Overview
Itinerary
Welcome to Paris!
At 5 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome drink.
Life is a Cabaret!
PARIS: Enjoy free time this morning followed by guided sightseeing that features the Arc de Triomphe, les Champs-Elysees, and a visit to the Courtyard of Les Invalides. This evening, enjoy dinner and cabaret one of Paris lively venues. (B/D)
LOCAL FAVOURITE - GLITTERING CHAMPAGNE: Delectable food, champagne lights, and thousands of glittering costumes. The cabaret in Paris is like a treasure trove: be enchanted! A true tribute to the city of lights but also a great show. Be carried away by the beauty of the dancers expressed on stage. Your eyes will twinkle like stars in the sky!
Heroes & Hope for Peace
CAEN: Visit the Memorial Museum for Peace.
NORMANDY BEACHES: See the Mulberry Harbor remains at Arromanches, then visit Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery and Memorial with the Monument to the Brave. (B/D) 236 mi / 380 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - ICONIC FOOTSTEPS: Walk in the footsteps of heroes on the beaches of Normandy, where Allied Forces stormed the beach with courage and heroism in World War II. Visit the final resting place of American soldiers who gave their lives for liberty.
Castle in the Sand
MONT ST. MICHEL: Guided visit at the abbey.
SAINT-MALO: Take an orientation ride on the Little Train. Free time late afternoon and evening. (B) 124 mi / 200 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - ART & ARCHITECTURE: A real-life castle in the sand, magical Mont St. Michel Abbey sits on top of a tidal island on the coast of Normandy. Learn how this strategic position has protected it from being invaded but also has made it the ideal location for a place of confinement. Napoleon closed the abbey and converted it into a prison for his opponents.
Mysterious Stones
ESSE: Visit the ruins of La Roche-aux-Fees.
ANGERS: Take an orientation tour. Enjoy free time to browse before continuing to the Loire Valley. (B) 267 mi / 430 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE - LEGENDS & LORE: La Maison de La Roche-aux-Fees is a marvel of mystery. This dolmen tomb, or covered alley, is the largest in the world, constructed with 30 upright stones designed to catch the sun at winter solstice. Believed to be built as a funerary nearly 5,000 years ago, these Neolithic megaliths weigh up to 40 metric tons each and likely been transported from a quarry over 5 km away! Theories of La Mason de La Roche's purpose range from a temple, to a burial site of a Roman general, to a house built by fairies!
A Woman's Touch
CHENONCEAU: Visit the castle of Catherine de Medici.
BORDEAUX: Take a walking tour. Enjoy dinner at the Brasserie Bordelaise restaurant. (B/D) 280 mi / 450 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CULTURAL GEM: A stunning jewel of French history, Chateau de Chenonceau owes its pristine preservation to succession of historic women, including Catherine de Medici, who played critical roles in building, restoring, and preserving its beauty. This earned the castle its second name: The ladies Castle. Walk the regal halls, featuring bedrooms and lounges, and a magnificent museum preserving the history of this Renaissance masterpiece.
Vines & Vintages
BORDEAUX: Enjoy a wine tasting in the countryside, followed by free time this afternoon. (B/D)
LOCAL FAVOURITE - LOCAL TASTES: Experience the beauty of the Bordeaux region to taste the wonderful wines found only in this bountiful land of vineyards and wine cellars.
Scenic Sea & Sand
ARCACHON: Free time to explore the lovely seaside town.
DUNE DU PILAT: See the tallest sand dune in Europe.
BIARRITZ: Enjoy free time this afternoon. (B/D) 174 mi / 280 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - NATURAL WONDER: Explore the highest dune in Europe at Dune Du Pilat and discover a sweeping landscape overlooking the ocean, forest, and Arcachon Bay. This living ecosystem is protected for its rare beauty and natural wonder.
History & Mystery
LOURDES: Visit St. Bernadette's grotto en route to Carcassonne. (B/D) 267 mi / 430 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - LEGENDARY LIVES: Since the winter night in 1858 when a young Marie Bernada Soubirous reported a vision of the Virgin Mary, Lourdes has been a global pilgrimage site for its promise of healing waters. Hear how the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette 18 times and the underground spring revealed to her, was declared to have miraculous qualities.
Battle Sites & Boulevard Sights
CARCASSONNE: Take a walking tour by the ancient battlements.
AIX-EN-PROVENCE: Join an orientation walk along Cours Mirabeau, one of Europe's great boulevards. Enjoy free time to explore. (B) 186 mi / 300 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - HISTORIC SPOT: Visit the ancient city of Carcassonne and see its pre-Roman settlement complete with medieval castle and dramatic defensive walls, called the finest remains of medieval fortifications in Europe by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Stunning!
Fragrances & A Feast for the Eyes
GRASSE: Visit the perfume factory at Fragonard Usine Historique. Take a scenic drive along the Mediterranean coast.
NICE: Take in the sights with a drive along the Promenade des Anglais. (B) 130 mi / 210 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE - CULTURE & TRADITIONS: French perfume is as famous as the country's food and wine. The historic factory at Fragonard Parfumeur still crafts parfum and soaps as they have since 1926 where lavender fields span the Grasse area. Visit the museum to discover the tradition of perfumeries from Antiquity to the present day, with artifacts like Egyptian cosmetics spoons, medieval pomanders, paintings, and antique Provencal furniture.
