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$3694
Single Room–add $826
(non-member: Add $100)

Activity Level:
80% Easy;
20% Moderate
 

• WTT Tour Leadership and local guides

• Airport Transfers and transportation throughout the tour

Tours: Hotel de l'Univers

Paris: Hotel Carlton - Deluxe Rooms

Arrive:  Thursday, 15 July no later than 10:00am. (You will depart the US on 14 July)

Depart:  Friday, 23 July, no earlier than 10:00am.
(Departures before 10am will not include a transfer)

Early Arrival Cost: 
To avoid flight delays, consider arriving a day early. We will stay at the Sheraton, located in the airport. Easy access by train into Paris is available.

   $200 dbl;  $400 sgl

Special Notes Regarding this Trip:

- You will need a valid passport for this trip.

- Check your expiration date. It cannot expire less than 6 months after your travel completes.

- This trip requires walking to see and experience Paris and the Loire Valley. Women with walking difficulties may not be able to participate in some activities where extended walking and numerous stairs are involved.

· Any personal expenses, and any guide/driver gratuities.

Travel and Cancellation Policies:

Thursday, 15 July: Arrive Paris, Visit to Chateau de Fontainblue, Group Reception

Upon arrival in Paris we will gather as a group and depart the airport together. Our first stop will be a visit to the Chateau de Fontainbleu. Later we will stop at the small village of Barbizon for lunch time on your own. We arrive this afternoon in Tours and check into our hotel. Tours is a prosperous city with handsomely restored Renaissance buildings and half timbered facades, not least the Place Plumerau. The St Julian district is packed with antique shops and there are several museums. We will conclude our day with a group reception at the hotel to get better acquainted. Overnight Tours (B, Reception)

Our Hotel: The Hotel de l'Univers is a lovely 4 star property in the heart of Tours that has played host to many famous names in history to include Rockefeller, Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway, Clémenceau, and King Mohamed V.  Hotel de l'Univers, Tours

Friday, 16 July: Châteaux Chenonceau and Chambord

Today we are joined by our local guide who will be with us for the next four days. She will help us understand the history of the Loire Valley and the significance of the chateaux we will be visiting.

Our first stop today is Chateau Chenonceau, where the current manor was designed by the French Renaissance architect Philibert. Here we will enjoy both the interior and the stunning gardens.

We also stop and view the magnificent Chateaux of Chambord to appreciate its magnificent architecture. Possibly one of the most photographed of the Loire Chateaux, the former home of Catherine de Medicis spans the river Cher on a series of arches.  This enormous chateau was created by King Francois I as a hunting lodge within the surrounding grounds, which consisted of over 5,000 wooded hectares.

Lunch and free time to explore today is in Blois, known for its historic castle and old town with narrow cobbled stone streets. We return to Tours where the remainder of the afternoon is free before we meet for dinner at the hotel. Overnight Tours (B,D) 

Saturday,  17 July: Morning in Amboise; Afternoon in Tours

After breakfast, we travel to the charming market town of Amboise where you will have time to explore. Amboise was once home to the French Royal Court and to this day still retains its picturesque Chateau d’Amboise. The Chateau was formerly one of the most important royal castles in the Loire Valley. This riverside town is also home to the The Clos Luce museum where Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked from 1516, when he came to France. You can see models of his inventions here and the Gothic Chapelle St Hubert is where he was buried.  A riverside walk is highly recommended and offers great views of the chateau.

In the afternoon we return to Tours for a short (45 min) orientation waking tour with a local expert guide. The rest of your day and evening are at leisure. Tours is a town of art and history and is rich in cultural activities such as museums, monuments, parks, gardens and theatres. The historic center is full of charm with medieval streets, squares and half-timbered houses. There are many local delicacies which must be tried, such as Rillettes and Rillons or Fuaces (bread rolls cooked on wood stoves). Saturday is also Market Day in Tours which is not only fun to visit, but makes for some truly authentic scenes of everyday life. Overnight Tours (B)

Sunday, 18 July: Cooking Demonstration and Winery Visit

A relaxing morning as we travel a short distance to enjoy a cooking demonstration in the Tours area where we will learn some of the techniques used in cooking traditional foods and sample some of the local delicacies.  Lunch in a local restaurant has been included today. 

