Highlights |
| Escorted Package Includes |
| Inclusions |
- Round trip flights NYC-Paris.
Other departure cities available.
- All transfers
- 3 nights at the Château d' Esclimont in Saint-Symphorien-le-Château
- 3 nights at the Hotel Baltimore Paris in Paris
- 6 breakfasts, 5 dinners
- Tour Manager throughout
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| Highlights |
- Small Groups
- Visit Chateau de Chenonceau
- Stay in a chateau near the Loire Valley
- Enjoy fine French wine tasting
- Participate in a hands-on cooking class at Chateau d'Esclimont
- Enjoy dinner at the Eiffel Tower
- Take a guided tour of Paris
- Explore the Louvre Museum with a guide
- Tour Versailles & the Hall of Mirrors
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Explore Paris on this exciting program that includes sightseeing, cooking, and plenty of time to shop for whatever you enjoy collecting. Begin your trip in the Loire Valley, called the Garden of France and the cradle of the French language, where you will stay in a 16th-century chateau. Tour Catherine de Medici's home, Chateau de Chenonceau, and the cathedral at Chartres with its excellent stained glass work. Then depart for Paris, a shopper's dreamleand, with haute couture shops found on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, the famous avenue Montaigne in the 8th Arrondissement, and all along the Champs-Elysees. As you discover Loire Valley and the City of Light, you'll be treated to a wine tasting, a tour of the Palace of Versailles, a cooking lesson from a master chef, and dinner at the Eiffel Tower.
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Itinerary |
DAY 1, Tuesday - Depart the USA
Depart the USA for France. Your flight includes meals, drinks, and in-flight entertainment for your journey
DAY 2, Wednesday - Arrive & transfer to Loire Valley
Arrive and transfer to the Chateau d'Eslcimont, set near Chartres and the idyllic Loire Valley. This tranquil castle, complete with moat, turrets, and gardens set in a 150 acre estate, was built by the Archbishop of Tours in 1543. In the evening, meet the group at the hotel for a welcome drink and reception followed by dinner
Overnight: Saint-Symphorien-le-Château
Meals: Dinner
DAY 3, Thursday - Loire Valley Excursion, Wine Tasting
Today begins with a full day exploration of the Loire Valley. The "Ladies Castle," home of Catherine de Medici, Chenonceau will be the first visit. Continue to Chateau d'Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried, and view the stunning Chambord Castle Estate. Return to Chateau d'Esclimont for a visit to their wine cellar for a tasting and dinner
Overnight: Saint-Symphorien-le-Château
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 4, Friday - Chartres, Cooking Class
Today visit Chartres with a cathedral renowned for its stained glass windows. View the workshop where this amazing craft is still practiced. Return to the Chateau d'Esclimont for a cooking class with a top French chef and enjoy the fruits of your labors tonight for dinner
Overnight: Saint-Symphorien-le-Château
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5, Saturday - Versailles, Dinner at the Eiffel Tower
Depart today for Paris. On the way, stop at Versailles to admire the Palace of Louis XIV, the Sun King. Experience the grandeur of French Baroque architecture on an exciting guided tour to the world-famous Palace of Versailles, Europe's most influential chateau. Visit the beautifully decorated State Apartments, Queen's Apartments, and the Hall of Mirrors in equally daunting arcades. Stroll around the palace halls before visiting the beautifully landscaped grounds featuring extensive gardens, beautiful fountains, and an enormous Grand Canal, making it one of the largest formal gardens ever created. This evening enjoy dinner at the on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower with a splendid view of the city
Overnight: Paris
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 6, Sunday - Montmarte, Flea Market, Left Bank
After breakfast, drive north to Montmarte to see the Sacre Coeur Basilica high on the Hill of Martyrs. With artists in the Place du Tertre sketching vistas at nearly every turn, you are constantly reminded of the time when Montmarte was the centre of artistic life in Paris. Later, enjoy time exploring the stalls in the charming scene of Paris' most famous flea markets. Later enjoy a leisurely walk through the largest and most notable public park in Paris city, the Luxembourg Gardens, in the heart of the Latin Quarter. Populated with intricate statues, calming fountains, colorful flowers and a large basin, the formal gardens are a relaxing way to spend the afternoon outdoors. The Left Bank was a 12th-century scholastic center and is world-famous for its vibrant atmosphere, classy boutiques and bistros, and many prestigious educational establishments, including the Sorbonne
Overnight: Paris
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7, Monday - Louvre, Notre Dame
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a full day sightseeing in Paris, with photo stops along the way. Begin with a drive down the Champs Elysees, Paris' most decorated avenue, lined with theaters, cafés, restaurants, shops, and several important architectural monuments, including the famous Arc de Triomphe. Continue for a guided visit to the Louvre Museum, one of the largest, oldest, and most historically significant museums in the world. Your tour begins outside the Louvre with a walk through its commercial square, and continues inside the museum, where an experienced guide will present various exhibitions and many of the museums's most famous holdings, including da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Enjoy lunch on your own at a nearby sidewalk café, before visiting the renowned French Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral, the building made immortal by Victor Hugo's 19th-century novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame. From Notre Dame, proceed to the fashion district. Enjoy an exciting tour of Paris' celebrated Avenue Montaigne and Avenue George V, where many stylish shops and fashion houses boast big-name designer brands. Learn the history of haute couture and of the many famous designers who helped make Paris one of the world's premier fashion capitals. Return to the hotel late this afternoon, and in the evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight: Paris
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 8, Tuesday - Depart for USA
Transfer to the Paris airport for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
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| Although most of the planning and preparation is taken care of for you, there are still a few things you should know and some details you should take care of to ensure your comfort, safety and peace of mind. Please review the following information before your departure to ensure that any surprises along the way will only be pleasant ones. | | Passports and Visas | It is each traveler's responsibility to have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure and a visa if required. Please check the information at www.gate1travel.com/visas.aspx for the specific country/region you are visiting for more details. Passengers who are not U.S. citizens must check with the respective consulate or a visa agency to determine what personal identification is required. Passport applications are available at most U.S. Post Offices, as well as at regional Passport Agencies.
| | Passports and Visas - France | Passport required. Visa not required for tourist stay of up to 90 days.
| | Trip Preparation | A little pre-planning can make your trip go a lot smoother. Several weeks before your trip, make a list of what you’ll need to take with you. Make sure your personal documents (passports, visas) are in order and that you have enough prescription medications to last through the trip.
| | Health Information | Check with your personal physician for the latest overseas travel health information, or contact the Center for Disease Control’s travelers’ hotline at 404-332-4559, web site www.cdc.gov.
| | Climate / Clothing - France | Spring and Fall: 45 – 60°F; Summer: 60 – 80°F; Winter: 30 – 45°F. Bring comfortable shoes, a sweater, clothes you can layer and an all-weather coat.
France Average Temperatures: http://www.gate1travel.com/weather/europe/default.aspx#france-weather
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| Airline Flights | Please check in at least three hours prior to the scheduled departure time to allow for security steps. Passengers connecting from another point within the USA may check their luggage through to their final destination, and although problems with lost luggage have been minimal, it is a possibility. Certain carriers do not allow baggage “interlining,” and luggage must be checked separately for each flight. If you are connecting from a domestic flight which is delayed for any reason, causing you to miss your international flight, you must ask the airline for assistance in getting you to your destination. Since all airline tickets are issued on special fares which carry restrictions and penalties if changed, you must have the airlines responsible make alternate arrangements on your behalf as Gate 1 has no authority or control over airline activities and policies. Do not leave the airline check-in desk until an alternative itinerary has been confirmed for you.
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