Explore the North West of France: Paris, Normandy, Brittany, and the Loire Valley

Bienvenue on your 12-day Family Trip in France from Paris to Brittany and to the Loire Valley! 

Welcome to Paris, the City of Lights! This elegant capital boasts centuries of history, art, fashion and, of course, romance. Upon arrival, you'll be picked up from the airport and transferred to your hotel by private car. Take some time to settle in and relax before heading out to explore the streets near your accommodation before dinner.

Paris is alive and thriving with activity day or night. It's the perfect city to indulge in a little shopping, with department stores like Lafayette and Printemps housing one-offs from some of the best local designers around and small boutique shops offering unique high-quality items. 

Colorful streets and historic monuments invite visitors to stroll through the downtown, while narrow streets and cozy coffee shops create a romantic atmosphere. For art lovers, spending time at Paris' smaller museums is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as the city has one of the most impressive art collections in the world. Alternatively, lazing around in the parks or at a sidewalk cafe on a sunny day is simply blissful. 

In the evening, meet with your private guide for a 3.5-hour exploration of the Trocadero Esplanade and Eiffel Tower. Start at the Trocadero to see its statues, monuments, and city views. Continue to the Iron Lady herself with skip-the-line tickets, giving you the most time to apreciate the incredible views from the top.

Paris's Louvre is the world's largest art museum, and there's plenty of secrets and hidden gems to uncover. Spend the morning on a family treasure hunt as you learn about famous works of art. Kids will get additional motivation through the museum's Paris Muse Clues program, designed to engage young artists in history. 

The scavenger hunt takes you through a range of collections, from Egypt and Ancient Near East to Greek and Roman, ending with Renaissance Italian and French. Kids will learn art history while sharpening their skills of observation. Solving answers to the clues will lead them to discover an educational prize hidden somewhere under the Louvre's glass pyramid. 

In the afternoon, explore the sweet side of Paris on a pastry tour. You'll taste favorite French treats, from cakes and tarts to chocolates and more as you explore one of the city's swankiest parts of town: Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Spend two hours sampling crépes, crème brûlée, pain au chocolat, espresso, chocolates, macarons—and more! Kids will love it!

Enjoy people walking along the Seine after dinner in a streetside cafe.

This morning, you meet with your guide in front of the famous Moulin Rouge Cabaret to start a great walking tour in Montmartre and Sacré Coeur and discover this beautiful, romantic, and artistic district...

As one of the true must-see neighborhoods of Paris, Montmartre offers a romantic glimpse into an era when raucous cabarets, bohemian soirées, and unbridled creativity were the norm. You will be transported back to those days by revealing things like the naughty origins of the Moulin Rouge, the majesty of the Sacré Coeur Basilica, and the secluded addresses of the Impressionists that added such mythos to this district. During your tour of this village within a city, you'll also track down great food locales, tiny trendy boutiques, and a bird's-eye view of Paris that you've got to see to believe!

After the high district of Montmartre, perched on its hill, it’s time to discover the underground of Paris, the Catacombs with a guide by your side: Plumb the shadowy depths of Paris as you dig up the City of Light's darkest secrets. Hidden deep within a maze of underground tunnels you'll find a spine-tingling discovery: millions of skeletons arranged in bizarre and enigmatic configurations. Who are they? How did they get there? Your passionate guide peels back the layers of the Catacombs to reveal bone-chilling tales of murder, massacre, revolution, and a few ghost stories of course! It’s an interesting experience to live with your family and your children from 10 years old.

Your 12-day journey in France takes you to Normandy. Pick up at your hotel for a private transfer to the station. At your arrival in Bayeux, pick up your car rental and head to your hotel with your family.

After your check in to your hotel, meet with your guide for a guided walking tour in the old Bayeux and discover the famous Tapestry Museum:

As the first town to be liberated after D-Day and one of the few places to have gotten out of the war nearly unscathed, Bayeux welcomes millions of visitors every year. Explore the city’s narrow streets lined with traditional wooden-framed Norman houses and admire the breathtaking Gothic cathedral. as well as lace and porcelain that made the richness of Bayeux. The Museum of the MAHB relates to perfection these aspects in a modern setting. To end this tour, you will be dropped off in the world-renowned Museum of the Tapestry to rediscover the history of the Conquest of England by William the Conqueror who was part of your first curriculum of history.

