Highlights of Paris, Normandy and the Champagne region

Luxury small group travel

October 2023: SOLD OUT
Option 2: May 20 - 24, 2024
Option 3: Sept. 23 - 27, 2024

5 days, 4 nights

Small group, limited to 16 travelers

$ 3,800 USD per pers. dd occ. (solo traveler: add $ 950 USD) FIXED RATE

Early bird: 10% off if you book more than 5 months before departure date

Your itinerary at a glance

Activity level: EASY

We have made arrangements with our service providers to give you preferential access to pick-up and drop-off points so that you are as close as possible to the various sites and will never need to walk that far. This itinerary is therefore adapted to seniors and persons with reduced physical mobility.

Why book this trip with Finding France?​

• Hassle-free travel: we are an experienced boutique tour operator based in France that has a deep knowledge of the region and is fully licensed, insured, and registered with French authorities.
• Throughout your stay, your local Personal Travel Assistant is there to take care of everything you need during your trip.
• All our guides and PTA’s speak English fluently (as well as many other languages, please inquire with our travel designer!)
Go at your own pace and take your time to enjoy all that France has to offer without the fatigue.
• Enjoy authentic encounters with locals.
• Support the local economy by visiting French artisans and producers.

• A multilingual knowledgeable Personal Travel Assistant at your service throughout your stay. Your PTA is with you during transfers and visits of different sites to ensure your well-being – and will regale you with anecdotes, history, and experiences about France and the French people;
• Additional guides and experts from the region;
• A fun intercultural class at the beginning of your stay for a better understanding of French culture
• A Travel Advisor to answer all your questions before your departure;
4-star boutique hotels very well located with all breakfasts included*;
All lunches in our hand-picked restaurants – the ones where the locals go to eat. Soft drinks and wine included.
2 dinners in gourmet restaurants (a welcoming dinner on the first evening, and the last dinner).
Private guided tours with jump-the-line tickets at museums, historical sites, and artisan workshops;
• Hotel with WIFI + Concierge service assistance available 24/7
• Gratuities at hotels and restaurants;
• Tastings and samplings when visiting local producers;
• Entry fees and easy access to all events and activities described in the itinerary;
• Transportation in a high-quality air-conditioned vehicle;
• Luggage transfers.
• Unlimited bottled water (replenished daily);
Pick-up and drop-off at CDG Airport or anywhere you want in Paris.
• Shopping time opportunities with our recommendation on where to find the best value for money souvenirs (no forced shopping, no middlemen)
24/7 emergency contact to call if you need anything during your stay.

*We select only the best hotels. All rooms are air-conditioned with all amenities easily accessible and suitable for persons with reduced physical mobility.

• International flights

• Medical travel insurance

• Cancellation- Interruption insurance

• Tips for your Personal Travel Assistant and driver

 

Your detailed itinerary

Your arrival in Paris

Your private chauffeur-guide meets you at Charles de Gaulle Airport: welcome to France!
Enjoy a restful night’s sleep at your elegant boutique hotel located in downtown Paris

• A superb driving tour of the most iconic sites of the “City of Light.”  Your local, bilingual guide will add color and history to the visit as you admire the beauty of Paris from the comfort of a high-quality, privatized vehicle. 

• We pick you up in front of your hotel or a location of your choice in Paris.

• Discover Paris – from a small celtic village to a diverse cosmopolitan city, your guide will help you discover Paris through the ages, learn about its rich cultural history, and share “insider” stories of this fabulous city.

• We make as many stops as you would like in front of the various monuments and sites for photo opportunities

• Just as any self-respecting Parisian would do, we will stop at midday for a relaxed lunch in a typical and authentic brasserie on the hill of Montmartre (one where the locals go).

• This is a wonderful chance to hear more interesting stories from your guide, taste local cuisine and enjoy people-watching (a Parisian sport) in the traditional decor and ambiance of the Montmartre neighborhood.

• We begin our Food Tour at a locally-famous bakery in the Eiffel Tower neighborhood (voted “Best Bakery” in the Ile-de-France region). Taste the sumptuous pastries and breads: croissants, baguettes, chocolate eclairs, raspberry tarts, macarons…your only problem may be having to choose just one (or two…or three…).

• The second part of our tour will allow you to practice the fine art of wine-tasting, accompanied by a selection of fine French cheeses and charcuterie. You will be introduced to high-quality wines from talented winemakers who are references in their field. The master caviste is at your service during the tasting and will share the secrets to a great bottle of French wine.

• At the end of the day, we return you to your hotel.

• Welcome dinner featuring an interculturality course and a dinner with a sommelier to travel through the various regions of France: 1 dish per region of France (food and wine pairing expert).

From a small hunting lodge constructed by King Louis the 13th, to the spectacular palace and gardens during the reign of his son, Louis the 14th, the Palace at Versailles is truly a feast for the senses.

The palace was central to the French monarchy up until the French Revolution and hosted dignitaries, diplomats, artists, and musicians from all over the world. Even Napoleon, upon declaring himself Emperor in 1804, took up residence. 

With your local guide, you will enjoy a private tour of the Palace including the apartments of Louis the 14th (the “Sun King”), the famous Hall of Mirrors, Marie-Antoinette’s bedroom, and King Louis Philippe’s painting gallery.

