Treasures of France Including Normandy
Experience Overview
Travel from Paris to the D-Day Landing Beaches of Normandy and on to the beautiful Loire Valley on this in-depth France and Normandy tour. Imagine life as a French noble as you are welcomed to a 17th-century chateau and learn about the battles that were fought here through the ages.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 4 Dinner (D)
- 7 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Be My Guest
- Le Mans: Walk among the wild hyacinths in the beautiful gardens of the 17th-century Chateau d'Eporce, during a unique Be My Guest experience. Enjoy a selection of local wines and taste some home-cooked specialties created by the chateau’s resident culinary expert, Lydia.
Dive into Culture
- Bayeux: Explore the 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry telling the story of Norman conquests and the Battle of Hastings so many centuries ago.
Iconic Experience
- Paris: Explore the iconic sights and streets of Paris on an orientation drive this evening.
- Honfleur: Admire the harbor town of Honfleur and its beautiful colorful storefronts.
- Normandy Beaches: Spend the morning visiting the American Rangers Memorial and pay tribute to those who lost their lives on D-Day Landing Beach.
- Omaha Beach: Join an emotive journey tracing the story of the D-Day landings and visit Omaha Beach.
- Mont-Saint-Michel: Savor your first sight of the fortified island of Mont Saint-Michel and cross the causeway to explore the tidal island town.
- Amboise: Visit the Amboise Royal Château with your Local Specialist where you will see the home of Leonardo da Vinci's tomb.
- Chateau Chenonceau: Visit Château de Chenonceau or commonly known as 'Ladies Castle' which got its name from the many women who influenced its construction.
- Chartres: Bask in the beautiful religious architecture from the 13th century as you explore the town of Chartres.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Amboise: Visit Maison Bigot in Amboise, a charming family-run chocolate shop. Immerse yourself in rich traditions as you learn about the craft and indulge in a lovely tasting experience.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Mont-Saint-Michel and Châteaux of the Loire Valley and Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches
- Discover Rouen, Honfleur, Bayeux, Loire Valley and Paris
- Visit the Bayeux Tapestry, the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches, the monastery of Mont-Saint-Michel, the Châteaux of Amboise and Chenonceau and Chartres Cathedral
- View the Champs-Élysées, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris
Trip Details
Product Code: 34371
Tour Type: null
Accommodation: Luxury
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 631.1720A
Starts: Paris, France
Finishes: Paris, France
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,352 ($419 /day)
Itinerary
Bienvenue! The 'City of Light' welcomes you as you prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey through France. Join your fellow travelers and Travel Director this afternoon for an orientation drive to admire the glittering cityscape of Paris – past grand boulevards and iconic sites like the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe and get to know your traveling companions over dinner this evening.
Accommodation: Evergreen Laurel
Meals: Dinner
This morning, we depart Paris and venture to the city of Rouen, the tragic site where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake. We travel to the enchanting harbor town of Honfleur – its narrow lanes and colorful shopfronts have long attracted artists who have immortalized its beauty on canvas. Arriving in Bayeux, we visit the Tapestry Museum. Here you’ll Dive Into Culture and see the Bayeux Tapestry, depicting events before and during the Battle of Hastings in 1066. This evening, we dine at our hotel.
Accommodation: Mercure Omaha Beach
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we explore the poignant D-Day Landing Beaches in the company of our Local Specialist. We begin with a visit to the American Rangers Memorial at Pointe du Hoc. Pay tribute to the brave souls who lost their lives at Omaha Beach, imagining the mingled sense of terror and triumph felt on the fateful day when Allied forces set foot on mainland Europe. We stop for lunch in the seaside town of Arromanches, the setting for the Mulberry Harbor, once at the heart of the Normandy landings.
Accommodation: Mercure Omaha Beach
Meals: Breakfast
Travel through the Normandy countryside admiring the land of calvados before exploring the UNESCO World Heritage-listed bay of the Mont-Saint Michel. Our Local Specialist reveals the history of the impressive medieval Benedictine Abbey perched on the hilltop. In Brittany enjoy the afternoon your way or perhaps, discover the beauty of the port city of St. Malo with a Local Specialist on the Jewels of St. Malo Optional Experience.
