12-Nights Highlights of France from $2,675
CostSaver
OFFER ID 1519114
Highlights Of France
Prepare to fall head over heels for France on this 13-day journey through its most enchanting regions. Wander the vineyard-laden Loire Valley, bask in the glamour of the French Riviera, and uncover the charm of historic towns from Beaune to Bordeaux. Explore medieval Carcassonne, learn about WWII history in Normandy, and let the beauty of France’s scenic landscapes steal your heart.
Dining Summary
- 12 Breakfast (B)
- 4 Dinner (D)
- See the Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower
- Visit this charming town
- Orientation of this gastronomic city
- Visit the Principality
- Visit an artist's paradise
- View the Palace of the Popes and the Pont d'Avignon
- Explore the walled city
- View St. Bernadette's Grotto
- Visit this seaside resort
- Orientation tour
- Visit the famous wine village
- Visit the Chateau de Chenonceau with your Local Specialist
- View the abbey
- Hear about D-Day
- Visit this picturesque port
- View the cathedral
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- Many meals and daily breakfasts included
- City orientation tours
- Audio headsets are provided throughout your holiday to enhance your included sightseeing experiences
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries
- Extensive variety of Choice Experiences
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
12 nights from $2,675 per person
Itinerary Details
Costsaver: Highlights of France
Day 1 - Arrive Paris
It's time to explore Paris’s grand past, its dynamic present and exciting future. This is one capital city that doesn’t hold back and doesn’t expect you to either. Dive right into the history, culture and culinary delights of this extraordinary city, from the iconic Iron Lady to croque monsieurs, lazing on the banks of the Seine, or visiting museums and monuments. After checking in there’s time to relax or explore the city your way, but you might like to get a head start on your sightseeing by joining a Choice Experience - a Seine cruise and scenic drive taking in many of the major sights.
Accommodations: Mercure Paris Porte d'Orleans
Day 2 - Paris sightseeing and free time
The Parisians know a thing or two about beauty, elegance and a life well lived, which your full day in Paris will deliver in abundance. Hit the grand boulevards on a city sightseeing tour through the heart of the city conducted by your Travel Director. See the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Élysées, then perhaps choose to tread in the footsteps of Picasso and Dalí during an optional visit to Montmartre, exploring the cobbled streets and Artist’s Square. Enjoy an optional dinner experience this evening.
Accommodations: Mercure Paris Porte d'Orleans
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 - Paris – Beaune – Lyon
Au revoir Paris. The City of Light will keep shining, but for now your sights are set on medieval Beaune where the official raison d'être is the local wine. The beautiful marketplace and 15th-century Hôtel-Dieu are yours to explore before later continuing your journey to Lyon. Get your bearings during an orientation tour, then perhaps consider joining a Choice Experience delving into the rich history of the city and the classical French cuisine that helped make it famous.
Accommodations: Chromatics
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 - Lyon – Aix-en-Provence – Monaco – French Riviera
Follow the Rhône Valley south and enjoy some free time in the Provençal town of Aix-en-Provence, founded by the Romans over natural hot springs. The last leg of your journey southwards stretches out to the shimmering Mediterranean coast, where the Principality of Monaco and the Côte d'Azur await. Keep your cameras at the ready as you drive along its elegant boulevards and attempt to capture the sophistication that seems to ooze from every corner.
Accommodations: Ibis Cannes Mandelieu
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - French Riviera free day
Ooh l l! A full free day on the French Riviera. There’s no shame in spending the day sprawled out on a sun-lounger with a cocktail, but if you can pull yourself away from the beach you’ll want to join your fellow travelers for an optional exploration of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Life is rather idyllic in this enchanting walled hill-town and, like some of its famous residents, you’ll want to linger here a little longer. You never know who you might spot seated in those sleek Ferraris and private yachts that dot the French Riviera.
