La Belle France 2023

Welcome to the City of Lights. After meeting the group at our hotel, we’ll get to know each other over a sumptuous welcome dinner. Bon appétit!

Our first impressions of France will be formed in Giverny at the home of Claude Monet – one of the world’s most celebrated artists. The vivid colours in every room paint a picture of his life, and the surrounding gardens host flowers in every shade. Our home for the next two nights will be the charming port town of Honfleur – which you may recognise as the subject of a fair few Impressionist paintings. We’ll spend the evening at our leisure, soaking up the rugged maritime atmosphere of this quaint town.

This morning we’ll visit Honfleur’s bustling market and wander past its historic buildings and 17th-century harbour on an orientation tour. Then: we’ll track the Route du Cidre in Normandy, pausing at a local calvados producer to sample the fruits of the region’s orchards. From cool, crisp ciders to heady, amber-hued calvados – it makes for a delicious end to our day of exploration! Back in Honfleur, we’ll have the evening to spend at our leisure.

Today we’ll turn our attention to the windswept shoreline of the Normandy beaches, where we’ll visit the sites of the 1944 D-Day landings. Afterwards, there’s the opportunity to pay a poignant visit to the American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer, where we’ll take some time to reflect on history overlooking Omaha Beach. An awe-inspiring Tapestry awaits in Bayeux and after taking some time to inspect this masterpiece, we’ll move on to Arromanches-les-Bains – our home for the night and setting for tonight’s included dinner.

This morning we’ll drive on to the enchanting Mont Saint-Michel, crossing the walkway to wander the buzzing island village and explore the Abbey. As we make our way to Dinan, we’ll stop off for a photo opportunity at Dol-de-Bretagne – where we’ll see the famous Menhir de Champ-Dolent. Tonight, an included dinner awaits us in a traditional Breton crêperie.

Today is yours to spend however you wish in the medieval town of Dinan. Wander cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses, take a closer look at the Basilique St-Sauveur, visit the old bridge or stroll along the Rance River – whatever you decide, you certainly won’t be short of things to do!

Today will find us deep in fairytale territory as we travel towards the Loire Valley. Here, the landscape’s skyline is peppered with the turrets of castles. Our first port of call will be Angers, which was once the medieval stronghold of the Plantagenet kings. After spending some time absorbing the history of the castle, we’ll move on to Chinon – where we’ll dine together at a local restaurant.

Next stop: Château de Villandry. Famous for its impeccably manicured gardens and architectural elegance – this mesmerising château is one of the last built during the Renaissance in the Loire Valley. Taking in so much beauty is thirsty work, so on our way back to Chinon we’ll enjoy a detour at a local winery – where we’ll visit the vineyard and cellars before sampling a glass or two.

Today’s château? One of the Loire Valley’s finest: Château de Chenonceau. Here we'll take some time to stroll through the idyllic gardens and explore the fascinating museum. We’ll make a brief stop in Amboise – the town where Leonardo da Vinci lived out the last years of his life – before making our way to the region of Chartres. This evening, we’ll enjoy a delicious final dinner together.

Before we say our final goodbyes, we’ll have the opportunity to visit the medieval city of Chartres. The celebrated Chartres Cathedral is believed to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in France – and it’s a beautiful image to take with us back to Paris.