Globus > LA FRANCE

LA FRANCE
15 Days starting from $2,549

Countries Visited:
France

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Length: 15 Days
Type: First Class Tour
Category: REGIONAL DISCOVERY EUROPE
Operator: Globus
Tour Code: RA-2008
   
 
About This Tour


This 15-day vacation is ideal to explore all of France. Enjoy two-night stays in Paris, Tours, and Nice. Start with a welcome dinner at a local restaurant in Paris, then go from the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower to the landing beaches, from Mont St. Michel to the Loire Valley to visit the castles of Chambord, Catherine de Medici’s Chenonceaux, and Clos Lucé, to admire Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions. Stop at Limoges’ porcelain factory and in picturesque St. Emilion before continuing to Bordeaux. Travel via the medieval walled town of Carcassonne to Nîmes for your overnight stay, and continue via the famous Pont du Gard and Avignon to Nice. Enjoy a whole day at leisure at the Côte d’Azur. Next, stop in the film festival town of Cannes, Aix-en-Provence, and arrive in Lyon. Enjoy wine tasting in Beaune, Burgundy, and stay overnight in pretty Dijon, before returning to Paris, where there is time to do an optional visit to the Louvre Museum for those who wish to do so.

 
  • What's Included
  • Itinerary
  • Dates & Prices
  • Sightseeing Highlights
  • SPECIALS

City Highlights
PARIS
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant; guided sightseeing, visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, ascend the Eiffel Tower

ROUEN
Orientation

CAEN
Visit the Memorial Museum for Peace

NORMANDY BEACHES
Visit the Normandy American Cemetery

BAYEUX
Visit Queen Matilda’s tapestry in the Tapestry Museum

MONT ST. MICHEL
Guided visit of the abbey

CHÂTEAUBRIANT
Morning stop

ANGERS
Picture stop of the castle

CHÂTEAUX COUNTRY
Full-day guided sightseeing, visit Châteaux of Chambord, Chenonceau, and Leonardo da Vinci’s home of Clos Lucé

LIMOGES
Visit a porcelain factory

ST. EMILION
Afternoon stop

CARCASSONNE
Orientation including the battlements

PONT DU GARD
Picture stop at the Roman Aqueduct

AVIGNON
Orientation, picture stops at the Palace of the Popes and Pont d’Avignon

NICE
Orientation of the Old Town

CANNES
Drive through the film festival city

AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Orientation

LYON
Orientation including Fourvière Hill

BEAUNE
Wine tasting

DIJON
Orientation

Meals
13 buffet breakfasts (BB); 8 threecourse dinners (D); a welcome dinner in Paris

Hotels:
PARIS Novotel Paris Tour Eiffel (SF), CAEN Mercure Centre (F), MONT ST. MICHEL Mercure Mont St. Michel (F), TOURS Holiday Inn City Centre (F), BORDEAUX Mercure Château Chartrons (F), NÎMES Imperator Concorde (F), NICE Boscolo Park (F), LYON Mercure Grand Saxe Lafayette (F), DIJON Mercure Clémenceau (F), PARIS Holiday Inn La Villette (F)
Day 1:
(Sun.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2:
Arrival in Paris, France. (Mon.) The day is free to rest or to start exploring the splendid French capital. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and leave the hotel for a welcome dinner with wine at one of Paris’ lively restaurants. After dinner you may wish to join an optional outing to get a first impression of the City of Light. (D)

Day 3:
Paris. (Tue.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Louvre, and Champs- Elysées. Visit magnificent NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL and for a panoramic view, take the elevator to the second floor of the EIFFEL TOWER. Balance of the day at leisure and lots to do. An optional afternoon excursion to the Palace and Gardens of Versailles and optional evening excursions are available. (BB)

Day 4:
Paris–Rouen–Caen. (Wed.) A pleasant drive through the rural area west of Paris takes you to historic Rouen in the lower valley of the River Seine. Time here for a leisurely stroll along the lovely cobbled Rue du Gros-Horloge leading from the cathedral to the square where Joan of Arc was burned in 1431. Then continue to Caen and look forward to the highlight of the day: a visit to the fascinating MEMORIAL MUSEUM FOR PEACE. Its great exhibits and audiovisual show focus on the Battle of Normandy. (BB,D)

