Our lunch at the winery! Tour Questions? "It's hard to pick just one special moment. Our guide, Virginie More' did an amazing job. This was my first tour and it exceeded my expectations. The chateaus were amazing, with a special nod to the gardens at Vallandry. The group was great and the pace was perfect. In the afternoon, we paddled canoes on the Dordogne River, admiring chateaux on the cliffs above us. "Being able to stand in Leonardo da Vincis last home, look at his original writings, view the desk and table where he worked and observe replicas of his inventions is an experience I will never forget. The Rick Steves tour was amazing as always. Also, although not something Rick Steves Europe can control, 20 out of a group of 26 were part of a couple (either married or friends traveling together), which created a lopsided group dynamic. This was a very enjoyable tour: beautiful countryside, good food & wine, interesting sights. Loved everything on the tour- enjoyed visiting different parts of France that normally most tourists don't visit. Save up to 20% today. This was our 3rd Rick Steves tour and it delivered as expected. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Julie was an excellent guide who knew the tour, its special adventures and she had an engaging personality. Sleep in Chartres. Hard to believe it was built by the Romans so long ago. Visit the Eiffel Tower, the French Riviera, Loire Valley wine region, Palace of Versailles and more. "Oradour-sur-Glane. Another stunning sight was the Pont du Gard aqueduct. Our guide, Linda, and driver, Phillipe, were wonderful, personable, knowledgeable, and friendly. And I did purchase the catalogue!". I have always travelled independently but have always wanted to go on a Rick Steves Tour. Our time was filled with many and varied new experiences. Here are a few of our "best sellers". The hotels were great - we enjoyed the character and people in some of the unique spots we visited. The tour was led by Julie who was a last minute substitute for another guide. View France tour packages & request a quote today! "There were so many, really hard to narrow it to one. Champagne and croissants and berets and baguettes. Great people to travel with, Great Guide, Great places to visit. ", We had a wonderful experience, visiting many of the less explored areas of France. I enjoyed the pace of the tour, the beautiful French countryside. We enjoyed many wonderful and memorable adventures with a great tour guide that included exceptional activities, inspirational sights and delicious meals and wine. With only 10 tour members remaining by Day 7 after Covid unfortunately swept 14 who tested positive and their companions from the tour, the experience was like a private tour. I could have spent another hour or 2 at Clos Luce being immersed in the late life and work of Leonardo Da Vinci, but we had to leave quaint Amboise to move on to our next destination.". Although this was our first tour with Rick Steves, it was everything that we were told to expect from friends and tour info prep guides. Jazz bars and vineyards and lavender fields as far as the eye can see. Maybe try to see less sites and allow more self-touring time? By. This afternoon we'll visit the elegant, river-straddling Chteau de Chenonceau, where we'll learn about royal life in France, with free time to roam through the chteau's opulent interior and gardens. I especially enjoyed the breadth of area that the tour covered. Filter Results. Light to strenuous walking (your choice). The meals together - awesome, and being able to sample France from North to South in one tour with such good company.". Step inside the Aix-En-Provence Cathedral, a national treasure and religious . This was my first visit to France and I really enjoyed the tour! June is the most popular month to join a small group tour to France with 315 departures starting between June 2023 and October 2024. This tour gave us a mix of activities that gave us experiences of history, beauty, wine, culture, and allowed us the time to find more on our own. This engineering marvel helped supply millions of gallons of fresh water daily to one of the largest cities in Roman Gaul 20 centuries ago! First two hotels had no AC and France was in the midst of heatwave. Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $4,513. It was nice to get back on a bus with fellow RS travelers. Loire to the South of France in 13 Days Tour - Rick Steves Europe Napoleon and Simone de Beauvoir and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. This tour, my first trip to France, was a wonderful experience. One was spending the day at the market in Salat. The sister and brother who own the winery were so kind as well as being quite informative about how their wines are produced.". France Tours | Best France Tours & Package Tours - KensingtonTours Most days are moderately paced with 28 miles of walking, including some hills and stairs. I always learn so much on these tours and am constantly amazed at the places we visit! The variety was great from architecturally significant places including two beautiful chateaus, historic cave, winery, Roman coliseum and aqueduct, WWII ruins, and a canoe ride through the French countryside. It was very moving and touching. The Oradour-Sur-Galane visit was heartbreaking but deeply moving and I appreciated that experience. The day with the prehistoric cave paintings and the canoe trip on the Dordogne was the most fun, but the visit to the WWII ruined town of Oradour-Sur-Glane was a moment of reckoning.". "Meeting Rick Steves in person in Nice was the biggest unexpected wow but of France itself, the Light Show on the Chartres Cathedral and the DaVinci House (optional). France | Gate 1 Travel - More of the World For Less! It was so fun getting to France after two years of trying!!! The paella we got at the market was yummy!". June 2023 train strike dates. The BEST way to see the South of France - This tour of the south of France was one of the greatest adventures I have experienced. Then we'll take an orientation walk through our neighborhood, followed by time to get acquainted over dinner together. I appreciate how the tours maximize my limited vacation time. I loved this tour and would love to do another tour in France. ", Right balance of scheduled events and personal time. The weather, cool in Chartres, warm in Nice, was perfect for mid-late May. The illuminations show is absolutely amazing, with using the quarry walls at the screen and watching and walking through the pictures, videos, and synchronized sound. The second was seeing the Pont du Gard, so incredible! It is hard to believe that people (Nazis in this case) could be so inhumane towards others. And, having the Abilene Paradox being mentioned as part of the bus narrative.". tauck value includes. An intriguing & educational tour, I felt like I was actively immersed in Frances charming historical & cultural heritage going back to the medieval times & even earlier. Afterward, you'll be set free to explore and enjoy dinner on your own. Tour was fantastic. Sarlat was a gem, with its wonderful market. ", "Wine tasting and lunch at the vineyard. France Guided Tour Packages | Insight Vacations Our guide, Linda, made the experience - educational, fun, surprising, and safe. Tour guide was knowledgable, a good story teller and worked seemingly effortlessly with the group. On this trip, I was amazed by the medieval beauty of Chartres Cathedral with the stained glass windows that were highlighted by Malcolm Miller. It was profound and sobering to be there as history is being repeated in Ukraine.". "This is difficult to answer-there were so many! Maybe its because we in the US havent fought a war against a foreign aggressor within our shores but we easily forget the lessons of the past. 1-604-689-8611 Call Scenic 1-604-689-8611 Join Father Bryan Jerabek of the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama on a pilgrimage through the south of France. All the necessities are taken care of. But, there were three that stuck out: 1. the cave drawings. March 30, 2022. We use cookies to analyze traffic and provide you with personalized content and ads. I love France and will definitely return! Visiting Oradour-sur-Glane was difficult, but incredibly moving. There was a nice balance of history and culture as well experiencing modern French life. Patrick, our guide was exceptional as he knows the country so well and made sure that we made the most of the experience. The possibilities are endless. It was a great tour! In all cases, the beds were super comfortable and showers great. Worse than a motel 6. ", Our guide William was outstanding in how he handled the tour, attentive, keeping our local guides on task and was constantly aware of our concerns and needs (like toilet breaks), "When he supplied us with a special drink or treat.". Bus: 1 hours. Your tour delivered all you said it would. October 15 - 25, 2022 / $4590.00, air-inclusive from Atlanta. France Group Tours | Back-Roads Touring The itinerary was well thought out, logistics were handled smoothly and the guide was outstanding. In 2014, he retired from teaching to devote more of his time to travel and leading travel adventurers. Be charmed by cosmopolitan Paris, sample sumptuous food and wine in the Loire Valley, and take in the glamour of the South of France. Plus, beat the price increase. 