14-Day Break - 2009 Itinerary

Day 1 – Local departure then onwards to the Caen area for a 2-night stay.
Day 2 – Deauville, Trouville and Honfleur. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Deauville, Trouville and Honfleur (optional). A day at leisure in Caen or why not join our optional excursion exploring the beautiful Normandy coastline? We travel to Deauville and Trouville, both favourite seaside resorts for the Parisians. Deauville is the more glamorous with its casinos and yachting harbour. Stroll along the Promenade des Planches and admire the golden sands, or try some shopping. Trouville’s charm is its long beach lined by beautiful buildings and its traditional working fishing port. We continue to Honfleur, a harbour town and one of the most photographed in northern France with its 17th century Old Dock, or Vieux Bassin. The town was always a favourite for artists and still is – have your camera at the ready.
Day 3 – Mont St. Michel and St. Malo en route to Vannes for overnight. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Mont St Michel and St Malo (included). On our way to Vannes, we travel south through Normandy this morning to visit the so called 'wonder of the west', the picturesque island site of Le Mont St. Michel with its impressive Abbey, then into Brittany to spend some time at the fortified town of St. Malo, with its huge ramparts and city walls, which you can walk around. Explore the old centre, and the maze of streets, steeped in history, and perhaps try one of the famous 'crepes'.
Day 4 – To Tours for 2 nights. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Winetasting in Vouvray (optional). On the way to our hotel in the Loire valley area we visit the major city of the region, Tours, a smart 'bourgeois' town with an appealing centre, and at one time capital of France. Perhaps you might like to join our optional winetasting in Vouvray, home of some fine white and sparkling wines.
Day 5 – Loire Valley excursion seeing the chateaux of Azay-le-Rideau, Chenonceau and Amboise. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Loire Valley (included). Enjoy a full-day excursion exploring the lovely countryside and seeing the imposing chateaux of the Loire Valley. We begin at the leafy village of Azay-le-Rideau with its small, but incredibly beautiful chateau, which some claim was used as a model for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. Then to the huge, beguiling edifice of Chenonceau, which spans the River Cher, before admiring Amboise, the home of many French kings. Please note that the reasonable entrance charges to the chateaux are at extra cost.
Day 6 – Oradour-sur-Glane and Limoges en route to Rocamadour for 2 nights. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Oradour-sur-Glane and Limoges (included). A day of complete contrasts as we visit the remembrance village of Oradour-sur-Glane, scene of an insane massacre of the villagers by the German SS in 1944. The village has been left exactly as it was during the war. We also visit the porcelain town of Limoges en route.
Day 7 – Rocamadour and the Dordogne. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Rocamadour and the Dordogne (included). We spend a morning at leisure in Rocamadour, the important pilgrimage site, perched high on a limestone cliff overlooking the gorge of the River Alzou in the heart of the Dordogne. We also visit the wineproducing town of Cahors.
Day 8 – To Carcassonne area for an overnight stay. B,D
Day 9 – Morning in Carcassonne, then via Beziers and the Grotte de Clamouse to Aix-en-Provence for 3 nights. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Carcassonne, Béziers and the Grotte de Clamouse (included). Enjoy a morning at leisure exploring the majestic fortified city of Carcassonne. You can enjoy splendid views of the surrounding countryside and new town from the walls of the old city. We will later call at the medieval town of Beziers, where the Canal du Midi crosses the river by means of an aqueduct. We then continue to the famous Grotte de Clamouse (included), where we tour the cave and see the famous calcite and aragonite formations.
Day 10 – Bormes Les Mimoses, Frejus and St. Raphael. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Bormes les Mimoses, Frejus and St. Raphael (included). To the coast and the Côte d’Azur. Bormes les Mimoses is probably the most florally decorated village in France. The old houses are covered with pink tiles, the streets are lined with flowers and the medieval village is a delight. Then to Fréjus and St. Raphael, two striking riviera resorts, both with charming old centres, fine beaches and home to the rich and famous – indeed St. Raphael is one of the richest towns on the Cote d'Azur.
Day 11 – The Gorges du Verdon. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Gorges du Verdon (optional). Spend a day in Aix-en-Provence or perhaps our optional tour to one of the most impressive natural sights in Europe might tempt you. This dramatic gorge, created over millions of years, is a sight not to miss as the pretty River Verdon flows through this precipitous valley. This spectacular natural canyon divides the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, and the Var. We enjoy a scenic drive through part of the gorge, stopping to admire the breathtaking views.
Day 12 – Ardeche Tour en route to Valence area for overnight. B,D
Excursions and Visits - Ardeche Tour (included). On our way north to Valence area we explore a region of France which boasts incomparable delights. Wild, rugged yet intensely beautiful scenery abounds in the Ardèche and we will see quaint villages clinging to the hillsides, as well as the famous Gorges de l'Ardeche. Steep cliffs carved after millions of years of erosion are stunning as is the Pont d'Arc, a natural limestone bridge over the river created by the elements.
Day 13 – To northern France for overnight stay. B
Day 14 – To Calais, then return home. B

Included Meals: B=Breakfast, D=Dinner

Accommodation

You’ll stay for two nights in Caen at the 2-star Hotel Clarine or similar, followed by one night at the 3-star Hotel Oceania in Vannes. In Tours, we stay at the 3-star Novotel Tours Sud for two nights, followed by two nights at the 2-star Hotel Lion d’Or in Rocamadour. You will then spend one night at a 2-star hotel in the Carcassonne area, and three nights at the 3-star Hotel Oceania in Aix-en-Provence.

Overnight stays in central and northern France will be in city-style hotels.

Extras
Optional Excursions.
Single Room Supplement: £325
Travel Insurance from £44.95

Prices are per person, based on two people sharing.