Welcome to Paris! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions, and leave the hotel for a welcome dinner with wine at one of Paris’ lively restaurants. Then, enjoy an orientation drive to get a first impression of the City of Light.

Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Arc de Triomphe, Opera, Madeleine, Louvre, and Champs-Elysees. Visit magnificent NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL with its Rose Window, and for a panoramic view, take the elevator to the second floor of the EIFFEL TOWER. Optional excursions are available to the impressive Palace and Gardens of Versailles, built by the Sun King, Louis XIV, as well as to the artists’ hill of Montmartre, followed by a cruise on the beautiful Seine River.

In Rouen, admire the façade of the cathedral, which was one of Monet’s favorite subjects for his Series Paintings, where he tried to prove how a subject was visually influenced by the ever-changing light. Twenty paintings of the cathedral existed, and many are today in Paris’ Orsay Museum. Time to stroll along the lovely cobblestoned Rue du Gros-Horloge leading to the square where Joan of Arc was burned in 1431. Next, stop in Beuvron-en-Auge along the Route du Cidre for [LF] a CIDER TASTING before arriving in Caen. Look forward to a visit of the fascinating MEMORIAL MUSEUM FOR PEACE with its great exhibits and audiovisual show about the Battle of Normandy.

Focus on the scene of the Allied Forces’ landing on D-Day, June 6th, 1944. Drive by Juno Beach, then stop at Gold Beach for a view of the Mulberry Harbor remains at Arromanches. Visit the AMERICAN CEMETERY and its visitor center at Omaha Beach, where you can sign your name in the visitors’ book. Continue to Sainte Mère Eglise, the first town where American soldiers parachuted into the town the night before D-Day. Among them was John Steele, whose parachute was caught in one of the steeples of the church, made famous in the movie The Longest Day. While here, see the evocative parachute memorial. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided visit of the famous ABBEY OF MONT ST. MICHEL, perched on a rocky isle in the Gulf of Saint Malo. Overnight is on the coast near Mont St. Michel.

Enjoy a scenic ride right across Brittany via Châteaubriant to Angers. Stop here for pictures of the impressive 13th-century castle. Then, continue your journey to the Loire Valley, where [LF] you will stay on the grounds of splendid Château du Breuil. Tonight, why not sample French cuisine at one of the area’s excellent restaurants.

Today, visit two of the most important castles in the area. Start with the jewel of the French Renaissance, CHÂTEAU CHAMBORD. Next is the 16th-century château of Catherine de Medici, lovely CHENONCEAU, a fairytale castle with a moat, drawbridge, and towers. Then, [LF] enjoy a WINE TASTING at the Père Auguste wine cellar in Civray de Touraine to learn about the local wines before returning to your château, where dinner will be served in the evening.

Stop in Chartres with its superb 13th-century gothic CATHEDRAL- a jewel of medieval architecture, and arrive in Paris. Tonight, dinner and a lively cabaret show at one of Paris’ nightclubs might just be the ticket.

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.