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Normandy, Brittany, Paris & the Loire Valley
Tour Description:
A château, a 1,000-year-old village and the magic of Paris... inexorably entwined like the woven threads of medieval tapestries... your travels in northern France honor timeless traditions, share stories of valor and courage, and celebrate landscapes so beautiful they are immortalized by artists and poets...
Your accommodations are unique, including two nights at Château de Rochecotte – called "home" in the 1700s by Prince Tallyrand and the Duchess of Dino. At Château de Champchevrier, owned by the same family since the 1720s, Le Baron personally welcomes Tauck guests during a private reception and dinner that includes a hunting hounds demonstration in full regalia. Formal gardens inspire awe during your visit to Château de Villandry, and the Apocalypse and Bayeux tapestries mesmerize at Château d'Angers and Château Josselin near the Brittany Coast. Visit Normandy's poignant D-Day beaches, magnificent Mont-St-Michel, Monet's beloved Giverny and Chartres Cathedral. In Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral entices with Gothic wonders; explore Musée d'Orsay along with Paris' landmark sites; and bid Paris adieu with a farewell dinner at the iconic restaurant Fouquet's.
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Dates & Pricing
| Friday 11 Oct 24 — Wednesday 23 Oct 24 | Starting at $10,690 |  SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 13 Oct 24 — Friday 25 Oct 24 | Starting at $9,190 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 18 Oct 24 — Wednesday 30 Oct 24 | Starting at $10,690 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 13 Apr 25 — Friday 25 Apr 25 | Starting at $8,290 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 27 Apr 25 — Friday 09 May 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 29 Apr 25 — Sunday 11 May 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 02 May 25 — Wednesday 14 May 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 04 May 25 — Friday 16 May 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 06 May 25 — Sunday 18 May 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 09 May 25 — Wednesday 21 May 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 11 May 25 — Friday 23 May 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 13 May 25 — Sunday 25 May 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 16 May 25 — Wednesday 28 May 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 18 May 25 — Friday 30 May 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 20 May 25 — Sunday 01 Jun 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 25 May 25 — Friday 06 Jun 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 27 May 25 — Sunday 08 Jun 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 01 Jun 25 — Friday 13 Jun 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 03 Jun 25 — Sunday 15 Jun 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 10 Jun 25 — Sunday 22 Jun 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 13 Jun 25 — Wednesday 25 Jun 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 17 Jun 25 — Sunday 29 Jun 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 20 Jun 25 — Wednesday 02 Jul 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 22 Jun 25 — Friday 04 Jul 25 | Starting at $9,190 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 04 Jul 25 — Wednesday 16 Jul 25 | Starting at $10,990 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 22 Aug 25 — Wednesday 03 Sep 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 31 Aug 25 — Friday 12 Sep 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 02 Sep 25 — Sunday 14 Sep 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 09 Sep 25 — Sunday 21 Sep 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 12 Sep 25 — Wednesday 24 Sep 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 14 Sep 25 — Friday 26 Sep 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 19 Sep 25 — Wednesday 01 Oct 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 21 Sep 25 — Friday 03 Oct 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 23 Sep 25 — Sunday 05 Oct 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 26 Sep 25 — Wednesday 08 Oct 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 30 Sep 25 — Sunday 12 Oct 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 03 Oct 25 — Wednesday 15 Oct 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 10 Oct 25 — Wednesday 22 Oct 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 12 Oct 25 — Friday 24 Oct 25 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 17 Oct 25 — Wednesday 29 Oct 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 24 Oct 25 — Wednesday 05 Nov 25 | Starting at $11,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & Sightseeing
A château, a 1,000-year-old village and the magic of Paris... inexorably entwined like the woven threads of medieval tapestries... your travels in northern France honor timeless traditions, share stories of valor and courage, and celebrate landscapes so beautiful they are immortalized by artists and poets...
Your accommodations are unique, including two nights at Château de Rochecotte – called "home" in the 1700s by Prince Tallyrand and the Duchess of Dino. At Château de Champchevrier, owned by the same family since the 1720s, Le Baron personally welcomes Tauck guests during a private reception and dinner that includes a hunting hounds demonstration in full regalia. Formal gardens inspire awe during your visit to Château de Villandry, and the Apocalypse and Bayeux tapestries mesmerize at Château d'Angers and Château Josselin near the Brittany Coast. Visit Normandy's poignant D-Day beaches, magnificent Mont-St-Michel, Monet's beloved Giverny and Chartres Cathedral. In Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral entices with Gothic wonders; explore Musée d'Orsay along with Paris' landmark sites; and bid Paris adieu with a farewell dinner at the iconic restaurant Fouquet's.
