Westside tour of France
with Paris, the Basque country,
Brittany & Normandy*

None for 2009, we’ll be back in 2010

Day one: Evening departure to the City of Lights via Icelandair.  Short stop over in Iceland.

Day two: Arrive in Paris at mid-day.  Neighborhood orientation. Are you ready for our Heart of Paris walk?  We’ll gently stroll along the Seine River with stops at Notre Dame Cathedral, Hotel de Ville & Pompidou Center.

Day three: After a buffet breakfast, we’ll head to the Louvre museum to visit its masterpieces.  Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, the lace maker, the Venus de Milo and more are all waiting for you today. Afternoon walk through the Tuileries gardens, place de la Concorde (site of the beheadings during the French revolution) all the way to the Arc de Triomphe.  What a day!

Day four: Time to leave Paris for the Pyrenees Mountains along the cool Atlantic.  We’ll take the high-speed train to the old whaling port of St-Jean-de-Luz, our next home for a few days.  Arrival late afternoon, as we are crossing all of France.  Neighborhood orientation, and beach time.

Day five: Treasure hunt in the morning on the trail of Louis the XIVth.  Optional visit of St-Jean de Pied de Port in the afternoon with its colorful market, evening return home.

Day six: Time to hop back on the high-speed train back to Paris and onward to Brittany to the lovely walled city of St-Malo. Evening exploration of this adorable city on the oceanfront, walk on top of the city walls and watch the tide come in.

Day seven: Excursion to Mont St-Michel Island with its monastery, and quaint village walk in the morning; and afternoon trip to the Normandy landing beaches.  Visit of the American Cemetery & German bunkers at Pointe du Hoc. Today will be a day filled with history.*

Day eight: Early morning walk in St-Malo, and return to Paris via the high-speed train. Evening in Montmartre with visit of Sacre-Coeur church and Painters’ Square.

Day nine: Day in the town of Versailles.  Today we’ll take the RER to go to Versailles, and follow again in the footsteps of Louis the XIVth.  Picnic in the Palace gardens, and walk to Marie Antoinette’s hamlet. Another day filled with history.

Day ten: Orsay museum visit.  If you enjoyed the Louvre, you will love the Orsay.  This converted train station is a work of art in itself.  Enjoy the architectures & delightful artwork inside.  Afternoon walk to the Opera House, and evening at the Eiffel Tower.  Optional cruise on the Seine River, watch Paris twinkle in the evening lights, and soak in the atmosphere.

Day eleven:  Enjoy your last Parisian breakfast with café au lait and croissants…if you have a few euros left, make a last bakery run and bring home the fragrances & taste of Paris to the ones you love. Early evening return to Minneapolis.

Au revoir Paris!