In the morning, meet your driver-guide at your hotel for a D-Day tour for families (private / approx. 8 hours).

Your local expert, a specialist in the Battle of Normandy and the 5 landing areas (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Sword, Juno), will share with you a day full of emotions to help you discover mythical places recounted in the films "The Longest Day” from Darryl Zanuck or in "Saving Private Ryan" from Steven Spielberg. This unique experience also pays tribute to our liberators and all those who sacrificed their lives to enable us to live in a free world. The program will cover the Pointe du Hoc, Omaha beach, the American Cemetery and D-day Experience. 

The D-day Experience museum also called Dead Man's Corner located near Carentan is a house museum of German paratroopers. It presents one of the world's largest collections of equipment dedicated to the 101st and 82nd Airborne troops (Dick Winters' jacket, General Eisenhower's jacket, ...). Onboard a C-47 bought from Spielberg that was used in the film Saving Private Ryan, you will take off from England for a turbulent 7-minute trip. A 45 minute documentary film called D-Day, Normandy 1944 equipped in Imax 3D is a documentary that talks about before, while and after D-day.

After a day full of emotion and history lessons, your driver-guide brings you back to Bayeux at the end of the day.

The next step of your journey from Paris brings you to Brittany! Self-drive to St Malo (120 km / approx. 1.5 hours). 

Visit Mont Saint Michel en route (private / approx. 2 hours, or 5 hours with the crossing of the bay by foot). A granitic island in the middle of a huge bay under the influence of Europe’s biggest tides, wherein 708 the Archangel St Michael (St Michel in French) ordered Aubert, the bishop of Avranches, the construction of a sanctuary. This is how Mont St Michel was born!

The first monastery was replaced by a Benedictine Abbey in the 10th C where the monks prayed and welcomed the pilgrims coming to adorn the archangel, in order to earn their right to go to heaven. The « builder-monks » never stopped adding constructions century after century until they were chased away by the French Revolution in 1791.

There is a breathtaking view from the top that is worth the number of steps you have to come up! You might meet one of the monks of the new community who settled here a few years ago and hear their Gregorian Chants vibrating in the church at the time of the mass. 

Walk through the narrow cobbled streets around the village with your family, with granite or half-timbered houses. Wander along the top of the fortification wall, built during the Hundred Years War, when Mont St Michel became a medieval castle.

Day at leisure to explore Emerald Coast or relax on the beaches of Dinard. 

Our suggestion: 

Don’t miss the ever-changing landscape of the Emerald Coast with its spectacular spring tides, lavish nature and rich heritage. Saint-Malo, home port of generations of yachtsmen and great navigators, and the elegant seaside resort of Dinard extend a warm and generous welcome. Twice a day, the Bay of Saint-Malo and Dinard is transformed into a vast natural theatre for a spectacular performance by the biggest tides in Europe. The tide goes out to reveal a huge stretch of sand abundant in shellfish, providing a marvellous opportunity to enjoy the fresh sea air and the fun of shellfish gathering. Along the coast, a succession of fine sandy beaches is to be found in the prestigious seaside resorts of Saint-Briac, Saint-Lunaire, Saint-Malo and Saint-Coulomb, where clean water and invigorating air make swimming a real pleasure.

During your visit, enjoy the beautiful scenery along the banks of the River Rance which includes tidal mills, fisheries, imposing ‘Malouinières’ (country houses) and charming little fishing villages such as Saint-Suliac, voted one of the "Loveliest Villages in France".

Start your day by enjoying a relaxing breakfast with a view of the ocean. Spend a good time over a good meal with family members. One of the best ways to discover a region is by exploring its gastronomy, and Brittany's history is woven closely with one particular dish—the crêpe. It's a standard local dish, and hearty enough to fill you up for an entire day. 

