The Chateaux

Day 1 – Depart

Fly through the night to France.

Day 2 – Tours

Bonjour! Bienvenue en France! Your private bus and guide will escort you to your hotel or homestay in Tours. Then see the sights of the capital of Touraine on a Tours City Tour. You’ll visit the Château Royal, and see Cathedral St. Gatien, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rue des Halles, Place Plumereau, and the Maison de Tristan.

Day 3 – Tours

Today visit Vouvray in the Loire Valley, famous for its vineyards. Continue to Château d’Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci worked and is buried.

Day 4 – Tours

Explore the 16th-century Château Chenonceau in the spectacular Loire Valley. Chenonceau is considered to be one of the most beautiful castles in the world. Continue to Villandry to see the magnificent gardens. Also visit the Touraine Wax Museum, which exhibits highlights of Tours’ history in graphic scenes and wax figurines, including one of Jeanne d’Arc trying on her suit of armor.

Day 5 – Paris

Leave the Loire Valley and travel to Paris for a Paris City Tour. Discover the magic of the City of Light. Ascend to the 2nd level of the symbol of France, the Eiffel Tower, constructed for the world’s exposition of 1889. Parisians detested it immediately! In 1909 it was almost torn down—its only saving grace was the much needed radio antennae on its top! Today, it is impossible to imagine Paris without it. Continue to the historic Latin Quarter, the world-famous Champs-Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe. Then visit Notre Dame Cathedral, home of Victor Hugo’s hunchback, and the Louvre. While at the Louvre, be sure to see da Vinci’s enigmatic Mona Lisa and the perfect Vénus de Milo.

Day 6 – Paris

Visit the Musée d’Orsay to view the Impressionist masterpieces of Monet, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Rodin and others. Among the glorious arrays of work you’ll find Déjeuner sur l’herbe by Manet and Blue Dancers by Degas.

Day 7 – Paris

Visit the palace of Versailles, home of the Sun King, Louis XIV. Stroll through the opulent galleries and gardens to see the splendor in which royalty once lived. Don’t miss the magnificent Hall of Mirrors where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending World War I. This evening, enjoy the lights, sights and sounds of Paris after dark on a Bateaux Mouches Cruise along the Seine River. Remember to make a wish under the Pont Marie—it’s guaranteed to come true!

Day 8 – Paris

Today is a free day to explore with your advisor. Climb the steps to Sacre Coeur for an unparalleled view of the city, perhaps strolling through Montmartre after. You might also journey to the Right Bank, stroll through Les Halles, or check out the mansions of the Marais. Option: Travel to Chartres to tour its glorious cathedral. One of the finest Gothic structures in existence, Chartres is also renowned for its luminous stained glass windows which cover over 25,000 square feet.

Day 9 – Paris – Home

Jet home with many wonderful memories of your days in Tours and Paris!