We will then promenade through the Versailles gardens (which you will have seen from above from the Hall of Mirrors), as imagined and renovated by André le Nôtre, the royal gardener of Louis the 14th. We will admire the fountains, the grand canal, and plants from all over the world. 

• On our way to Giverny, we will cross the picturesque Norman countryside and villages. We will pass through one of the most beautiful villages of France – La Roche-Guyon  (and make a stop in front of it’s castle and 12th century tower).

• With your guide, you will peek into the life of Claude Monet, the French painter at the heart of Impressionism. We will make a stop in front of his house in the small village of Vetheuil where he lived with his first wife Camille Doncieux (before he was famous).

• You will visit Claude Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny with rare flower gardens and a certain famous pond… water lilies included!

• At the end of the day, we return you to your hotel.

• Cross the magnificent Norman countryside – green meadows, cow farms, and rolling hills – on your way to the D-Day beaches.

• Once we’ve arrived on the coast, you begin a private visit with your local guide of the following sites:

– Omaha Beach, also known as “Bloody Omaha,” where more than 1000 young American soldiers gave their lives on June 6, 1944. One of the 5 points of attack, the Allied forces faced numerous obstacles that day: rough seas, obstacles on the beach, and German artillery already in place for a counter-attack…

– The American Cemetery with its 9000 tombs, memorial and museum. We will discover more about the D-Day invasion with a short film. Should you wish, you will also have the possibility of attending the flag-lowering ceremony (please inquire beforehand).

• In many of the areas on the tour, you will notice that the battlegrounds seem completely normal – beaches, houses, stores, walkways… The hard parts of history have in some sense been erased from view. The rest of the tour will take you through sites which still carry remnants of battle:

– The untamed “Pointe du Hoc” where US rangers scaled 90-foot cliffs on July 6, 1944. Visit a genuine bunker from WWII and the German “pillboxes” scattered along the hillside.

– The village of Sainte Mère Eglise where the paratrooper John Steel got stuck on the church steeple as he was trying to evade enemy lines.

• The wide and expansive Utah beach, the American D-Day beach where General Theodore Roosevelt – the son of the US President – landed with his cane.

• Spend the night on the storied Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel dates back to 708 AD when St-Michael the Archangel appeared in a dream to the local bishop, Saint Aubert, and asked him to build a sanctuary in his name. 250 years later, pilgrims began arriving and the first church was built…

Wake up on the Mont-Saint-Michel and admire the 360° view of the surrounding bay. At high tide the Mont becomes an island, completely cut off from the mainland, and at low tide visitors can discover the sandy bay on foot.

• Our first stop will be touring the medieval portion of Mont-Saint-Michel, including the 15th century castle walls and the 13th century abbey. The Mont has welcomed communities of contemplative monks and religious sisters for almost 1000 years – it is still possible today to join with them in their daily prayers (Liturgy of the Hours) inside the Abbey church.

• Enjoy lunch featuring local specialities such as “salty lamb” (agneau pré salé – the best lamb in the region), oysters and mussels, or Norman crêpes.

• As we wander through the cobblestone streets of the Mont St-Michel, we will sample traditional Norman cider, Pommeau, or Calvados – local spirits derived from apples – and taste traditional Norman cookies les galettes Normandes.

• We will also get to know Emmanuel, a jolly shop owner who loves to crack jokes as he mans his shop on the Grand Rue at the heart of Mont-Saint-Michel. He’ll tell you all about his family’s arrival on the Mount… in 1680!

• At the end of the day we will head back to Paris (and leave extra time due to heavy traffic) where you will spend the night in an elegant boutique hotel.



• Spend time in the heart of the Champagne region with an exclusive visit of a prestigious Champagne house* in Reims or Épernay. Your guide from the Champagne house will accompany you through the underground galleries. Discover the unique history of Champagne and its manufacturing secrets.

• The visit is followed by an exclusive champagne tasting.

• Tour the “Avenue de Champagne” in Épernay, the capital of Champagne and taste local specialities and more champagne – if you wish – at the Royal Champagne restaurant, with its breathtaking panoramic view of the vineyards (lunch at the restaurant optional).

*Cellars may include Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, Mumm, Mercier and are subject to change depending on the timing of the day.

• Cross the beautiful countryside of the Champagne region and admire the typical villages and vineyards as far as the eye can see.

• We will visit the medieval church of Hautvillers where Dom Perignon is buried and then discover a family-owned Champagne cellar near Epernay.  With the Champagne producer, we will visit his cellar together and taste his exceptional Champagne. He will also give us a private tour of his vineyards, explaining the production process and his family history along the way.  

• At the end of the day we will head back to Paris (and leave extra time due to heavy traffic) where you will spend the night in an elegant boutique hotel.

Your departure

In the morning, or in the afternoon, your private chauffeur-guide drives you to the airport or to the train station.

Why choose Finding France?

photo-cam-and-map

Custom Private Tours

Starting at 2 travelers
From 1 to 15+ days

french-immersion

Authentic Immersive Experiences

Meet locals and artisans throughout France. Enjoy places where the locals go

personal-travel-assistant

Personal Travel Assistant

A “PTA” and 24/7 concierge service to take care of everything you need during your stay

multilingual

Incoming Agency based in France

A multilingual team that speaks and conducts tours in French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Hebrew

Contact our team :

Join us for a luxury vacation in Paris, Normandy, and the Champagne region!

Accepted payment methods :

You can also pay by Bank Transfer or in Cash, depending on amount. Please, contact us.