Itinerary
- Day 1
Paris to Amboise
Start your morning in Blois, where you'll walk around the castle and get a sense of the place. From there, head to Tours on the Loire River and grab lunch before taking a stroll along the riverbank. In the afternoon, you'll check out Château de Villandry and spend time in its gardens, which are really the main draw here. By evening, you're in Amboise where you can wander the medieval quarter that sits right along the river.
- Meals
- Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel Amboise)
Included Activities
- Visit Villandry gardens (entrance included)
- Explore Amboise medieval quarter
Optional Activities
- Stroll through Blois
- Leisurely walk in Tours
- Explore Amboise château area
Landmarks Château de Blois Tours Château de Villandry Château d'Amboise 
- Day 2
Amboise to Limoges
Begin with a morning walk through Amboise, then visit Château du Clos Lucé where Leonardo da Vinci lived out his final years. Later, you'll see Château de Chenonceau, which actually spans across the river like a bridge. After that, head to Chambord, the Loire Valley's largest castle. From there, continue on to Limoges, famous for porcelain production, and walk through its historic center and Saint Etienne Cathedral.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Campanile Limoges Centre)
Included Activities
- Visit Château de Chenonceau (entrance included)
- Visit Chambord park (entrance included)
Optional Activities
- Morning stroll through Amboise
- Visit Château du Clos Lucé
- Explore Limoges historic center
- Visit Saint Etienne Cathedral
Landmarks Château du Clos Lucé Château de Chenonceau Château de Chambord Cathédrale Saint-Étienne 
- Day 3
Limoges to Rocamadour
Travel to the Dordogne region in the morning to see charming villages and the landscape there. You'll visit the Lascaux museum and replica caves to see the prehistoric paintings. Next, explore Sarlat, a UNESCO World Heritage town with a well-preserved Renaissance center, and have lunch. Visit the medieval castle at Beynac that overlooks the river. The day ends in Rocamadour, a medieval village built right into a cliff face with an important sanctuary.
- Meals
- Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Du Chateau), Hotel (Le Bois D Imbert)
Included Activities
- Visit Lascaux museum and cave replica (entrance included)
- Visit Beynac castle (admission included)
Optional Activities
- Stroll through Sarlat
- Have lunch in Sarlat
- Walk down the Via Crucis in Rocamadour
- Take the lift back up in Rocamadour
Landmarks Lascaux Sarlat Château de Beynac Rocamadour 
- Day 4
Rocamadour to Bordeaux
Start by heading to Padirac Chasm where you'll take a boat ride 75 meters underground on an underground river. Continue to Collonges-la-Rouge, a village built with red stone and connected to the Way of St. James pilgrimage route. After lunch, travel to Saint-Emilion in the Bordeaux wine region and take time to walk around. You'll arrive in Bordeaux by evening.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Mercure Burdeos Meriadeck), Hotel (Appartcity Confort Bordeaux Chartrons), Hotel (Mercure Bordeaux Centre), Hotel (Moxy Bordeaux)
Included Activities
- Boat ride on underground river in Padirac Chasm
Optional Activities
- Explore Collonges-la-Rouge
- Stroll through Saint-Emilion
Landmarks Padirac Chasm Collonges-la-Rouge Saint-Emilion 
- Day 5
Bordeaux to Lourdes
Explore Bordeaux's World Heritage center, including the famous Water Mirror and the historic old town with its pedestrian streets and an 11th-century cathedral. You'll have free time to walk along the Garonne River where there are restaurants for lunch. Then continue toward the Pyrenees, arriving in Lourdes by mid-afternoon. You can visit the sanctuary and, if you want, attend the candlelit procession later.
