FRANCE Paris
ÎLE-DE- FRANCE
WESTERN LOIRE
Cléré-les-Pins Angers
Montreuil-Bellay Cunault
Luynes Saumur Tours Chinon
Paris & Loire Valley 8 Days / 7 Nights from $4,690 plus airfare
Amboise Villandry VALLEY LOIRE
1. ARRIVE PARIS Tour begins: 2:00 PM at Hôtel Vernet. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer you to your boutique hotel on Paris’ Right Bank. Settle in, freshen up and meet us for a walking tour through the intellectually stimulating, bohemian-inspired Latin Quarter. Cross the bridge onto the Ile de la Cité to Notre Dame Cathedral, looming large as one of the most historically significant buildings in Paris. A glass of wine and an aperitif refresh at our cocktail reception. Revived and re-energized, we’ll head out to a small island for a fun welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Meals D
2. A BIKE RIDE & A COOKING CLASS After a delicious petit dejeuner (a term you will speak with ease after tomorrow’s informal French lesson), hop aboard a bicycle for a ride in nearby Le Marais, pedaling leisurely past peaceful squares, chic boutiques, art galleries and artful museums. Off your bike, don your apron and chef’s hat for a hands-on cooking class, à la Julia Child, as you learn how to prepare a mouth-watering, regionally inspired meal, paired with the perfect wine and cheese. Walk off your gourmet lunch this afternoon as you explore the city on your own. Dine tonight as you choose in one of many tempting restaurants and cafés – this is Paris after all where the city is truly a feast for the senses! Meals BL
“This trip combines two of my favorite regions of France: enchanting Paris and the garden of France, the Loire Valley. In Paris, we explore the neighborhoods on
foot and by bicycle, just like the locals do. The Loire is a dream... with fairy-tale châteaux, windmills and stories of Joan of Arc. Canoeing along the river in Chinon... a quiet meandering river that suddenly arrives at a magical medieval village with a castle atop the hill... was amazing!
”
3. CHÂTEAUX... AND CHÂTEAUX Say adieu to city life this morning. It’s all aboard the high-speed TGV train for a ride out to Angers, 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. Half-timbered homes were in style in the 15th century; see them on a walk through town, then head out to your lovely château hotel overlooking the Loire River. A language lesson during your drive introduces the basics of conversational French. Meals BD
Call your travel agent or Culturious at 8 -00 788- 7885
– Brian Stacey, CT
4. A COUNTRY CASTLE & A PICNIC Begin the day like a local as we head to the market to shop for our picnic lunch... the sights, sounds and smells should get your spirit and appetite pumped for our bike ride along country lanes and past vineyards to a castle in Breze, weather permitting. Still privately owned, Château de Breze is uniquely fascinating to explore. If you’re game, challenge yourself to a stroll down in the castle’s labyrinthine tunnels that date to the Middle Ages, then come back up into the fresh air for a picnic lunch... and a wine tasting... Return to the hotel where the rest of the day is all yours. Meals BL
www.culturious.com 27
TGV High Speed Train
Loire River
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