France Just For You has organized its own very special Tour de France. No need for a bike but be ready for a great deal of adventure! This itinerary will take you off the beaten path to all the must sees & dos in four of the most enthralling regions of France.
Emilie is amazing. Going to Normandy has always been a dream of my husbands and luckily for us we found Emilie to plan our trip. Our hotel in Paris for the start of our trip was …
Emilie is amazing. Going to Normandy has always been a dream of my husbands and luckily for us we found Emilie to plan our trip. Our hotel in Paris for the start of our trip was located perfectly. Within walking distance of so much for our first two days before we picked up the rental car she had arranged for us. Then onto Normandy and the Loire Valley where the B&B's she arranged for us were awesome and the hosts shared a lot of history with us and made us feel very welcome. Our own specialized guide book not only proved to be invaluable while we were there, but a very special momento of our trip. And I can't say enough about the guide she arranged for us for our tour of the beaches, he has to be one of the most knowledgeable (and interesting) D-Day guides ever!! I highly recommend Emilie and France Just For You. She takes into consideration your wants and needs and personalizes your trip perfectly. We wouldn't have been able to have our "trip of a lifetime" without her!
#2 - A Wine Estate in Saint EmilionThe winery team will make sure that you have a great stay
#2 - A Wine Estate in Saint EmilionTaste the wine...directly where it is made !
#3 - A Perigord style house, in central DordogneStay only 15 minutes to Sarlat in the heart of the medieval Dordogne
#3 - A Perigord style house, in central DordogneEnjoy a fantastic dinner by the swimming pool or the fire place
#3 - A Perigord style house, in central DordogneThis medieval castle is walking distance from your B&B
#3 - A Perigord style house, in central DordogneYour lovely hosts know the region perfectly
#4 - A Typical Mas House, in the vineyards in wilder ProvenceAt night, relax in the garden or by the swimming pool in the olive trees
#4 - A Typical Mas House, in the vineyards in wilder ProvenceAfter a great dinner cook by your host - enjoy a great night sleep
#4 - A Typical Mas House, in the vineyards in wilder ProvenceReady for a swim ?
#4 - A Typical Mas House, in the vineyards in wilder ProvenceA Table d Hôtes dinner is always a very convivial experience
Step by step
The Loire Valley : small roads along the river
From Paris or CDG airport, drive the rental car for 3 hours to the Loire Valley. We will recommend a great stop to rest on the way.
You will spend the first 4 nights in a charmingly restored townhouse, in the heart of a very lively town in the Loire Valley. From here, you can walk everywhere, including to Leonardo Da Vinci's final dwelling.
Discover all the marvels of the Loire Valley: the castles of Chambord, Chenonceau and Azay-le-Rideau, the historic cities of Saumur, Chinon and Amboise.
Touraine is also famous for its vineyards – Chinon, Bourgueil, Vouvray and many more – and we have planned for you to discover some local wines with a wine maker. She will take you to her vineyards and explain about the vine growing, then you will go to her cellar so you can taste some wines (sparkling and still), together with some local food products.
The Bordeaux Region
Your second stop for 3 nights is a Grands Crus Classés wine chateau. Experience Saint Emilion while staying at one of the places where everything happens, right in the Saint Emilion's vineyards. Away from the crowds, you will enjoy what Saint Emilion wines have to offer.
Built along the banks of the Garonne river, the opulent merchants' homes are very specific to the city of Bordeaux. You will find everything in this region: from villages nestled into the Medoc or the Saint Emilion vineyards, to the bustling night life in Bordeaux. Also, bear in mind that Bordeaux's Sainte Catherine Street is the longest shopping street in Europe!
Very near Saint Emilion, we have planned for a private tour to a famous wine estate: after visiting the estate from the vineyards to the cellars, learning about the different grape varieties and wine making process, you will enjoy a picnic lunch together with a tasting of 3 different wines.
Dordogne
In Black Perigord, you will stay in a restored stone house for 4 nightsand share a mouth-watering dinner cooked by your hosts.
Dordogne is famous for the prehistoric caves in Lascaux and we'll recommend to you several more intimate visits, in 15,000 to 20,000 year old caves. If you are interested in history or if you are a JM Auel reader, this is a must!
We'll tell you where to find the most typical goat cheeses - and if you like outdoor activities, you'll be in paradise. You'll also visit the old city of Sarlat and feel the buzz of activity on market day.
