Legendary Northern France

Friday 13th August

This evening we meet in spectacular Paris – from our hotel on the Right Bank, just near the Champs Elysees and a short walk to the Seine River, you will find numerous restaurants and cafes, lovely boutiques and designer shops. A welcome drink in the hotel bar kicks off our tour.

Saturday 14th August

A two hour train ride takes us to our starting point in Southern Brittany, the city of Vannes. Our bus and chauffeur greet us and a short bus trip takes us to the magical village of Rochefort-en-Terre, built on a promontory above the Gueuzon River. Fortified since Roman times, the village has a medieval atmosphere provoked by its charming buildings, tiny alleyways and flower-filled village square. After a leisurely exploration of the village, we continue on to the beautiful, ancient town of Quimper, our base for the next 5 nights. Our charming hotels location in the old historic quarter enables you to wander of an evening to the Gothic Cathedral and discover the ramparts, timber framed houses and cobblestone market streets. Group dinner this evening in the old town. (B, D)

Sunday 15th August

Today we will discover the fascinating history of Quimper, tied up with its strong Celtic identity and foundations as a Roman colony. Quimper is also famous for its local faience or traditionally-fired pottery. A walking tour will show you the highlights of the town before lunch in the square and then we have allowed the rest of the day at leisure for you to enjoy further explorations or perhaps a long lunch in the town square watching the world go by! (B, L)

Monday 16th August

Concarneau is a medieval walled town set on the Moros Estuary, with narrow paved streets and picturesque crooked houses. The famous Marechal Vauban fortified the town in the 18th century, and Concarneau is now the third largest fishing port in France. Neighbouring Benodet is also exceptionally charming, the manor houses and chateaux providing a gorgeous backdrop to its lively harbour. Lunch in a local restaurant in Benodet before we take a ride along the Odet River back to Quimper, passing beautiful villages and chateaux along the route. Free evening this evening. (B, L)

Tuesday 17th August

Today we visit the towns of Josselin and Malestroit. Josselin stood out amongst the images of the Tour de France this year with its magnificent medieval chateau towering over the village on the banks of the River Oust. A fine Flamboyant Gothic building, the interior of the chateau is stunning, with delicately carved granite galleries, balustrades and chimney pieces, fleur-de-lys motifs. We will have free time for lunch and a wander around the charming village before a drive through the pretty town of Malestroit on the way home. Group dinner in Quimper this evening. (B, D)

Wednesday 18th August

Today we discover the mythical Brittany of prehistoric times – Carnac is home to the most extraordinary group of standing stone menhirs in the world, the oldest dating back to the Neolithic period. Many Breton tales and legends focus on this area, and a great little train ride takes us along the avenues of megaliths, through the streets of Carnac and Trinité sur Mer and along the spectacular coast line. Time for lunch in Trinite-sur-Mer in a seaside restaurant before returning back to Quimper via Auray, a delightful town with an attractive harbour. (B, L)

Thursday 19th August

Pont-Aven was originally a small fishing harbour that became famous for the "Pont-Aven School" of painters who came here from the 1860's. Paul Gaugin was one of these famous painters, who wrote that 'I like Brittany, it is savage and primitive. The flat sound of my wooden clogs on the cobblestones, deep, hollow, and powerful, is the note I seek in my painting'. The museum documents the town's history and has a collection of paintings from the Pont-Aven school. Picturesque Pont-Aven is also famous for its galettes (butter biscuits) and traditional costumes. (B)

Friday 20th August

Today we leave Quimper for the next part of our tour in Normandy, visiting on the way one of France's most mystical sights, Mont St. Michel. Our first stop today is at Dinan, a town extraordinarily rich in architectural heritage, where we will stop for lunch in the historic town amongst the fine half timbered houses and surrounded by 3 kms of town walls that are the oldest and most massive in Brittany. Then on to the Unesco World Heritage island of Mont St Michel, home to the spectacular Romanesque cathedral perched on its apex. Listen to the sound of the tidal waters as they rush in to surround the island each evening and marvel at the sunsets and beauty of the area. Mont St Michel features in the 1,000 year old Bayeux Tapestry and has been revered by the French since the 8th century when the first monastery was established on it. We will climb to the monastery and tour the ancient Romanesque church and cloisters with its Scriptorium where the monks wrote their illuminated manuscripts.

