FRANCE & SPAIN Traveling Well Includes…
• TAUCK’S YELLOW ROADS! Explore Brittany’s rugged headlands, the Normandy coast, the historic D-Day beaches and the gems of Paris
• Dinner at a country estate in châteaux country with a traditional hunting hound demonstration • Golfe du Morbihan cruise, a channeled Breton inlet of islands that wax and wane with the tide • Behind-the-scenes tour of France’s prestigious national riding school in the Loire Valley • “Must-see” visits to Chartres Cathedral, Mont-Saint-Michel, Monet’s Giverny, Musée d’Orsay • Guided walking tours of Chartres, Rouen, Rochefort-en-Terre, Mont-St-Michel & Vannes • Airport transfers upon arrival and departure • 24 meals, service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage
3. THE LOIRE VALLEY CHÂTEAUX COUNTRY The châteaux, gardens, towns and unique culture of the Loire Valley are yours to explore today. For starters, a guided tour of Le Cadre Noir de Saumur takes you backstage at France’s national riding school (L’École Nationale d’Equitation), where students are instructed in the equestrian arts; see the stables and perhaps a training session (closed on Sundays; an alternate program will be offered). This afternoon, the vineyards of Bourgueil’s Le Moulin Bleu invite you to a wine tasting and lunch, followed by an opportunity to explore the gardens of Château de Villandry before returning to your hotel. Meals BLD
4. CHÂTEAU D’ANGERS & PORT DU CROUESTY In Angers, an audio tour interprets the still-vivid red, blue and gold threads of the 14th-century Apocalypse Tapestry housed in the 17-towered Château d’Angers. Woven in Paris, its figures were intended to convey the almighty power of God – a political statement in an era of war between the English and French. Afterward, a drive through the Loire countryside takes you to southern Brittany and Port du Crouesty for a two-night stay at the Miramar Crouesty. Meals BD
5. BRITTANY CRUISE & ROCHEFORT-EN-TERRE Your day begins with a sightseeing cruise on the Golfe du Morbihan; its numerous islands and islets are favorite summer destinations for the French; many are privately owned. Next it’s off to the florally endowed town of Rochefort-en-Terre, put on the map in the early 20th century by an American-born painter, Alfred Klotts. After taking up life in a local château, Klotts fostered a tradition of dressing up the town with geraniums; the tradition continues a century later. You’ll find the village abloom with brightly colored flowers from spring to fall. Meals BL
6. ANCIENT VANNES & CHÂTEAU JOSSELIN Take a walking tour of Vannes’ well-preserved medieval core to view its Gothic Cathedral, built over a span of 700 years and
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 877-519-1035
the half-timbered houses overhanging cobblestoned streets and stroll along its tree-lined promenade, Le Cours de la Garenne. In the town of Josselin you’ll next visit the imposing Château Josselin, a residence of the aristocratic Rohan family. You’ll hear about the castle’s sometimes turbulent history on a guided tour and see the Doll Museum’s collection of rare dolls, housed in converted stables. Then it’s off to St-Malo for a two-night stay on the coast of the English Channel. Meals BD
7. MONT-SAINT-MICHEL & SEASIDE ST-MALO This morning you’ll visit world-famous Mont-Saint-Michel, a thousand-year-old Benedictine abbey perched on an island off the coast that is subject to the sweeping tides between Normandy and Brittany and the village that grew up at the base of its steep walls. Be prepared for a bit of steep walking as you explore one of Europe’s truly unique places. Next up is seaside St-Malo, where you’ll have time to explore the town known in
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Omaha Beach
Mont-Saint-Michel St-Malo Josselin Vannes Port du Crouesty
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Maximum Elevation: 1,000 ft.
Rochefort-en-Terre Angers
Saumur Langeais Villandry FRANCE Rouen Bayeux Deauville Versailles Giverny Paris Chartres v
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