You will also spend a memorable time looking for truffles with a passionate professional and his truffle hound.
Provence Sceneries
Your last Bed & Breakfast for 4 nights lies just outside a lovely village on the slopes of Mont Ventoux. This former "mas house" has belonged to your hostess’s family for 4 generations and is surrounded by olive and cherry trees. One night, your host Chris will cook a delicious table d’hôtes dinner - a great evening guaranteed.
Mont Ventoux remains the most authentic part of Provence, with little villages such as Vaison la Romaine, Malaucène and Bedoin and dramatic landscapes like “les Dentelles de Montmirail
Discover quaint villages of the Luberon riding an electric bike. You will have several itinerary options, from easy to more sporty, for you to explore hidden hamlets, chapels in the vineyards, wineries, road-trails in the olive trees and evergreen oaks. A great day, at your own pace
Go shopping in Aix-en-Provence or take a sunbath near Cassis. Arles, famous for its Roman Empire arena, will take you 2,000 years back in time.
We recommend you fly out of Marseille to save time and energy. Otherwise, we will be happy to help you plan transportation to your next destination.
After this trip, will you still watch the “Tour de France” on TV?
Activities included
Wine estate visit & tasting
Visit a wine estate with its owner in the Loire Valley. She will take you to the vineyards to explain about terroir, soils and vine. Then you will enjoy a wine tasting together with some local food products.
Tour a St Emilion Winery
Visit a wine estate near St Emilion with a private English speaking guide. After the tour, you will enjoy a picnic lunch together with a tasting of different wines from the estate.
Truffle Hunt
In Dordogne, spend a memorable time looking for truffles with a passionate professional and his truffle hound.
E-Biking Day in Provence
Spend a day in the Luberon gorgeous landscapes driving an electric bike. Several itinerary options for you to enjoy biking at your own pace.
We had a truly remarkable adventure across France. France Just For You created an amazing itinerary that captured the essence of France. Their planning and support made the trip effortless and enjoyable. Each B&B offered a home like atmosphere and allowed us to meet people across the many different regions of France. We were able to experience so …
We had a truly remarkable adventure across France. France Just For You created an amazing itinerary that captured the essence of France. Their planning and support made the trip effortless and enjoyable. Each B&B offered a home like atmosphere and allowed us to meet people across the many different regions of France. We were able to experience so many different regions and taste the wines and foods of each.
The Women's World Cup was our motivation for going, but it was so much more thanks to Laura and Emelie. There were so many personal touches that made us feel like we were part of a large family.
If you want to truly experience France with ease, I highly recommend France Just for You!
Sue
This was our first trip to Europe with just the two of us doing all the planning. I was looking for someone to help with the details of lodging and transportation and found Emilie through this site. She planned an incredible trip for us to Normandy/Brittany, Loire Valley and Paris. She is easy to work with, responsive and organized. I told her what …
This was our first trip to Europe with just the two of us doing all the planning. I was looking for someone to help with the details of lodging and transportation and found Emilie through this site. She planned an incredible trip for us to Normandy/Brittany, Loire Valley and Paris. She is easy to work with, responsive and organized. I told her what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go and she pretty much planned the entire trip. If you aren't sure what you want to do she will make suggestions. A couple of months before the trip she sent a very complete guidebook, maps, tickets, etc. all organized by date. The planned activities kept us busy, but there was flexibility in the schedule if desired. This was our first time traveling on our own with a rental car and we felt very comfortable given Emilie's tips and directions. The lodging in B&Bs was enjoyable with wonderful hosts and guest dinners. Compared to our previous trips to Europe we found Emilie's service to be of comparable value with a more unique travel experience. We would definitely use her service again. Thanks Emilie!
George from the US
The best French experience Wonderful self-drive trip through France. The FJFY team selected wonderful lodging, arranged for all the activities that we were interested in, and made a complex trip very easy. The detailed guide book and app helped us chose our daily activities. The integration of the guide with gps navigation is brilliant, and made …
The best French experience
Wonderful self-drive trip through France. The FJFY team selected wonderful lodging, arranged for all the activities that we were interested in, and made a complex trip very easy. The detailed guide book and app helped us chose our daily activities. The integration of the guide with gps navigation is brilliant, and made our back road and small town adventures a pleasure. Emilie’s care in selecting tour guides, B&Bs, and destinations made the trip uniquely enjoyable. Great fun in the cooking experiences, as well as restaurant recommendations. We heartily recommend France Just for You!
