11 Days 10 Nights: Enchanted France
France
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Paris to Paris in eleven days, covering the Loire Valley, Dordogne, Bordeaux, Pyrenees, Marseille, Provence, Burgundy, Alsace, and the Champagne region.
France's capital, Paris, is one of Europe's great cities: 19th-century boulevards, the River Seine, the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame cathedral, and a cafe culture that has shaped the world. But this eleven-day tour goes well beyond the capital. Starting and ending in Paris, the route takes a long clockwise sweep through the country. The Renaissance châteaux of the Loire Valley come first, then the cave paintings and clifftop castles of the Dordogne, the wine estates of Saint-Émilion and Bordeaux, the medieval pilgrimage town of Lourdes, the walled city of Carcassonne, the Roman remains of Arles and Avignon in Provence, Lyon's gastronomic quarter, the vineyards of Burgundy and the Alsace Wine Route, and finally the Champagne cellars of Épernay before returning to Paris.
Safari Highlights
- Loire Valley châteaux: Villandry gardens, Chenonceau castle, and Chambord
- Dordogne: Lascaux cave replica, Beynac castle, and Padirac cave boat tour
- Bordeaux: Cité du Vin and the wine villages of Saint-Émilion
- Carcassonne, one of Europe's largest surviving medieval walled cities
- Carrieres de Lumiere immersive art show in Provence
- Alsace Wine Route: Colmar, Riquewihr, and Ribeauvillé
- Champagne winery visit and tasting in Épernay
- Funicular ride in Lyon, boat through Petite France in Strasbourg
- 3 dinners included: Amboise, Rocamadour, and Lourdes
11 Days Enchanted France (departures every Friday, subject to availability)
| VALIDITY | PER PERSON SHARING | SINGLE |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Jan - 28 Dec | USD 3,590 | USD 4,610 |
Cancellation Policy
- •0-2 days / No show: 100%
- •3-7 days prior to departure: 75% of the total booking
- •7-14 days prior to departure: 50% of the total booking
- •Above 14 days prior to departure: 25% of the total booking
- •Full payment required 5 days before travel date
- •Specific hotel and airline cancellation policies will also apply
- •T&C apply
Depart Paris and drive south into the Loire Valley. Visit the Renaissance gardens at Villandry, then continue to Tours and on to Amboise, a royal town on the banks of the Loire where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years. Dinner included. Overnight in Amboise.
Morning visit to Chenonceau Castle, built across the River Cher. Then head to Chambord, the largest château in the Loire Valley, famous for its French Renaissance architecture and double-helix staircase. Drive south to Limoges. Overnight in Limoges.
Drive into the Dordogne. Visit Sarlat-la-Canéda, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in France. Stop at the Lascaux cave replica museum, then continue to Beynac Castle, perched on a cliff above the Dordogne River. End the day at Rocamadour, a dramatic pilgrimage village built into a cliff face. Dinner included. Overnight in Rocamadour.
Boat through the underground Padirac Caves in the morning. Pass through Collonges-la-Rouge, a village built entirely of red sandstone. Visit Saint-Émilion, one of France's most celebrated wine appellations. Arrive in Bordeaux. Overnight in Bordeaux.
Visit the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux before heading south through Gascony. Arrive in Lourdes, the pilgrimage town at the foot of the Pyrenees. Dinner included. Overnight in Lourdes.
Drive east along the foot of the Pyrenees to Carcassonne, one of Europe's largest surviving medieval walled cities. Continue through Narbonne and south to Marseille on the Mediterranean coast. Overnight in Marseille.
Drive north through Provence. Stop in Arles, where Van Gogh painted many of his most recognised works, and visit the Roman amphitheater. Continue to Avignon and the Carrieres de Lumiere immersive art show. Drive north to Lyon. Overnight in Lyon.
Take the funicular up to Lyon's Croix-Rousse before departing north through Burgundy. Tournus with its Romanesque abbey, Savigny Medieval Castle, and the wine town of Beaune are the main stops. Overnight in Dijon.
Drive east through Franche-Comté, passing through Besançon, then into Alsace. Follow the wine route through Colmar, Riquewihr, and Ribeauvillé, three of the best-preserved medieval towns in France, before arriving in Strasbourg. Overnight in Strasbourg.
Morning boat through Petite France in Strasbourg. Drive north to the Champagne region and visit a winery in Épernay with a cellar tour and tasting. Return to Paris in the evening. Overnight in Paris.
Final morning in Paris. Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Nairobi.
What's Included
- 10 nights' accommodation
- Return flight tickets
- Hotel transfers
- Daily breakfast
- Travel by bus with an English-speaking guide
- Basic travel insurance
- Boat: Padirac Caves and Petite France in Strasbourg
- Champagne winery visit and tasting in Épernay
- Ticket admission: Villandry Gardens, Chenonceau Castle, Chambord castle park, Lascaux cave museum, Beynac Castle, Padirac Caves, Cité du Vin in Bordeaux, Carrieres de Lumiere show, Savigny Medieval Castle
- Funicular: Lyon
- 3 dinners included: Amboise, Rocamadour, and Lourdes
What's Excluded
- Other meals not mentioned
- City taxes
- Visa processing
- Any other expenses not included