Day 5:
Caen–Normandy Beaches–Bayeux–Mont St. Michel. (Thu.) Focus on the scene of the Allied Forces’ landing on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Visit the NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY and see the Ranger Monument at Point du Hoc. Then to Bayeux where you admire QUEEN MATILDA’S TAPESTRY, depicting in extraordinary detail William the Conqueror’s conquest of England. In the afternoon visit the famous ABBEY OF MONT ST. MICHEL, perched on a rocky isle in the Gulf of Saint Malo. Overnight on the coast near Mont St. Michel. (BB,D)

Day 6:
Mont St. Michel–Tours. (Fri.) Enjoy a scenic ride right across Brittany via Châteaubriant to Angers. Stop here for pictures of an impressive 13th-century castle overlooking the River Maine. Then continue your journey to Tours in the Loire Valley. Tonight is your chance to sample French cuisine at one of the area’s excellent bistros. (BB)

Day 7:
Tours. Châteaux Country Excursion. (Sat.) A rich day of sightseeing. Visit the jewel of the French Renaissance, Château CHAMBORD, and the 16th-century château of Catherine de Medici, lovely CHENONCEAU. On to Amboise. Visit CLOS LUCÉ and marvel at an amazing collection of models of Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions, painstakingly reconstructed from the drawings of the great renaissance genius. Return to Tours in the late afternoon. (BB,D)

Day 8:
Tours–Limoges–St. Emilion–Bordeaux. (Sun.) South through the area where Charles Martel saved Christian Europe from the Muslim tide in 732 A.D. and the Dordogne area to Limoges to visit a PORCELAIN FACTORY (if closed, visit the NATIONAL PORCELAIN MUSEUM instead). Next, stop in the pretty town of St. Emilion before arriving in Bordeaux, where you may want to try one of the area’s great wines with your dinner. (BB,D)

Day 9:
Bordeaux–Carcassonne–Nîmes. (Mon.) From Bordeaux to the beautifully preserved, medieval, walled town of Carcassonne for a leisurely walk on the ancient BATTLEMENTS and time to explore the town on your own. Overnight in Nîmes. (BB,D)

Day 10:
Nîmes–Pont du Gard–Avignon–Nice. (Tue.) Motor through the splendid vineyards of Languedoc-Roussillon. At Pont du Gard admire the Roman Aqueduct, a monumental feat of engineering completed in the year 19 B.C. Stop in Avignon for pictures of the magnificent Palace of the Popes and the bridge of the popular song. On to Nice, the sophisticated “Queen of the Riviera.” Later, why not join an exciting optional outing to Monte Carlo? (BB)

Day 11:
At Leisure in Nice. (Wed.) Enjoy this enchanting resort on the Côte d’Azur at your own pace. Browse through the elegant shops or stroll along the Promenade des Anglais. Join your Tour Director for a walk through the OLD TOWN and its colorful flower market, and you may wish to join an optional excursion to the famous artist town of St. Paul de Vence. Back to Nice in time for lunch. (BB)

Day 12:
Nice–Cannes–Aix-en-Provence–Lyon. (Thu.) This morning drive through Cannes, opulent resort of film festivals, on your way to Aix-en-Provence, birthplace of the painter Cézanne. Then proceed along the Rhône Valley to Lyon, the country’s second-largest city. (BB,D)

Day 13:
Lyon–Beaune–Dijon. (Fri.) Your orientation features a walk through Old Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Roman Amphitheater. Drive up FOURVIèRE HILL with its basilica to enjoy a breathtaking panorama of the city and its Roman ruins. Then drive north into Burgundy, where road signs read like the wine list of an expensive restaurant, to Beaune, and visit one of the prestigious WINE CELLARS. Continue to Dijon, which was the capital of Burgundy from the 11th to the 15th century. During your orientation, hear about the various dukes who ruled over the area, then have the rest of the afternoon to browse the shops and enjoy this charming city. (BB,D)

Day 14:
Dijon–Paris. (Sat.) A comfortable drive back to Paris past Fontainebleau Forest. In the afternoon an optional excursion to the Louvre Museum is available, as well as exciting possibilities for an unforgettable night out on the town! (BB)

Day 15:
(Sun.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)


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Airfare Disclaimer
A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link.

