Private 3-Day Normandy, Mont Saint-Michel & Loire Castles

Paris — Chambord — Blois — Chenonceau — Mont Saint-Michel

07:30 Hotel pick up and departure to the Loire Valey. There are 180 km to drive on highway by our comfortable air conditioned Mercedes minivan to reach the first Castle Chambord. It takes about 2,5 hours with one stop at the rest area. The Guide will give You general Information about the French history connected to the Castles of the Loire Valley.

10:00 - 11:45  Visit of Chateau de Chambord. The Guide will tell You the history of the Castle and its construction. The Château de Chambord is one of the most popular castles because of its French Renaissance architecture. The building was constructed from 1519 to 1547 by Francis I (Francois 1-er) and is nowadays the biggest castle with its 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces and 84 staircases. The castle is also known because of its open double-spiral staircase. The two spirals ascend the three floors without ever meeting. Leonardo da Vinci may have designed the staircase. 11:45  Departure to Amboise city. There is 1 hour drive (60 km).

12:45 - 13:45  Lunch break in Amboise city where You'll find many restaurants and cafes. We can as well recommend You or make a table reservation at a good restaurant.

15:20 to 17:00 Skip-the-line access to the Chateau de Chenonceau and its Gardens. The Guide will tell You the history of the Castle and its construction. You will get as well the brochure with explanations of each room. Chenonceau nicknamed the "ladies’ castle" is remarkable for its feminine history of famous women of France such as Catherine de Medici as well as for its stunning architecture as well as unique aches over the River Cher. The Renaissance-style gardens Gardens of Chenonceau with their more than 130,000 flowerings plants will impress You as well.  17:00 Departure from the Chenonceau castle destination Mont Saint-Michel. It takes about 3,5 hours (300 km).

20:30 Arrival and accommodations at 3*+/4* hotel in Normandy close to Mont Saint-Michel. We can make for You restaurant reservation. Free time

13:45- 15:00 Chateau Royal d'Amboise Guided visit 15:10 Departure to Chateau de Chenonceau

Mont Saint-Michel — D-Day Beaches — Pointe du Hoc — Omaha Beach — American Cemetery — Overlord Museum — Bayeux

08:00 Hotel check out. You can put the baggage to our Minivan which will be located near the hotel. 08:00 - 12:30 Visit of the UNESCO World Heritage Mont Saint-Michel and its Benedictine Abbey. Your guide will bring you up the narrow streets of the medieval village toward the top of the Island. You can admire panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and bay and enter the Benedictine Abbey. Entrance tickets into the Abbey include audio-guides in many languages. The whole island with the Bay remains practically the same since the Middle Ages as it was the goal of pilgrims from all over the world. Mont Saint Michel remains the most visited site in France. Lunch break in Mont Saint-Michel 12:30 Departure from Mont Saint-Michel to Omaha Beaches. It will take about 1,5 hours (140 km) to reach the Omaha beaches Signal Monument.

14:00 - 15:00 Arrival at Pointe du Hoc, a prominent cliff between Utah and Omaha Beach. This point was important because it was the highest land between Omaha and Utah beaches and could thus fire upon both of them. The site was a gun battery, fortified with concrete casemates and gun pits, forming part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall defences. Visiting the Pointe du Hoc You will learn about the 2nd Ranger battalion sacrifice to take this crucial gun battery on the cliffs of Omaha Beach on June 6th 1944. Many of the original fortifications and bunkers remain on the site and are open to the public, including the fire control casemate, on top of which there is a monument to the 2nd Ranger Battalion. 15:00 Departure to Omaha Beach Signal Monument. It takes 15 minutes (10 km). A 5 minutes ride (4 km) to Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer.

15:15 - 15:40  Omaha Beach Signal Monument. Learn about the huge sacrifice made by the 34 000 men who landed here on D-Day. Omaha Beach is the most popular travellers destination of the D-Day Beaches. 5 minutes ride (4 km) to Overlord Museum.

