Paris, Provence and the château country of the Loire
Climb Montmartre at dawn, cycle between Loire châteaux, walk the D-Day beaches of Normandy and follow the lavender roads of Provence, with a long lunch at every stop.
Most travellers begin in Paris. Our specialists typically suggest 7–12 nights to see the highlights without rushing — longer if you’d like to combine regions or add beach time.
France at a glanceCountry details are maintained by our travel specialists. Live weather is provided by an external service and updates automatically.
The wrought-iron tower built for the 1889 World's Fair stands on the Left Bank of the Seine at the end of the Champ de Mars. Visitors can climb or ride up to two platforms and take a lift to the summit, and the tower sits within the stretch of riverbank that UNESCO lists as Paris, Banks of the Seine.
A rocky islet of about seven hectares rising to 92 metres, topped by a medieval abbey dedicated to the Archangel Michael and ringed by a walled village. It stands in a bay with one of the largest tidal ranges in Europe and is listed by UNESCO, together with its bay, as a World Heritage Site.
The seat of the French monarchy from Louis XIV to Louis XVI, Versailles combines a vast palace, formal gardens laid out by André Le Nôtre and the more intimate Trianon estate. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 and is an easy day trip from central Paris.
Each summer the farmland of upper Provence turns purple as lavender and its hybrid lavandin come into flower. The best-known fields cover the Valensole plateau between the Durance valley and the Verdon gorges, while the Cistercian abbey of Sénanque near Gordes is framed by the monks' own lavender rows.
Landmarks, sacred sites, islands, parks and food streets — each with its story, the best time to go and what’s nearby.
24 places in France
France · 8 nights4★ HotelFrance · 7 nights4★ Boutique9 days · 4★ hotel · indicative from $3,196 pp. Every day can be adjusted.
View full packageYou’re met at Charles de Gaulle Airport and taken by private transfer to your hotel. In the evening, take an hour-long cruise along the Seine past Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower.
A guided morning at the Louvre, followed by a free afternoon in the Marais, with its 17th-century squares, boutiques and falafel shops.
A guided half-day at Versailles, from the state apartments and the Hall of Mirrors to the formal gardens, returning to Paris for a free evening.
Walk up through Montmartre to Sacré-Cœur for views over the city, then spend the rest of the day as you like: the Musée d’Orsay, shopping or a long lunch.
Take the high-speed train south to Avignon, about two and three-quarter hours, and settle into your hotel inside the medieval walls.
A guided visit to the Palais des Papes, then on to the Pont du Gard, the three-tiered Roman aqueduct over the Gardon river.
Croissants and baguettes, Burgundy and Bordeaux wines, Normandy cheeses, bouillabaisse and Provençal markets
World-class museums, Gothic cathedrals, châteaux and village café life
Paris fashion and perfume, Provençal soaps and linens, Normandy calvados and Champagne
Museum visits, Seine cruises, château cycling, wine tasting and cooking classes
EuropeAncient ruins, whitewashed villages and azure bays
EuropeArt cities, coastal villages and slow lunches
EuropeGlaciers, geysers and the northern lights
EuropeWalled cities and a thousand Adriatic islands