Documents
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

         
Touring Date
Land Only
Land + Air
Single
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Single
(Land + Air)
7/6/2008 - 7/20/2008
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7/13/2008 - 7/27/2008
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7/20/2008 - 8/3/2008
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7/27/2008 - 8/10/2008
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8/3/2008 - 8/17/2008
$2,569
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8/10/2008 - 8/24/2008
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8/17/2008 - 8/31/2008
$2,569
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8/24/2008 - 9/7/2008
$2,569
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8/31/2008 - 9/14/2008
$2,589
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9/7/2008 - 9/21/2008
$2,589
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9/14/2008 - 9/28/2008
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9/21/2008 - 10/5/2008
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9/28/2008 - 10/12/2008
$2,569
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10/5/2008 - 10/19/2008
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10/12/2008 - 10/26/2008
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10/19/2008 - 11/2/2008
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10/26/2008 - 11/9/2008
$2,549
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PARIS
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant; guided sightseeing, visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, ascend the Eiffel Tower

ROUEN
Orientation

CAEN
Visit the Memorial Museum for Peace

NORMANDY BEACHES
Visit the Normandy American Cemetery

BAYEUX
Visit Queen Matilda’s tapestry in the Tapestry Museum

MONT ST. MICHEL
Guided visit of the abbey

CHÂTEAUBRIANT
Morning stop

ANGERS
Picture stop of the castle

CHÂTEAUX COUNTRY
Full-day guided sightseeing, visit Châteaux of Chambord, Chenonceau, and Leonardo da Vinci’s home of Clos Lucé

LIMOGES
Visit a porcelain factory

ST. EMILION
Afternoon stop

CARCASSONNE
Orientation including the battlements

PONT DU GARD
Picture stop at the Roman Aqueduct

AVIGNON
Orientation, picture stops at the Palace of the Popes and Pont d’Avignon

NICE
Orientation of the Old Town

CANNES
Drive through the film festival city

AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Orientation

LYON
Orientation including Fourvière Hill

BEAUNE
Wine tasting

DIJON
Orientation

CURRENT SPECIALS:

Book now and take $200 off per couple on any air-inclusive European Low Season Vacations.*

* Book a 2008/2009 Globus Europe Winter air-inclusive vacation on select carriers to receive the $100 per person discount. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between June 4 and August 31, 2008 for travel commencing between October 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one another or any offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Save up to $600 per stateroom on 2009 Globus River and Small Ship Cruises

Discover an entirely new way to uncover the wonders of the world with river and small ship cruises. From a wine tasting adventure through the vineyards of France to island hopping in the Galapagos Islands, you’re sure to find a Globus river or small ship cruise that speaks to your heart. There’s simply no more peaceful way to sample the charming cities and awe-inspiring sights of Europe, China, Egypt and the Galápagos Islands.

*Book a 2009 Globus River Cruise air-inclusive vacation to receive the $300 off per person offer. Cruise-only bookings are eligible for the $125 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between May 14 and August 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. To secure the air booking, an additional deposit of $250 is required, which is refundable until the time that the flight information is confirmed. Offers not valid with one-another or any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


Standard Offers and Specials provided by Globus

Discount for young travelers

Share the pleasure of a Globus vacation with your children and grandchildren and take advantage of a 10-percent discount on the land-only price. For eligibility, children must be under 18 years of age on the departure date and must be accompanied by an adult. On escorted vacations we don’t accept children under eight years old because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.

Pay less for your second vacation

We charge you vacation price for your first vacation in 2008, but for every additional Globus vacation you take in the same year, you pay US$35 under list. Our vacations are designed and scheduled so you can combine them almost any way you want. It’s fun to play the add-a-vacation game yourself or talk to your travel agent.

Triple room reduction

On most Globus vacations you receive a reduction when three people travel together and share the same accommodations. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed on the itinerary pages. A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway put in a twin-bedded room.

Avoid the single room supplement

We do not take reservations on a “share” basis because we have found that strangers rarely enjoy sharing a room for the duration of their vacation. Avoid the single room supplement by traveling with a friend. It’s less expensive and much more fun!


Do you have a large party of friends or family that wants to travel?

Right now when you book between 5 and 7 people before December 31, 2008, each passenger will save $75.* For example, book 5 passengers and receive a $375 discount, 6 passengers equals a $450 discount and 7 passengers will receive a $525 discount. With an offer like this, the world’s greatest destinations are now closer than ever!

*Book a 2009 Globus vacation for five, six or seven travelers to receive the $75 off per person offer. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied between Jun 4 and Dec 31, 2008 for travel through December 31, 2009. Individuals must be traveling together from the same origination point to receive the discount. Not valid with any other offer and applies to new 2009 bookings only. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.


   
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