in Burgundy, Dordogne, Bordeaux, Loire Valley & Normandy
Wine Tasting
Towns & Villages
Gourmet Food
This itinerary is for independent travelers who may already know the southern coast of France and who are looking for discovering the “inside” of the country. Five regions that are totally different from each other, showing you the diversity of France.
Dealing with Emilie is like having a personal concierge. The 10 day trip was perfect. She allowed time to relax and we were able to experience France like locals. This is our 8 th …
Dealing with Emilie is like having a personal concierge. The 10 day trip was perfect. She allowed time to relax and we were able to experience France like locals. This is our 8 th trip to France but after this tour, it will not be our last.
Thank you Emilie!
#1 - A beautiful house nestled in a lovely town near BeauneStay in a gorgeous valley, in the Burgundy countryside
#1 - A beautiful house nestled in a lovely town near BeauneIn a very typical town
#1 - A beautiful house nestled in a lovely town near BeauneYour charming hosts will turn breakfasts into a very special moment of your trip
#1 - A beautiful house nestled in a lovely town near Beaune..let's not forget about this host as well !
#1 - A beautiful house nestled in a lovely town near BeauneSpend very quiet nights, in a relaxing room
#1 - A beautiful house nestled in a lovely town near BeauneEnjoy a delicious dinner cooked by your host who used to be a Chef
#1 - A beautiful house nestled in a lovely town near Beaune...in a very nicely decorated room
#2 - A Perigord style house, in central DordogneStay only 15 minutes to Sarlat in the heart of the medieval Dordogne
#2 - A Perigord style house, in central DordogneEnjoy a fantastic dinner by the swimming pool or the fire place
#2 - A Perigord style house, in central DordogneThis medieval castle is walking distance from your B&B
#2 - A Perigord style house, in central DordogneYour lovely hosts know the region perfectly
#3 - A former wine estateStay right in the Medoc vineyards
#3 - A former wine estateRelax by the vineyards or at the pool or spa
#3 - A former wine estateMeet with your lovely hosts who used to live Sth America
#3 - A former wine estateYou room has a very relaxing decoration
#4 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityA Bordeaux classical architecture
#4 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityMixed with modern touches - which makes the place very special
#4 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityThe rooms are much larger than usual, being downtown a major city
#4 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityYour lovely hosts are multilinguals. Your host comes from a winemaker family
#4 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityEnjoy the views of Bordeaux roofs !
#5 - A gorgeous private castle in the LoireStay in a fairytale castle in the Loire Valley
#5 - A gorgeous private castle in the Loiresettle in a very spacious room, overlooking the park
#5 - A gorgeous private castle in the LoireRelax in one of the guests' reading rooms
#5 - A gorgeous private castle in the Loireif you are not too scared, take the underground passages to the swimming pool !
#6 - A comfortable B&B in the Kings' countryYour BB in the Loire Valley
#6 - A comfortable B&B in the Kings' countryEnjoy a very cozy room, with a nice view over the park
#6 - A comfortable B&B in the Kings' countryRelax at the swimming pool, playing billiards or in a nice living room
#7 - An Medieval Manor in the Norman countrysideA medieval manor between Bayeux and the landing beaches
#7 - An Medieval Manor in the Norman countrysideAfter a day visiting, relax in the Norman countryside
#7 - An Medieval Manor in the Norman countrysideEnjoy a very spacious room with all the modern amenities
#7 - An Medieval Manor in the Norman countryside...and amazing home-made breakfasts
#8 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny townStay away from the crowds only 2 miles to Monet's house and gardens
#8 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny townRest in a spacious room, lavishly decorated...
#8 - A Gorgeous Mansion on the hill above Giverny town...or in the welcoming living room
Step by step
Welcome to Burgundy
As you will probably land in a Paris airport, we plan for you to pick up your rental car right at the airport and drive 3 hours to Burgundy. We will plan for a nice lunch stop on the way.
You will reside for 4 nights in a beautiful house, nestled in a lovely village of the Burgundy countryside. Situated in the heart of Burgundy, between Dijon and Beaune, you will be perfectly located to tour the region and taste its wines. One night, enjoy a delicious dinner prepared by your host who used to be a Chef !
Authentic Burgundy is much more than the vineyards: winding roads leading to tiny timeless villages - some of them "Most Beautiful Villages of France" - will give you a real feel for this region. Dijon has kept a lot of ancient monuments and houses, yet it is a modern and lively city full of charm. Taste some local cheese, the "Epoisse" at the cheese factory or stroll around Beaune, from the cellars to the ramparts.
For the "Gourmets", you will meet with Olivier who was a chef in star-rated restaurants. He will teach you how to cook some typical Burgundy dishes revised to make them some very sophisticated courses. A great cooking class !
