Sightseeing Highlights

• Beaune Visit the medieval town. Wine tasting at a local wine cellar.
• Avignon See the Papal Palace.
• Nice Evening excursion to Monte Carlo to see the Casinos.
• Cannes Drive along the 'Croisette'.
• Nîmes See the Roman arena, Maison Carré and city gardens.
• Carcassonne: Visit the walled city.
• Lourdes See St. Bernadette's grotto.
• Bordeaux Orientation includes the Esplanade des Quinconces.
• St. Emilion Visit the wine village.
• Dordogne Valley See the Château of Beynac, Château of Castelnaud and Château des Milandes.
• La Roque–Gageac Visit this charming village.
• Les Eyzies Visit the town of Cro–Magnon man.
• Limoges Witness a demonstration of porcelain manufacture.
• Loire Valley Visit fairy– tale Chenonceau castle.
• Mont St. Michel Visit the island–town and view the Abbey.
• Liberty Highway Drive along this historic route.
• Normandy Visit the D–Day landing beaches.
• Bayeux Visit the Bayeux Tapestry Museum. View Bayeux' magnificant Catherdral.
• Giverny Visit Claude Monet's home.
• Paris Sightseeing includes the ascent of the Eiffel Tower plus views of Champs Elysees, Notre Dame Cathedral and more. Included visit to Les Invalides.
• Scenic drives through the Burgundy wine region, the Rhône Valley, Cézanne's Provence, along the French Riviera, the Camargue, through the snow–capped Pyrenees, the Landes Forest and Bordeaux vineyards, along the Dordogne Valley and the Loire Valley.

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Dining Highlights

• A welcome drink with your
• Tour Director in Paris.
• 12 Buffet breakfast
• 4 three–course dinners in hotels
• 2 local speciality restaurant dinners in Lyon and on the French Riviera
• 1 gourmet dinner in the Dordogne Valley

19 meals in total (see day–by–day itinerary)

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First Class Travel Highlights
The services of one of Trafalgar's top professional multi–lingual Tour Directors. A qualified local city guide in Paris. Chauffeur driven on Trafalgar's luxury air–conditioned motorcoaches with reclining seats and washroom. A stylish travel bag and wallet containing tour documents and helpful information.

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First Class Travel Highlights
You'll stay in twin–bedded rooms with private facilities at these superb hotels:

Paris: Renaissance La Defense Lyon: Radisson SAS Nice: Grand Aston Carcassone: Mercure Porte de la Cite Biarritz: Novotel Anglet Aeroport Bordeaux: Novotel Centre Dordogne Valley: Chateau des Reynats Tours: Mercure Nord Omaha Beach ( Bayeux): Mercure Bayeux Omaha Beach Paris: Renaissance La Defense

All hotel service charges and tips, baggage handling fees and local taxes included.

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Airport Transfers
For passengers who book Land only, group transfers will be provided on the scheduled arrival and departure dates, of your chosen tour. Please ensure your Travel Agent reserves your flight to coincide with the transfer times shown. Please provided flight detailes at least 21 days prior to departure date. For passengers who boo their Land + Air inclusive tour package with Trafalgar, a transfer will be provided outside of these times. Paris arrival transfers are at 08:30, 11:00 & 13:00 and departure transfer are at 08:00.

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Tour Duration: 14 days

• Day 1
  Depart USA Overnight flight to Paris.



• Day 2
  Arrive Paris On arrival at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport you're met and transferred to your hotel. After check–in you are free to explore this beautiful city or just relax. Tonight, enjoy a welcome drink with your Tour Director and meet your fellow travellers.



• Day 3
  Paris – Beaune – Lyon We drive southwards today into Burgundy wine country passing the Côte d'Or vineyards of Gevrey–Chambertin and Nuits–St. Georges to the medieval town of Beaune. Here we sample some of the regional wines at one of the local wine cellars before we head to Lyon for the night. This evening, we enjoy a dinner of Lyonnaise specialities in a local restaurant. (Buffet breakfast/ Restaurant dinner in Lyon)



• Day 4
  Lyon – Avignon – Nice (2nights) – Monte Carlo Excursion Today's scenic drive brings us to Avignon where we will see the Papal Palace and famous bridge. The we continue through the Provence of Van Gogh and Cézanne to the French Riviera and jet–set Nice. Later, enjoy French cuisine in a local restaurant and a taste of the high life on a visit to the Principality of Monaco, to see the famous Monte Carlo casinos! (Buffet breakfast/ Dinner)