15:45 - 16:15 Overlord Museum visit. Located just few hundred meters away from the Normandy American Cemetery this museum contains many WW2 artefacts and installations like tanks, weapons, guns, many military vehicles, V-1 missile, personal belongings and more. It gives You a personal feeling about D-Day. 16:15 Departure to the just few hundred meters locates Normandy American Cemetery.

16:15 - 17:30 Arrival and Visit of the Normandy American Cemetery & Visitor Center in Colleville-sur-Mer and overlooking Omaha Beach. It contains 9,387 U.S. soldiers, most of whom were killed during the Normandy Landings and the Wall of the Missing with the names of 1,557 soldiers missing in action. The cliffs leading down to the beaches contain the remnants of the German defences, including concrete casemates with memorials to the soldiers. At Normandy American Cemetery you’ll see as well the semicircular memorial colonnade with the sculpture “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves” and large maps of military operations; and the most beautiful, idyllic spot on Planet Earth. Free time to walk around the gardens. 17:30 Departure to to German Batterie de Longues-sur-Mer. It is a 25 minutes ride (15 km).

18:00 - 18:30 Stop at the German Gun Batterie de Longues-sur-Mer. Explore the remnants of history at the German Gun Batterie. You will visit this historic site, where remnants of World War II stand as silent witnesses to the past. Discover the military prowess of the German forces.  18:30 Departure to Bayeux. It takes 20 minutes (10 km).

19:00  Hotel accommodation and overnight at a 3*+/4* Hotel in Bayeux.

Bayeux — Caen Memorial and Museum — Honfleur — Calvados tasting — Rouen — Paris

09:00 - 10:30 Visit of The Caen Memorial and Museum, located in the British Sword Beach sector. Caen Museum is the best World War II museum in France. You will get an overview of the Battle of Normandy as well the sense of the personal lives of the people who took part in it. An excellent 19-minute film documents this battle with original historic footage. 10:30 Departure to Calvados Christian Drouin for Calvados tasting. It takes about 45 minutes (55 km) on the national roads crossing beautiful countryside and small villages.

11:15 - 12:30  Arrival at Calvados Pere Magloire L'Experience in Pont-L'Eveque. You will learn how Calvados has being made for centuries and have afterwords the Calvados tasting with explanations. 12:30  Departure to Honfleur. It takes 25 minutes (15 km).

13:00 - 15:30 Arrival in Honfleur. The walking city tour takes about 1 hour. Walking tour of Honfleur with its famous port. Honfleur, the main defensive port of Normandy of the XV century, transformed into a charming resort town with a picturesque Bay, much-loved by the artists of the XIX century. Honfleur was first mentioned in 1027, when it belonged to the Norman Duke Richard III. The owners of the city changed several times during The Hundred-Years War. In the XV century, there were French pirates, corsairs who ravaged the English coast. A little later, in the XVII-XVIII centuries, the city became significantly rich in trade with the American colonies. After the port was closed, the city's economy declined and Honfleur became a suburb of Le Havre. Today it is one of the most known tourist cities in Normandy. 14:00 - 15:30 Free time and Lunch break. There are many restaurants around the Medieval harbour. 15:30  Departure from Honfleur to Rouen. It takes 1,5 hours (90 km).

17:00 - 19:00  Arrival in Rouen. Walking tour. Rouen is the capital of the Duke of Normandy, the city of a hundred bell-towers, famous for its Gothic cathedrals. Here You will have the opportunity to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral of the XIII - XVI centuries, known throughout the world in the paintings of Monet, the area of the Vieux Marché (Old Market), the place of execution of Joan d'Arc and the Church of Joan d'Arc, the Palace of justice of the XVI century, to see the old medieval clock Gros-Horloge on the pedestrian street. The walking tour lasts about 1 hour. Free time. 19:00 Departure to Paris. It takes about 2 hours (130 km).

21:00 Coming back to Paris. Drop off at Your hotel.