Normandy & the Loire Valley are 2 regions of France you should not miss: the climate is mild, the people are very welcoming and history is around every corner.
For my wife and me, Emilie planned three weeks of wonderful experiences. She was quick to respond to questions and crafted an itinerary which suited us. The selection of places to …
For my wife and me, Emilie planned three weeks of wonderful experiences. She was quick to respond to questions and crafted an itinerary which suited us. The selection of places to see, things to do, and where to eat were superb. Emilie added a charming personal touch. As it was our 30-year anniversary, she arranged for an accommodation to welcome us with a lovely bouquet of red roses and at another, we were greeted with a nice bottle of local wine. In the Loire Valley, she arranged a personal wine tasting at which we tasted and received an excellent bottle of Vouvray, Val de Loire, 1987, the year of our marriage. I try not to write in superlatives but I can say, we have never had such great service and personal attention. Thank you Emilie and family!
#1 - A Gorgeous Mansion few minute walk to Monet's house & gardensStay downtown Giverny, in a beautiful BandB house
#1 - A Gorgeous Mansion few minute walk to Monet's house & gardensrelax in a cozy room
#1 - A Gorgeous Mansion few minute walk to Monet's house & gardensor in the guests living room
#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 castle near Mont Saint MichelA unique B&B...
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint Michel...with a very delicate 18th century decoration...
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint Michel...and spacious bedrooms
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint MichelAfter an amazing breakfast...
#3 - A gorgeous castle near Mont Saint Michel..what about a stroll in the gorgeous park?
#4 - A charming townhouse in a lively townA beautiful place in a lively town
#4 - A charming townhouse in a lively townOn a sunny day, enjoy breakfast in the garden
#4 - A charming townhouse in a lively townThe town is lively, but once you pass the B&B door, it is very quiet
#4 - A charming townhouse in a lively townMeet with lovely hosts !
#4 - A charming townhouse in a lively townRelax in the small garden
Step by step
Giverny, Home of the Impressionnists
Your journey starts in Giverny. 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 cut-the-line tickets that enable you to avoid waiting at Monet’s house and gardens.
In Giverny, we have planned a 2-night-stay in a historical domain from the 13th century, which has been beautifully restored, only few minutes’ walk to Monet’s house & gardens. This will give you enough time to recover from jetlag and discover the Seine river valley.
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.
The Mont Saint Michel & Eastern Brittany
On your way to the Loire Valley, stop over for 2 nights near the Mont Saint Michel: this ancient beautiful abbey sits on top of a tidal island in the middle of Mont Saint Michel Bay. A wonder!
Stay in a gorgeous castle a30 minute drive across the bay from the famous village. This is a unique occasion to really feel what the "vie de château" truly is like!
Discover Mont Saint Michel 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.
The Loire Valley
The Loire Valley will welcome you with its renowned "sweet life", its Renaissance castles and gardens, and its famous gastronomy and wines.
You will stay here for 5 nights in a charmingly restored townhouse, in the heart of a very lively town in the Loire Valley. From here, you can walk everywhere included to Leonardo Da Vinci's final dwelling.
You are also perfectly located to discover all the marvels of the Loire Valley: the castles of Chambord, Chenonceau and Azay-le-Rideau, the old towns of Saumur, Chinon and Amboise.
Cruise along the Loire river as a passenger aboard a vintage sidecar : explore the little villages and enjoy the landscapes
History, culture, gastronomy, "the sweet life": this is France!
Activities included
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.
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.
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.
Vintage Sidecar Tour
Cruise along the Loire river as a passenger aboard a vintage sidecar : explore the little towns and enjoy the landscapes
We have traveled in Europe a dozen times. Our trip to France, the Loire Valley and Normandy was one of the very best. Their custom self-guided tours are based on places and activities that interest you. Emelie listened to what we wanted and created an itinerary that was just what we wanted as well as some suggestions for other things we might try …
We have traveled in Europe a dozen times. Our trip to France, the Loire Valley and Normandy was one of the very best. Their custom self-guided tours are based on places and activities that interest you. Emelie listened to what we wanted and created an itinerary that was just what we wanted as well as some suggestions for other things we might try. Emelie created a spiral bound book with information about traveling in France as well as detailed information about the B & Bs, maps, directions and all the places we planned to visit. The B & Bs were lovely old stone buildings with modern comforts. A private cooking class, a private tour of an ancient church in the mountains, and a guided tour of Normandy were features we really enjoyed. The chateaus and gardens [my personal favorites] were magnificent. Normandy was so moving. I am glad that we had a guide who spent the entire day with just us. We learned and saw so many things we would have missed on our own. We would urge you to consider France Just for You. We loved our trip and would use them again. GPS was a life saver.
Bob from the US
The team created an amazing trip. We gave them the nick name “travel fairies” All was just magical.
The team created an amazing trip. We gave them the nick name “travel fairies” All was just magical.
Paul & nancy
We just returned from 15 days in France, this trip was to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Emilie and her team were amazing. We started in the south of France and finished in Paris. We visited many towns and villages, Aix, Cassis, Marseilles, les Gorges du Verdon,...The personalized guide book was golden for us. The details and suggestions …
We just returned from 15 days in France, this trip was to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Emilie and her team were amazing. We started in the south of France and finished in Paris. We visited many towns and villages, Aix, Cassis, Marseilles, les Gorges du Verdon,...The personalized guide book was golden for us. The details and suggestions in the book allowed us to do and see more than what we could have done on our own (Along with vouchers and maps). Her attention to every detail was impressive. From the selection of hotels/B&B and their location, to activities, to restaurants and tours were fabulous. You are a gifted team and we thank you for making this one of the best trips we have had.
