ITINERARY : FRANCE
FRANCE FAMILY ADVENTURE
with Small World Travel
E
L
P
M
A
S
DAY 1 – Arrive Paris
Upon your arrival in Paris, a hostess with a sign < Le Meurice > will greet you as you exit your flight. She will escort you through
luggage claim and customs before introducing you to your driver, who will transfer you to the hotel via private luxury vehicle.
1:30pm – Your local guide will call you from reception for your Highlights Walk through Paris, finishing around 4:30pm.
Overnight: Hotel Le Meurice
DAY 2 – the Louvre
Your local guide will collect you from your hotel at 9:30am for your Louvre Highlights tour, finishing around 12:30pm.
Afternoon free.
Dinner reservation at Le Jules Verne at 8:00pm.
Overnight: Hotel Le Meurice
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
ITINERARY : FRANCE
Sunday, July 10 – Flea Markets
Your local guide will collect you from your hotel at 9:30am for your guided trip to the flea markets. You should finish around
12:30pm.
Afternoon free.
Overnight: Hotel Le Meurice
DAY 3 – Painting in Paris!
Please make your way by metro or taxi to a local artist’s studio for your 2pm – 5pm painting lesson. Your private art instructor
will instruct you on the basics of painting and drawing, and you will come away with several portfolio pieces.
Dinner reservation at Laurent at 8:00pm. Reservation confirmed via hotel concierge, should you need to change.
Overnight: Hotel Le Meurice
E
L
P
DAY 4 – Chocolates & Fashion
Your local guide will collect you from your hotel at 9:30am for a Chocolate and Bakery Tour. Break for lunch. After lunch, the
ladies head off with for a History of Couture Fashion Tour.
The gentlemen will visit L’Art de L’Automobile at Les Arts Decoratifs – 4 block walk from hotel.
M
A
S
Overnight: Hotel Le Meurice
DAY 5 – French Revolution
At 2pm, meet your guide at your hotel and depart for the French Revolution Tour, finishing around 5pm.
Dinner reservation at La Tour D’Argent at 8:00pm.
Overnight: Hotel Le Meurice
DAY 6 – Normandy
Meet your private guide/driver at the hotel at 8am and depart for Normandy (approx. 3 hour drive). Tour the American beaches, Pont d’Hoc, Eglise St Mere, the American cemetery and more. Return to Paris by 8pm.
Overnight: Hotel Le Meurice
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
ITINERARY : FRANCE
DAY 7 – Versailles
After checking out of the hotel, your guide, your guide and private driver will collect you from your hotel at 9:30am and depart
for Giverny/Monet’s Gardens.
Lunch somewhere local. If there is time, visit the gardens of Versailles and do a little bike touring.
Later in the afternoon, proceed to Trianon Palace Hotel.
Overnight: Trianon Palace Versailles
DAY 8 – Versailles
Your local guide will meet you at the hotel at 9:30am. Tour the chateau in the morning. Afternoon is free.
Overnight: Trianon Palace Versailles
E
L
P
DAY 9 – Loire Valley
7:30am – Your driver will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and transport you to the Saint Pierre des Corps railway station.
On the first day of the trip, meet your guides at 10:30 a.m. at the St-Pierre-des-Corps train station just outside of Tours. Please
arrive dressed in your biking clothes or have them packed in a separate bag so you can change before the ride, and have your
rain gear handy.
M
A
S
Welcome to the Loire Valley! After meeting we shuttle to a family-owned winery set among fruit trees in the famous wine region
of Vouvray. Here we meet a local vintner who leads us on a tour of his cellar and treats us to a tasting of his collection.
After a picnic, your Trip Leaders fit your bike and give a brief talk on biking techniques and safety. The rest of the afternoon is
yours to explore the wooded back roads and small villages that make biking in the Loire Valley such a delight.
This evening, settle in at Le Choiseul, an elegant 18th- century manor house ideally situated in Amboise, a lively town on the
banks of the Loire River. We gather for a wine and juice reception, followed by dinner at the hotel’s fine restaurant, which overlooks the river and gardens.
