Best of Normandy & Paris

(9 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
D-Day Beaches, Mont Saint-Michel, Honfleur & Deauville, Giverny, Paris & Versailles

This tour combines the urban sophistication of Paris and the romantic landscapes, quaint villages, and important historic sites of Normandy.

Begin in Normandy and stay at a luxury chateau hotel. During private touring with an expert Normandy guide, tour the D-Day landing beaches and other significant World War II-related sites such as the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, the Mulberry Artificial Harbors, and the Caen Museum of Peace. Also, visit the historic town of Bayeux to see the famous tapestry illustrating the Norman invasion of England in 1066.

One day, enjoy a private excursion to Mont Saint-Michel, a remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of France’s true wonders. This enormous abbey and town on a tidal island has been a pilgrimage site since ancient times, and it remains one of Europe's most popular attractions.

Next, you will be transferred through the Normandy countryside. Explore charming villages filled with thatched cottages and fruit orchards. Sample the gourmet cheeses of the Pays d’Auge in the towns that give them their names: Livarot, Camembert and Pont l'Eveque. Follow the Cider Route, visiting cellars and sampling Calvados and Pommeau.

Stay in the upscale resort town of Deauville. Browse the town’s exclusive shops, visit the morning market, and walk along the boardwalk, admiring the Beaux Arts and half-timbered buildings facing the beach. Depending on your travel dates, you may also wish to attend a horse race or polo match. Alternatively, stay at a luxury hotel near the picturesque old fishing port town of Honfleur, long popular with artists and an ideal base for exploring Normandy’s thatched cottages, orchards, and charming towns.

Also see Rouen, where Joan of Arc was martyred and Claude Monet spent hours painting the medieval cathedral, and Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny, a wonderful world of flowers, greenery and ponds.

End in Paris. With your own private guide and driver—sophisticated experts who will share the very best of Paris with you—explore Paris according to your interests. Tour the city's most interesting neighborhoods, markets, boutiques, specialty food shops, gardens, museums and other cultural attractions. A few of our favorites: Walk among centuries-old mansions on exclusive Ile Saint-Louis. See the stained glass windows of exquisite Sainte-Chapelle, and see iconic Notre Dame. Visit the backstreets of Montmartre. Climb the steps to the Sacre Coeur Basilica for panoramic views. Explore Le Marais, whose private homes once belonged to kings, noblemen and courtesans. Wander the old Jewish quarter to the Place des Vosges, the city's oldest and one of its most beautiful squares. See the art treasures of museums such as the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, l'Orangerie, Centre Pompidou, Fondation Louis Vuitton and other major museums. Or visit smaller specialty museums off the beaten track. If desired, enjoy reservations at one of the restaurants atop the Eiffel Tower. Stroll the Latin Quarter, and relax in the Luxembourg Gardens. Shop exclusive boutiques along Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore and Rue Royale. Take a break at Left Bank cafes made famous by poets and philosophers, and stop in the church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can arrange personalized shopping (antiques, flea markets, haute couture, tea, copperware and cooking utensils, chocolate, fashion and more). Perhaps spend hours enjoying a degustation gastronomique at a leading restaurant. One day, if desired, enjoy a private excursion to Versailles to tour Louis XIV’s opulent palace, including the Hall of Mirrors, the gardens, and the Hameau de la Reine, the mock hamlet created for Marie-Antoinette.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1 Arrive Paris – Port-en-Bessin Private transfer to hotel for 3 nights with stop in Rouen en route Day 2 Port-en-Bessin Full-day private tour of D-Day beaches and Bayeux Day 3 Port-en-Bessin & Mont St-Michel Private excursion to Mont Saint-Michel Day 4 Port-en-Bessin – Deauville or Honfleur Full-day private tour of Pays d'Auge villages en route to hotel for 2 nights Day 5 Deauville or Honfleur Half-day private tour of Honfleur and Deauville Day 6 Deauville or Honfleur – Paris Private transfer to hotel for 3 nights, with touring of Giverny en route Day 7 Paris Full-day private city tour Day 8 Paris & Versailles Half-day private excursion to Versailles or continue private city touring. Afternoon at leisure Day 9 Depart Paris Private airport transfer

Hotels

Port-en-Bassin: Chateau La Cheneviere Honfleur or Deauville: Hotel Barriere Le Normandy Deauville or La Ferme Saint-Simeon Paris: Ritz Paris or Four Seasons Hotel George V

Cost

Upon request