I can echo everything that has been said in the previous three reviews. The personalization of this entire trip was incredible and Emilie communicated quickly and completely, both …
I can echo everything that has been said in the previous three reviews. The personalization of this entire trip was incredible and Emilie communicated quickly and completely, both in the planning of the trip and after we were in France. My husband and I were spending four weeks in France in celebration of our 50th anniversary. We were a little reluctant to take a trip this long and do this much driving but Emilie's planning and suggestions were so great that we never had any problems. And she arranged the best bed and breakfasts possible. All of the hosts were wonderful and we had some very good dinners around a table with many people from other countries, which was one of the reasons why we wanted to stay at bed and breakfasts. Our tour guides were amazing and at two different places Emilie had left personal notes and gifts. That is just the type of person she is. We asked Emilie if we could meet her and we were fortunate enough to be able to do that in her hometown of Langeais. She is just was delightful as you would expect her to be and she spent over an hour with us. It was one of the highlights of our trips. Every day we had to pinch ourselves that we were doing all of these fabulous things from Paris, to Normandy, to Brittany, to the Loire Valley, to Burgundy, to Provence and to the French Riviera. As you can see, we covered a lot of territory because of Emilie's willingness to customize our trip so that we could see a lot of France. We agree with the suggestion to go with your own GPS. It certainly helps to know how to use it before you arrive. We also suggest that you book your trip well in advance so that Emilie has time to arrange the best bed and breakfasts and the best tour guides. We certainly felt like we had that and we booked our trip seven months ahead. And read your tour book(s) before you go. You will still refer to them each and every day but there is so much general information in the books that we found very helpful. We have NEVER had a better trip and it's because of Emilie. Thank you, Emilie, for truly giving us the trip of a lifetime. We have memories that will last forever because of you.
#1 - A 4* Boutique-Hotel in Saint Germain des PrésIsn't this street "typiquement Parisienne ?"
#1 - A 4* Boutique-Hotel in Saint Germain des PrésEnjoy a large room with a nice reading area
#1 - A 4* Boutique-Hotel in Saint Germain des PrésBreakfast is served in the comfortable lobby
#2 - An Medieval Manor in the Norman countrysideA medieval manor between Bayeux and the landing beaches
#2 - An Medieval Manor in the Norman countrysideAfter a day visiting, relax in the Norman countryside
#2 - An Medieval Manor in the Norman countrysideEnjoy a very spacious room with all the modern amenities
#2 - An Medieval Manor in the Norman countryside...and amazing home-made breakfasts
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint MichelA unique B&B...
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint Michel...with a very delicate 18th century decoration...
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint Michel...and spacious bedrooms
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint MichelAfter an amazing breakfast...
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint Michel..what about a stroll in the gorgeous park?
#4 - A tuffeau stone house in a green valleyA charming tuffeau stone house in a green valley
#4 - A tuffeau stone house in a green valleyRest in a quiet room, full of charm
#4 - A tuffeau stone house in a green valleyor in the garden
#4 - A tuffeau stone house in a green valleyEnjoy a savory home-made cuisine
Step by step
Paris
Start your French journey living the Parisian life! For 3 nights, you will be comfortably accommodated in an intimate 10 room 4* boutique-hotel in the lively Saint Germain des Prés. You will discover the French capital city’s must sees and hidden beauties.
Perfectly based less than a 5-minute walk from Notre Dame Cathedral, you can explore Paris by foot, by boat, or using public transportation, following different and unique itineraries we have prepared for you.
We plan for you to get oriented with a Parisian guide for a half-day, discover Paris most famous buildings along the Seine river and get to learn a lot about French culture and history while having a lot of fun. One night, you will attend a very fun show (in English) . . . a good opportunity to enjoy Paris nightlife.
On the fourth morning, you will pick up the rental car near your hotel and drive 3 hours to Normandy.
Normandy : Bayeux area
The second leg of your journey takes you for 2 nights to the Bayeux area, to a medieval 11th century manor. You will be warmly welcomed by your hostess and get a real feel for the medieval times - while enjoying all the modern comforts. A great experience!
The landing beaches (from Sainte Mère Eglise to Pointe du Hoc) are all easily accessible from this base camp. To help you better understand the events of the Battle of Normandy and bring them to life, we have planned for a guided tour with a specialist in WWII history. You will visit all the main landing sites and learn in detail about what happened here on D-Day.
Normandy's countryside might not be advertised abroad but is really worth the detour: the typical half-timbered villages, the Cider road, the beautiful English style gardens, the traditional apple brandy production, and of course the cheese! A trip to Normandy would not be complete without tasting Camembert or Livarot cheese! If you prefer the seaside, you can visit Honfleur, a picturesque and colorful little harbor town.
Mont Saint Michel staying in a Castle
A place you won't want to miss is the Mont Saint Michel: this sumptuous abbey standing on a tiny island in the middle of the bay is truly the “8th Wonder of the Western world” and is well worth a visit.
You'll stay overnight in a gorgeous castle, a 30 minute drive across the bay from the famous village. This is a unique occasion to really feel what the "vie de château" truly is like !
Staying overnight near Mont Saint Michel is a great opportunity to enjoy the site at night, when the crowds have left.
The Loire Valley
On your way from the Mont Saint Michel to the Loire Valley, we’ll provide all the details you need to visit the old city of Le Mans, where you'll find French history on every corner.