For dinner tonight you are free to wander the little alleys of the island and find a quiet nook to dine in alone or with the group. Staying on the island is a highlight as you can enjoy the ancient streets in peace after the day-trippers have left! (B)

Saturday 21st August

We leave Mont St Michel this morning and on our way to our last beautiful hotel we will visit the famous and moving Omaha Beach American cemetery where over 9,000 American soldiers were buried after fighting in the D-Day Landings. From here we travel straight to our new 4 star home for the next 5 nights in Honfleur. This superb manor house hotel is 10 minutes walk from the charming harbour and seaside town of Honfleur. Relax in your beautifully appointed rooms, lovely gardens or swim in the pool, in environs that in the 1800's was home to guests such as Monet and Baudelaire. Gourmet dinner tonight with the group in our beautiful hotel to celebrate our arrival in Normandy. (B/D)

Sunday 22nd August

Walking tour this morning around the picturesque fishing village of Honfleur with its fascinating shops and architecture. This afternoon after lunch we travel to the medieval township of Jumièges, home of the ancient Abbey founded in 654 AD. Jumièges is one of the oldest relics of a Great Benedictine abbey that you will ever see in France.
Most of what you see is nearly 1,000 years old but there are parts that are older and date back to before the Viking invasions in the 9th century. William the Conqueror consecrated the church we see in 1067 after he won the Battle of Hastings and became King of England as well as Duke of Normandy. Dinner in Honfleur (B/D)

Monday 23rd August

Today we will do a tour of the medieval and modern city of Rouen. We'll see the famous Cathedral which has the heart of Richard the Lionheart in his tomb, the Law Courts, scene of Resistance fighting during WW2, the famous Horloge (clock tower), Joan of Arc's memorial where she was burned at the stake by the English, the fascinating medieval plague cemetery called L'Aitre de Maclou and then a special lunch at the oldest restaurant in France in the town square called La Couronne. This establishment was made famous because of the number of diners who witnessed the burning of Joan of Arc at the stake right opposite. Aperitifs this evening in Honfleur and then you are free tonight to explore and dine in Honfleur. (B/L/Aperitif)

Tuesday 24th August

Today we go to Bayeux and visit first the historically unique Bayeux Tapestry, which is a 70 metre-long, 50 cm high embroidery made from wool on a linen canvas made by women in the late 11th century to chronicle the conquest of England by William the Conquerer in 1066. Scenes include the Channel crossing, the Battle of Hastings (14 October 1066), the death of the Saxon English king Harold and the subsequent coronation of Duke William as King of England. From here we drive to the nearby Normandy Beaches: first we visit the Longues-sur-Mer battery which was a World War II artillery battery constructed by the Wehrmacht. It is the best preserved of all the fortifications and apart from being very scenic, it gives an excellent view of what the Germans must have seen at 6.00 am June 6 1944 when 5,000 enemy ships lined the horizon heading towards them. Drive to Arromanches (8 minutes away) to have a picnic lunch on the cliff top looking down on Gold sector beach where the British troops built one of the two remarkable Mulberry Harbours; large traces of which are still there today 65 years later. Dinner tonight with the group in the port of Honfleur (B/D)

Wednesday 25th August

Today we shall buy a picnic lunch at the market in Honfleur before travelling to the exquisite medieval town of Lyons la Forêt deep in the vast woodland of the department of Eure. Here you will have some free time to shop or stroll in the market square before we drive to the hillside townships of Les Andelys alongside the Seine river where we will eat our picnic and then visit the spectacular medieval fortress Chateau Gaillard built nearly 1,000 years ago by Richard the Lionheart (King of England and Duke of Normandy) to ward off the French King who was snapping at his heels. Perched high on the cliffs overlooking the River Seine you feel transported back in time to the eras of the Vikings and the Plantagenets. You are free tonight to dine in one of the many lovely restaurants along the Old Port in Honfleur. (B/L)

Thursday 26th August

Today we leave Normandy but not before we visit Monet's famous garden at Giverny en route arriving before the crowds. This needs very little introduction other than to say that when the impressionist painter Claude Monet arrived in 1883 he transformed his space into a breathtakingly beautiful garden and house that today is one of the most visited sites in France. Lunch en route after our scenic visit to Giverny. After visiting Giverny we will return to Paris this afternoon and celebrate the end of a magnificent two weeks at a favourite restaurant in Paris. (B/D)

Friday 27th August

Tour ends after Breakfast

 

TOUR INCLUSIONS:

Meals as per itinerary (all include wine), breakfasts throughout the tour, transport including 1st class train travel, private air conditioned buses on day tours, private guides, accommodation in exclusive four star hotels in Paris and Normandy, accommodation in charming three star hotel in Quimper, Brittany, all entries and excursions, the services of your tour manager Kate Stedman.