Highlights
- Zip around Paris landmarks and hidden corners on an electric bike tour
- Spend a day sipping Champagne in the eponymous wine region
- Discover the powerful legacy of D-Day on Normandy's landscape
- Visit historic châteaux and wineries in the lush Loire Valley
- Embark on a private kayaking experience on the French Riviera
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Paris, Explore the "City of Light" | Paris |
| Day 2 | Latin Quarter Walking Tour, Discover the Champs-Élysées & Paris Boutiques | Paris |
| Day 3 | Hidden Corners of Paris E-Bike Tour, Jardin du Luxembourg & Eiffel Tower | Paris |
| Day 4 | Day Trip to the Champagne Region | Paris |
| Day 5 | Train to Caen, Drive to Bayeux | Bayeux |
| Day 6 | Full-Day Tour of D-Day Sites | Bayeux |
| Day 7 | Drive to Amboise, Self-Guided Bike Tour | Amboise |
| Day 8 | Tour the Loire Valley Châteaux & Wine Tasting | Amboise |
| Day 9 | Train to Aix-en-Provence, Free Time to Explore | Aix-en-Provence |
| Day 10 | Morning in Aix-en-Provence, Train to Nice | Nice |
| Day 11 | Half-Day Kayaking Adventure in Puget-Théniers | Nice |
| Day 12 | Self-Guided Tour of Historic Nice, Free Afternoon on the Riviera | Nice |
| Day 13 | Train to Paris, Free Evening in the French Capital | Paris |
| Day 14 | Depart Paris |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Paris, Explore the "City of Light"
Bonjour and welcome to Paris, the famous "City of Light." The elegant French capital is a world-renowned powerhouse of art, fashion, and history, and those who visit find it hard not to get swept up in the romance. Upon arrival, you'll be picked up from the airport and transferred to your hotel by private car. Take time to settle in and relax before heading out to explore Paris as you please. You could locate your nearest boulangerie or pâtisserie and seek out your first (of many) spectacular croissants or specialty pastries.
From there, stroll toward the Seine for a walk along the riverbanks or make a beeline for one of the city's meticulously manicured gardens, such as the Jardin des Tuileries. If you love to shop, find hidden treasures in the Marais district, where antique stores and boutiques sit alongside galleries and cafés. If you prefer to get active, rent bikes and cycle across the city's arrondissements. As the day winds down, find a sidewalk café with cute Parisian bistro chairs and sit down for an apéritif and some people-watching before heading to a chic restaurant for dinner.
Day 2: Latin Quarter Walking Tour, Discover the Champs-Élysées & Paris Boutiques
Follow in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald when you join a 2.5-hour walking tour of the Latin Quarter this morning. A local guide will take you past the world-famous Cathédrale Notre-Dame, which sits on a small river island. While the cathedral has been closed since the fire of 2019, it's due to re-open in December 2024. Then, pass by the Pantheon, where Voltaire and Victor Hugo are buried, and hear tales from your guide about the city's philosophers and progressive thinkers. You'll finish at the Jardin du Luxembourg.
Day 3: Hidden Corners of Paris E-Bike Tour, Jardin du Luxembourg & Eiffel Tower
This morning, you'll cover plenty of ground on a four-hour electric bike tour of the capital. Your knowledgeable cycling guide will reveal the city's hidden gems and tell stories as you pedal between iconic landmarks and lesser-known sights. You'll feel like a local after biking from the Seine to the heights of Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, barely breaking a sweat thanks to the bike's power. You'll quickly realize there's so much more to Paris than the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe as you discover the historic streets of Saint-Germain-des-Près and hidden romantic spots.
Day 4: Day Trip to the Champagne Region
Wake up early for a special full-day small-group excursion to the gorgeous Champagne Valley. Your day will begin with a 90-minute drive to the town of Reims. Visit its gorgeous cathedral, where the French kings of old were crowned, and explore the area around Épernay, the capital of Champagne. For a sparkling white wine to bear this famous moniker, it must come from the terroir you're visiting today, and you'll spend time wandering through vineyards and meeting local winemakers in the heart of this world-famous region.
