Day 1 Thursday
Transfer from Paris CDG by minibus to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure for independent exploration.
Days 2 & 3 Friday & Saturday
Two full days to explore the Paris you've always dreamed of. Your tour price includes $235 credit to put towards your choice of sightseeing and activities. so that you can personalise your stay as you wish.
Day 4 Sunday
Departing Paris (central location pick-up) at 0.8.30, we commence our tour with a short drive south to Fontainebleau. This is an ideal start to our themed tour; the Palace of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The work of many French monarchs, it is arranged around a series of courtyards. The city of Fontainebleau has grown up around the Forest of Fontainebleau, a former royal hunting park, and is breathtakingly lovely.
A drive of an hour or so delivers us to another simply exquisite city; Chartres. The town is best known for the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres, widely considered to be the finest gothic cathedral in France with stunning stained glass windows. Its historical and cultural importance is recognized by its inclusion on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. The steep, narrow streets of the old town contrast with the wide, shady boulevards of the newer city. There are several fine museums to visit, depnding on time, such as one dedicated to military uniforms and other to stained glass.
Day 5 Monday
Our second day sees us first driving through pleasant countryside and traditional vilages to Le Mans. This is a well-preserved old town boasting its cathedral: Cathédrale St-Julien, dedicated to St Julian of Le Mans, who is honoured as the city's first bishop. There are remnants of a Roman wall in the old town and Roman baths by the river.
Our next major stop is Angers, once the capital of the great Angevin (Plantagenet) empire of the 12 century which extended from Scotland to the Basque country. An imposing castle dominates the mediaeval town. Another highlight of our stop in this centre of tapestry will be the famed ‘Apocalypse Tapestry’. This amazing, hand-woven, work of art dates back to the late 1300s. There’ll be time here to enjoy a late lunch and to explore the narrow streets of the old quarter or visit museums.
And finally to Saumur, our nightstop.
A word about evenings in France: our dinners will be taken later than you’re perhaps used to. The French famously take their food seriously and you’ll find our three-course dinners spanning the evening. It’s a civilised time to enjoy not only the excellent food that you’ll find on one of our tours but also some dinner table conversation.
Day 6 Tuesday
This is our first day on the Loire.
The pretty and peaceful town of Montsoreau makes an excellent base for our explorations of the eastern Loire. Our filled day will include a visit to the local wine caves, seeing the troglodyte hill dwellings, visiting the fine local chateaux at Saumur, and spending time in the wonderfully picturesque Chinon, the 16th century birthplace of the great comic writer, Rabelais. With a small sacrifice of time in Chinon, will also be able to visit Fontevreau, the famed abbey where Richard the Lion Heart is buried.
Naturally, as this is a Back-Roads Touring Co. tour, you can expect a few hidden treasures despite this region being one of France’s most visited tourist regions.
Day 7 Wednesday
The Loire Valley is justly famed for its incredibly rich chateaux. In truth, there are almost too many to choose from but we will spend quality time at at least three over the following days, giving a good cross section of styles and histories and time to really get to know them! One we shall definitely be visiting today will be Villandry, justly famed for its magnificent gardens. Then a choice from the château that reputedly inspired the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ story, Château d’Usee. or a local château with the largest collection of cadillacs outside of the USA! Or perhaps you'll prefer the serene Azay-le-Rideau where the Renaissance exterior of the local château is a sight to behold.
As on all our tours, the weather, time of eyar and your vote will determine the day's choices.
The mediaeval Tours is also one of today’s jewels. Some tour participants will enjoy wandering at leisure around the old town, while others may simply find it a time ‘to sit and stare’. As ever, within the framework of a Back-Roads Touring Co. tour, there will be an opportunity of doing either with some ‘organised independence’.
Day 8 Thursday
The whole development of secular French architecture, from feudalism to classicism, can be traced through our choices today. There's Blois Château with its medieval towers, gothic roofs and walls, Renaissance interiors andsumptuous interiors. It’s almost unbelievable that just a few kilometers away is yet another at Amboise, and a few kilometers further Chambord, the first great, classical French palace. Or perhaps we can visit Chaumont or Fougeres sur Bievres d'Oiron?
There’s even a small palace in Beaugency itself! We're spoilt for choice!
