Castles & Wines of France

On arrival, you are met and privately transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure. You may wish to take in the iconic sights of the city on your own: the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées. Consider visiting the Ile de la Cité, home to Notre Dame Cathedral with its famous gargoyles that adorn the gutters. As you walk, pass boulangeries and pâtisseries that lure you inside with their inviting aromas. Later, attend a welcome dinner at Le Vaudeville. On the corner of Rue Vivienne and Rue de la Bourse, Le Vaudeville was originally the bar of the theater of the same name that saw the 1852 triumph of The Lady of the Camellias by Alexandre Dumas.

This morning, discover Montmartre, one of the best-loved Bohemian quarters in Paris. A picturesque route takes you to see the vineyard, old cobbled streets and artists’ studios where Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and van Gogh painted; quiet gardens; the oldest cabaret in Paris; the lively place-du-Tertre; and the famous Basilica of Sacré-Coeur. You also have a wonderful view over the city. Later, visit the recently re-opened Musée de l’Orangerie, which houses Monet’s magnificent Water Lillies paintings and enjoy a talk by the museum’s lecturer before your tour. Afterward, embark on a River Seine cruise, enjoying lunch as you pass the famous monuments, such as Notre Dame Cathedral, that adorn the banks of the river. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore independently.

Just outside the arms of Paris, the world seems to change from crowded, balconied apartments and endless traffic to tranquil, flowing fields dotted with magnificent châteaux. This is the Loire Valley, close in distance but miles apart in flavor, and the only area in France that produces every variety of wine: white, red, rosé, sparkling, still, dry and sweet. Visit Fontainebleau château, home to French kings since the 12th century; Napoleon looked upon it as his true royal home. With a humble beginning as a royal hunting lodge, Fontainebleau became fortified. In 1528, François I commissioned a massive construction program. Scores of Italian artists and craftsmen built and decorated two groups of buildings joined by a gallery, making the château the size of an entire town. Continue to Orléans, the town where Joan of Arc achieved her first military victory. It attracted artists, poets and troubadours to the royal court, making Orléans the intellectual capital of France in the 13th century. Pause for photos at the largest of the Loire châteaux, Château de Chambord, described by the author Henry James as being “royal in its great scale, its grand air and its indifference to common considerations.” Reach your Loire Valley hotel later this afternoon.

Explore the scenic Loire Valley and its plethora of châteaux. Your first stop is at the delightful Château de Chenonceau, once owned by Catherine de Medici. Its beautiful white spires, towers and arches form the Pont de Diane over the River Cher. It is perhaps the most photographed Loire château and is known as the “Castle of Five Ladies” for its intriguing story of jealous royal mistresses. You have time to wander its rooms and stroll through the impressive formal gardens. Continue to Amboise, where you visit the Royal Château and Clos Lucé, a handsome Renaissance manor where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last four years of his life. The museum contains working models of some of da Vinci’s inventions. Conclude your sightseeing at a local wine estate for a wine tasting. Return to your hotel for leisure time to relax and enjoy the wellness facilities.

Visit the elegant Renaissance château of Azay-le-Rideau. It is surrounded by water and poised against the backdrop of an English-style garden and is one of the most graceful of early Renaissance buildings. Continue to the beautifully restored Château de Villandry, which is owned by the Carvallo family of Spain. They have filled the interior with a remarkable collection of Spanish furniture and paintings and have carefully restored the gardens to 16th-century style. Beyond the geometric ornamental garden depicting symbols of love, find the château’s potager (traditional kitchen garden) and the French-styled garden where colorful blooms are set into patterns by box hedges and paths.

Take the morning train to Libourne and transfer the short distance to Saint-Émilion. Enjoy lunch and a walking tour of the medieval town, which is dominated by a bell tower. Continue to Bordeaux, the world’s wine industry capital, arriving at your hotel late this afternoon. You have the evening at leisure to relax.

Drive along the beautiful Route du Médoc for an introduction to a traditional winegrowing land where more than 800 crus and eight appellations of controlled origin wines are produced. Appreciate the skillful cultivation of Médoc wines during a cellar tour and wine tasting at a top estate. Cross the Gironde on a small ferry and stop in Blaye to visit the fortress built by Vauban, a 17th-century military engineer. This network of forts and defenses is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Travel to Toulouse for a sightseeing tour of the Old Town, a web of narrow lanes and small squares dominated by the St. Sernin Basilica. The largest Romanesque basilica in Europe, St. Sernin was built in the 11th and 12th centuries to accommodate pilgrims on their journey to Santiago de Compostela. Visit the 18th-century Capitole (city hall), with magnificent murals, and the superb fan-vaulted Jacobins Church containing frescoes of the Apocalypse. From there, head to the Hôtel d’Assézat, a sumptuous 17th-century mansion that is now home to the Fondation Bemberg. It features one of the most outstanding private collections of art in France, with works ranging from Canaletto to Matisse. After lunch, continue to Carcassonne and your hotel.

Join your local guide for a tour of Carcassonne, Europe’s largest fortified citadel. The medieval section known as La Cité stands on top of a hill above the River Aude completely separate from the rest of the town; it overlooks the valley of Laurageais and the lush Minervois vineyards. Visit the fortified upper town and the 12th-century Château Comtal, the last inner bastion of the city. Admire the elaborate fortifications of the two castellated walls, the 54 towers and the two gates. The views toward the Pyrenees are splendid. You can stroll along the medieval streets lined with souvenir shops and craft boutiques. The balance of the day is leisure until you gather for a farewell dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.

Transfer to Toulouse airport for your onward flight home.