2. We had a wonderful guide in Linda, charming, knowledgeable, good leader. We'll stop at a winery en route to drink from the bounty of France's largest wine-producing region. "I really loved the canoe trip! We met some great fellow travelers that we plan on staying in contact with. "So many! Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. On escorted 2022 France tours with Globus, ascend the Eiffel Tower and visit the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. It's a breeze to reach Nice's airports by taxi, shuttle, or public transportation. Hardly anyone said a word as we walked around. She was warm and nice to be around while always a step ahead keeping us informed and comfortable. Au revoir et merci! We had a great group of people which also made the experience so enjoyable. Bill Snowden was a geography master at Harrow school, a boy's boarding school that counts Lord Byron and Winston Churchill among its former pupils. She was very knowledgeable and made all of the French history come alive and made our trip so memorable. Other tour members were extremely slow walkers and complained about steps or any activity that required physical exertion. "Chateau Villandry Gardens and the light show at Chartres - walking along the river in Chartres was lovely.". Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements and transfers are completely up to you. Our Stories about French Life | The Absolutely Southern France Blog Being fascinated by a well-seasoned stained glass art historian who explained the meaning of key windows in Chartres Cathedral. Top 10 Southern France Tours in August 2023 - TourRadar The other was the wine tasting and dinner at the scenic Languedoc-Rousillon region. Breathe-taking! "Sarlat in the Dordogne region. ", Just an excellent and efficient, and cost affective way to see the country, see significant cultural sights, and imbibe the culture of the country, "I am not a 'wow' moment person. Arnaud told us important details about all the places that we visited, and what it is to be uniquely 'French'. Arnold is a fabulous guide. I have a tie. "Amazing gardens at Villandry, and cave paintings.". Southern France was even better! "I am always WOWed by the enormous structures built before modern equipment. All of the arrangements went very smoothly, and the hotels were very comfortable. The tour guide,Arnaud, was passionate about French history but lacked details on tour practicals and skipped the group picnic in Scarlat. I could have spent all day at just one of the chateaus, like Azay. We saw many sites that would have been impossible for us to arrange as independent travelers. There is a perfect balance of planned activity and free time. Biggest selection. Two hours to get out of CDG, long lines to get train tickets and five train changes. 8 reviews Destinations Avignon, Orange, Uzs, Saint-Rmy-de-Provence, Les Baux de Provence, Arles Age Range 14 to 99 year olds Country Region Southern France, Provence Travel Style Group, Fully Guided Operated in English Operator Intrepid Travel -25% Tour length 8 days Price per day $260 From $2,775 US $2,081 You save: $694 Book With Flexibility "I was wowed by the gardens at Villandry being a gardener myself. It's a 60 to 75-minute train ride from Paris to Chartres, where the tour begins. Our guide also took us to restaurants that specialized in regional dishes such as cassoulet and fois gras. Everyday there were memorable, awesome places to see; each day better than the previous. This was our 6th RS tour and our least favorite. The tour was a great mix of experiences, from visiting chateaus, to prehistoric caves, to outdoor experiences like canoeing. explore colorful Provence, the Loire Valley, ancient abbeys, cobblestoned villages, Bordeaux, Cte du Rhne wine regions, Paris and more. Weather only got better as the tour went on. Our guide, Claire, was wonderful. Also the safety and comfort in some hotel rooms left something to be desired. France River Cruises 2022 & 2023 | All-Inclusive - Scenic Call Scenic 1-604-689-8611 Book a Cruise Contact Us Agent Portal Trip Personalizer News Newsletter Sign-Up River Cruises Destinations Europe France Portugal South East Asia Rivers Bordeaux Danube Douro Main Mekong Rhine and Moselle Rhone Seine River Cruising Experience Butler Service The sights were fabulous, our tour members were nice people and fun to be with, the food and wine was wonderful. Several times he made extra arrangements form us to see sites that were not on the tour (Lascaux II). One: Carcassonne the evening of a full moon". This morning we'll take a walking tour across Nice, starting with the busy Cours Saleya, the city's main market square since the Middle Ages. The choices for meals and accommodations were great. "Could