Highlights
TAUCK'S YELLOW ROADS – Join Le Baron at his family château, a private country estate in Normandy's châteaux country, for a private cocktail reception and dinner, made even more memorable by a hunting hound demonstration in full regalia
Enjoy a private visit to Le Moulin Bleu vineyards in the heart of the Loire Valley, where a wine tasting of locally produced vintages is followed by lunch
Select Small Group Departures enjoy a 3-night stay in Paris at Le Meurice, ranked among the most elegant hotels in the world, combining exceptional 18th-century opulence with contemporary chic. Embodying the perfect French palace hotel, Le Meurice is ideally situated between Place de la Concorde and the Louvre; Salvador Dalí was a regular visitor, and the hotel still enjoys a close relationship with noted artists today
A cruise along the Golfe du Morbihan (meaning "Little Sea" in Breton), a channeled inlet of small islands that waxes and wanes with the tide
Highlights
TAUCK'S YELLOW ROADS – Join Le Baron at his family château, a private country estate in Normandy's châteaux country, for a private cocktail reception and dinner, made even more memorable by a hunting hound demonstration in full regalia
Enjoy a private visit to Le Moulin Bleu vineyards in the heart of the Loire Valley, where a wine tasting of locally produced vintages is followed by lunch
Select Small Group Departures enjoy a 3-night stay in Paris at Le Meurice, ranked among the most elegant hotels in the world, combining exceptional 18th-century opulence with contemporary chic. Embodying the perfect French palace hotel, Le Meurice is ideally situated between Place de la Concorde and the Louvre; Salvador Dalí was a regular visitor, and the hotel still enjoys a close relationship with noted artists today
A cruise along the Golfe du Morbihan (meaning "Little Sea" in Breton), a channeled inlet of small islands that waxes and wanes with the tide
ITINERARY
ITINERARYArrive Paris / Versailles
Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Trianon Palace Versailles. A transfer is included from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to the Trianon Palace Versailles, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel, less than a mile from Château de Versailles. Join us for a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel.
Chartres to Châteaux
Begin the day traveling from Versailles to Chartres. See some of the world's greatest examples of the art – more than 27,000 square feet of it, created by artisans of the 12th and 13th centuries – inside Chartres' Gothic cathedral, among the most impressive in all of Europe. After touring the town of Chartres, continue on to Langeais in châteaux country, where you'll spend the next two nights at Château de Rochecotte, once the private estate of diplomat Prince Tallyrand and the Duchess of Dino. Tonight, enjoy an immersive Loire Valley experience at Château de Champchevrier, a private country estate, where you'll meet the Baron and his family, enjoy a reception and dinner, and witness a hunting hound demonstration in full regalia.
The Loire Valley & Châteaux Country
For centuries, royalty and nobility built their magnificent châteaux in the Loire Valley, which also attracted poets, novelists and artists to find their inspiration in the lush forests and rich farmland of the "Garden of France." First, enjoy a glimpse of the princely life on a guided visit to Château de Langeais, overlooking the Loire River; King Charles VIII of France was married here in 1491. Next up is a private visit to the vineyards of Le Moulin Bleu in Bourgueil for lunch and a wine tasting. Later, visit Château Villandry – reputed to have the most spectacular formal gardens in all of France – prior to returning to your Langeais château hotel for dinner and an evening spent as you please.
Château d'Angers and the Seaside
In the midst of the wine-growing area of the Loire Valley lies the 13th-century Château d'Angers, home to the famous Apocalypse Tapestry, the longest medieval tapestry in the world. After a visit to this 17-towered fortress to view its celebrated depiction of scenes from the Book of Revelations – of which about 329 feet of its original 459-foot length survive – continue on to Port du Crouesty to enjoy a two-night stay in the elegantly furnished and quite unusual waterfront spa resort, Miramar La Cigale – Hôtel Thalasso & Spa.
