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Normandy,
Brittany and the Loire Valley
9 Days
Highlights The beauty of Mont St
Michel and the chateaux in the Loire, plus the glittering
boulevards & monuments of the Paris illuminations tour.
Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley
- Itinerary
DAY 1 – SAT – UK –
PARIS After your scheduled
flight to Charles de Gaulle Airport complimentary transfers
to you Insight tour hotel await at 9.00 $ 12.30 hours.. After
checking in, the remainder of the day is yours to enjoy this
fabulous city, with its grand boulevards and world famous
landmarks. Later, meet your Tour Director and fellow passengers
for a Welcome Drink, followed by a sparkling illuminations
tour of the capital – the perfect introduction to Paris. Hotel:
Paris Rive Gauche.
DAY 5 – WED – PONTORSON
- LOIRE VALLEY Drive south to Brittany
and follow the valley of the Loire, passing the mighty moated
castle at Angers. Cross the Loire at Saumur, where you can
sample some of the local wine. Drive quietly past the sleeping
beauty château at Ussé en route to the beautiful Château de
Rochecotte, once the home of Talleyrand, and yours for the
next two nights. Enjoy a Highlight dinner with wine at the
hotel. Hotel: Chateau de Rochecotte. (BB,HD)
DAY 2 – SUN – PARIS
- TROUVILLE Travel to the elegant town of Versailles to visit the
immense palace built for the Sun King, Louis XIV. Here the members of his court lived in unequalled
splendour, enjoying a privileged lifestyle which led eventually to the violence of the French
Revolution. Your guide leads you through the royal apartments and there is time to take a stroll in the
fine formal gardens. Continue to Rouen, capital of the ancient Duchy of Normandy. Visit the cathedral
so wonderfully painted by Monet, and see where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Your hotel tonight
is in the charming seaside resort of Trouville. Consider a scenic drive through the Normandy orchards
to learn the secrets of calvados making and visit the port of Honfleur? Hotel: Le Beach. (BB)
DAY
6 – THU – CHâTEAU COUNTRY EXCURSION Stop at the castle of
Azay le Rideau, once the home of a King’s minister, and still
surrounded by its moat. Visit the apartments and take time
to wander in the town. Then it’s on to the privately owned
château of Villandry, sometimes called the ‘jewel of the Loire’,
to visit the apartments and the beautifully restored Renaissance
gardens. Don’t miss the water garden, ornamental garden and
kitchen garden – a stunning display of plants, fruits and
vegetables designed in the 16th century. From here return
to your own chateau. (BB)
DAY
3 – MON – TOURVILLE - PONTORSON There are poignant reminders
of the Second World War as you drive along some of the beaches
of the D-day landings, including Sword, Juno and Gold. Then
it’s on to Arromanches to visit the Invasion Landings’ Museum
and see the remnants of the artificial port, Mulberry B, which
remain in the bay. Continue on to Omaha Beach to visit the
American Military Cemetery of St Laurent. Afterwards, follow
the route of the Rangers depicted in Saving Private Ryan and
visit the bunkers and the Rangers’ Memorial at Pointe du Hoc.
Continue southwards to your hotel near Mont St Michel. Hotel:
Montgomery. (BB,D)
DAY
7 – FRI – LOIRE VALLEY - PARIS On a drive through the
vast wheat fields of La Beauce,see the impressive cathedral
at Chartres looming on the horizon. Stop to marvel at the
beautiful stained glass rose window inside this famous cathedral,
built on a sacred site. Return to ‘the city of light’, Paris,
for a two-night stay. In the afternoon, there is time to explore
at your own pace: relax in a Parisian café, window-shop in
the elegant boutiques or visit Montmartre, with its street
artists and the Sacré-Coeur Basilica nearby. As night falls,
consider indulging in the excitement and glamour of a French
cabaret, complete with can-can. Hotel: Sofitel Bercy. (BB)
DAY
4 – TUE – MONT ST MICHEL & ST MALO EXCURSION A locally guided tour
of Mont St Michel takes you to the hill-top abbey surrounded
by sea. The first structure, a simple oratory, was built here
in the 8th century by the Bishop of Avranches, and was subsequently
expanded and enhanced over the centuries with the addition
of Romanesque and Gothic buildings. The abbey’s increasing
fame attracted pilgrims and visitors and, by medieval times,
a ‘ville basse’ had developed, with shops, eating places and
guest houses. Enjoy an insight into the distinctive Breton
lifestyle as you head for the Emerald Coast and the magnificent
fortified port of St Malo, where Jacques Cartier is buried.
Take time to walk along the ramparts and explore before returning
to your hotel. (BB,D)
DAY
8 – SAT – PARIS SIGHTSEEING A Parisian guide introduces
you to all the fabulous sights: see the 13th century Gothic
Notre Dame Cathedral, with its tale of Quasimodo, hunchback
of Notre Dame; drive through the courtyard of the Louvre to
the Place de la Concorde and along the Champs Élysées to the
Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower. See the Parisian landmarks
from a different perspective on a relaxing cruise onthe River
Seine. The tour concludes with a visit to the gilded Église
du Dôme to see Napoleon’s tomb. The afternoon is at leisure:
perhaps admire the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, buy last-minute
presents in famous department stores like Galeries Lafayette
and Au Printemps, or celebrate with a farewell dinner. (BB)
DAY
9 – SUN – PARIS - UK Your French experience ends after breakfast with a transfer to the airport at 07.30 & 11.00 hours.
Normandy,
Brittany & the Loire Valley
Departure Dates & Prices 2008 - Tour Code E926
A 7% discount pp can be claimed off the brochure prices
below
WHEN BOOKING Quote Travel 55 Ref T55IN plus the Tour Code E926 Contact Insight Vacations on 01475 741203
To book or to check availability Contact Insight Vacations on 01475
741203
Quote Travel 55 Ref T55IN plus the Holiday Code
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unless you have booked your Insight tour through T55
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