Accommodations: Ibis Cannes Mandelieu
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - French Riviera – Arles – Pont du Gard – Avignon
Fuel up on a characteristically French breakfast of croissant and coffee before embarking on your next adventure. Today you travel west to the Camargue center of Arles, where Vincent Van Gogh found inspiration for so many of his paintings. Next, you'll view the magnificent Pont du Gard, an aqueduct carefully constructed in the first century to supply fresh water. Continue to the heart of Provence and the city of Avignon which features one of the world's most incredible religious architectural legacies.
Accommodations: Ibis Avignon Sud
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Avignon – Carcassonne – Lourdes
Like a scene straight from the pages of a children’s storybook, Carcassonne stands proudly on a hillside behind fortified stone walls. Its undeniable charm is evident when you come across the town’s 12th century architecture and turreted medieval castle. From fairy tales to the foothills of the Pyrénées, your next stop is the town of Lourdes where you’ll tread in the footsteps of the millions of pilgrims, who have made the journey to pay homage to St. Bernadette and view the basilica on top of the Grotto where she is said to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary. This evening presents an opportunity to join a procession by torchlight with the pilgrims – a truly magical and moving experience.
Accommodations: Mercure Imperial
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 - Lourdes – Biarritz – Bordeaux
The beach is back on the agenda today, so get your hat and sunglasses ready for a trip to the glamorous seaside town of Biarritz on the Atlantic coast. There’s no need to think about what to do next. Take your cue from the European royals who have been visiting this resort town since the 1800s and find your new favorite spot on a wicker chair in the sun. If watching local surfers perform their stunts isn’t enticing enough, you could choose a Choice Experience into the Basque country. After a good dose of sun, sea and lofty peaks, it’s back into the rolling countryside of Les Landes and onwards to our final destination of the day, Bordeaux.
Accommodations: Ibis Center Mériadeck
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9 - Bordeaux – Saint-Émilion – Tours
After a night sampling Bordeaux blends and the city’s eclectic mix of street life and well-preserved 18th century architecture, a new adventure awaits. The hilltop village of Saint-Émilion is an appealing stop for red wine lovers. This is chateau country and there’s no better way to explore it than joining an optional wine tasting at a historic vineyard. Continue to your hotel by the city of Tours, known as the gateway to the Loire Valley.
Accommodations: Ibis Tours Center Gare
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Loire Valley and Chateaux excursion
Indulge your inner king or queen when you embark on a whimsical tour of Chateau de Chenonceau with a Local Specialist. This enchanting, fairy-tale chateau straddling the Cher River is the most photographed sight in the Loire Valley and it’s easy to see why. Explore its priceless collections of Renaissance art and furniture and stroll through the exquisite landscaped gardens before continuing to the royal town of Amboise where Leonardo da Vinci is said to be buried. Your encounter with French nobility not quite at its end, you’ll view the splendid Chateau de Chambord, one of the world’s most remarkable chateaux. Make the most of your last night back in Tours with an Optional Experience to visit the Old Town and enjoy Touraine cuisine in a traditional restaurant.
Accommodations: Ibis Tours Center Gare
Meals: Breakfast
Day 11 - Tours – Mont Saint-Michel – D-Day Landing Beaches (Omaha) – Deauville
Only the epic sight of a medieval town rising out of the sea could compete with the beauty of the Loire Valley and your visit to Mont Saint-Michel will certainly not disappoint. Hear how the Archangel inspired the Bishop of Avranches to build a church atop this rocky outcrop, then continue your journey to the iconic D-Day landing beaches where thousands of Allied soldiers first landed on French soil, in what became the largest seaborne invasion in history. After a poignant stop at the Normandy American Cemetery at Omaha Beach, you’ll continue on to your hotel in Deauville. This elegant resort is renowned for its racecourse, harbor and high-profile international film festival held in September.
Accommodations: Ibis Deauville Center
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12 - Deauville – Honfleur – Rouen – Paris
You’ll wish you had the talents of Monet during your brief visit to the colorful port town of Honfleur. It’s easy to see why this 'most ravishing spot in the world' was immortalized on canvas by many of the world’s greatest artists. Next head to Rouen, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Despite this tragic episode, there’s much to fall in love with here, from the cobbled streets to Gothic churches and the impressive cathedral. After a busy day engaging with all that history, return to the glittering French capital for the final evening of your adventure. Consider joining an Optional Experience dinner and a cabaret performance for a celebration of your memorable journey with new friends.
