From City Lights to Coastal Wonders -

From City Lights to Coastal Wonders

11 Days | Family-friendly Travel, Group Travel

An Magical 11-Day Family Vacation to Paris, Normandy, Provence, and the French Riviera

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Embark on an 11-day family escapade, from the enchanting streets of Paris to the sun-soaked beaches of the French Riviera. Explore the charms of Paris, discover the history of Normandy, wander the picturesque countryside of Provence, and relax on the Riviera's beautiful shores. This immersive journey promises cultural treasures and cherished family moments, crafting lifelong memories. Discover France's true nature and make timeless connections.

Day by day

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Day 1: Arrival in Paris

Private transfer from Paris Airport to your hotel

A private driver will pick you up from the airport and drive you safely to your hotel.

Paris car

Day 2: Paris Explore

Discover Paris and admire its major attractions during a sightseeing tour.

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You will get an up-close and personal experience of all the Paris essentials, including the Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Opera Garnier, Trocadéro, Les Invalides, Place de la Concorde, Place de Vendôme, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Montmartre, the Louvre, and Madeleine.

Visit Paris Catacombs

The catacombs date back to the end of the 18th century, around 1788. They were built in the old Tombe-Issoire limestone quarries to move bones from Paris cemeteries that had fallen into ruin. The very first cemetery was Les Innocents, near the Les Halles neighborhood. The last cemetery was cleared in 1814. Stones from the quarries were used to build Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Louvre, and to fortify the city of Paris

Before entering the winding tunnels, visitors are greeted by a quote: Arrête, c’est ici l’empire de la mort (“Stop, here lies the Empire of Death”), perched above the doors marking the beginning of a journey back through time.

Visitors then walk down 130 steps, some 65 feet underground, to the dark tunnels decorated with bones from Paris cemeteries. On the walls, various phrases, poems and writings—some religious, others not—can be found among the bones, leaving visitors to reflect throughout mile-long tour.

The Paris Catacombs tour takes about 45 minutes. Prepare to climb another 83 steps to get out.

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Day 3: Ebike tour of the Seine River and the Eiffel Tower

Private Guided eBike Tour on the Banks of the Seine River

Take in the most iconic sights of the capital while following the banks of the Seine (a UNESCO world cultural heritage site).

Starting on the right bank of the Seine, your first crossing is the Pont Notre-Dame in this adventure of discovery as you follow Paris’s winding history. From the Notre Dame Cathedral to the Eiffel Tower; from the Palais de Chaillot to the Louvre Palace – you will enjoy the most beautiful perspectives that offer Paris while your guide will allow you to discover prestigious monuments and multiples treasures of the city…

Your bike guide has many pleasant surprises in store for you! He will entertain you with facts and trivia about the beautiful old streets, their monuments, and people. He will not forget to let you in on a few insider tips and guide you smoothly through hidden short cuts that are easily accessible by bike.

Take beautiful snapshots and unforgettable memories back home!

Eiffel Tower Tickets with Summit Access

Visit the very top of the most famous monument in the world – the Eiffel Tower! At 984 feet high, you will admire the unarguable best areal views that Paris has to offer and see the main monuments such as the Louvre Museum, the Invalides, and many more from an unparalleled perspective

However fantastic views are not the only thing you’ll see at the very top. The office of Mr. Eiffel himself is a room he had reserved at the top of the tower to welcome his visitors.

In several places there are illuminated panels with some pictures from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, sometimes even more recently. We see the engineers who designed the tower, Gustave Eiffel the contractor, the architect Sauvestre and Emile Nouguier, the designer. There is also a sign explaining how the inauguration of the tower took place in 1889, and the opportunity to see up close the technical installations at the top of the tower.

Finally, there is a champagne bar on the 3rd floor of the Eiffel Tower with a server offering two varieties of champagnes by Alain Ducasse: a white and a rosé. How many chances in your life will you get to sip champagne at the very top of the Eiffel? Not very many, but here is an opportunity now – best to take it!

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Boat Cruise on the Seine River

The Seine is the epicenter of Paris, flanked by the emblematic monuments of the French capital, making it a real essence of the city.

The modern river boat “bateau Parisien,” with accessible terraces and outdoor walkways, will take you on a smooth boat ride along the river. Enjoy the beautiful panorama on this one-hour cruise and learn about the city’s secrets and fascinating history. An audio guide available in 14 languages will keep you entertained.

Glide past the Notre Dame cathedral and under the famous Pont Neuf. Keep your eyes peeled for some of the most iconic landmarks in Paris: Louvre Museum, Tuileries Garden, Orsay Museum, Grand Palais, Trocadero, Conciergerie and many more.

Cruises depart daily every 30 minutes between April-September, every 60 minutes from Wednesday to Sunday between October-March.

Departure and docking: Eiffel Tower pier

Day 4: Normandy D-Day Tour

Full-day private guided tour of Normandy D-day landing beaches 

Take a walk through one of the most important episodes in modern history. You will travel to the Normandy beaches.

Once you arrive in Normandy, you will stop at “The Pointe du Hoc”, 90-foot-high cliffs between Omaha and Utah beaches where 225 Rangers landed on the morning of June 6, 1944. It was one of the strong points of the German fortifications, and your guide will give you some time to soak in the atmosphere of this iconic location.

You will visit the Colleville Sur Mer American Cemetery which overlooks Omaha Beach. The 170-acre site contains 9,000 perfectly aligned white crosses and a memorial chapel which adds the finishing touches to this moving scene, allowing visitors to reflect on the price of war. It is also an opportunity for you to go in search of your history as many of us have relatives or friends who fought and fell in this conflict.