Accommodation: De l'Abbaye Le Tronchet
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Journey onward through scenic countryside, stopping to Connect With Locals at a lunch with wine in a 17th-century château during a Be My Guest experience set within beautiful grounds. Later, continue to the beautiful Loire Valley, where we will spend the next two nights.
Accommodation: Novotel Amboise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, you are invited to taste hand-crafted chocolate at Maison Bigot for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience. Afterwards, we spend our day admiring the beautiful châteaux of the Loire Valley and join a Local Specialist for a visit to the Amboise Royal Château. It is here that King François I hosted Leonardo da Vinci, whose tomb now lies in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert adjoining the château. We continue with a visit to Château de Chenonceau, built on the Cher River. The château is often referred to as the 'Ladies Castle', due to the many women who influenced its construction and development. Today it contains priceless collections, including Renaissance furniture, tapestries and masterpieces by Rubens and Tintoretto.
Accommodation: Novotel Amboise
Meals: Breakfast
Our first stop today is the town of Chartres and its beautiful Roman Catholic cathedral, regarded as one of the most authentic and complete works of religious architecture from the early 13th century. We journey back to Paris this afternoon and spend the rest of our day in the 'City of Light'. Celebrate with your Travel Director and newfound friends this evening at a Farewell Dinner with local wines at a Parisian bistro.
Accommodation: Renaissance La Défense
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
For now it's time to say a fond au revoir to France and your fellow travelers at the end of a memorable trip.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
Trafalgar's Treasures of France Including Normandy - Great Trip. Trafalgar's service was great. They take care of the luggage and keep you informed. The tour description that Trafalgar provided was good so we knew what to expect each day, including the different hotels. We realized that if we wanted to see Versailles and the Louvre we would want to schedule that on our own, which we did before the tour started. The tour stops were well selected. We saw a lot of Northern France and enjoyed the local tours with time to explore on our own. I need to give a shout out to *Personal information removed by Feefo*, our tour director. He is fantastic and kept us well informed. He was knowledgeable, kind and funny. He was particularly caring to arrange a Happy Birthday celebration for my husband. The local guides were very knowledgeable and often funny. There was a lot of information that they provided. The local D-Day guide provided us with a unique French-resident perspective that was very moving. Mont-Saint-Michel was amazing and having our own shuttle service was convenient. There are a lot of steps there and we had the opportunity to participate at our own pace, leaving the main tour when we wanted. Trafalgar provided experiences that were special. Visiting the Cider Farm (optional) was something most would not experience, I believe. We saw learned a lot about the Normandy and Brittany regions. In the Loire Valley we visited a few chateaux that I wanted to visit and enjoyed them at good pace. The lunch at the count’s chateaux (Be Our Guest) was special--hospitality plus. Chateau de Chenonceau was beautiful with amazing grounds and a nice place to have a cappuccino or glass of wine, which we did. Our Paris guide was fun and provided us with necessary warnings around the Sacre Coeur (optional). The optional dinner with Serge (the entertainer) and the last dinner in Paris with the group were especially fun. Our tour included bus rides through Paris where famous places and upcoming 2024 Olympic sites were pointed out. The itinerary covered a lot of ground and time including present day, World War II, Joan of Arc, Battle of Hastings (Bayeux Tapestry) a thousand years ago. All truly amazing. Thanks Trafalgar!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/25/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
Fabulous tour of France! This was a wonderful tour. We visited many incredible cities and towns. It was well organized thanks to *Personal information removed by Feefo*, our incredible tour director. The hotels were fine, as well as the restaurants, except for our dinner the first night in Paris.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/18/2024
Kathleen and Paul Hotz - Traveled, June 2024
This was a great vacation! *Personal details removed by Feefo* and all local guides were wonderful. We had a new motor coach that had all the latest equipment for us and the driver. The places we stayed ranged from good to excellent. The first night in Paris was good. Clean but needed some attention as it was older. A new addition (Hotel De L Abbaye, Le Tronchet) was an excellent addition. We hope you will absolutely keep this on this itinerary. Be My Guest was also wonderful and we were treated like royalty. Novotel Amboise was very good. We had excellent meals here. The dinner and evening of fun in the Loire Valley was outstanding. The farewell Dinner and the Seine Cruise was a wonderful way to wrap up this great vacation!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/09/2024
