Western France Getaway: Paris, Normandy & Brittany - 8 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Paris

Bonjour and welcome to Paris! Your adventure begins with your first taste of French hospitality when a chauffeur picks you up from the airport and shuttles you into the city for a personal welcome at your hotel. Spend the day exploring the neighborhood around your hotel with personalized suggestions from your local specialist. 

After your customized self-guided walking tour, take a load off at a picturesque sidewalk café, where you can enjoy an aperitif before heading to a well-recommended restaurant. You could order a perfect steak frites at a timeless café or try a trendy bistronomy spot, where up-and-coming chefs serve exciting haute cuisine in a fun and approachable way. Think fusion flavors and reinvented French classics paired with expertly mixed craft cocktails or brilliantly selected natural wines. Walk your meal off along the Seine, or stroll the Champs de Mars under the lights of the Eiffel Tower as you drink in the romance of the City of Lights.

Day 2: Guided Tour of Île de la Cité & Eiffel Tower

After breakfast at your hotel, get ready to explore the city with a private local guide. This full-day tour gives you plenty of time to experience the highlights starting with the Royal Palace, the Sainte Chapelle, and Notre Dame—all within the Île de la Cité. From here, you'll wander through the streets of the trendy Le Marais district and explore symbolic places within such as the Place des Vosges.

After a lunch break, relax with some fresh air in the Tuileries Gardens, and then continue to the Champs Elysees and the majestic Arc de Triomphe. Finally, you'll visit the architectural wonder that is the Eiffel Tower. Enjoy the beauty of this monument before ending the epic tour with a boat cruise along the Seine.

Day 3: Day Trip to Versailles & Dinner Cruise

In the morning, head outside of the big city to the resplendent Versaille Estate. Take the train there, then head directly inside with your skip-the-line access to spend a few hours exploring the palace and grounds. Travel back in time as you discover what life was like living in the splendor of the court of the kings and queens of France. Your historian guide will walk you from hall to gilded hall, pointing out ornately painted ceilings, the Hall of Mirrors, and the private royal quarters.

After touring the castle, head outside to the manicured gardens and lawns, where a dazzling display of flowers and exotic plants delight visitors of all ages. Enjoy lunch near the castle, then take the train back to Paris for a free afternoon in the city. Shop, enjoy the fresh air in one of the city's parks, or explore one of the city's many art museums.

In the evening, you'll board a luxury yacht for an evening on the Seine. Cruise down the river as you enjoy a gourmet dinner and watch the city lights go by.

Day 4: Transfer to Bayeux, City Tour

In the morning, your chauffeur will drive from Paris toward the city of Bayeux, a three-hour (160 mi/ 260 km) drive. After checking in to your hotel, meet your guide for a walking tour of the city. One of today's highlights includes a visit to the famous Tapestry Museum, which houses some of the world's finest works. 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, Bayeux retains much of its old architecture.

Spend the day exploring the city's narrow streets, which are lined with traditional wooden-framed Norman houses, and admire the Gothic cathedral. In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Art and History Baron Gerard to learn about the lace and porcelain that made Bayeux so rich.

Day 5: Tour of D-Day Sites

Today is a full day to discover the powerful legacy of D-Day on Normandy's landscape, as well as its effect on the world. Your local specialist, an expert on the Battle of Normandy and the five landing areas (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Sword, and Juno), will walk you through an emotional day. You'll navigate famous scenes of war, memorialized by the films "The Longest Day" by Darryl Zanuck or "Saving Private Ryan" by Steven Spielberg.

Pay tribute to the armed forces who fought to end the war on this day as you visit Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery, and D-Day Experience (an interactive 3D movie theater that chronicles the day's events.) At the end of the eight-hour tour, return to Bayeux. 

Day 6: Day Trip to Mont-Saint-Michel, Transfer to Saint-Malo

Spend the day exploring Mont-Saint-Michel. The iconic abbey sits on an island in the middle of a huge bay, where Europe's biggest tides create a natural moat. Mont-Saint-Michel gets its start in 708 CE, when the Archangel St. Michel ordered Aubert, the bishop of Avranches, to build a sanctuary in this location. Construction on the building continued until the French Revolution in 1791, when the abbey became a prison. It wasn't until 1864 that Mont-Saint-Michel was added to the French List of Historic Monuments and restored for visitors.

Head across the causeway to the town on foot, or catch a ride with a horse-drawn wagon for a scenic approach. If the tide is out, walk across the sand with a trained guide to the base of the fortifications like the pilgrims used to (the quicksands make it dangerous to cross alone.) Your guide will walk you through the main building, pointing out the history of various rooms and halls. Mont-Saint-Michel is remarkably well-preserved, with huge fireplaces still showing signs of soot from centuries of use.

After exploring the church and the surrounding gardens, head downhill to the town, where you'll find souvenir shops, cafés, and art galleries. You can expect lots of walking today on steep staircases and wet sand, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring a jacket for the brisk ocean breeze. After your tour, your private chauffeur will transfer you two hours down the coast to the fortified town of Saint-Malo. For dinner, stay inside the city walls and pick from one of many restaurant options. It's an otherworldly experience to walk through the walled fortifications and narrow cobblestone streets at night, especially if a mist rolls in from the ocean.

Stroll through the town to work up an appetite, then sit down for a meal. If seafood is your thing, you're in luck—there's no shortage of incredible seafood restaurants, from casual neighborhood brasseries to higher-end dining. Follow your nose to open-air cafés (the ones with the striped red and white canopies) for an unforgettable French dinner.

Day 7: Day Trip to Dinan & Dinard

Start your day by enjoying a relaxing breakfast with a view of the ocean. One of the best ways to discover a region is by exploring its gastronomy, and Brittany's history is woven closely with one particular dish—the crêpe. It's a standard local dish and hearty enough to fill you up for an entire day.

After breakfast, meet with your private guide (a Brittany local), and head out to explore two nearby towns: Dinan and Dinard. Your first stop is Dinan, a medieval town with preserved city ramparts and a large tower built for Duke Jean IV. Together with your private guide, you'll explore the city's architecture and history—including the 14th-century keep in Dinan Castle, the Église Saint-Malo de Dinan's stained glass windows, and the views from the Clock Tower—before exploring artisan workshops and old streets.

From here, continue back north toward the coast. Your destination is Dinard, a town that sits opposite Saint-Malo. It's known for its luxurious beaches and outstanding views of the lush Emerald Coast. Formerly a humble 19th-century fishing port, the city experienced a resurgence thanks to its popularity with artists and French bourgeoise.

In the afternoon, your guide will recommend the best local brasserie for fresh oysters and a glass of white wine. Spend a couple of hours savoring your meal—after all, what's more, French than taking your time over lunch?—before spending the rest of the day browsing boutiques and shops in Dinard. Return to Saint-Malo in the evening. 

Day 8: Depart Saint-Malo

After breakfast, take a private car or train transfer to the airport to catch your flight home. A bientôt!

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