Other WWII locations that you will see are the Arromanches with its vestiges of the artificial harbor (Mulberry Bridge), Longues-Sur-Mer and the German artillery battery, which gave the allies a pounding on the morning of 6th June. It is the only coastal battery to have kept its guns, giving an impressive picture of what an Atlantic wall gun emplacement was like.

At the end of your day, you will be given free time to explore and contemplate why it is important not to forget the legacy of the Second World War.

Day 5: Paris to Provence

Lavender discovery tour with photoshoot

Discover the magnificent landscapes of the Ventoux, in the middle of the lavender fields.Your guide, who loves photography, takes you to meet a small lavender producer. The lavender field with a charming Provençal bastide is the set of your photoshoot. From June to August, the lavender season provides an explosion of brilliant purple to the beautiful countryside.

Day 6: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Morning eBike tour

A beautiful Half-day of cycling where you explore the most beautiful villages of the Petit Luberon, with panoramic views of the Luberon mountains, the Calavon valley and the Ventoux in the background.

You ride along small roads, from one perched village to another.

In the countryside, orchards and olive trees rub shoulders with mas and bories under the Mediterranean sun. You cycle through the Petit Lubéron, past vineyards and truffle oak plantations, in a landscape of pine and cedar trees. Lacoste offers a labyrinth of cobbled streets leading up to the ruins of the Marquis de Sade castle.

Day 7: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Private Half day Hike in the Alpilles from Saint-Rémy

Meet your local expert English-speaking guide in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Your guided (moderate level) hike begins in the center of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. From St. Rémy you pass St. Paul de Mausole, the former monastery where Van Gogh spent the last year of his life.

From there you head up a quiet valley, following a botanical path, to the ridge of the Alpilles mountains; a short but steep climb leads to the rock formation Rocher des deux Trous, from where the views are outstanding.

You then enjoy a leisurely stroll back down the mountain, to St Rémy.

Hiking

Walking tour of Avignon and visit of Palais des Papes

Join your guide for a walk to discover the rich historical center of Avignon.

With a guide, you’ll benefit from skip-the-line access to the Pope’s Palace. It’s one of the largest Gothic buildings in Europe and was the residence of successive popes from 1309 to 1377. You will be mesmerized by this medieval maze of galleries, chambers, and chapels.

 Next, walk through the cobblestone streets to the Place de l’Horloge.

Day 8: Provence - French Riviera

 Welcome to Nice !

The elegant city of Nice is set against an impressive backdrop of soaring hills and the famous blue waters of the French Riviera. The “Place Rossetti” is at the city’s heart, surrounded by brightly colored buildings, the cathedral, and a large fountain lending the square a unique flavor.

The Cours Saleya is the main street in the old town and hosts a daily flower and vegetable market (except Mondays). You can find top-notch seasonal produce here, and there is a good selection of other local souvenirs if you’re eyeing some Marseille soap or lavender to take home with you.

Spend some time by the beautiful harbor, where the sun shines from the west in the evening. It’s a popular restaurant area if you’re looking for a special dinner by the water.

From the harbor, you can climb to the Colline du Château for great views of the city. Despite the name, there is no longer a castle on the hill, as it was destroyed in 1706. Now there is a beautiful park with views of the beach stretching along the Baie des Anges (“Angel Bay”).

The beach might be Nice’s most famous attraction. The famous “Promenade des Anglais” boardwalk follows the Mediterranean seafront for 3 miles (5 kilometers). It was built in the early 19th century when the English upper class began coming to the French Riviera to spend their winters in a mild climate. This gave the boardwalk its name, which translates to the “Walkway of the English.”

Street view in Nice, France

Day 9 : French Riviera Relaxation

Americans on the French Riviera full-day 

In this tour, you will go back in time and discover the famous American citizens who traveled and lived on the French Riviera.

From Thomas Jefferson to Grace Kelly including Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Consuelo Vanderbilt, and James Baldwin just to name a few …

This tour through outstanding anecdotes will immerse you in the “French art de Vivre“ that captivated these Americans.

Day 10: Eze and Leisure

Half-Day Private Tour to Eze

Discover the medieval village of Eze, one of the most picturesque sites of the French Riviera. Dating from the Middle Ages, the village was built on top of the rocky outcrop for security reasons. The walls of the twelfth century were dismantled in 1706 by the order of Louis XIV. Take the cobbled streets and reach the top where you can find the exotic garden and the castle ruins. The view is amazing (427 meters high)!

Today, the exotic garden of Eze shelters in its southern part several tens of species of succulent plants, xerophytes coming from all the continents. The northern part is home to Mediterranean plants or plants from humid regions with caves and a waterfall. Thematic and artistic paths encourage the visitor to stroll around and soak up the history of the place.

Day 11: Departure from the French Riviera

End of our service. See You Soon!

About This Trip:

    • Enjoy 24/7 English-spoken telephone assistance while traveling
    • This itinerary includes transport, activities, guides, accommodations with breakfasts, and other listed services
    • Price is in USD per person, assuming double occupancy. Note that prices and availability are subject to change.

Customize this itinerary:

Every French Side Travel trip is custom-built for your unique needs and interests. Above is an example of what’s possible. If this isn’t exactly what you’re looking for, contact us today. Put together your dream trip with our travel experts. Handpick the accommodations, guides, activities, and meals that a right for you.

When you book with French Side Travel you’re getting a trip that’s unique as you are. 

 

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