Accommodations: Mercure Paris Porte d'Orleans
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13 - Depart Paris
And just like that, you’ve seen all the highlights of France. From Paris and beyond, you’ll be finishing your trip this morning with a lifetime’s supply of memories. Say a fond au revoir to your Travel Director and newfound friends.
Meals: Breakfast
Excursions
VilleFranche Shore Excursion - Discovery of Grasse, Cannes & Antibes - 8 hours
VilleFranche Shore Excursion - Discovery of Grasse, Cannes & Antibes - 8 hours
Meet your private English speaking driver guide who will wait for you with a nominativer board at the main exit of your ship and depart for a visit of Grasse, Cannes & Antibes.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Grasse Rising from the hills above the Mediterranean is the city of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, surrounded by the charming Provencal landscape and villages of the Pays de Grasse, the regional name for this breathtaking and tranquil countryside. This 17th and 18th century town is large and extremely interesting, with tiny streets that wind between the buildings, up and down ancient steps, passing through arched tunnels and sometimes opening out onto large squares.
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Cannes was nothing more than an unimportant fishing village 150 years ago. Since then it has become an elegant city known round the world and attracts an international clientele.
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Antibes is the proper name of this ancient town, but it's commonly referred to as Trompe l'Oeil wall mural at Juan Antibes - Juan-les-Pins.
End of the tour at your ship
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light
- English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
Does not include
Departure dates
- All day, all year - Except for French Bank Holidays, contact us for those dates
Excursions
Bordeaux - Gourmet tour - 8 hours
Bordeaux - Gourmet tour - 8 hours
“The historic centre of Bordeaux forms an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble, created in the Age of Enlightenment, whose values continued up to the first half of the 20th century, with more protected buildings than any other French city, except Paris. It is also recognized for its historic role as a place of exchange of cultural values over more than 2,000 years, particularly since the 12th century due to commercial links with Britain and the Low Countries.
From its medieval quarters to the Classical splendour of the Golden Age in the 18th Century, you will be able to discover a city emerging from a long face lift of over 5 years of work.
Our visit offers to combine historic discovery with regional and typical "delicacies" punctuated by three stops at specialized producers:
•Tasting of ewe cheese with jam of cherries from Pyrenean mountains
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light
- English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
Does not include
Departure dates : all day , all year
Bordeaux - Cultural tour - 8 hours
Bordeaux - Cultural tour - 8 hours
From its medieval quarters to the Classical splendour of the Golden Age in the 18th Century, you will be able to discover a city emerging from a long face lift of over 5 years of work.
The futuristic tram network established in 2005 is evidence of the dynamism of today’s Bordeaux and the historic heart which has been given back to pedestrians, allow the visitors to discover the principal monuments illustrating the city’s History: the Palais Gallien amphitheatre (4th century), the Saint Seurin Basilica (11th century foundations), the Saint André Cathedral (13th century), the Porte Cailhau and the "Grosse Cloche" ("big bell", 15th century).
The 18th century gave the city its outstanding "Grand Theatre", a national opera house built in 1781, and the Allées de Tourny, as well as the remarkable waterfront buildings and the Place de la Bourse (formerly the Place Royale), a quarter over 4 kilometres in length which serves as the backdrop for the port’s trading activities.
Tour Duration:8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
- All entrance fees
- All tax and Vat
Does not include
Departure dates : all day , all year
Bordeaux -Saint Emilion Wine Tour - 8 hours
Bordeaux -Saint Emilion Wine Tour - 8 hours
“Grape production was introduced into this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans and was intensified during the Middle Age. The area of Saint-Émilion benefited from its position on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella and several churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the XIth century onwards. It was granted its own jurisdictional status during the period of English rule in the XIIth century. This is an exceptional landscape entirely given over to grape-production and whose towns and villages are home to outstanding historic monuments.” (Unesco Cit.)