Tour the chalky cellars of Moët & Chandon and pay your respects at the tomb of Dom Perignon. You'll learn about the passion and hard work that goes into crafting the drink that many choose to mark special occasions and milestones. Across this sparkling day, you'll sip and sample at least four full glasses of Champagne, including a delicious rosé. Overall, you'll return to Paris with a better appreciation for this unique wine.
Day 5: Train to Caen, Drive to Bayeux
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Enjoy breakfast at your Paris hotel, then take a private transfer to the train station for your two-hour journey to Normandy. You'll arrive in Caen, where you can collect a rental car and drive a further 30 minutes west to Bayeux, a preserved medieval city brimming with history. Bayeux witnessed two cross-Channel invasions from the nearby beaches, some 900 years apart. The incredible Bayeux Tapestry tells the tale of the Norman invasion of England in 1066, when the Duke of Normandy became William the Conqueror, King of England. See the 230-foot-long (70 m) tapestry at the Bayeux Museum.
Then, in the 20th century, on June 6th, 1944—a day better known as D-Day—around 160,000 Allied troops and almost 7,000 naval vessels stormed ashore just north of town. Bayeux retains much of its old architecture as the first town to be liberated after D-Day and one of the only places to have emerged from World War II nearly unscathed. Check into your hotel, then spend the rest of the day exploring narrow streets lined with traditional wooden-framed Norman houses and the impressive Gothic cathedral.
Day 6: Full-Day Tour of D-Day Sites
Today will be a somber but important day on your vacation. A history expert will help you discover the powerful legacy of D-Day on Normandy's landscape and how the events here affected the world. You'll learn about the Battle of Normandy and the five landing areas—Utah, Omaha, Gold, Sword, and Juno—as you visit significant sites on an emotional day. You'll start at Pointe du Hoc, between Utah and Omaha beaches, where on D-Day, a strategic element of the Atlantic Wall was stormed by Colonel Rudder's Rangers and proved to be one of the toughest battles.
Day 7: Drive to Amboise, Self-Guided Bike Tour
This morning, you'll jump behind the wheel for a three-hour drive from Bayeux to Amboise, a pretty town in the Loire Valley that played an important role in French history. The royal court was once in Amboise, and nearby, you'll find beautiful Loire Valley landscapes dotted with stunning châteaux, including the famous Château d'Amboise. The town's other main site is Maison du Clos Lucé, better known as Leonardo da Vinci's house, where he spent his final three years. Check into your hotel and change into something comfortable for this afternoon's self-guided bike tour.
Within a 6-mile (10 km) radius of Ambroise, you can find most of the area's top attractions, including the Saint-Hubert Chapel, Pagoda of Chanteloup, the Grand Aquarium de Touraine, and Château-Gaillard and its grand estate. If you're a keen cyclist, set off on the 28-mile (45 km) Amboise Chenonceau loop, linking the Château d'Amboise to the Château de Chenonceau, exploring the beauty of the fairly flat Loire region by bike. Over 3.5 hours, you'll take in picturesque landscapes, green vineyards, and breathtaking views of the Cher River.
Day 8: Tour the Loire Valley Châteaux & Wine Tasting
If it's a Friday or Sunday morning, don't miss the popular market in Ambroise. Afterward, drive over to Château de Chenonceau and step inside the second-most visited historic monument in France. Discover the exquisite gardens and admire the château's unique architecture, built like a bridge over the Cher. Step inside to see the incredible furnishings and fresh florals within the queen's bedroom, kitchens, and gallery. Then, drive over to Château de Minière, a vineyard and winery located in the heart of the Bourgueil terroir of the Loire Valley.
On a guided tour of the estate, you'll learn about the vineyard and its production before tasting a range of wines. Then, the final adventure for the day is Château de Chambord, where you'll step through five centuries of history in a fairy-tale atmosphere. Don't miss the double helix staircase, panoramic terraces, 18th-century furnished apartments and kitchens, the coffered vaulted ceilings, or the French formal gardens.
