From the Loire Valley castles, the famous village of Mont Saint Michel surrounded by water, the landings beaches and the Norman countryside . . . to end the trip at Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny: you’ll have to keep your eyes wide open!
We have traveled in Europe a dozen times. Our trip to France, the Loire Valley and Normandy was one of the very best. Their custom self-guided tours are based on places and …
We have traveled in Europe a dozen times. Our trip to France, the Loire Valley and Normandy was one of the very best. Their custom self-guided tours are based on places and activities that interest you. Emelie listened to what we wanted and created an itinerary that was just what we wanted as well as some suggestions for other things we might try. Emelie created a spiral bound book with information about traveling in France as well as detailed information about the B & Bs, maps, directions and all the places we planned to visit. The B & Bs were lovely old stone buildings with modern comforts. A private cooking class, a private tour of an ancient church in the mountains, and a guided tour of Normandy were features we really enjoyed. The chateaus and gardens [my personal favorites] were magnificent. Normandy was so moving. I am glad that we had a guide who spent the entire day with just us. We learned and saw so many things we would have missed on our own. We would urge you to consider France Just for You. We loved our trip and would use them again. GPS was a life saver.
Chateaux of the Loire & Norman History
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Your accommodations
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#1 - A comfortable B&B in the Kings' countryYour BB in the Loire Valley
#1 - A comfortable B&B in the Kings' countryEnjoy a very cozy room, with a nice view over the park
#1 - A comfortable B&B in the Kings' countryRelax at the swimming pool, playing billiards or in a nice living room
#1 - A comfortable B&B in the Kings' countryand meet with a lovely family
#2 - A former presbytery from the 18th century near Mont Saint MichelStay, hidden from the crowds, near Mont Saint Michel
#2 - A former presbytery from the 18th century near Mont Saint MichelEnjoy a very comfortable BandB where you will feel at home
#2 - A former presbytery from the 18th century near Mont Saint MichelYour host is a professinnal Chef, be ready for a savory dinner !
#2 - A former presbytery from the 18th century near Mont Saint Michelthis is the view from your room
#3 - A lovely house in NormandyStay downtown Bayeux, 1 minute walk to the Cathedral
#3 - A lovely house in Normandy...in a beautifully renovated house...
#3 - A lovely house in Normandy...with a a spacious room and lovely hosts
#4 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny townStay away from the crowds only 2 miles to Monet's house and gardens
#4 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny townRest in a spacious room, lavishly decorated...
#4 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny town...or in the welcoming living room
Step by step
The Loire Valley
You can pick up the rental car in Paris or at the airport and drive 3 hours to the gorgeous Loire Valley. This region and its people will welcome you with its renowned "sweet life", its Renaissance castles and gardens, and its famous gastronomy and wines.
You will stay for 3 nights in a very pleasant family house which is located half-way between Blois and Amboise, in the heart of the "castle country." Also, a Michelin 2-star restaurant is only 1.5 miles away . . . a great opportunity to plan for an extraordinary dinner !
From here, explore all the marvels of the Loire Valley: the castles of Chambord, Chenonceau or Azay-le-Rideau, and the old historical towns of Chinon and Amboise.
Discover the vineyards of the Loire Valley with Vincent who has worked in wine-making for the past 10 years and will take you to his favorite wineries in the area. You will have the opportunity to taste very different wines: red, whites, still or sparkling. You will be able to taste to your heart's delight - Vincent will drive you back to your B&B safely.
Private Mont Saint Michel
On your way to Normandy, stop over for 2 nights near the Mont Saint Michel: this ancient beautiful abbey sits on top of a tidal island in the middle of Mont Saint Michel Bay. A true wonder!
You'll spend the next two nights in a former presbytery from the 18th century, located half-way between the famous village of Mont Saint Michel and the lovely port of Saint Malo. One night, enjoy a delicious dinner prepared by your host, who is also a chef.
For you to avoid the "up and down walk" on the crowded street on Mont Saint Michel, you'll follow a local English speaking private guide who will help you discover this amazing village, off the beaten path.
Normandy : D Day Landing area
Spend the following 2 nights in a lovely house, located in downtown Bayeux, a few minutes walk to the Cathedral, the tapestry, the restaurants and shops. Jump into the local history: from William the Conqueror in the 11th century whose adventures are illustrated in the Bayeux tapestry, to the Battle of Normandy in 1944.
Many remains of the WWII landings are still visible everywhere and you can quickly access Omaha and Juno landing beaches as well as the artificial port of Arromanches or the Caen Memorial.
You will spend a morning with Brigitte, who will teach you how to make a real norman meal. Then you'll enjoy lunch in her welcoming dining room or on the terrace.
Giverny : Monet's town
Your journey ends in Giverny, 1 hour drive to Paris-CDG airport. This tiny unchanged village takes you back to the 19th century when the great painter Claude Monet created a new art movement: impressionism.
Monet's gardens are beautifully maintained, exactly as they were when Monet painted them. We include in this itinerary a cut-the-line ticket that enables you to avoid the wait at Monet’s house and gardens.