easily have been the Roman Aqueduct, but think it was the Domaine Guinand - an 8th generation family of grape growers and winemakers with great wines. Spectacular venues. Very knowledgeable , great sense of humor and knows how to stay in control. Spectacular South of France - Scenic This evening we'll enjoy a final dinner together, sharing travel memories and toasting new friends. Edelweiss Southern France Tour Review | Rider Magazine The tour was well organized with a perfect mix of events and downtime. "Canoeing on the Dordogne River was our Wow moment. This is our second Rick Steves tour and it did not disappoint. While my tour was short due to contracting Covid I had a great time. Although the weather was cold and a bit rainy we spent two evenings mesmerized by the outstanding light show on the cathedral walls. Sleep in Sarlat. Bill Snowden. My tour group were just awesome. I had visited nearly 40 years ago, before most of the glass had been cleaned and repaired. Some were larger, some smaller and one had no elevator (we're not on the trip for the hotel rooms, right?). Its beautiful blue stained glass. Another wow surprise stop was to the region of Les Baux, a visit to the quarry for a historical lighted show playing out throughout the many walls, ceiling and floors.". A great lineup of sites, stops, special excursions, and time to explore on our own. Rub shoulders with local shoppers, sample foie gras, and salivate over the famous black truffle as you shop for your fantasy picnic lunch. It was a great experience! Certainly the gardens at Villandry. Great variety of activities. "There were so many "WOW" moments: the somber history of Oradour-sur-Glane, so we do not forget the tragedy of war; the magnificence of Pont du Gard, a masterpiece of Roman engineering; the cave art of Rouffignac Cave, what is their meaning; and the castles' history, architecture and splendor. A rental car with automatic transmission & full insurance coverage. Looking down on the road that brought us up to Col du Galibier, an 8,668-foot pass in the French Alps . The hotels, the choices of locations to visit and our your guide were all outstanding! ", "The gardens of the Chateau Villandry gardens, the reflections of the Chateau dAzay le Rideau on the lake surrounding it, the double rainbow over Sarlat, my first glimpse of the Pont Du Gard over the Gardon river. The hotels we stayed in were all clean with professional staff and amenities were sufficient. We saw a lot of rural France in the process. It was a humbling experience.". It was amazing. Can't decide between two of the world's most captivating and legendary cities? "Each day was exciting and a new adventure can't really identify a specific "wow"!". To walk through the village and to see what war atrocities can do was stark. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the tour except for the hotel accommodations (not location, but the rooms themselves). Night, the incredible light display on the cathedral". Beautiful scenery". "I am not sure I can pin down to a specific "wow" moment. Good pacing. March 31 - April 10, 2022* *Tour begins April 1 in France. Edelweiss Bike Travel's Best of Southern France Tour. Deals of The Week:Southeast Asia deals! One of the two best Rick Steves ever. Our tour guide was fantastic. "Visiting the village of Oradour-Sur-Glane destroyed by Nazis. "The incredible light and musical show at the caves at Les Baux". Spectacular South of France - Scenic Every day was a sensory delight. Tour designer, trip planner, tour escort, - south of France travels "Oh so manythe light show in Les Carrieres and Pont du Gard. Like our previous 3 tours, this one was wonderful in every way! Select Your Southern France Tour - TripUSAFrance Towns became more than dots on a map. "This was my 5th or 6th trip to France but this time I saw the country with new eyes and was very impressed with the beauty and the sense of community of the French.". The gardens at Chateau de Villandry were awesome. Insight Vacations France Tours. Our guide was so knowledgeable and informative. I want to go on another Rick Steves Tour as soon as we can. Similar to visiting Holocaust sights. Lots of history, which made me wish I had studied a primer before leaving on tour. Our driver Philippe got us to each of our destinations timely, safely and with a smile. "Favorite? Seemed to have a lot of self guided or audio guided tours rather than local guides or tour leader guided. On our Loire to the South of France in 13 Days tour among other things you'll need to happily. At that point, we were dumped off the tour and left to fend for ourselves. It's 6:22pm in Barcelona Barcelona, Southern France & the Italian Riviera 12 days | 14 days with