Siew Whoon Angel Ng - Traveled, October 2024
Fabulous France! Our tour of France with Trafalgar was an unforgettable experience! From seamless travel arrangements to handpicked accommodations, everything was perfectly coordinated, ensuring our trip was smooth and enjoyable (special shout out for the night Seine River Cruise). We left with cherished memories and a deep appreciation for French culture. I highly recommend Trafalgar to anyone looking for a truly immersive France tour! Compliments to our Travel Director - *Personal information removed by Feefo* and Driver - *Personal information removed by Feefo*. They are fantastic! This itinerary covers (1) Orientation drive of Paris (2) Honfleur & Bayeux Tapestry (3) D-Day Landing Beaches (4) Normandy, Mont Saint Michel & Brittany (5) Loire Valley (6) Maison Bigot, French Chateaux (7) Latin Quarters & Seine River Cruise (optional) The best hotel stay was at Hotel De L Abbaye Le Tronchet. The 3-Course Dinner at Hotel De L Abbaye Le Tronchet was fantastic! 1. Starter - comté zukini press, fresh herbs and parmigiano cookie 2. Main course - shredded pork confit for 10hours, dauphine potatoes and vegetable pulp 3. Dessert: Lemon and lime tartlet. The lunch at the 17th century chateau was scrumptious too. The Seine River Night Cruise was unforgettable. Compliments to our Travel Director - *Personal information removed by Feefo* and driver - *Personal information removed by Feefo*.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/18/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
Enjoyable vacation! Trafalgar representatives were very helpful from the start of planning this trip to the very end. Very enjoyable experience. Tour director (*Personal information removed by Feefo*) and tour specialists were excellent. Our driver (*Personal information removed by Feefo*) was great also. We would use Trafalgar in the future. Thanks, *Personal information removed by Feefo*
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/07/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, March 2024
Great tour! I would highly recommend this Trafalgar tour. The itinerary is well planned, and the tour director is well prepared, knowledgeable, and conscientious. We were very impressed with how Trafalgar supports local businesses and their green initiatives. Wonderful tour! You get to experience Paris and the French countryside. Paris is a vibrant, fun city and the countryside is beautiful! The days are busy, but you get to see so much! Our tour guide, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, was amazing!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/17/2024
Dennis and Joan Breunig - Traveled, May 2024
Very organized tour provider. Great bus driver *Personal details removed by Feefo* and our travel director *Personal details removed by Feefo* did a great job getting us to all our locations and he was full of information. He shared so much about France and life in France, when we were on our way to different locations. They were so friendly and pleasant to work with. Great tour guides, so much information, very knowledgeable. Wonderful trip!!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/12/2024
K Lynch - Traveled, May 2024
The Trafalgar itinerary and guides are the best! You will always feel supported and that Trafalgar has your best experience uppermost in mind. *Personal information removed by Feefo* was amazing! Handled every issue with aplomb and good humor plus so knowledgeable. *Personal information removed by Feefo* is an excellent driver; we’re always so impressed w Trafalgar drivers. Loved the experience of the countryside and the getting a taste of the character of France. The visit to the winery, the optional dinner, the Be My Guest chateau, Omaha Beach, Mt. St. Michel, Chartres, Tours and the visit to the chocolatier were all so memorable. Maybe a little more time for an additional Paris experience like a visit to Eiffel Tower or catacombs would be a good addition.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/23/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2024
Excellent trip around the north & west of France, lead by *Personal information removed by Feefo* who would be the best tour director we have had on our various trips.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/15/2024
Raffaela Risolo - Traveled, September 2024
Great trip - wonderful tour guide! Excellent care and service! Our tour guide, Chantal Boulet was amazing! She created a What's App group where she kept us informed and updated on every detail! Loved most of it!! Was disappointed that Montmartre was cancelled (replaced with Luxembourg Gardens). Felt that our tour guide true gardens was very rushed! Also was not happy with optional visit to Cider Farm - could have done without that. Unfortunately, weather forced the cancellation of our visit to St. Martin of Tours Basilica but that was unavoidable!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/22/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, September 2024
