Timeless France: From Paris to the Loire Valley - French Side Travel

Timeless France: From Paris to the Loire Valley

8 Days | History & Culture

Experience France through art, history, and châteaux on a journey from Paris to Normandy and the Loire Valley.

Luxury | From $11,399 pp

Begin in Paris with a private tour of the historic Marais and a curated visit to the Musée d’Orsay. Travel to Normandy to explore Monet’s gardens in Giverny and honor history at the D-Day beaches. Conclude your journey in the Loire Valley, discovering the elegance of Chenonceau, Clos Lucé, and Chambord. A refined itinerary blending culture, memory, and architectural splendor.

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Day 1: Paris

Private Transfer to your hotel

A driver will pick you up and drive you safely to your destination in a luxury vehicle

Arrival at your accommodation

After the check-in, you may want to take a stroll through the neighborhood.

Le Marais Private Guided Tour

This excursion will take you through the Marais district, around its monuments, heritage, and fashionable addresses. Stroll along the streets of a lively place that has many facets.

Located on Paris’s Right Bank between the part of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, Le Marais gets its name from an old swampy area occupied from the 12th century by religious orders. Although it has become a trendy quarter with many fashion boutiques, the Marais also has a very important historic core. It is also a district bursting with colorful gay culture, where restaurants, art galleries, and trendy bookshops are plentiful.

From the elegant Place des Vosges to the Musee Carnavalet, your guide will give you a detailed explanation of the heritage of the sites that marked the 18th century and the French Revolution, while also showing you the Marais’ contemporary places of interest that give it its present reputation.

Day 2: Paris

Orsay Museum private tour

The Musée d’Orsay is widely considered among Paris’ must-visit galleries. With your guide, you will definitely not risk missing the secrets and backstories of the artworks on display.

You will gain insight into the creation of Impressionist masterpieces by Cézanne, Gauguin, Monet, van Gogh, and more, and you can head straight to the section of the museum that highlights your interest.

Depending on your interest, your guide will devise a specific tour for you to discover unique pieces (for example: art nouveau, impressionism, orientalism, etc.)

The Musée d’Orsay’s collection is vast and can seem endless. With so much to explore, this curated selection of the museum’s highlights is the perfect introduction whether you’re an art aficionado or just have a casual interest.

After two hours of experiencing one of Paris’ finest art galleries, you’ll feel like an art expert no matter what!

Day 3 : Normandy

Private transfer from Paris to Normandy

A driver will pick you up and drive you safely to your destination in a luxury vehicle.

Suggestion for a stop on the way – The mesmerizing gardens of Claude Monet

Giverny, in Normandy, was home to Claude Monet. Discover all the secrets of this French master of impressionism and his works, including the house he lived in for 43 years, the lily pond which inspired his most prominent paintings, and his wonderful flowering gardens.

The Water Garden boasts a stunning array of flowers and willow trees. It was here, facing this very pond, that Claude Monet painted the famous Nymphéas (Water Lilies) which you can see on display at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. Monet actually grew the flowers himself. He was a gardener as well as an artist, arranging his gardens by using his creative eye. The small green bridge, peony bushes and bamboo plants all demonstrate the love Monet had for Japan. The garden really bursts with colour and light, something which Monet loved to recreate in his paintings.

With its pink plaster and surrounding flowers and trees, the house of Claude Monet is truly a charming place. Outside of the house, lining the pathways beneath the metal arches, flowers bloom in the garden known as the Clos Normand. Daffodils, irises, peonies, nasturtiums, roses and narcissuses are just a few of the many beautiful flowers that fill these flowerbeds with colour. Spring is definitely the best time to visit!

The interior design remains true to what the rooms looked like in Monet’s time. On the ground floor you can visit Monet’s studio, the Blue Room (reading room) and also the kitchen. The Dining Room showcases Monet’s magnificent collection of Japanese prints, including some notable pieces by artists such as Katsushika Hokusai. All of the bedrooms are on the first floor, namely Claude Monet’s bedroom itself, displaying reproductions of paintings from other impressionist artists of his time.

Monet lived here with his loved ones and worked in these rooms for 43 years of his life, until his death in 1926.

Day 4 : Normandy

Full-Day Private Driving Tour of the D-Day Landing Beaches

Your licensed driver-guide will pick you up at your hotel in a Luxury vehicle.

Normandy was on every newspaper front page around the world. The biggest amphibious force ever assembled was about to try breaking through Fortress Europa. 156,000 Allied personnel landed on D-Day, making it the introduction of the last chapter of WWII in Europe.

During your day tour, you will see both Utah Beach and Omaha Beach landing sites, which were the two American sectors. Discover the mighty cliffs that the rangers climbed at the Pointe du Hoc, as well as Sainte-Mère-Eglise: the first town in France to be liberated by the US Airborne Division. Finish this emotional day at the Normandy American Cemetery where you will be able to pay respect to the sacrifice forever owed to the greatest generation.

Day 5 : Loire Valley

Normandy to Loire Valley

A driver will pick you up and drive you safely to your destination, in a luxury vehicle.

Suggestion for a stop on the way – Vitré Castle

Renowned as one of the first French chateaux to become a national monument, this medieval fairy-tale castle is situated at the crossroads between the regions of Brittany, Normandy, and Anjou. Since a millennium ago, this castle has welcomed visitors from all over the world.

During the 16-th century, it has protected the Parliament of Brittany from the Black plague and the Huguenots who were fleeing religious persecution found refuge here. Even in the middle ages, the border region of ”Marches de Bretagne” was littered with defensive fortress constructed by aristocratic families to defend the independent Duchy of Brittany. The fortress features crenulated towers, huge walls, and a drawbridge.

You can stroll around the cobbled streets and discover the charm of half-timbered houses and the ancient residences of the wealthy merchants and the sailcloth manufacturers who lived around the fortress in the 16th and the 17th centuries.

Day 6 : Loire Valley

Full Day Private Luxury Tour of Clos Luce in Amboise, and Chenonceau Castles

Your licensed driver-guide will pick you up at your hotel in a Luxury vehicle.

Chenonceau, which was known as “the Ladies’ castle” and was built across the Cher River, is both delicate and feminine. Surrounded by amazing gardens, it is superbly furnished and decorated. There, you will discover the intrigues of the royal French court.

Amboise is the castle where Leonardo da Vinci was buried after he died in 1519. He spent the last three years of his life in Clos Lucé after he was invited by King Francis I of France. Discover his universe and genius through 40 models of his famous machines designed by IBM.

Day 7 : Loire Valley

Full-day Private tour of Blois and Chambord

Your driver-guide will pick you up at your hotel.

Blois will give you an amazing panorama of the Loire Valley architecture from the 13th to 17th centuries. This castle welcomed 10 queens and seven kings of France and the visit will fill you in on the secrets of the court and the wars of religion.

Then you will visit Chambord, which is the largest and the most impressive castle in the area, famous for its outstanding architecture and double-helix staircase. Located in the Sologne area in the largest enclosed game park in Europe, it is a celebration of the personality of King Francis I in the 16th century.

Day 8 : Loire Valley

Private transfer to the train station or the airport

A driver will pick you up and drive you safely to your destination, in a luxury vehicle.

End of Our Service

Your journey with us has come to an end. We hope to see you soon!

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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.
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