Scenic Cruise & Rochefort-en-Terre
As Tauck's most delightful of France and Normandy tours continues, start the day with a walking tour of Le Petit Mont, a Neolithic-era tomb that German forces used as a bunker during WWII. Take a sightseeing cruise among the islands of the scenic Golfe du Morbihan, followed by an excursion to Rochefort-en-Terre. This lovely 19th-century stone village has earned a reputation as one of France's top floral towns thanks to a century-long tradition, begun by French-American painter Alfred Klots, of blanketing the town with pink and red geraniums each spring.
From Vannes to Josselin & St-Malo
Brittany's medieval history reveals itself as you take a walking tour, view the Cathedral and meander along the Promenade de la Garenne in Vannes. Visit the ancient town of Josselin and explore its castle, Château Josselin, one of the oldest châteaux in western France and the residence of the aristocratic Rohan family. Your guided tour reveals the castle's turbulent history and includes a collection of rare dolls in its Doll Museum. Wind your way through idyllic Breton villages to St-Malo, where you'll spend the next two nights on the English Channel coast at Le Grand Hôtel Dinard.
Mont-St-Michel & Medieval St-Malo
Considered to be one of Western civilization's premiere achievements, the impressive Abbey of Mont-St-Michel was once totally unreachable at high tide. Check out the range of architectural styles it embodies – with lots of walking up and down hills – on this morning's visit. Once the infamous base for French corsairs, the medieval port town of St-Malo, set dramatically overlooking the sea, offers much to discover on a guided walking tour of its atmospheric walled center, La Ville Intra-Muros, with your Tauck Director. Or you may spend the rest of the day exploring as you wish.
Centuries of History in Normandy
Set out from St-Malo across the countryside on this most satisfying of Normandy tours to the coast, and view the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Your scenic drive along the Yellow Roads brings you to Le Mémorial de Caen, commemorating the sacrifices of World War II and the battle for Caen, and featuring a Peace Museum and memorial gardens. Late afternoon, arrive in the seaside resort of Deauville and your accommodation for the next two nights, the epitome of Belle Époque elegance. Dine à la carte at your hotel tonight.
Poignant Memories of D-Day
A poignant moment on your journey is a visit to the beaches on which Allied forces landed on June 6, 1944 – known forever after as "D-Day" – to begin the World War II liberation of Europe and the long march to Berlin. Your memorable visit includes an introduction to the momentous events of D-Day by Tauck's local expert; a look at a private World War II memorabilia collection and a hands-on exhibit; and guided visits to Pointe du Hoc, the 100-ft. cliff taken by the 2nd Ranger Battalion on D-Day... the now-quiet Omaha Beach, where American assault units took heavy casualties in establishing a beachhead... and the poignant American Military Cemetery, final resting place of thousands of U.S. troops. Your explorations at these sites connected to "the longest day" make for a day you'll never forget.
Monet's Giverny & on to Paris
Depart Deauville and continue along the River Seine to Giverny to tour the celebrated home and oft-painted gardens of Impressionist painter Claude Monet. Monet (who moved to Giverny at the tail end of the 19th century) painted some of his most recognizable work at his home here, including a series of paintings focused on his beloved water lillies. Your final destination today is legendary Paris. Select small group departures (see dates and prices under "Pricing & Availability") will stay at legendary Le Meurice; all other departures stay at Le Scribe Paris Opéra.
Parisian Pleasures
Begin the day with a morning city sightseeing coach tour of Paris where you'll view famous Parisian landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the glamorous Champs-Élysées and iconic Cathedral of Notre Dame. The remainder of the day and evening is free for you to explore Paris as you please; if you wish, you may join us for an optional walking tour in the afternoon.
Impressionist Art at Musée d'Orsay
Immerse yourself in the soft beauty of the works of the Impressionists during a locally guided visit to the famous (and newly renovated) Musée d'Orsay, whose great collection of 19th-century French Impressionist paintings, sculptures and art objects is displayed in the restored Gare d'Orsay, a former railway station built for the Paris Exhibition of 1900 (subject to closure). We invite you to join us for a special farewell dinner at historic – and legendary – Fouquet's on the Champs–Élysées.
Journey home
Tour ends: Paris. A transfer is included from Le Meurice, Le Scribe Paris Opéra or Lutetia Paris to Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports or Paris' Gare de Lyon, Charles de Gaulle-Station or Gare du Nord train stations. Allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