The region around Tours is known for its wine and since no visit to this area is complete without sampling the local wine, included this afternoon is a visit to a local cave such as Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray on the outskirts of Tours. Choose from many restaurants in Tours for dinner this evening. Overnight Tours (B,L)

Monday, 19 July: Usse' and Chateau Villandry and Gardens

Another relaxing day awaits us as we continue our exploration of this beautiful region. Our first stop will be at Ussé with its 16th century Chateau overlooking the Loire and Indre River Valley. Accredited as the castle in the French author Charles Perrault’s story ‘Sleeping Beauty’, it is also sometimes called the ‘Castle of Dreams.’ Lunchtime will be spent in the village of Azay-le-Rideau which sits on the lakeside by its graceful chateaux.

This afternoon is spent at the Chateau Villandry. Villandry was completed toward 1536 and was the last of the large chateaux built in the Loire Valley during the Renaissance.  The chateau owes its fame to the magnificent gardens which surround it. Inspired by the classic gardens of the 16th and 18th century, different levels of the gardens include ponds, topiary, ornamental hedges and an extraordinary kitchen garden covering 12,500 square meters. After a full day, dinner is included at the hotel tonight. Overnight Tours (B,D)

Tuesday, 20 July: Travel to Paris with visit to Versailles in route

After breakfast, we head towards the graceful Versailles Palace and Gardens, located to the southwest of Paris. The Chateau de Versailles was originally a grand hunting lodge built for King Louis XIII around 1630. It was enlarged to its present size around 1676 and the gardens started in 1687. The sheer size and grandeur of the palace (the façade is 580 meters long) is best enjoyed from the gardens which are laid out in a ‘formal’ style and also contain the ‘Grand Trianon’ and the ‘Petit Trianon’ - small palaces built as retreats for the royal family.

Leaving Versailles we head to our hotel, located in the Montmartre section of Paris. This area is famous for the Sacred Heart Basilica, the Moulin Rouge Cabaret, and was home to many famous artists of the past. Today the area is a favorite area of the city for visitors and offers some of the most beautiful and panoramic views of Paris from its hilltop location. 

After check in at the hotel the remainder of the evening in is free. For those interested, have dinner and see the cabaret show at Moulin Rouge (not included in tour price). (B)

Our Hotel:  We will be staying in the deluxe rooms at the Hotel Carlton, a 3 star property with ties to the roaring 20's. Completely updated, this hotel offers many amenities and boasts a roof-top terrace with views of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Sacre Cour Basilica. At night the lights are beautiful. The attractions in Montmartre are just outside the front door of the hotel - almost a small town within the big city - and central Paris is easily reached. Hotel Carlton - Paris

 

Moulin Rouge: Enjoy a truly unique French experience by having dinner and attending the cabaret. WTT President Debra Asberry was recently in Paris and saw the show:  "It was a fun evening and the show was wonderful. It was not inexpensive, but I really felt it was worth the money. I would highly recommend going if you enjoy wonderful costumes, music, song, dance, and the intimacy a cabaret offers. Do be aware that there is partial nudity but it was very tastefully done."

Cost: $270.00

Wednesday, 21 July: Paris City Tour, Eiffel Tower and Seine River Cruise

After breakfast, we are joined by a local guide for a panoramic city tour of the major sights. You will travel past the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysées, the Louvre and the Notre Dame. After the sightseeing tour, lunch is included today at a Parisian restaurant before heading to the Eiffel Tower for a visit to the top floor. This spectacular 300m high metal tower was built to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution and is a famous icon of Paris. Later today we will take a scenic boat ride along the River Seine. You have the option to remain in this area and explore, or to return to the hotel. Overnight Paris (B,L)

Thursday, 22 July: Free Day in Paris

Free day at leisure. After our city tour the previous day you are ready to go exploring with your fellow travelers.  A one day Paris Visit travel card is included today, allowing you to use all public transportation.

Tonight we come together one last time at dinner in the hotel to celebrate our time together in France. Overnight Paris (B,D)

Friday, 23 July: Return Home

It is time to return home. Two group transfers will be provided. Make your return flight no earlier than 10:00am. (Travelers departing before 10am will be responsible for their own transfer. The WTT tour leader will assist in ride-sharing for any travelers departing early) (B)

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