Centuries after the Latin poet Ausonius, the hermit Emilion found here peace and tranquility, which were necessary for his meditation. He discovered a grotto watered by a natural spring in the rocky centre of what is now the town bearing his name, where he lived until his death.
Private guided tour of the principal sights of the medieval town: the Emilion Hermitage, the Tour du Roy built in the 13th century by Richard the Lion heart, the collegiate church and its 14th century cloister and, above all, the exceptional monolithic church and its catacombs dug out of the limestone cliff between the 9th and the 11th centuries. Its 38 metre span makes it the largest such church in Europe.
Lunch will take place at a restaurant located in the city.
In the afternoon, visit with wine tasting at a Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion.
Tour Duration:8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light,
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
- All entrance fees & tasting
- All tax and Vat
Does not include
Departure dates : all day , all year
Bordeaux - A Wine, a Vintage, a Tasting… - 8 hours
Bordeaux - A Wine, a Vintage, a Tasting… - 8 hours
A Wine, a Vintage, a Tasting…
Taste and identify the differences between the great Bordeaux wines, according to the vintage…
Wine experts give a great importance to Vintages. Why is it so important? How to recognize the quality of the vintage? How to guess the vintage? Should we agree or is it a matter of taste? Let us taste 4 vintages from the same wine property and comment. The expert guides you and shares his knowledge while you comment and learn tricks of the trade.
Château Grand Vertical Tasting Workshop
The privilege of tasting 6 great vintages dating back as far as 20 years:
• Château de Ferrand 1988 & 1989
• Château de Ferrand 1998 & 1999
• Château de Ferrand 2008 & 2009
This workshop includes a private tour, an initiation into aromas, a tasting of 6 vintages, and a food/wine pairing with our “Assiette Gourmande”.
Schedule:
09:00am - Departure from the harbor of Bordeaux
10:00am - First winery tour such as Château Faugères
11:30am - Discover the enchanting medieval village of Saint-Emilion, classified by Unesco in 1999. A luminous, ochre-colored jewel built of limestone and Roman roof tiles, it is perched on a plateau and completely surrounded by a sea of vineyards.
The steep and narrow cobblestone streets are lined with remnants of monasteries and convents dating from the 11th to 18th centuries that tell the story of the village. A Unesco World Heritage-inspired scavenger hunt will bring you face to face with the art, wine and stunning landscapes of Saint-Emilion.
12:30pm to 02:00pm - Time to stroll and have lunch
02:30 pm - Wine tasting at Chateau La Dominique
05:00pm - End of the tour
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light,
Package price includes
- Transportation: Pick up/drop off at the Port
- Day Tour: English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
- 2 winery visits and vertical workshop
Bordeaux - About Grape Varietals… - 8 hours
Bordeaux - About Grape Varietals… - 8 hours
It's possible to have this activity in any Bordeaux wine appellation!
Wine tasting: Merlot or Cabernet?
There are 2 major top grape varieties in Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon produces Ch. Mouton Rothschild and Merlot Pétrus. Each grape variety taste very different. The terroir and the work carried out by Man can exalt each grape and create amazing Bordeaux wines. During the blind tasting find out which grape has been used in the wine before or after its oak ageing. Merlot or Cabernet?
Theory put in practice:
Blending is an art
Wine taster & Expert
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light,
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
- 2 winery visits
- Blending sessions
Bordeaux - Wine Architecture in Saint-Emilion - 8 hours
Bordeaux - Wine Architecture in Saint-Emilion - 8 hours
The methods and philosophies used in their production have by and large remained true to the old traditions; modern technology however has undeniably played an ever-more important role in recent years.
To add even more significance to this glorious culture of the grape, if that was possible, the past decade has seen some of Europe’s most highly-acclaimed and imaginative architects taking time off from their ground-breaking and spectacular major urban projects to contribute their innovative designs to the cellars and vat rooms of some of the region’s top châteaux.
Discover Architectures / Understand Classification/Discover techniques of wine making and appreciate wine tastings!
09:00 am - Departure from the harbor of Bordeaux
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: no
Physical Activity Level: Light,
Package price includes
- Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
- English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
- 2 winery visits
- Monument tour in Saint-Emilion
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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