Paris, Loire Castles & Normandy
France in 9 Days • 7 Nights in Destination
Isabel
Travel crafter
A complete historical tour of France! From Paris head to the castles of the Loire Valley, next visit Mont-St-Michel, then to the WW-II landing beaches in Normandy, rounding off your epic French adventure with a cheese-tasting.
Itinerary
Begin your adventure in Paris. Spend nights surrounded by castles and renaissance culture in the incredible Loire Valley. Visit Mont-Saint-Michel, one of the most important Unesco World Heritage sites located on a small island and enjoy amazing views of the wonderful landscapes of the Normandy coast. Finally, discover the historical World War II landing beaches, a culturally enriching experience.
Ready to discover the spectacular cities and landscapes of France? Arrive at your departure airport to catch a flight to Paris.* Night on board.
* If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure day.
Arrive at Paris airport and self-transfer to your hotel*. Paris is the capital of France and a great place to discover the city’s most famous tourist sights, the local culture and cuisine. Overnight stay in Paris.
* Airport transfers in Paris are not included. You will have the possibility to add a private transfer to your package for an additional cost in the next step of the booking process.
Breakfast at the hotel. Discover the city’s most famous tourist sights and monuments on a Half Day Sightseeing Tour by bus with a professional English-speaking guide. Marvel at Paris's best-known sights: Place Vendôme Square, place de l’opera, the Pantheon, Place de la Concorde, the Champs-Elysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Invalides and the Eiffel Tower. End your tour in the city center. Why not grab a bite to eat in one of the many cafés or do a spot of shopping in this shoppers haven. The rest of the day is free to explore Paris at your leisure. Overnight stay in Paris.
After breakfast, meet your english-speaking tour leader and depart Paris by coach towards the Loire Valley and its wonders of the Renaissance period. First stop is the capital of the Centre-Val de Loire region, Orleans. The history of this lovely city on the banks of the Loire River is inseparably bound with the history of Joan of Arc. While exploring the city independently, try not to miss the 13th century Sainte-Croix Cathedral and the Musée des Beaux-Arts, displaying around 700 artworks. After lunch, the tour continues with a visit to The Chambord Estate * one of the most emblematic castle examples of Renaissance architecture in France. Free time to stroll at your own pace in the heart of the castle and its gardens. Following this visit, transfer to the historic city of Tours. Overnight stay in Tours.
* Only entrance included with the possibility to book an audio-guide on the spot.
After Breakfast at the hotel, explore the magnificent Castle of Chenonceau*. The two-story gallery stands upon a graceful arched bridge that crosses the Cher River which gives the impression that the castle is floating on water. Also known as "The Ladies’ Castle", it was initially constructed in 1513. Equalling the beauty of the interior, the Château's Renaissance French Gardens are perfectly landscaped with decorative pools and flower beds and are an important destination for garden lovers from all over the world. In the afternoon, visit the Royal Château of Amboise, an emblematic monument of the Loire Valley. The palace was built above the river, with landscaped gardens stretching from the earth to the sky, offering one of the most remarkable panoramas of the Loire. Overnight stay in Tours.
* Only entrance included with the possibility to book an audio-guide on the spot.
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart from Tours heading towards the world-renowned Mont Saint Michel, a Unesco World Heritage site. The car park stands approximately 1.5 miles away from the island. On leaving the coach, head for the Place des Navettes, where shuttle buses called Passeurs transfer to the mount itself. The Mount was consecrated to St-Michel from the year 708. The Benedictine Abbey* presents a grand panorama of medieval architecture from the XI-XVI centuries. Spend some time exploring the village built on the slopes in the shadow of the fortifications. Overnight in the surrounding area.
* Only entrance included with the possibility to book an audio-guide on the spot.
After breakfast, enjoy a guided tour of WW-II’s major sights. Visit, learn about and pay homage to Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and Colleville-Sur-Mer Cemetery, of the Allied Forces. Also a visit to the Memorial de Caen*, a museum and war memorial commemorating World War II and the Battle for Caen, is included. Overall the museum is dedicated to the history of the twentieth century, mainly focusing on the fragility of peace. Overnight stay in Caen.
* Only entrance included with the possibility to book an audio-guide on the spot.
After breakfast, learn more about the best food and drink that this rich region of France has to offer, starting with a visit to the Village du Fromager. See all stages of cheese production and enjoy tasting the different types of cheese on offer. After the visit, head to Honfleur in time for a lunch break. This small city and harbour dates back to the Vikings invasion in the 11th century. After a couple of hours exploring the city, continue eastwards until reaching Paris. Overnight stay in Paris.
Breakfast* at the hotel. Self-transfer to the airport for your return flight back to Canada.** Arrive in Canada and end of your trip.***
* Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast on the last day.