There can be little doubt that the palaces of the Loire, set as they are in some of the most splendid gardens, and these set amidst wonderful countryside, will have given you several never-to-be-forgotten days (and several rolls of film or hours of video footage!).
Day 9 Friday
Our final day takes us first through the city of Orléans made famous, of course, by Jean, Maid of Orléans. We’ll only briefly visit this fairly modern city. Here you’ll have time to enjoy shopping in the ancient, picturesque streets. We’ll explore the St-André quarter and some of the fine houses and restored mill-races and laundry-houses.
We'll save time on this our final day for some touring flexibility. We might, for example, stay longer in Beaugency before our drive to Orleons or move on to Monet's garden at Giverny. Perhaps Auvers might prove appealing? Whateever the choice, it will be yours to contribute to.
Finally, we'll return to Paris where you are dropped at a central Paris location.
Suggested optional: Farewell dinner and show at the famous Moulin Rouge.
Day 10 Saturday
After breakfast, take the morning train from Paris to Lille.
To most people the Somme signifies one day - July 1st 1916. It was the day that the British Army suffered its greatest ever losses in a single day with nearly 60,000 casualties. But the actual battle for the Somme raged until November of that year, and saw massive fighting again in 1918.
What remains is truly awesome. There are sites seen today that will be etched into your consciousness forever. We tour the Somme battlefield covering major sites from the calamitous first day through the whole five months of the battle. You'll see Delville Wood, the Welsh memorial at Mametz Wood, the huge Lochnagar mine crater, the sunken road where the Accrington Pals were virtually wiped out, Sausage Valley, the Poziere battlefield and Windmill Hill (both important sites for Australians), Courcellette, site of the first major use of tanks supporting Canadian troops, and the nearby the tank memorial. We include Albert, the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing and the Ulster Tower. An undoubted highlight, however, will be our guided walk around the incredible preserved Beaumont Hamel battlefield site. Other sites will be added according to the interest of the tour participants.
Day 11 Sunday'
The Salient' struck fear into the Great War Tommy for being the hottest spot on the 70 mile front held by Imperial and Empire troops. Over a quarter of a million men gave their lives to hold this last bit of Belgium from the Germans. Although history records three great battles fought at Ypres, it was in fact a constant battle against shell, bullet, bomb, gas, water and rats. On our day touring the Salient you'll see, in the company of a first class guide, some of the most important sites that remain; the German trenches at Kemmel, 'Shot at Dawn' execution sites, sites of the first gas attack and where flame thrower were introduced into modern warfare, John McRae's Essex Farm site, the grave of double VC winner, Noel Chavasse, Hoogt crater and museum, the Passendaele dug-out and Tyne Cot cemetery. You'll walk the moonscape of the Hill 60 battlefield and see literally dozens of memorials to British, Australian and Canadian regiments. We'll also spend time in Ypres itself with the opportunity to visit St George's Chapel, the Menen (Menin) Gate Memorial. Those who have stayed overnight on the Saturday will have the opportunity to take an optional tour of the 'In Flanders Field' Museum to do so.
Day 12 Monday
This, the final day in our series of one-day Western Front battlefield visits, takes us to the line between Armentieres and Arras. It's a much neglected region but with a huge amount to see. You can either join for just this one day or make it part of a longer tour. If you're taking this as a one-day tour, you'll catch the 06.26 Eurostar from London's Waterloo station, and be met on arrival in Lille by your Back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd guide. If you've been with us for the two prior days, touring the Ypres Salient and The Somme, you'll be collected from our Lille tour base hotel.
On this day we'll visit sites connected with the 1915 battles of Aubers Ridge, Festubert, and Neuve Chapelle, where the Indian Army gave a magnificent account of itself. You'll see where Adolf Hitler served and the bunker he is reputed to have used as a billet. Australian's will enjoy seeing the Fromelles memorial. We'll tour the Loos battlefield, site of the disastrous battle of 1915, and Vimy Ridge where we take a tunnel tour. Canadians will find this of special interest during the 90th anniversary commemorations. We'll also see sites in and around the pretty city of Arras including (subject to opening) the recently discovered underground hospital and the French National memorial at Lorrette de Notre Dame.
Reluctantly our tour ends this evening at Lille Europe station.
At your expense: Stay an additional night in Lille; return to London by Eurostar; take the TGV to Paris or Brussels.
PARIS A LA CARTE