Prehistoric & Medieval Dordogne
On the 5th day, you will drive across the Massif Central to reach the Dordogne region.
In Dordogne, history is around every corner. In the lush river valley, you will spend the following 5 nights in a beautifully restored stone house. Your lovely hosts will cook a delicious dinner inspired by local traditions. We'll tell you where to find the most typical goat cheeses - and if you like outdoor activities, you'll be in paradise.
Dordogne is famous for the prehistoric caves such as Lascaux and we will recommend to you much more intimate visits, in 20,000 year old caves. If you are interested in history or if you are a JM Auel reader, these are a must!
The Bordeaux Wine Region
Get acquainted with the Bordeaux region, staying first for 3 nights in the Médoc, in a house surrounded by the vineyards. Your lovely hosts will be happy to share with you all the wine places that they keep selecting all year long.
Visit a Medoc wine estate with an English-speaking guide: from the vineyards near the castle to the wine storehouses. After the tour, you'll make your own blend with different varieties and end this 2hr tour with a wine tasting, but of course!...pairing wines with chocolates !
You will then spend 2 nights in downtown Bordeaux and enjoy discovering this lively city and within walking distance from the historical district.
Built along the banks of the Garonne river, the opulent merchants' homes are very specific to Bordeaux. The rise of colonial trade together with the growth of the wine industry contributed to the amazing expansion of the Gironde region during the 18th century.
The Loire Valley in a castle
On the 15th day, you will move to the Northern Loire Valley and treat yourself with 2 nights in a charming and romantic Renaissance castle in the heart of the Loire Valley. The perfect place to be introduced to the "castle country" while enjoying the warm welcome of the owners themselves.
Central Loire
Your trip continues to the wilder part of the Loire Valley. Stay for 5 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-star restaurant is only 1.5 miles away . . . a great opportunity to plan for an extraordinary dinner !
From here, you will explore the Loire Valley's most famous sites: Chambord or Chenonceau, Chaumont gardens and if you want to do some shopping, you may enjoy Tours.
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.
You will also wander into tiny villages dotted along the Loire river and get a taste of French gastronomy in restaurants and local markets we have tested for you.
Normandy – World War & Middle Ages
For 3 nights, taste the Norman quietness in a manor from the 11th century. Jump into the Middle Ages while still enjoying all the modern amenities . . . and amazing breakfasts cooked by your lovely hostess.
Perfectly located between Bayeux and the WWII beaches, you will get a real feel for the Norman history, from William the Conqueror to the Second World War.
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.
Last night in Giverny
Spend your last night in Giverny, which is only a 1hr drive to Paris and to CDG Airport, so very convenient. Get a last feel for Normandy and if you are interested in painting, you will enjoy Monet’s house and gardens very much.
We can plan for you to return the car where it is the most convenient for you.
In this tour, you will uncover the Many Facets of France !
Activities included
Burgundy Cooking Class
Meet with Olivier who was a Chef in star rated restaurants. He will teach you how to cook some typical Burgundy dishes revised to make them some very sophisticated courses.
Bordeaux Wine tasting & blending
Visit a Medoc wine estate with an English speaking guide: from the vineyards to the wine storehouses. After the tour, you'll make your own blend with different varieties and pair wines with 3 chocolates.
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.
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.
We would highly recommend “France Just for You” and will most defiantly use the services of Emilie again. At the end of April 2017 we spend two weeks in France visiting Normandy, Mont Saint Michel, Lorie Valley and Paris. We can would sum the trip in one word “Perfect!”. Emilie well prepared us with a personalized book, (179 pages) , describing our …
We would highly recommend “France Just for You” and will most defiantly use the services of Emilie again. At the end of April 2017 we spend two weeks in France visiting Normandy, Mont Saint Michel, Lorie Valley and Paris. We can would sum the trip in one word “Perfect!”. Emilie well prepared us with a personalized book, (179 pages) , describing our accommodations, things to see and the history of the area. She gave great recommendations of restaurants, sights and always provided the GPS coordinates which were invaluable. All of the B&B accommodations were wonderful with welcoming host that spoke English. I cannot tell how easy Emilie made traveling abroad for us, we looked forward to what each and every day would bring, except of the last day when we had to leave.
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!
Carol & Don
For our journey in the Loire Valley, we could not have hoped for more gracious, firendly and hospitable hosts. They made us feel like long time friends. It has been wonderful sharing this time with this French family and we hope we may meet again. The guidebook was totally professional and indispensable ! Aurevoir et merci beaucoup
For our journey in the Loire Valley, we could not have hoped for more gracious, firendly and hospitable hosts. They made us feel like long time friends. It has been wonderful sharing this time with this French family and we hope we may meet again.
The guidebook was totally professional and indispensable !
Aurevoir et merci beaucoup