I took this tour because it hit many of the places I wanted to visit. It did not disappoint! Our tour director, Chantal, was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable and very patient.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/25/2024
- Traveled, August 2024
I love Trafalgar! Trafalgar is an excellent way to see new places. You can travel worry free because all the details are taken care of for you. You'll have a great hotel, excellent meals and great tour guides. It's worry free for the traveler. It was a great way to see and experience France. My sister and I loved every minute of it. Our guide Bruno, had everything organized so that we made the most of each day. From beautiful cathedrals to castles and to local farms and stores, it was a memorable vacation. Thank you all.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/06/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, October 2024
Nice! Good! The last day was hectic, we didn't get to the hotel until 10:00 p.m. on Friday very late and had to catch flight earlier Saturday. All the hotels were very nice but to isolated , they were so far out and not able to walk around town. The 1st hotel in Paris was in a nice neighborhood with so much to see and do. Over all the trip was very nice, hopefully next time hotels will be in better locations like the 1st one in day one.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/29/2024
Great experience! - Traveled, September 2024
Excellent job! Well done! Guide was personable and sites selected with local guides were very good and interesting. Hotels servicing international guest would do well to be sure to have BBC & CNN stations. It was frustrating not being able to see the news when so much is going on in the world. I found out that one problem was when the hotel staff didn't even know how to reboot to get it in one case. Food was good. The hotel with the "state of the art" elevators was problematic. Just push the button for the desired floor would be much faster than chaos when a busload arrives for check-in. Older is often better!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/04/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, September 2024
Surprising events on the Road! When our bus caught on fire and was destroyed, arrangements were made for taxis to pick us up and transport us to the location where we were to have dinner. As well, Trafalgar ensured a replacement bus from Brussels was arrived overnight to ensure our tour was not delayed!! There was a lot of concern that was quickly alleviated by the Tour Director as alternative transportation, etc. was put in place and the tour could proceed with very little delay to the passengers. Well-handled. The last day of the tour did not follow the protocol from the previous days, nor was there any communication prior to that day that we would not be stopping at our hotel or have access to our luggage until we returned from the Seine River Cruise after 9pm!! Since there were guests on the tour that needed to be at the airport the next morning by 5am, this was totally unacceptable. As well, many of the guests expected our last day to be a dinner & celebration where we would have an opportunity to get refreshed and dress appropriately. Obviously, this did not happen and was disappointing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/22/2024
Sandra Linnan - Traveled, September 2024
My husband had a medical emergency and Chantal our tour director was very helpful. For only being 7 days, you really cover alot of territory in France. All of the hotels were nice, the tour Director was perfect!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/08/2024
Cathy Howdyshell - Traveled, September 2024
France! Fabulous tour director with great personality! Great sites. Wonderful local specialists.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/07/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, September 2024
Yes, The tour Director and driver were excellent. As were the local specialists. The coach was very comfortable and the Hotels were great.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/17/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, September 2024
Beautiful sites, amazing history! Excellent tour director that mixes in a sense of humor. Optional experiences were well worth it.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/27/2024
David Boulette - Traveled, August 2024
Our tour director was very informative and also did all he could to accommodate any special needs or last minute flubs we might have made. He actually search for and found two of our group who had gotten lost on one of our extras. Although tis trip was packed full of France's fascinating history and monuments, a little more exposure to modern life in France would be nice. For example, hotels that are in or adjacent to villages or cities would allow us to explore modern French life on our own in the evenings or if we do not choose to go on one or more of the extras. Although the hotels we stayed at were nice, they were pretty remote from population centers.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/21/2024
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