Grand tour of France for groups: Mont-Saint-Michel, the Loire and the French Riviera

Day 1 : Rouen and Normandy

• Morning departure from the location of your choice.
• Drive to Normandy, with regular breaks along the way.
• Stop in Rouen: Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Rue du Gros-Horloge and the Place du Vieux-Marché.
• Arrival in the Bayeux area in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 2 : The D-Day beaches

• Visit to the Bayeux Tapestry (on request).
• Arromanches and the remains of the artificial harbour, then the Pointe du Hoc.
• Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer.
• Specialist guide for the D-Day day (on request).
• Drive to the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 3 : Mont-Saint-Michel and journey to the Loire

• Shuttle from the car park to Mont-Saint-Michel and walk up the Grande-Rue.
• Visit to the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel (on request).
• Drive to the Loire Valley via Rennes and Angers.
• Arrival in Touraine in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 4 : The Loire châteaux

• Visit to the Château de Chenonceau, built over the Cher.
• A walk in Amboise, at the foot of the royal château.
• Visit to the Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci's last home (on request).
• In the afternoon, visit to the Château de Chambord.
• Tasting of Vouvray wines in a cave cellar (on request).
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 5 : To the Périgord

• Drive south through the Limousin.
• Arrival in Sarlat in the early afternoon.
• Discovery of the medieval town of Sarlat and its golden-stone mansions.
• Guided tour of Sarlat (on request).
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 6 : The Périgord Noir

• Visit to Lascaux IV, the full replica of the decorated cave, in Montignac.
• A walk in La Roque-Gageac, a village nestled against the cliff.
• Gabarre boat trip on the Dordogne (on request).
• Free late afternoon in Sarlat.
• Dinner of Périgord regional cuisine (on request).

Day 7 : Rocamadour and Lourdes

• Stop in Rocamadour, a religious town clinging to the cliff.
• Drive to the Pyrenees via Cahors and Montauban.
• Arrival in Lourdes in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).
• Torchlight procession, in season.

Day 8 : The Pyrenees

• Drive through the Luz-Saint-Sauveur valley to Gavarnie.
• Walk towards the Cirque de Gavarnie, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Ride up to the cirque on a donkey or horse (on request).
• Free afternoon in Lourdes: the sanctuaries and the Grotto of Massabielle.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 9 : Carcassonne and Provence

• Drive to Languedoc.
• Visit to the medieval walled city of Carcassonne and its ramparts.
• Cassoulet lunch in the walled city (on request).
• Drive to Provence and arrival in Avignon in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 10 : Avignon and the Pont du Gard

• Visit to the Palace of the Popes and the Pont Saint-Bénézet.
• A walk through the alleys of Avignon within the walls.
• Free afternoon, or excursion to the Pont du Gard (on request).
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 11 : Les Baux-de-Provence and the French Riviera

• Drive through the Alpilles to Les Baux-de-Provence.
• Immersive show at the Carrières des Lumières (on request).
• Drive to the French Riviera and arrival in Nice in the late afternoon.
• A walk along the Promenade des Anglais.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 12 : Nice, Èze and Monaco

• Discovery of Old Nice and the Cours Saleya market.
• Drive along the Moyenne Corniche to the hilltop village of Èze.
• Visit to Monaco: the Rock, the Prince's Palace and the cathedral, then Monte-Carlo and its casino.
• Free late afternoon in Nice.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 13 : The Route des Alpes

• Drive to the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.
• Stop in Sisteron, at the foot of its citadel.
• Drive via Grenoble and arrival in Annecy in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 14 : Annecy and Burgundy

• A walk in the old town of Annecy, along the canals to the Palais de l'Isle.
• Cruise on Lake Annecy (on request).
• Drive to Burgundy and arrival in Beaune in the mid-afternoon.
• Visit to the Hospices de Beaune and their glazed-tile roof.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Burgundian dinner (on request).

Day 15 : The Route des Grands Crus

• The Route des Grands Crus to the Château du Clos de Vougeot.
• Tasting of Burgundy wines in a cellar (on request).
• Return journey through Lorraine, with regular breaks along the way.
• Arrival back in your region in the evening.