Overnight: Le Choiseul
DAY 10 – Clos Lucé & Château de Chaumont
Today’s ride begins with a good climb out of town to Clos Lucé, the house where Leonardo da Vinci spent the final four years
of his life. Its museum contains designs and models of the machines conceived by da Vinci, including an airplane, helicopter,
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
ITINERARY : FRANCE
parachute and turning bridge. Back on your bike, it’s a comfortable rolling stretch to 10th-century Château de Chaumont, where
you’ll hear tales of the castle’s long and sordid past. Lunch is on your own: enjoy a pique-nique in the castle’s avant-garde
garden or choose one of the charming restaurants in the village of Chaumont.
This afternoon’s undulating route takes you over the plateaus north of the Loire River back to Amboise. Then kids are in for a
treat at the Fantasy Forest, an amusement park set among the trees. This leaves adults time to explore the vibrant town and
check out its 15th-century château, which held the court of François I at the apex of the French Renaissance.
Tonight grown-ups savor another memorable meal at Le Choiseul while kids take it easy at their own special dinner in town.
Overnight: Le Choiseul
DAY 11 – Château de Chenonceau
After tackling the steep climb out of Amboise, ride pleasant country roads past cozy hamlets to the most famous of Loire Valley
châteaux: Château de Chenonceau. Spanning the Cher River, Chenonceau features vast gardens, airy galleries, magnificent
fireplaces, 16th-century Flemish tapestries, and paintings by Rubens and Rigaud. In the chapel, a bas-relief of Madonna and
Child hangs amid two centuries of graffiti carved into the walls. Catherine de’Medici and Diane de Poitiers were among the
women who reigned here. Each wife, mistress and queen added personal touches to the elaborately decorated and designed
château, and it became known as the “Château of Six Women.” While adults take a guided tour, the younger set explores
the castle with the Kid Coordinator, checking out the huge chimney in the kitchen as well as the mysterious black room, and if
weather permits, heading outdoors to discover a way out of a massive labyrinth.
E
L
P
Afterward, hop in the saddle to take in more glorious scenery—and a few hills for kicks. Pass Château de Nitray, a 15th-century castle, on your way from the Cher River through small towns and across pastoral land. After stopping for a catered lunch,
shuttle or bike to our hotel, Domaine de la Tortinière. As we explore France’s castle country, it’s only fitting that we stay in our
own château, and the 19th-century Domaine de la Tortinière fits the bill. Nestled in a 38-acre park stretching to the Indre River
(a tributary of the Loire), this storybook castle features a wonderful blend of traditional and contemporary décor. This evening
you’ll dine on excellent regional cuisine at the hotel.
M
A
S
Overnight: Domaine de la Tortinière
DAY 12 – Château de Villandry & Saché
Ride through vineyards and villages outside Montbazon to the town of Villandry, where you can visit the 16th-century Château
de Villandry, surrounded by some of France’s most exquisite gardens. The castle was acquired in the early 1900s by Joachim
de Carvallo, who restored the gardens to their original Renaissance grandeur. Today Carvallo’s grandson tends the grounds,
although he was once heard to lament, “The gardens cost my children a good education and caused my wife a nervous breakdown.” The spectacular patchwork of greenery includes a water garden within a circle of lime trees; an ornamental garden,
where yew, boxwood and flowers are planted in symbolic patterns; and a kitchen garden with decorative geometric beds.
Back on your bike, spin on through the Forêt de Villandry to the town of Saché, known for its château and famous visitors.
Sculptor Alexander Calder spent time in Saché and one of his stabiles remains in the town square. Honoré de Balzac stayed at
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
ITINERARY : FRANCE
the 16th-century Château de Saché while he wrote much of La Comédie Humaine, a collection of interlinked novels and stories
that present a panorama of French life in the years after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815. The château now houses the
Balzac Museum, which recreates the 19th-century rooms of his home and displays some of his work. We enjoy a picnic on the
castle’s peaceful grounds.
This afternoon, Domaine de la Tortinière supplies the perfect setting for fencing lessons. Kids step back in history as they wield
épées on the hotel grounds under the watchful eye of world-class fencing master Rudi van Oeveren. After a little instruction on
proper technique, strategy and form, they’ll fancy themselves young knights! Later adults are treated to an exceptional dinner at
our hotel, while youngsters head into town for a bite.
