MAJESTIC FRANCE FLY & DRIVE

Gastronomic & Chateaux Adventure in Chartres, Loire Valley & Paris

10 Days / 8 Nights

Prices are on a per person basis based on Double Occupancy.

Departures: March through Oct 2008

JFK or EWR Independent fly and drive vacation

Program at a glance:

What’s Included:

• Round trip flights from New York (JFK or EWR). Fuel surcharges included (valid at time of printing). Other selected gateway departures are available for an additional cost.
• Hotel accommodations for eight nights, including hotel taxes and service charges.
• Daily breakfast, Three dinners with drinks and coffee are included. All other lunches and dinners are on your own.
• Automatic rental car from arrival in Paris through return to Paris.
• Round trip airport/hotel transfers.

Day 1 Depart New York (JFK or EWR, departures from other US cities are available upon request.)

Day 2-3 Arrive in Paris, pick up your rental car and set out for your hotel in Chartres where you will stay for two nights. Set your own schedule—start with a guided evening tour, "Chartres en Lumières" (Lights of Chartres). See the Cathedral, Evêché gardens, the St. André Collégiale church and more. Or try a guided tour of the Castle of Vaux le Vicomte, Nicolas Fouquet's completely furnished house, or tour the Chateau of Fontainebleau, classified in the UNESCO world heritage invite in a surprising walk through centuries. For eight centuries, Fontainebleau received the biggest sovereigns of France, Napoleon 1st to Napoleon III. The national domain of the castle of Fontainebleau, testimony of the biggest sovereigns of France. In the heart of a legendary forest, the castle of Fontainebleau is world famous for its park and its gardens. Overnight and dinners at the Chateau d'Esclimont.

Day 4-5-6 Journey to the Loire Valley, the storybook castle country of France, and check into the Chateau d'Artigny for the next three nights. noted as one of the richest cultural legacies in France. Here the majestic the Loire River is classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and splits the Touraine region across the middle. Bordered by vineyards and filled with intriguing castles, the Loire Valley was once the favorite abode of pleasure-loving nobility. This is the storybook castle country of France with its striking Renaissance Châteaux, rich in art and opulent furnishings and filled with history. Visit the remarkable Blois Castle that dates back to feudal times. Enjoy the pretty town of Amboise. It was here that King Francois I invited Leonardo di Vinci to come and enlighten him. Visit Clos Luce, where da Vinci spent his last years. Today it is a museum featuring some of his works and working models of some of the gadgets he designed for Francois I. Continue on to Tours, an old city with winding streets, half-timbered houses and lively cafes. Make sure not to miss the fine 13^th century stained glass in the Gothic cathedral of St. Gatien. Drive to nearby Angers to view the incredible Tapestry of the Apocalypse, the oldest surviving tapestry of the Middle Ages. Free time for lunch. Later continue on to Villandray to visit its private family Château, famous for its extravagant 16^th century-style gardens. Continue on to Azay-le-Rideau along the Indre River. Here the elegant 16^th century Château d’Azay-le-Rideau is set on an island and is now a fine Renaissance museum. drive to Blois for a brief visit. Then cross the Loire River to visit Chambord, surrounded by 20 miles of walls. Here sits the monumental Château de Chambord, the largest in the Loire Valley with 440 rooms and a chimney for each day of the year. Once royal hunting grounds, today the château grounds are a wildlife preserve. Later, visit Château de Cheverny, still occupied by the descendents of the original owner. Continue on to the village of Chenonceaux. Henri II gave the great Château de Chenonceau to his mistress, Diane de Poitier. After his death, his wife Catherine de Medici expelled the unlucky mistress and took over this masterpiece of Renaissance architecture spanning an entire river. Make sure to sample some regional Chinon red or a Vouvray white wine during your stay in the Loire Valley.

Day 7-8-9 After breakfast drive to Paris, one of the world’s most romantic cities. Drop off your rental car and check into your hotel. For the next two days, explore Paris on your own. See the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame and the Musée du Louvre, shop fashionable boutiques, savor fine French cuisine or wander through museums. Enjoy the next two days at leisure in the “City of Light”, browsing through fashionable boutiques, savoring fine French cuisine, wandering through museums or discovering lost treasures at the “Marché aux Puces”. Whether you have visited Paris before or this is your first time, the city has a wealth of art museums to enjoy. Visit the Musée du Louvre, one of the world’s largest and greatest, with its many treasures including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. An impressive collection of art from 1848 to 1614 is housed at the Musée d’Orsay and features many fine Impressionist paintings from great masters like Manet, Degas and Renior. The Musée Picasso offers an unparallel collection of Picasso to view. A daily buffet breakfast is included at your hotel; all other meals are on your own. (Breakfast)

Day 10 Head to the Paris airport for your return flight.