After breakfast, meet with your private guide (a Brittany local), and head out to explore two nearby towns: Dinan and Dinard. 

Your first stop is Dinan, a medieval town with preserved city ramparts and a large tower built for Duke Jean IV. Together with your private guide, you'll explore the city's architecture and history—including the 14th-century keep in Dinan Castle, the Église Saint-Malo de Dinan's stained glass windows, and the views from the Clock Tower.

From here, continue back north towards the coast. Your destination is Dinard, a town that sits opposite Saint-Malo. It's known for its luxurious beaches and outstanding views of the lush Emerald Coast. Formerly a humble 19th-century fishing port, the city experienced a resurgence thanks to its popularity with artists and French bourgeoisie. 

In the afternoon, your guide will recommend the best local brasserie for fresh oysters and a glass of white wine. 

Today, you leave the region of Brittany to reach the center of France and the beautiful Loire Valley (approximately 320 km/200 miles and a 3,5 hour drive).

With some of the most beautiful landscapes and castles in all of France, discover the Loire Valley. With a distinct fondness for only the most elegant furnishings and decor, French Royalty went to great lengths to embellish their homes with lavish finishings. Today, many of these castles are in the same conditions as they were at their height it's your turn to uncover their real beauty.

After dropping off your luggage at your hotel and having lunch in the center of Amboise, make your own way to the meeting point for your self-guided visit of Le Chateau Clos Lucé (tickets only). You can either drive or walk - about 10 minutes’ walk. Travel through 800 years of history at the Château of Clos Lucé. 

Five hundred years later, Leonardo da Vinci is still present in our daily life through his heritage. He keeps fascinating us and inspires novelists, filmmakers and even the videogame industry. The Château du Clos Lucé, bearing the mark left by the Master, has a mission of giving an overview of the work of Leonardo to the general public. From the beginning to the end of the visit, experience this funny feeling, that the genius was just there, just a moment ago.

Spend your today gliding through the countryside. You'll begin the morning with a guided bike tour on the Loire à Velo paths in the beautiful countryside. You'll continue riding along the Loire River, then explore the area around Chenonceau Castle, built on a bridge over the Cher River.

Also known as the "Ladies Castle", Château de Chenonceau was built by a number of women over the centuries. The first chateau was built on this location in the 12th and 13th centuries, although it was burned down in the 14th century. Only the medieval dungeon—Tour des Marque—remains from this construction. 

The chateau in its current form was built between 1513 and 1517 by Thomas Bohier and his wife Catherine Briçonnet, who oversaw and directed most of the construction. Since then, there has been a long and dramatic line of women who have owned, loved, repaired, expanded on, and restored the chateau. It's so well-loved, in fact, that it's the second-most visited chateau in France, after Versailles. 

Travel back in time to the Renaissance as you navigate the castle's corridors and furnished rooms, then stroll the grounds of the gardens (keep your eyes peeled for the resident donkeys and wild geese). 

In the late afternoon, why not see the Loire Valley from a different perspective aboard a hot air balloon (not included) ? You would take to the skies on a once in a lifetime flight, with sunset views of the region's castles, vineyards, and enchanting landscapes.

Self-drive from your accommodation to the zoo (approximately 40 km and 50-minute drive).

Enjoy a full-day visit of Zoo de Beauval (tickets included - no guide):

Ranked among the 10 best zoos in the world, the ZooParc de Beauval presents the greatest diversity of animal life in France to be discovered as a family.

- At the entrance, the foreign visitors will receive a map in English

- Most of the educational panels are translated into English

- Some audio and text presentations on a selection of species are available in English via QR codes that you can flash inside the zoo.

What a great way to end your 12-day Family Trip in France. After the visit (the Zoo closes at 06:00 PM), drive back to your hotel in Amboise.

Depending on the time of your flight, enjoy a last stroll in the charming city of Amboise. Drive to Paris Roissy CDG (250 km / approx. 2 hours 50 minutes) and drop off your rental car at the airport before taking your flight back.