Just returned from an amazing trip with our family, including 3 teenage boys. Emilie carefully listened to our request to focus on military history and arranged an itinerary with …
Just returned from an amazing trip with our family, including 3 teenage boys. Emilie carefully listened to our request to focus on military history and arranged an itinerary with just the right balance of history, culture, art, and military history. We had incredible guides to Paris, WWI, and WWII sites plus unique B&Bs. So many memories!
#1 - 5 minute drive to Mont Saint MichelA 17th century farm
#1 - 5 minute drive to Mont Saint Michelwith a nice old-stone ambiance
#1 - 5 minute drive to Mont Saint Michel...and very comfortable rooms
#2 - A beautiful countryside house near Bayeuxstay in a very quiet setting between Bayeux and the Landing Beaches
#2 - A beautiful countryside house near Bayeuxenjoy a comfortable room
#2 - A beautiful countryside house near BayeuxShare a delicious table dhôtes dinner with your hosts
#2 - A beautiful countryside house near BayeuxRelax in the guests living room or in the garden
#3 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny townStay away from the crowds only 2 miles to Monet's house and gardens
#3 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny townRest in a spacious room, lavishly decorated...
#3 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny town...or in the welcoming living room
Step by step
Mont Saint Michel
On your first day you can pick up the rental car in Paris, CDG Airport (with about a 4hr drive) or in Rennes city which is closer (1hr drive).
You'll spend the first 3 nights of your journey in a charming Bed & Breakfast, just a 5 minute drive to Mont Saint Michel ! Your welcoming Hosts will be happy to answer your questions or explain your about their region. They have a typical Norman stone house, surrounded by a nice garden.
A place you won't want to miss is obviously THE Mont Saint Michel: this sumptuous abbey standing on a tiny island in the middle of a bay is truly the “8th wonder of the Western world” and is well worth a visit. 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 and abbey off the beaten path.
You will also spend a day in the very near & typical Brittany: Saint Malo, Dinan will give you a great taste of this special region of France.
Normandy: the Bayeux area
The second leg of your journey takes you to a peaceful countryside house, locatedbetween 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.
Deauville and Honfleur are within driving distance and the Normandy countryside 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 cheese!
To get familiar with Norman gastronomy, we have planned for you a cooking class with Brigitte. She will welcome you in her home where you’ll prepare a 3 course meal that you will savor for lunch. A fun experience!
Giverny : Monet's town
Your journey ends in Giverny, for an overnight stay in a gorgeous mansion, 2 miles from Monet house, in the orchards. 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.
You are only a 1hr drive to Paris car return or to CDG Airport, very convenient to end your trip or for a next step.
What a week !
Activities included
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.
Private Guide on the WWII sites
Spend a half day with a private guide who will customize the itinerary to your wishes and interests. A must do to better understand what happened on D-Day.
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 planned the trip of a lifetime for my husband and me. We traveled to Normandy, St. Saint Michele, the Loire Valley and Provence. We are typically not road trip travelers, but this adventure brought us closer to the wonderful people of France than any group tour or "drop and plop" vacation could ever do. The bed and breakfasts …
France Just For You planned the trip of a lifetime for my husband and me. We traveled to Normandy, St. Saint Michele, the Loire Valley and Provence. We are typically not road trip travelers, but this adventure brought us closer to the wonderful people of France than any group tour or "drop and plop" vacation could ever do. The bed and breakfasts were charming, and the time we spend talking with our interesting hosts lent so much warmth to the trip. The guides Emilie provided were knowledgeable and personable. One of the best experiences of our lives was hiking in St. Saint Michel Bay at night, in the water, with our guide Roman. Each day was outlined with many suggestions and background information to allow you to make choices based on our interests and energy level. She set up experiences, such a wine tastings or cooking classes based on our feedback to her questions before we went. The book Emilie provided and the maps couldn't have been more detailed or better organized for easy use. I will say that it's important to read EVERYTHING before you go, as there's so much great information that you need time to become familiar with the guide before you go. Also, take Emilie's advice about the gps. She suggested you download maps either on your own device or your phone before you go. We used an internet app on our phone, which worked great, until your internet service dropped. (not often) The gps in the rental car was not in English in one of the cars, but it was in the other. Also, she gives you great tips about how to use the toll road systems, and even how to learn where to stand to get the TGV spot to wait for your car. One more tip: "drop a pin" on the maps app on your phone whenever you leave your car. We "misplaced" our car twice...makes a great story but is not very fun in the moment! We had a simply wonderful trip. Even though we never met Emilie, we felt like she was a friend because of all of the quick and thorough communication. We definitely recommend France Just For You, and we hope to have the opportunity to return to see the rest of France very soon!
Valerie
Emilie deserves every 5 (actually I give her 10!) star review since we never dreamed our 2 week trip through the Loire, Normandy and Paris could be so perfect. One of the many steps above and beyond was arranging a full-day private tour in Normandy since my husband's uncle (who is still alive) was there on D-Day. Our guide, Noémie, knew in advance …
Emilie deserves every 5 (actually I give her 10!) star review since we never dreamed our 2 week trip through the Loire, Normandy and Paris could be so perfect. One of the many steps above and beyond was arranging a full-day private tour in Normandy since my husband's uncle (who is still alive) was there on D-Day. Our guide, Noémie, knew in advance about Uncle Gerald and geared our visit accordingly with her depth of knowledge.
Emilie arranged ways to beat the crowds at the touristy sites, but more importantly arrange charming B&Bs and recommend enchanting itineraries. The gourmet host dinners with other travelers at the B&Bs were a highlight. And the hosts were so welcoming and helpful during our stay.
The smartphone, the book with suggested restaurants and must-see places, and the envelope full of city maps and brochures make France Just for You a unique and top-notch choice for planning a vacation in France. We will use Emilie and Laura for a future trip to Burgundy? Dordogne? Provence? Who knows? They will help us figure it out.
Elizabeth
My husband and I just returned from two magnificent weeks in France that included four nights in Paris, four nights in the Loire Valley, two nights near Mont Saint Michel, three nights in Bayeux, near the WWII Landing Beaches and one night at a CDG airport hôtel. We stayed in charming B&Bs with equally charming hosts who recommended great places to …
My husband and I just returned from two magnificent weeks in France that included four nights in Paris, four nights in the Loire Valley, two nights near Mont Saint Michel, three nights in Bayeux, near the WWII Landing Beaches and one night at a CDG airport hôtel. We stayed in charming B&Bs with equally charming hosts who recommended great places to eat and were very knowledgeable about the local area. Emilie provides exceptional services that includes a guidebook, complete with GPS coordinates for all accommodations, activities, restaurants and even parking! We could not have had a more perfect experience and heartily recommend Emilie's services at France Just For You!
