 to breakfast day 7.
- Tours and visits mentioned in the program.
- Tour of Paris with local guide.
- Presence of a guide during the trip.
- One free booking for every 40 participants.
NOT INCLUDED:
- Single room supplement.
- Cancellation and assistance insurances.
- Drinks.
(1) 2*or 4*hotels available on request. Ask us for details.
|