Spend the last 3 nights of your journey in a restored tuffeau house in a green valley between Amboise and Chenonceau. Your hosts know the Loire Valley inside out and can give you tips on finding attractions that tourists usually miss. Your hostess will also cook a delicious dinner for you one night.
Located on the south bank of the Loire River, this charming B&B is within short driving distance to the main Loire Valley landmarks and castles. Experience the real French "good life" strolling around peaceful villages on market days. Included in this itinerary is an Electric Bike rental for a day. You will explore, at your own pace, the nature, villages and castles along the river. No worries, the path along the Loire river is totally flat!
Touraine is also famous for its vineyards – Chinon, Bourgueil, Vouvray and many more – and we have planned a special wine tasting. You will have the opportunity to taste different wines - in a privately owned 16th century castle - accompanied by some local specialties.
On your last day, you will drive back to your Paris airport. If needed, we can also organize an overnight stay near the airport.
This is a good way to get acquainted with Northern France in a short amount of time.
Activities included
Paris Orientation Tour
Discover Paris most famous buildings along the Seine river and get to learn a lot about French culture and history...having a lot of fun.
D-Day Sites Tour
Get a better feel for what happened during the Battle of Normandy in 1944, with a local specialized guide. Spend half a day to visit several US or Canadian sites. You will be in a group of maximum 8 travelers. If you wish, we can also hire a private guide.
A Wine Tasting in a castle in the Loire
Visit a family-owned 16th century castle and winery surrounded by over 100 acres of vineyards and forests.
Enjoy a commented tasting of the wines with some local-product snacks.
Biking day in the castle's country
Spend a day on an Electric Bike at your own pace and discover many castles nestled in the nature. Enjoy a nice picnic with wine. We have tested several itineraries so you can chose depending on your mood and what you would like to see.
We were overwhelmed by the wealth of information available when attempting to plan our 6 week self drive holiday in France. Never having been to France before we found the task daunting and sifting through forums full of information only confused us. We have traveled in New Zealand using a New Zealand based travel adviser and decided to look into …
We were overwhelmed by the wealth of information available when attempting to plan our 6 week self drive holiday in France. Never having been to France before we found the task daunting and sifting through forums full of information only confused us.
We have traveled in New Zealand using a New Zealand based travel adviser and decided to look into using a similar company for this trip.
So glad we did. We found France Just For You and felt as though we were on the right track. After lots of communication with Laura we came up with an itinerary that proved to be terrific. Our accommodation was all fantastic, suggestions of things to do and places to eat, rental car was organised even down to the all important places to park.
We had an unforgettable holiday made so much better on the recommendations of France Just For You. We highly recommend this company if you are wanting guidance for your holiday in France.
Jim
If you want to experience France, but are hesitant because you don’t speak the language, this company is for you. Emilie will prepare an itinerary that is so detailed that even the most inexperienced, non-French speaking traveler will be able to navigate France. Her attention to detail is so incredible that almost everything sitiuation you …
If you want to experience France, but are hesitant because you don’t speak the language, this company is for you. Emilie will prepare an itinerary that is so detailed that even the most inexperienced, non-French speaking traveler will be able to navigate France. Her attention to detail is so incredible that almost everything sitiuation you encounter can be assisted with a page in your “book.” You let her know what you’re interested in experiencing and she will make it happen.
I would highly recommend everything that she planned for us. Raphaelle’s walking tour of Paris, Christophe’s D-Day tour, Brigitte’s cooking class, a bike tour through the Loire Valley, and Amelie’s tour of Mont Saint Michel were incredibly enjoyable. There was plenty of flexibility in our itinerary to make other plans as well.
All of our accommodations were beyond wonderful and the restaurant suggestions were all perfect! Although we didn’t have the time to experience everything suggested, we definitely wish we did!
We are already planning our next trip!
Sandra
We are a group of Wine Aficionados and we recently traveled to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and Paris and were very impressed with this service. It took us quite some time to formalize (and agree) what we wanted in terms of places and wineries we wanted to visit, but in the end "France Just for You" came through with excellent organization and …
We are a group of Wine Aficionados and we recently traveled to Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, and Paris and were very impressed with this service. It took us quite some time to formalize (and agree) what we wanted in terms of places and wineries we wanted to visit, but in the end "France Just for You" came through with excellent organization and planning that enabled us to have a worry-free vacation. The lodging was very good in every place they put us up in, except that in several of the Bed & Breakfasts where there was no Air Condition (Saint Emilion and Champagne) and there was a Heat Wave so it was difficult to sleep some nights, however the cleanliness and service in every place was fantastic--especially the Breakfasts and the FANTASTIC hosts. The Tour Guides were exceptional as well in every place we visited. Do make sure a Wine Guide is provided as they have contacts, and know the area, so this way, there is minimal time wasted.
Laura provided a fantastic book with ALL the information you may need, organized by day. From things to do, how to get to places, where to get help, etc. Make sure you READ it!! The transportation arrangements were excellent, including Car Rentals.
The only thing that did not go well was the provisioning of 2 Mobile phones that were supposed to be delivered to our first place of stay, but one of them did not work, and because we were on the move a lot, that (non working) phone replacement did not get to us until toward the end of the trip, which made it a little inconvenient, and added extra expense to us, for which they did their best to make it up to us. If this was the only bad thing about the trip, that tells you how good the whole thing was!
I would use "France Just for You" again for any trip to France. They saved us time and headaches, and helped us have a great vacation with memories to last a lifetime.