The Good Life on the Cote d'Azur
FRENCH RIVIERA: Relax with a free day on the beautiful Cote d'Azur. (B)
FREE TIME TIPS - EXPLORE MORE: Enjoy a leisurely day in the glamorous French Riviera with a free day at the seashore or a stroll through Nice's vibrant Vieille Ville. Wander the maze of narrow lanes in the Old Town and linger in the cafes, galleries, shops, and museums.
Historic Performances
ORANGE: Visit the Roman Theatre en route to Lyon. (B) 298 mi / 480 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - MUSIC & MASTERPIECES: Admire the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Orange, built in the era of Emperor Augustus, in the 1st century AD. Explore this giant outdoor auditorium - one of the best preserved in the western world. Its massive stage and circular seating still deliver superior sound and sensational performances to this day.
Reverie on the Rhone and Saone
LYON: Board a private cruise on the Rhone and Saone Rivers with a Local Guide. Enjoy free time to walk through the Old Town.
DIJON: Take an orientation walk with free time to explore. (B) 124 mi / 200 km
LOCAL FAVOURITE - EPIC RIDE: Join us for a cruise on the Rhone and Saone Rivers in the culinary capital of France - Lyon. See the city from a new perspective and enjoy a leisurely tour on the water, before enjoying free time to browse the city's bakeries and shops.
Paris Part Deux
DIJON: Board a high-speed TGV train ride to Paris.
PARIS: Enjoy free time this afternoon and evening. (B) 199 mi / 320 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CITY SIGHTS: As the song goes, we love Paris in the springtime; we love Paris in the fall - but no matter the season, we fall in love anytime we visit the most romantic city in the world. Board the high-speed train to the City of Light and enjoy a free evening to experience your idea of the perfect Parisian pastime.
Safe travels until we meet again!
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- 15 Breakfasts
- 6 Dinners
- Paris Cedex 17 Le Meridien Etoile (Superior First-Class)
- Caen Cedex Mercure Caen Centre Port De Plaisance (First-Class)
- St. Malo Oceania Hotel St. Malo (First-Class)
- Blois Mercure Blois Centre (First-Class)
- Bordeaux Mercure Bordeaux Chateau Chartrons (First-Class)
- Biarritz Novotel Biarritz Anglet (First-Class)
- Carcassonne Hotel du Roi & Spa (Superior First-Class)
- Aix-En-Provence Grand Hotel Roi René (Superior First-Class)
- Nice Apollinaire (First-Class)
- Lyon Sofitel Lyon Bellecour (Moderate Deluxe)
- Dijon Oceania Le Jura (First-Class)
- Paris 15 Oceania Porte de Versailles (First-Class)
- Airport transfers at your arrival and departure destination are not included in the price of the tour.
- Itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and specified internal flights. International flights not included.
Don't waste your precious time qeuing up, skip the lines with special VIP access at the must-see sites. Read more
Travel with expert Tour Directors and Local Guides who share their vast knowledge of the destination. Read more
Globus has the recipe for a great holiday. Savour the flavours of Europe through its regional cuisine. Read more
Globus picks hotels picked on their centralised location, so you'll stay right in the heart of the destination. Read more
Globus' coaches offer one of the most comfortable, stress-free and eco-friendly ways to travel. Read more
Do as the locals do and enjoy unique experiences that you wouldn't find touring on your own. Read more
Trip Reviews (5) Most Recent 'La France' Reviews
Moving on, the 14th century Pont Valentre and area of Cahors just so beautiful. Rocamadours reputation didn't disappoint - how did they build that hanging out of a cliff face! Perigueux and early morning walk through this medieval town before the current residents really stirred was so lovely as were the raspberries from the lady with the market stall - so cheap and delicious! Onto Bordeaux and the TGV - what a hoot! Great way to travel back to Paris to final dinner - so much fun at Les Noces de Jeannette and canard a l'orange - mix in a lovely lady with accordion and French songs, lots of singing, wine and laughter made the 'white-knuckle' ride back through Paris traffic even more hilarious - especially from front seat!
Our driver on tour, Emilio, was just the best - those alpine roads in mist and drizzle not for the feint-hearted but he always made us feel safe - with a smile. Tour Director, Marie-Claire, top marks - her knowledge, attitude, organisation, sense of humour and accent - top notch! What can I say - a brilliant holiday, first time travelling by myself ever, no problem. Food was mostly really yummo, especially first and last nights in Paris with the group - the menu was excellent those nights - never seen so many vineyards - as far as the eye could see in some provinces - and I enjoyed the fruits of their labour too! And what might seem a small thing but one that was always so welcoming in little villages to bigger towns are the big baskets of colourful flowers, reds and bright pinks, hanging on posts, fences, bridges, wherever a basket of flowers could fit - viva la Francaise! (Ed. You sound like a hoot too Fay! Glad you enjoyed your trip)
Brochure
Globus Worldwide (2023-24)
Prices & Dates
There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Prices and trip information are correct at the time at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Globus. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Globus. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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