Normandy & the Loire Valley: French Must-Sees

From the landing beaches to the chateaus of the Loire Valley: discover French heritage and gastronomy while staying in B&Bs full of history.

Normandy

• Your first B&B for 2 nights is a very old mansion downtown Bayeux, at a stone throw from the gorgeous Cathedral. You will be walking distance to all shops and restaurants and enjoy this lovely typical French town. 
• From there you are within reach of all the D-Day sites and museums: from Sainte Mère Eglise to Ouistreham, Isigny, pointe du Hoc, the artificial port of Arromanches or the Caen Memorial. To help you better understand the events of the Battle of Normandy and bring them to life, we have planned a guided tour with a specialist in WWII history.You will be shown all the main landing sites and learn in detail about what happened here on D-Day.
• Deauville and Honfleur are within driving distance, Honfleur really deserves a visit for its picturesque harbor and Deauville for its famous Grand Casino, its racecourse and luxury cars. This part of Normandy is also famous for its seafood, especially scallops from Port en Bessin and oysters from Asnelles.
• The Normandy back country might be less famous but is certainly worth a detour: the typical half-timbered villages, the Cider road, the beautiful English style gardens, the apple brandy traditional manufacturers…and of course the cheeses…a trip to Normandy would not be complete without tasting Camembert or Livarot cheeses!
• Onyour way to the Loire Valley, stop over for a night near Mont Saint Michel: this ancient beautiful abbey sitting on top of a tidal island in the middle of Mont Saint Michel Bay. A true wonder! Stay in a gorgeous castle from the 18th century 20 minute drive to the famous village. Your welcoming Hosts own the place for several generations and you'll really feel what the "vie de château" looks like. 

The Loire Valley

• The Loire Valley will welcome you with its renowned "sweet life", its Renaissance castles and gardens, and its famous gastronomy. You will stay for 3 nights in the oubuildings of a disappeared monastery dating back to the 14th century. Your charming Hosts know very well this region and will be happy to share some tips with you. One night, you will share a delicious home-cooked dinner, prepared by Monsieur. Do not miss the aperitive in the underground vaulted cellar - an out-of-time experience!
• You can also wander off the beaten path into tiny villages stretched along the Vienne and Loire rivers and get a taste of French gastronomy in restaurants and local markets we have tested for you. Touraine is also famous for its vineyards – Chinon, Bourgueil, Vouvray, Amboise and many more – and we have planned a special wine tasting in a wine estate hosted in a castle in the Loire Valley. You will visit the place from the vineyard to the cellars, enjoy a great tasting and then a nice picnic in a romantic setting. 
• Depending on your next destination, you can return the rental car directly at CDG airport, downtown Paris or in another location. 

History, culture, gastronomy, "the sweet life", this is France!