French Heritage
From CAD $13,350
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
Experience Overview
Adventure across France, playing petanque in Provence, awestruck by the Alps in Chamonix, and mingling with the jet-set on the French Riviera.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 18 Breakfast (B)
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Monaco City: Admire the Italian Renaissance frescoes and State Apartments of the Prince's Palace.
- Monaco City: Visit the Oceanographic Museum. Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Arromanches-les-Bains: Visit the D-Day Museum in Arromanches and see the remnants of the artificial port in the bay.
- Arromanches-les-Bains: Visit the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in the heart of the Old Town.
Authentic Dining
- Paris: Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at a local restaurant in the heart of the city for a delightful dinner served with wine.
- Troyes: Journey through the Champagne region and stop for a tasting of renowned Champagne wine.
- Grenoble: Enjoy a delicious dinner in Grenoble.
- Cahors: See the Pont Valentré as you enjoy a tasting through the markets.
- La Roque-Gageac: Enjoy a delicious Farm-to-Table dinner prepared with locally sourced ingredients and served with wines from the region.
- Paris: Rendez-vous with your fellow travellers at a typical French bistro for a rousing dinner with wine. Bon Appetit!
- Saumur: Learn about local grape varieties and regional wine-making traditions as you sample wines of the Loire Valley.
Insight Choice
- Monaco City: Admire the Italian Renaissance frescoes and State Apartments of the Prince's Palace.
- Monaco City: Visit the Oceanographic Museum.
- Arromanches-les-Bains: Visit the D-Day Museum in Arromanches and see the remnants of the artificial port in the bay.
- Arromanches-les-Bains: Visit the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in the heart of the Old Town.
Insight Experiences
- Saint-Paul-de-Vence: Learn about French pétanque and play the game with medieval walls as your backdrop.
Make Travel Matter
- Avignon: Supporting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, meet owners Jean-Benoît and Catherine at their organic olive mill, where sustainable farming promotes biodiversity. Explore the groves, learn about eco-friendly cultivation and taste exceptional oils of the highest quality.
- Loire Valley: Discover the sustainable gardens of Château de Villandry. Now a hub for sustainability, preserving the estate's biological diversity, learn about the a sea of fragrant green herbs, silvery cabbages and purple basil grown organically to regenerate the local ecosystem. This experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 15: Life on Land.
Summary
- Choose between two experiences in Paris.
- Visit Chartres Cathedral with a historian.
Top Rated Highlights
- Relax and enjoy the scenery of the French countryside as you travel through Burgundy, the High Alps, along the Route Napoleon and French Riviera, past Cote d'Azur, Avignon, the Languedoc Region, through the Dordogne Valley, along the River Seine and through Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley.
- Dijon: Explore Dijon with your Travel Director to learn all about the history of this fascinating city, famous for its mustard and wines.
- Chamonix: Explore the city's charming streets set against a backdrop of the stunning French Alps.
- Annecy: Enjoy free time in the Little Venice area.
- Nice: Enjoy exploring the beautiful coastal town of Nice on the French Riviera.
- Eze: Visit a perfumery to learn about the French perfume industry and discover your signature scent.
- Monaco City: Drive along part of the Grand Prix circuit and wander the old town to see the Royal Palace and yacht-filled harbour.
- Monaco City: Explore inside Monaco Cathedral.
- Saint-Paul-de-Vence: Discover the beauty of this hilltop town and why it became a refuge for artists.
- Aix-en-Provence: See the mansions of the Cours Mirabeau, a lively thoroughfare in Aix-en-Provence.
- Pont du Gard: See the ancient Roman bridge that crosses the Gardon River, a true marvel of engineering and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built nearly 2,000 years ago, the Pont du Gard stands as a testament to Roman ingenuity.
- Avignon: Once the seat of papal power, Avignon is a city steeped in history and charm. View the Pont d'Avignon and walk the medieval narrow streets of the Old Town to the Palais des Papes, one of the largest Gothic palaces in Europe.
- Cite de Carcassone: Enjoy an orientation of this fortified town and see the fortress, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Albi: This is the birthplace of artist, Toulouse-Lautrec. Walk the town and marvel at the awe-inspiring cathedral.
- Paris: See famous landmarks, including Pont Alexandre III, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Enjoy a drive along the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe.
- Rouen: See the cathedral, the Great Clock, the Old Market square and Place du Vieux-Marché where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.
- Honfleur: See this charming fishing town.
- Omaha Beach: Follow the route of the Rangers, visit the bunkers and the Rangers Memorial.
- Omaha Beach: With a Local Expert, spend a few reflective moments at the American Military Cemetery of Saint-Laurent.
- Mont-Saint-Michel: Savour your first sight of the fortified island of Mont Saint-Michel. Cross the causeway for a guided tour with your Local Expert through the maze of halls and vaults of the abbey.
- Saint-Malo: Visit the labyrinthine streets to arrive at the cathedral. Later, enjoy the chance to walk along the fortifications and explore the city's nightlife at your leisure.
- Angers: See the imposing château.
- Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau: Visit Château d'Azay-le-Rideau and admire this 16th century icon of the Loire Valley with your Local Expert.
Trip Details
Product Code: 19616
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 75.747A
Starts: Paris, France
Finishes: Paris, France
Duration: 20 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $13,350 ($668 /day)
Itinerary
On arrival at Charles de Gaulle Airport, transfers to the hotel leave terminal 2F. Meet your Travel Director and fellow guests at the hotel before joining a dinner at a classic local restaurant with cuisine inspired by country recipes.
Accommodation: Grand Chicago
Meals: Dinner
Journey through the Champagne region. Stop to savour a taste of Champagne, for which this region is world-famous. Arrive in Burgundy and continue to Dijon, the region's elegant capital.
Accommodation: Grand Dijon La Cloche
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
With your day at leisure, perhaps visit the wine capital of Beaune?
Accommodation: Grand Dijon La Cloche
Meals: Breakfast
Travel into the high Alps to the fashionable ski resort of Chamonix.
Accommodation: Alpina Eclectic Chamonix
Meals: Breakfast
Embark on a beautiful journey to Annecy. Enjoy free time for lunch. This evening, savour a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Le Grand, BW Premier Collection
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Continue to the French Riviera to reach the elegant resort town of Nice.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu, Nice
Meals: Breakfast
Unlock the secrets of the French perfume industry with a visit to a perfumery. Then enjoy a drive along part of the Grand Prix circuit in Monaco. Enjoy an Insight Choice experience with a visit to the Oceanographic Museum or Royal Palace of Monaco.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu, Nice
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy the winding streets of Saint-Paul de Vence before taking a lesson in the French sport of pétanque. Your day concludes in Aix-en-Provence.
Accommodation: Aquabella Hotel & Spa, Aix-en-Provence
Meals: Breakfast
Marvel at the ancient Roman aqueduct, Pont du Gard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before exploring the storied streets of Avignon, home to the seat of the Pope and Christianity in the 14th century. Move on to a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at a local olive estate, where you’ll stroll through scenic groves. Learn about sustainable olive oil production from tree to table and indulge in a tasting of artisanal oils where you’ll learn to differentiate the rich palette of aromas, colours and textures. Return to your hotel in Aix-en-Provence for a free evening to relax and unwind or explore the city’s vibrant cafes and boutiques.
Accommodation: Aquabella Hotel & Spa, Aix-en-Provence
Meals: Breakfast
A scenic drive through the Alpilles takes you to Château De Luc, for a wine tasting and your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Explore Carcassonne and on to Albi.
Accommodation: Saint Antoine, Albi
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a full day at leisure, to relax and soak up the atmosphere of Albi. This evening enjoy a delicious dinner of carefully selected fresh ingredients, at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Saint Antoine, Albi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Sample some local Dordogne specialities when you visit the market at Cahors, famous for its black wine. Travel to Rocamadour and enjoy free time to explore this medieval town. Enjoy a delicious Farm-to-Table dinner, prepared with locally sourced ingredients.
Accommodation: Le Perigord, La Roque-Gageac
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Visit Lascaux II, the world-renowned site of pre-historic cave paintings. Stop in Sarlat-la-Canéda before arriving in Paris. Luxuriate in the charm of the City of Light as you savour French cuisine and regional wine at dinner.
Follow the River Seine to Rouen, capital of Normandy, to admire its ancient cathedral - a masterpiece of Gothic style and the subject of a series of paintings by Claude Monet. Wander through the narrow streets beneath the Great Clock to the Old Market Square. Here, a superb modern church memorialises the burning of Joan of Arc on this very spot in 1431. Continue to the charming fishing town of Honfleur and wander along the harbour or stroll through the colourful streets. Close by, visit a family owned apple farm for apple juice, cider and calvados tasting. Later, arrive at your luxurious hotel, located in the chic seaside resort of Deauville.
Accommodation: Barrière L'Hôtel du Golf, Deauville
Meals: Breakfast
Spend a few reflective moments at the American Military Cemetery of Saint-Laurent, near Omaha Beach. Explore Normandy with Insight Choice.
Accommodation: Barrière L'Hôtel du Golf, Deauville
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Explore the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel with your Local Expert. Continue along the Emerald Coast to stunning Saint-Malo.
Accommodation: Le Nouveau Monde, St Malo
Meals: Breakfast
Follow the valley of the Loire to Angers. After wine tasting in Saumur head to Château de Villandry to visit the sustainable gardens on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Continue to your very own castle hotel.
Accommodation: Château De La Bourdaisière
Meals: Breakfast
Journey to the fairy-tale Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, considered one of the world's best representations of French Renaissance architecture. Return to your château for relaxation.
Accommodation: Château De La Bourdaisière
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Travel to Chartres Cathedral. From here, return to the French capital. The City of Light really lives up to its name, when the monuments, buildings and bridges are lit up in all their glory. Don't miss the chance to experience one of the world-famous cabaret shows.
Accommodation: Le Méridien Etoile, Paris
Meals: Breakfast
Today, bid farewell to your journey through the French countryside as you transfer to the airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
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