Overnight: Domaine de la Tortinière
DAY 13 – Azay-le-Rideau & Chinon
Follow a peaceful route through forests, rolling hills and orchards to Azay-le-Rideau, a riverside town known for one of the most
magnificent châteaux in France. As if floating on the tranquil surface of the Indre River, Château d’Azay-le- Rideau strikes an
imposing figure with its decorative turrets and ornamented machicolations. The interior is equally splendid, with a grand central
staircase (innovative for its time), beautifully restored period furniture, tapestries and family portraits. Lunch is on your own, so
stop at one of Azay-le-Rideau’s charming cafés or fill your bike bag with local delicacies for a picnic down the road. Then get
ready to feast your eyes on Château d’Ussé, the 15th-century fairy-tale castle that inspired Charles Perrault’s classic Sleeping
Beauty.
E
L
P
Shuttle or bike to Chinon, a bustling town known as much for its excellent wines as for its turbulent past. You can stop to explore the ruins of Château de Chinon, where Joan of Arc first met Charles VII in 1429 and got his blessing to lead an army to
Orléans. Or if you’d rather settle into tonight’s hotel, continue directly to Château de Marçay. Transformed into a magnificent
hotel with modern-day luxuries such as a heated outdoor pool, the château’s towers, turrets and period furnishings tell tales of
times long ago. This evening we gather for a festive farewell dinner, toasting the week’s adventures and relishing a sumptuous
meal overlooking the French countryside.
M
A
S
Overnight: Château de Marçay
DAY 14 – Chateau de Queynac
Take one last spin around the castle-dotted countryside, enjoying the quiet morning as you pedal through numerous farms and
small villages. Pass close to the home of famous French writer François Rabelais and spot the privately owned castles of Coudray and Coudray Montpensier. Afterward a private coach takes us back to the St-Pierre-des-Corps train station outside of Tours
(arriving around 11:30am), where the trip ends.
Depart the St-Piere-des-Corps train station at 11:56am on TGV train #5451, arriving Bordeaux St Jean at 2:27pm.
Upon arrival in Bordeaux, please collect your rental car and drive independently to your private chateau.
If you have ever dreamed of staying a while in a picture-book château complete with ivy-clad tower and garden of roses, yet
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
ITINERARY : FRANCE
one that also has a perfect pool and blissful beds, you need look no further than the Château de Queynac. Nestled into the
curve of a wooded hillside on its 19-acre estate, the château blends the best of old and new, providing a secluded and comfortable retreat from which to explore this historic and many faceted area of southwest France.
This evening, you will have a buffet dinner prepared by your housekeeper.
Overnight: Chateau de Queynac
DAY 15 – Dordogne
Day at leisure.
This evening, you will have a dinner prepared by your housekeeper.
Overnight: Chateau de Queynac
E
L
P
DAY 16 – Dordogne/Font de Gaume
9:30am – This morning you will visit Font de Gaume with your local guide.
M
A
S
Balance of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Chateau de Queynac
DAY 17 – Dordogne
Free day to enjoy the Dordogne.
Overnight: Chateau de Queynac
DAY 18 – Dordogne/Wine tasting
Day at leisure.
This evening you will enjoy a private cooking lesson combined with a wine tasting.
Overnight: Chateau de Queynac
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
ITINERARY : FRANCE
DAY 19 – Drive to Carcassonne
This morning, at your leisure, drive independently to Carcassonne and check into the Hotel de la Cite.
Your car will be picked up from the hotel.
Set within the ramparts of medieval Carcassonne, the hotel is surrounded by crenellated walls, dating back to the 12th century.
Renowned for its exceptional setting, gastronomic cuisine and impeccable service this exclusive retreat is regarded as one of
the world’s finest small hotels. La Barbacane, the hotel’s formal gourmet restaurant offers an impressive menu (note the restaurant is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday) and complements the more informal Chez Saskia.
Overnight: Hotel de la Cite
DAY 20 – Board the Alouette
Morning at leisure.
4:00pm – A representative will collect you from your hotel and privately transfer you to the Alouette.
