Paris & the loire valley 8 Days / 7 Nights from $3,990 plus airfare


Paris


ÎLE-DE- FRANCE


FRANCE


WESTERN LOIRE


Angers


Montreuil-Bellay Cunault


Luynes Saumur Tours Chinon Amboise Villandry VALLEY LOIRE The French way of life is a celebration of culture and romance. In Paris, it captivates with


fashionable neighborhoods teeming with sidewalk cafés and intimate bistros, grand boulevards that stroll past world-famous art museums, cloistered cathedrals and towering landmarks, and culinary pleasures that reflect the “art of vivre” like no other. It continues in the


Loire Valley, a privileged showcase of gilded castles, country châteaux, jeweled rivers, and vineyards that drape enchanted landscapes.


1. ARRIVE PARIS / PARISIAN RHAPSODY Tour begins: 2:00 PM at Hôtel Vernet. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer you to your boutique hotel in Paris’ Right Bank. Settle in, freshen up and meet us for a walking tour through the intellectually stimulating, bohemian-inspired Latin Quarter, so named because the students and teachers at La Sorbonne, reigning over the narrow streets here, spoke Latin. Cross the bridge onto the Ile de la Cité to Notre Dame Cathedral, looming large as perhaps the most historically significant building in Paris. A glass of wine, an aperitif or a cup of coffee or tea may sound really good about now, so kick back at our cocktail reception that welcomes with Parisian refreshments. Revived, we’ll head out to a guinguette (that’s local vernacular for intimate neighborhood pub, off the radar for tourists) for drinking, dining and dancing! Meals D


2. A BIKE RIDE & A COOKING CLASS After a delicious petit dejeuner (a term you will speak with ease after today’s French lesson), hop aboard a bicycle for a ride in nearby Le Marais, bustling with daily life amidst a mix of stately buildings, peaceful squares, chic boutiques, art galleries and museums. Don your apron and chef’s hat for a hands-on cooking


Culturious invites you inside these storied places with a resident’s perspective that informs and inspires... and welcomes you as a local. Mingle with Parisians at a neighborhood guinguette, off the radar for the touring public. Learn how to cook like a French chef, sampling regional culinary secrets not commonly divulged. Dust your dreams of creating artful treasures with gold dust at a gilder’s workshop overlooking the Loire River. Lose yourself in the serenity of a


gentle canoe ride along whisper-quiet waters. Find yourself on a bike ride to villages, quintessentially French. Cruise through your vacation on a sunset boat ride, at wine tastings, garden walks, amidst equestrian traditions, and more, experiencing the priceless tapestry of experiential travel that is Culturious.


class, à la Julia Child, as you learn how to prepare a mouth-watering, regionally inspired meal, paired with the perfect wine and cheese. Bon appetit! Walk off your gourmet lunch this afternoon as you explore the city on your own. A language lesson this evening introduces the basics of conversational French, making it easier to find a great restaurant to try – and order – dinner. Meals BL


3. A TAPESTRY OF SIGHTS It’s all aboard the high-speed TGV train for a ride out to Angers at the western end of the Loire Valley for Culturious insider discoveries. The ancient capital of Anjou, Angers is home to the moated Château Angers, a castle that took 100


years to build. Go inside a specially constructed part of the château to get a close look at the astounding 77-piece tapestry, the Apocalypse of St. John, commissioned by 14th-century Dukes – the wonderfully detailed panels are priceless works of art that combine complexity and imagination to reveal its subject’s fantastic visions. Just as fantastic is its colorful past history when it doubled as an orange tree canopy and a damage-control covering for a French church! Half-timbered homes were in style in the 15th-century; see them on a walk through town, then head out to your own château overlooking the Loire River. This is what the French call douceur de vivre – and we do too! Meals BD


Call your travel agent or Culturious at 888-840-1853 21


TGV High Speed Train


Loire River


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