Normandy & the Loire Valley Loop

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 13^th 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, located between 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 a 30 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!