E
L
P
A champagne reception welcomes you on board and gives you a chance to meet the crew. Time permitting, enjoy your first
cruising experience to the pretty village of Colombieres. Later that evening, enjoy your first dining experience on board.
Just five privileged passengers travel in style aboard what is one of the most luxurious barges in France. The craft is yours as
you float along the tree-shaded Canal du Midi between Carcassonne and Béziers.
M
A
S
On deck, stretch out on a sun lounger, beneath a sheltering parasol, to view the passing villages and fields. Or step inside,
where the spacious lounge—with its huge picture windows—has a library, writing desk and soft armchairs.
Delicious meals are created by a cordon bleu chef using ingredients brought on board from the markets that you pass. Come
the end of the day, two delightful cabins, with en-suite showers, provide a wonderful retreat.
Overnight: The Alouette
DAY 21 – Visit Abbaye de Fontfroide/Cruise to Capestang
This morning visit l’Abbaye de Fontfroide, a Cistercian monastery founded in the 11th century. Now privately owned, the abbey
has been lovingly restored with a well-kept garden and peaceful cloister. Return to the barge for lunch and then an afternoon
cruise along t he beautiful Canal du Midi to Capestang.
Overnight: The Alouette
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
ITINERARY : FRANCE
DAY 22 – Tour Oppidum d’Enserune/Cruise to Le Somail
After breakfast enjoy a visit to Oppidum d’Enserune, a pre -Roman hill-top settlement and one of the most important archaeological sites in the region. The top of the hill affords a panoramic view of the pond of Montady drained in 1247 and transformed into a curious pattern of cultivation. On the way back to the boat we stop off at local wine producer for a tasting. Return
to the barge for lunch followed by a relaxing afternoon taking in the grandeur and beauty of the Canal du Midi, with its fine
locks, buildings and aqueducts, scarcely changed from their completion over 300 years a go.
Overnight: The Alouette
DAY 23 – Visit Narbonne and the Market/Cruise to Homps
This morning, experience the wonderful covered market in Narbonne with the chef and help choose what is on the menu for
dinner! Narbonne is a lively Mediterranean city playing an important role as a wine- producing centre. The municipal, military
and religious architecture, the riverbanks of the Robine and its shaded boulevards, all contribute to its charm. Enjoy lunch at a
bistro just in front of the market and then return to the barge for an afternoon’s cruise to the port at Homps.
Overnight: The Alouette
E
L
P
DAY 24 – Visit Minerve/Cruise to Trebes
After breakfast, visit Minerve, an old village on a limestone clif f, which dominates the vineyards below. Its now ruined castle was once a Cathar stronghold besieged and captur ed by Simon de Montfort. This village is full of history of days gone
by. On the way back to the boat stop at Peyriac-Minervois for wine tasting. Return to the barge for lunch and then enjoy the
ever-changing views from the comfort of the deck, or perhaps walk or cycle along the towpath. Tonight we moor in the pretty
town of Trebes.
M
A
S
Overnight: The Alouette
DAY 25 – Cruise to Carcassonne/Visit Carcassonne
Finish the week with a tour of Europe’s largest medieval fortress - Carcassonne. Explore the intricate fortifications of the two
castellated walls, one inside the other, about a mile in circumference. The views from the battlements towards the Pyrenées are
stunning. Visit the Cathedral remarkable for its stained glass rose windows, elegant Romanesque nave and Gothic transepts.
Meanwhile the chef is busy preparing your farewell gala dinner on board.
Overnight: The Alouette
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE
ITINERARY : FRANCE
DAY 26 – Disembark
After disembarking the Alouette, you will be transferred by a representative to the Narbonne train station for your TGV train to
Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport.
Depart Narbonne at 10:55am on TGV train #9862, arriving Charles De Gaulle Airport at 3:57pm.
Upon arrival at the Charles De Gaulle Airport, please make your way to your hotel - train station is directly below hotel.
Overnight: Sheraton Paris Airport Hotel
DAY 27 – Depart France
After check out, please make your way back to the Charles De Gaulle Airport via shuttle for your international departure.
E
L
P
M
A
S
INTRODUCTION TO FRANCE