** You can book the optional transfer in the next step of the booking process.
*** Depending on the return flight schedule, you may arrive in Canada the next day.
9 days trip including flights*
8 days and 7 nights in destination
1
YTO - PAR
2
YTO - PAR
Paris
3
Paris
4
Tours
5
Tours
6
Mont Saint Michel
7
Caen
8
Paris
9
PAR - YTO
* It may change depending of your departure city, departure date and arrival date.
The calendar does not display internal flights, trains or other transportation included in the itinerary.
Accommodation: 7 Nights
*In case the advertised hotels are not available they will be replaced by one of these alternative hotels with the same quality: Ibis Paris Porte d'Italie.
Included activities
Paris Sightseeing Tour
Discover some of the most iconic and memorable places of Paris and admire the beauty of this incredible and romantic city. See Place Vendôme Square, marvel at the Paris Opera House and head to the Latin Quarter to see the impressive Pantheon.
What's included: Pick up at hotel. Panoramic tour of Paris by bus with English speaking guide. Stop at Eiffel Tower for pictures. Not included: Drop off at hotels, entrance tickets to monuments, meals, drinks, tips and any other service not mentioned in `what's included´
Visit to the Chambord Chateaux & Estate
Visit the incredible Chambord Castle & Estate, one of the most emblematic chateaux in France and the finest example of French-Renaissance architecture!
What's included: Entrance included. Free time to discover the castle and its gardens Not included: Audio-guide (can be purchased at the destination)
Castle of Amboise
This historic Castle, built in the late 15th century, became the favored royal residence under Charles VIII. Thereafter a place of residence for French kings from the 15th to the 19th century.
What's included: Entrance fee to Castle of Amboise. Free time to visit the site. Not included: Guide or audio-guide, meals, drinks, tips or any other service not mentioned in what's included.
Visit to the Castle of Chenonceau
Known as the 'Ladies Castle', this two-story castle perched on a bridge over the River Cher. Constructed in 1513, the castle is defined by an almost uninterrupted succession of women who built, restored and saved it.
What's included: Entrance included Not included: Audio-guide (can be purchased at the destination)
The price includes
- Included in all our trips. more information
- Departures from main Canadian airports.
- International flights: Canada - Paris - Canada.*more information
- 7 nights accommodation in Charm category hotels. **more informationSee hotels included
- 7 Breakfasts.
- Optional airport-hotel-airport transfers.
- Entrance to the most famous Loire valley castles: Chambord, Chenonceau & Amboise and to Mont-St-Michel Abbey.See itinerary
- Air taxes and fuel surcharge.
- Sightseeing tour of Paris and guided tour of Normandy World War II landing beaches.
- English speaking tour leader from day 4 to day 8.
- Cheese factory experience with tasting.
*The cancellation policy applicable is according to the Terms and Conditions available and agreed at the time of your purchase
Not included
Tax, meals, drinks, tips and any other services not mentioned in what's included.
Airport transfers are not included in the program. You will have the possibility to add a private transfer for an additional cost in the next step of the booking process.
* Airport transfers are not included. You can book the optional transfer in the next step of the booking process.
** Important: accommodation tax must be paid directly to the hotel (Approx. 1,50€ per person per night).
- Entry requirementsValid passport with a minimum of six months validity.
- VisaNo visa is required for tourist stays of up to 90 days.
- CurrencyEuro.
- LanguageFrench.
- Electricity230 V. Adapter not required.
- HealthThere are no mandatory vaccinations.
- Time zoneUTC + 01:00.
- Other useful informationTaxis do not have a particular colour, however you can spot them at the station or in the street by their luminous lettering on the roof of the car.
- Tourist Office websitehttp://ee.france.fr/
Remember to download your e-ticket to confirm the times of your flights and to complete online check-in using the airline's website, or directly at the check-in desk at the airport.
Accommodation at the hotels is as indicated. In the event of any changes to accommodation, they will always be of the same or a higher category. The category of hotels is not standardized across all countries in the world. For this reason, the criteria may differ depending on the destination country's own standards.
In the case of adverse weather conditions, for safety reasons or for any other reasons deemed appropriate, the order and duration of the excursions included in the itinerary may be changed or canceled without prior notice.
If you have reduced mobility/require the use of a wheelchair and prefer to go at your own pace, please contact our customer service team at +1 888-488-0592 or via our contact form.
Exoticca Travel Stories
Creating unforgettable memories, one traveler at a time
Our first trip with Exoticca…
We went on our first trip with Exoticca to France including Paris, the Loire Valley and Normandy. We had a great time and saw some really wonderful places such as a visit to Orleans, several castles and the Normandy coast. The price was really good and we had time to do things on our own as well.
