Normandy & the Loire Valley Loop

Giverny, Home of the Impressionnists

• Your journey starts in Giverny. 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 cut-the-line tickets that enable you to avoid waiting at Monet’s house and gardens.
• In Giverny, we have planned a 2-night-stay in a historical domain from the 13^th century, which has been beautifully restored, only few minutes’ walk to Monet’s house & gardens. This will give you enough time to recover from jetlag and discover the Seine river valley.

Normandy: the Bayeux area

• The second leg of your journey takes you to a peaceful countryside house, located between Bayeux's old town and the Landing Beaches. Your hosts travel a lot and will be happy to share stories with you around breakfast. 
• Spend 3 nights near Bayeux and 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 and you can quickly access Gold and Juno landing beaches as well as 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 for a private 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. 

The Mont Saint Michel & Eastern Brittany

• On your way to the Loire Valley, 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 wonder! 
• Stay 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!
• Discover Mont Saint Michel 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.

The Loire Valley from a family Castle

• The Loire Valley will welcome you with its renowned "sweet life", its Renaissance castles and gardens, and its famous gastronomy and wines. 
• Stay for 3 nights in a privately owned family château, surrounded by 17 hectares of peaceful parkland and magnificent century-old cedar trees. Share breakfast around the family table with your welcoming hosts, exchange stories about life at the château, then wander through the grounds or hop on a bike to explore one of the Loire Valley’s finest castles nearby.
• You are also perfectly located to discover all the marvels of the Loire Valley: the castles of Chambord, Chenonceau and Azay-le-Rideau, the old towns of Saumur, Chinon and Amboise. Meet Chris who will take you to the vineyards and explain the vine work, stroll through the estate’s lovely park, then taste four local wines paired with the family’s own charcuterie, cheeses and biscuits.
• Spend the last 2 nights of your trip in an intimate boutique hotel in the same street as one of the Loire Valley’s finest Renaissance castles, with restaurants and cafés just a short stroll away.
• Cruise along the Loire river as a passenger aboard a vintage sidecar : explore the little villages and enjoy the landscapes.
• We also plan for you to enjoy a delicious cheese and wine apéritif right at a family-run goat farm, for an authentic taste of local life and Loire Valley flavors.

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