Rome extension Group size 15-38 travelers Reviews 315 Physical activity High See dates & prices Overview Itinerary Reviews Traveler photos Hotels, flights & FAQ Fully Refundable Booking Period Feel good about booking your tour today. This is a gem of the south, sitting at the border of Provence and the less popular Languedoc region. Chartres Cathedral was wonderful! I found the French people to be friendly and helpful. Wonderful tour of France. If the weather is hot, we may even stop for a swim along the way. Absolutely Southern France is a fully-licensed travel company based in the South of France dedicated to designing tours, organising trips and planning shore excursions for travelers from the USA . Your afternoon will be free to wander through Nice's beautiful Chagall and Matisse Museums, prowl the promenades, or relax on the famous beach. The light show on the Chartes cathedral at night, our private walking tour with the town mayor of the small village of Mortemart, the special priviledge of walking atop the Pont du Gard where the water would have actually flowed, the outdoor lunch at the family winery. All the people on the tour are friendly and outgoing. Our tour guide was just great and so fun and our tour group I am still missing a week later. "There were a few but I would say the Villandry chateau. September 11 - 17, 2023 A Trip of a Lifetime! 3. We'll meet at 5 p.m. at our hotel for a short "Bienvenue Chartres" meeting. Explore the Monaco Cathedral. It was so unsettling, so different from anything Id seen before, and so moving.". Best Prices. Browse the best tours in France (Southern) with 118 reviews visiting places like Avignon and Arles. Rick Steves tours are a great balance between group and individual experiences, and this tour was just that. I chose this tour because I wanted to see castles. Our guide Arnaud was very informative and fun to travel with and our driver, Philipe, was excellent. 11 cities. Kind, intelligent people, wanting to learn. Begin your journey with a private city tour visiting iconic sites such as the Eiffel Tower and the Sagrada Familia. "Canoeing on the Dordonge in the shadows of hillside chateaus was very special.". "My favorite experience was the Chartres Cathedral. "The light show at the Chartres Cathedral, the stained glass museum, and Malcolm". Well, the whole Dordogne region was some of the most beautiful country Ive ever seen. Sleep in Chinon. For more information: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, See All Tour Operators in Southern France, Road to Athens 13DayGreekIslandHopping latest. 2023-24 North America & Caribbean Offers. "There were many, but the Chartres light show and the Pont du Gard stand out.". Julie made this trip the best. Didnt hurt that we had perfect weather!". ", "Visiting Pont du Gard and walking through the aqueduct. Find out more Sold Out Memories You Promised Yourself Our guide Arnaud was knowledgeable, good sense of humor yet maintained professional control at all times. read more. Sometimes its a new food, or unexpected sightseeing stop, or a connection with a fellow tour member. They started with the light show at Chartres, Chateau de Chenonceaus amazing gardens, Oradour sur Glane, Rouffignac cave drawings, medieval Carcassone, Pont du Gard, Oh yes, and the unforgettable light show in the limestone quarry.". After lunch in the nearby village, we'll return to Chinon, where you'll be free for the rest of the day to explore the town's ancient streets, tour the medieval castle, or sample the local wines. "Seeing Chenonceau, after reading about it in French history; the drawings in the cave near Lascaux; the spectacular sound and light show at Les Baux; and all the delicious foie gras. I have never been in a canoe so this was a personal challengeas we canoed around the last bend, a gorgeous chateau came into view and I was just wowed.". This morning we'll drive south, crossing the scenic valleys of the Lot and Tarn rivers as we make our way to Europe's largest fortified city: delightfully medieval Carcassonne. Claire handled it as well as could be expected but it brought things down. But Patrick, Claire and experts such as Malcolm and Laurent were wonderful! And the food!". I really enjoyed the range of experiences, from visiting Roman ruins to canoeing on the Dordogne River. We also really enjoyed the hill town of Les Baux. 10 Best Southern France Bicycle Tours 2023/2024 - TourRadar I was very pleased with the choices of places to visit on the tour. With his "talks" and anecdotal stories, we learned much more about French people, food, politics and culture. 10 Best Southern France Summer 2023 Tours & Trips - TourRadar
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