In Giverny, we have planned for a 2-night stay in a gorgeous mansion, 2 miles from Giverny town, in the orchards. This will give you enough time to follow Valerie's advice and discover the Seine Valley, Les Andelys and maybe even Versailles at your own pace.
You’ll get a bit of everything you’ll be looking for in France: culture, scenic roads, lovely towns, gastronomy & history!
Activities included
Wine Tasting Tour
Spend a half-day wine tasting with a professional. He will take you to several cellars so you can enjoy the diversity of the Loire Valley wines.
Mont Saint Michel Private Tour
Discover this unique village and its Abbey with a local guide who will explain you about its history and traditions. She will take you to many small streets to see places that tourist usually don't see.
Norman cooking Class
Spend a morning with Brigitte who will teach you how to make a real norman meal. Then you'll enjoy the lunch in her welcoming dining room or in the terrace.
Monet's House & Garden
Avoid wasting time standing in line, use the by-pass line to visit the house of Monet and its famous gardens. Follow in the footsteps of this painter and the American Impressionists in the small town of Giverny.
France-Just for You is the best agency/coordinator we have EVER used. We have traveled around the world to more than 50 countries and this was by far the best job of coordination we ever experienced. The owner, Emilie, lives in France and is 100% accessible by email or phone. We emailed her the first time we learned about her business and from then …
France-Just for You is the best agency/coordinator we have EVER used. We have traveled around the world to more than 50 countries and this was by far the best job of coordination we ever experienced. The owner, Emilie, lives in France and is 100% accessible by email or phone. We emailed her the first time we learned about her business and from then on her attention to detail and efficiency were outstanding. She outlined a custom trip for us based on our criteria and then created a detailed plan for us to follow with options for various activities. She took care of every detail, bike rental, car rental, cooking class , museum passes, directions etc etc. Then, about a month before we went , she mailed us a 300+ page book custom created for our trip which gave background information on all the places we were to visit, gps directions, options for different routes, recommendations for restaurants, background on bed and breakfast hosts (whom she personally meets with), comments on French customs, and hundreds of tips and suggestions. Her guide was so complete, we did not need any other books. She created an experience for us we will never forget. When we return to France we will ask her to plan the trip for us.
Tonya & Bob
We did 2 weeks May to June to Normandy, Loire Valley and Paris and had a wonderful time. We gave Laura our list of must see and do items and our budget and she took care of the rest. From arranging our auto rental to providing suggestions to the French smart phones, everything was taken care of and good not have been easier. When our car got a flat …
We did 2 weeks May to June to Normandy, Loire Valley and Paris and had a wonderful time. We gave Laura our list of must see and do items and our budget and she took care of the rest. From arranging our auto rental to providing suggestions to the French smart phones, everything was taken care of and good not have been easier. When our car got a flat tire Laura was available to us every step of the way translating for us and making arrangements for a new car to be delivered. We loved her suggestion for a French cooking lesson and had a great time with our hostess making a meal in her own lovely home. The wine tasing in troglodyte cave was another wonderful suggestion of her. Wonderful memories we made!
Naomi
My boyfriend and I spent a week in Paris last month and we decided that we would do a couple of day-tours outside of the city during our trip. We really wanted to avoid the typical tour-bus day-tour and the crowds that come along with these kinds of tours – we wanted something more personalized that would allow us to go at our own pace. I found the …
My boyfriend and I spent a week in Paris last month and we decided that we would do a couple of day-tours outside of the city during our trip. We really wanted to avoid the typical tour-bus day-tour and the crowds that come along with these kinds of tours – we wanted something more personalized that would allow us to go at our own pace. I found the France Just For You website and the ‘Bayeux and World War II Sites in a Day’ tour seemed to be exactly the type of thing we were looking for, as we’re both really interested in history. On a personal note, this tour appealed to me because my grandfather fought in Normandy in World War II. I filled up the contact form on the website and Emilie got back to me the same day. She organized every little detail to make it the perfect tour for us: she booked our return train tickets from Paris, organized for us to spend the morning on our own in the picturesque old town of Bayeux, where we enjoyed exploring the cathedral and saw the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Emilie sent over maps and directions and recommended a fantastic restaurant for lunch. After lunch, our private guide Christophe met us at the agreed meeting point in Bayeux and took us to the Normandy landing sites. I had explained to Emilie that I specifically wanted to visit this site as my grandpa had fought for one of the American infantry divisions that landed in Normandy in 1944. Christophe was extremely knowledgeable (and very patient with all of my questions!) and took us to the sites where my grandpa’s battalion would have fought. It was a very moving experience, especially when I thought back to the stories that my grandpa used to tell me about the war.
I really couldn’t have chosen a better tour option. It was perfectly customized to the preferences that I had given to Emilie, and she was very thorough and asked all of the right questions to help her plan the perfect day for us. We knew how to contact her in case there were any problems on the day (which there weren't), and the fact that everything was planned for us meant that we could just focus on enjoying the day. Thank you so much, I wouldn’t hesitate to book with you again!
