FRANCE: Loire Valley and Bordeaux with Luxury & Style (8 Days): A Sample Itinerary

ID #: DT-F-8-3-8-11-RAIJ


 
Loire Valley
Bordeaux

DavidTravel Itinerary Highlights include:

Revel in the history and beauty that surrounds you as you travel through the captivating and colorful French countryside that was once the favorite playground of French royalty. The Loire Valley, with its glorious châteaux, historic villages and rambling vineyards, presents a display of magnificent architecture in an exceptional cultural landscape of great beauty. Get lost in another century as you enjoy private visits to the fairy-tale castles — and feel like nobility when you stay in one of the best of the historic chateaux. Feel the excitement of the Renaissance come alive as you explore the Bordeaux region from the valley to the sea. Let yourself be smitten by the charm of France’s joie de vivre, and indulge in tasty dishes and fine wine as you explore two of the most venerable wine regions in the world.

• Experience Paris – full of romantic architecture, art and history

• The historic chateaux in the Loire Valley

• Exploring the models of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions at the Manoir du Clos Luce

• Tasting the unique Vouvray wines at Domaine Marc Bredif

• Touring the medieval wooden facades of Tour’s Old Town

• Wine tasting in Renaissance Chateaux throughout Bordeaux

• Viewing the sand dunes at Arcachon Bay on the Atlantic Ocean

• Visit a local oyster village for a meal of fresh oysters and wine

Overview:

France - the world's most popular tourist destination - can confidently claim to offer it all, from glamorous beaches and storybook castles to panoramic countryside and city chic. It's a country of dramatic juxtapositions - the expansive boulevards of Paris, the timeless greenery of the Loire Valley, the wide slopes of the Alps, the lavender fields of Provence, the gourmet restaurants of Lyon, the rugged charm of Corsica - and one which, when taken as a whole, presents a near-perfect visitor package.

Paris itself is one of the globe's truly great cities: a multi-layered realm of high fashion, historical riches and haute cuisine. But seen in a wider context, it's just one of many world-class tourist destinations that France has to offer. "How could one describe a country which has 365 kinds of cheese?" once asked former French president Charles De Gaulle. It's a good question.