• Day 5
  Nice at leisure After breakfast you'll have a full day at leisure to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the Côte d'Azur. Perhaps lounge on the beach, shop in the elegant boutiques or maybe visit the hilltop town of St. Paul de Vence. Thsi evening, why not dine in one of the many pleasant seaside restaurants? (Buffet breakfast)



• Day 6
  Nice – Nîmes – Carcassonne Today our drive takes us through Cannes along this magnificent coast and then through the Camargue to Nîmes. Here we see the Roman arena, the Maison Carré and city gardens. Then on past Alaric's Mountain to the walled city of Carcassonne. (Buffet breakfast/ Dinner)



• Day 7
  Carcassonne – Lourdes – Biarritz This morning we enjoy an orientation tour of this magical city. Then we wind our way through the Corbieres Hills and 'Cathar' landscapes toward the Pyrenees and the pilgrimage site of Lourdes. Here we will see the Basilica on top of St. Bernadette's grotto en route to Biarritz. There's time for a walk along the beach before we reach our hotel for dinner and overnight stay. (Buffet breakfast/ Dinner)



• Day 8
  Biarritz – Bordeaux We leave Biarritz and cross the country of Les Landes to the classical town of Bordeaux. Here an orientation tour shows us the magnificent Esplanade des Quinconces and the banks of the Gironde. Then, take some time at leisure to explore in the old quarter. (Buffet breakfast/ Dinner)



• Day 9
  Bordeaux – St. Emilion – Dordogne Valley Our first stop is at St. Emilion, famous for its red wines. Here we will be able wander through the charming Sunday morning fruit and vegetable market. Then through the Dordogne, we travel via Bergerac to see the castle of Beynac, the fortress of Castelnaud and Josephine Baker's Château of Les Milandes. Next via La Roque–Gageac, with its quaint houses clinging to the Dordogne cliffs. From here we continue via Les Eyzies, 'the cradle of pre–history' before arriving at our Chateau–hotel in the Dordogne Valley. Tonight, we will enjoy a gourmet candlelit dinner in the elegant dining–room of this 19th century chateau. (Buffet breakfast/ Dinner)



• Day 10
  Dordogne Valley – Limoges – Tours Our journey continues to Limoges, where we'll see a porcelain manufacture demonstration. Then we stop to visit the beautiful fairytale Palace of Chenonceau in the Loire Valley before reaching our hotel in Tours. This evening, why not take the opportunity of dining with the Troglodytes? (Buffet breakfast)



• Day 11
  Tours – Mont St. Michel – Omaha Beach (Bayeux) This morning we continue our journey into Brittany, to visit the island–town of Mont St. Michel, with its picturesque streets and abbey. From here we travel along the Liberty Highway to St. Lô and the D–Day Landing Beaches. Then we make our way to Bayeux where we visit the Bayeux Tapestry Museum with its scenes of the Battle of Hastings in the preserved 900 year old embroidery. Enjoy views of Bayeux' magnificent Cathedral before we reach our hotel for dinner an overnight stay. (Buffet breakfast/ Dinner)



• Day 12
  Omaha Beach (Bayeux) – Giverny – Paris (2nights) This morning we set off towards the valley of the river Seine to make a stop in Giverny. Here we visit the house and gardens of Claude Monet – inspiration for his 'water lily' paintings. Next we continue to lively Paris for two nights. (Buffet breakfast)



• Day 13
  Paris sightseeing & at leisure Today's morning sightseeing tour with a local guide includes the ascent of the Eiffel Tower to its second level for wonderful views over the city. Other highlights include views of Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elysées before we enjoy a visit of Les Invalides with its golden dome...as part of the Army Museum, its most important relic is the tomb of France's most influential ruler, Napoleon Bonaparte. For the rest of the day you may choose to stroll through the Luxembourg gardens, visit the Louvre or relax over a "cafe au lait" in a sidewalk cafe? (Buffet breakfast)



• Day 14
  Paris – USA It's 'au revoir' today as we transfer to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport for our return flight to America. (Buffet breakfast)