Day 9: Train to Aix-en-Provence, Free Time to Explore
After breakfast, drive half an hour from Ambroise to Tours, where you'll return your rental car and catch a train to Aix-en-Provence, the regional capital of Provence. The journey will take 6.5 hours, and you'll need to change trains multiple times to reach this small university city famous for being the birthplace of post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne. As you get close, look out the window to see the tiny French villages and magnificent landscapes that have inspired many artists.
On arrival in Aix-en-Provence, drop your bags at the hotel, and then use the rest of your afternoon and evening to explore this charming town. You could shop at chic boutiques or relax in the squares of this "city of a thousand fountains." If you're a food lover, try local specialties such as macarons, calissons (iced fruit candies), goat cheese, olive oil, honey, and fantastic local wines. You could wander the Pavillon Vendôme, with its magnificent French-style gardens, then enjoy dinner at one of the city's farm-to-table restaurants.
Day 10: Morning in Aix-en-Provence, Train to Nice
Wake up early to make the most of your time in Aix-en-Provence. You could start at the local markets in the Place des Prêcheurs and Place de la Madeleine. Wander down the famous Cours Mirabeau with its shady sidewalk cafés, then visit Cezanne's studio and garden, where he painted some of his greatest masterpieces. Explore the Caumont Art Centre, a cultural institution devoted to fine arts, or the Granet Museum, which displays more than 12,000 17th- to 21st-century paintings from the French School, including 10 paintings by Cézanne.
After lunch, catch a 3.5-hour train from Aix-en-Provence to Nice, transferring via Marseille en route. Nice is a chic, coastal city well-known for its sunshine and scenery. On arrival, drop your bags at the hotel, then venture out to explore its colorful Old Town and stroll along the Promenade des Anglais before finding a local restaurant for dinner.
Day 11: Half-Day Kayaking Adventure in Puget-Théniers
Turn the adrenaline up to a 10 with today's rafting adventure. A private guide will drive you 50 minutes from Nice to Puget-Théniers for a special private rafting tour. You'll step into inflatable kayaks and traverse a 9-mile (15 km) course, feeling the raw thrills of this river rapids ride. Use your paddles to keep steady, try to stay the course, embrace the waves, and use quiet moments to appreciate the beautiful landscape around you.
Day 12: Self-Guided Tour of Historic Nice, Free Afternoon on the Riviera
Nice is a historic city famous for its artistic spirit, grand plazas, crescent-shaped pebble beaches, and the narrow streets of its colorful Vieille Ville (Old Town). This densely populated coastal metropolis has many secrets to discover, some of which you'll learn on today's self-guided walking tour. Nice was founded by the Ancient Greeks in 350 BCE, so you'll visit the Greek Quarter and see the remains of a Roman amphitheater and arena in the historic Cimiez neighborhood.
Here, you'll also see the opulent Excelsior Régina Palace, where Queen Victoria of England used to summer on the French Riviera, and the Musée Matisse, a museum showcasing the works of Expressionist master Henri Matisse. After the tour, the rest of the day is yours to explore Nice, shop for souvenirs, and secure a reservation for your final dinner on the French Riviera.
Day 13: Train to Paris, Free Evening in the French Capital
After a final morning soaking up the sunshine in Nice, you'll take a direct high-speed train back to Paris. The journey to the capital takes around six hours, so sit back and enjoy views of the French countryside passing your window. You'll arrive in Paris midafternoon, giving you a few hours to explore after you check into your hotel.
It's your final evening in France, so make the most of it and set off for a walk along the Seine, kick back with a glass of wine while watching the locals pass by from a sidewalk café, and then seek out a table at a popular restaurant for your final taste of French cooking.
Day 14: Depart Paris
Your two weeks exploring Paris, Normandy, the Loire Valley, Provence, and the French Riviera draws to a close today. When the time is right, a private driver will collect you for the transfer to the airport for your flight home or onward. Safe travels!
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