- Meals
- Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Le Mediterranee), Hotel (Hotel Alba), Hotel (Padoue)
Optional Activities
- Explore the Water Mirror
- Stroll through historic old town
- Walk along Garonne River banks
- Visit Cité du Vin interactive museum
- Visit Lourdes sanctuary
- Attend candlelit procession in Lourdes
Landmarks Water Mirror (Miroir d'eau) Bordeaux Cathedral Cité du Vin Lourdes Sanctuary 
- Day 6
Lourdes to Marseille
Travel through southern France, starting with Carcassonne, where you'll see a city surrounded by some of Europe's best-preserved walls. After lunch, continue to Narbonne to see this historic Occitan city and its old town area. You arrive in Marseille, France's second-largest city, in the late afternoon with time to walk through the vibrant Vieux-Port and get a feel for the place.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Ibis Marseille Centre Euromed), Hotel (Golden Tulip Marseille Euromed)
Optional Activities
- Walk and explore Carcassonne walls
- Discover Narbonne old town
- Walk through Vieux-Port (Old Port) in Marseille
- Visit charming restaurants in Vieux-Port
Landmarks Carcassonne Narbonne Vieux-Port (Old Port) 
- Day 7
Marseille to Lyon
Spend the day in Provence starting in Arles, a UNESCO World Heritage city where you can see Roman and medieval ruins and connections to Van Gogh. Visit the small medieval village of Les Baux and then Carrières de Lumières, an underground show in old quarries that combines art, images, and sound. Have lunch and walk around in Avignon, home to the massive Palais des Papes. Later, travel to Lyon and walk through the World Heritage old town, then take a cable car up to Notre-Dame de Fourvière basilica for views of the city.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Appartcity Lyon Cite Internationale), Hotel (Campanile Centre Lyon Berges Du Rhone), Hotel (Campanile Lyon Ouest Tassin)
Included Activities
- Visit Carrières de Lumières (entrance included)
- Take cable car to Notre-Dame de Fourviève (funicular included)
Optional Activities
- Explore Arles Roman and medieval sites
- Visit Les Baux medieval village
- Lunch and stroll in Avignon
- Walk through Lyon's World Heritage old town
Landmarks Arles Les Baux Carrières de Lumières Palais des Papes Notre-Dame de Fourviève 
- Day 8
Lyon to Dijon
Leave Lyon and head into the Burgundy region. Stop in Tournus, a quiet town with a big stone gate and large abbey. Next, get to Beaune for lunch and time to look around the wine capital of Burgundy. You'll visit Savigny Castle, a 15th-century building that now houses unusual museums with motorbikes, racing cars, planes, and helicopters. End the day in Dijon, Burgundy's capital, known for busy streets and lots of medieval and Renaissance buildings, including the Palace of the Dukes.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Holiday Inn Express Dijon)
Included Activities
- Visit Savigny Medieval Castle
Optional Activities
- Explore Tournus
- Lunch in Beaune
- Visit Beaune wine museum
- Visit Beaune historic hospice
- Explore Dijon's Palace of the Dukes
Landmarks Tournus Beaune Savigny Castle Palace of the Dukes 
- Day 9
Dijon to Strasbourg
Stop in Besançon, a city with Roman roots, a nice historic center, and a 17th-century citadel. Continue to Alsace, a French region with its own German dialect, Alsatian architecture, and Germanic traditions throughout. Visit Colmar to see the unique architecture, colorful half-timbered houses, and canals. Have lunch and a leisurely walk there. In the afternoon, go to Riquewihr, a medieval village with cobblestone streets and colorful houses. Visit an old winery to taste local wine with something sweet. You'll arrive in Strasbourg by evening.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Appartcity Confort Strasbourg Centre)
Included Activities
- Visit old winery and wine tasting in Riquewihr (visit and tasting included)
Optional Activities
- Explore Besançon historic center
- Visit Besançon citadel
- Lunch and leisurely walk in Colmar
- Explore Riquewihr medieval town
- Walk around Strasbourg cathedral area
- Explore Petite France in Strasbourg
Landmarks Besançon Colmar Riquewihr Strasbourg Cathedral Petite France 
- Day 10
Strasbourg to Paris
Spend time in Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace and home to the European Parliament. Walk through the historic center with medieval streets, see the impressive Gothic cathedral, and check out the canals with flowers. Take a boat ride through the canals of the Petite France district. Later, head to the Champagne region to visit a traditional winery and learn how the world's most famous sparkling drink is made. Then travel to Paris, arriving late in the afternoon.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Novotel Est - Bagnolet), Hotel (Mercure Paris La Defense 5), Hotel (Mercure Paris Porte De Versailles Expo), Hotel (Mercure Ivry Quai De Seine)
Included Activities
- Boat ride along the canals of Petite France
- Visit traditional Champagne winery with tasting (visit and tasting included)
Optional Activities
- Explore Strasbourg historic center
- Walk around cathedral area
- Explore Petite France district
Landmarks Strasbourg Cathedral Petite France 
- Day 11
Paris
After breakfast, your tour wraps up, and you'll head out with wonderful memories from your time in France.
- Meals
- Breakfast
