Day 1  Rouen
Welcome Meeting

Our tour starts in the ancient Norman capital city where colorful half-timbered houses line an extensive network of traffic-free lanes and cobbled squares. We’ll take time to get to know each other before taking an orientation stroll then have dinner together. 

Hotel Le Cardinal (2 nights)

Day 2  Rouen
Walking Tour

There’s a lot of history in this city that gave birth to William the Conqueror and set fire to Joan of Arc. We’ll take a walking tour of the city’s gothic core, uncover its fascinating past, then be free to tour its array of museums and traffic free lanes.

Day 3 Honfleur
Route of the Ancient Abbeys; Cliffs of Etrétat

We’ll spend our morning along the Route of the Ancient Abbeys, stopping to inspect the romantically ruined abbey at Jumièges where we’ll have lunch before continuing west to the village of Etrétat, famous for its sheer cliffs. Our day ends in the picturesque port village of Honfleur that helped give birth to impressionist art.

La Cour Ste Catherine (2 nights)

Day 4  Honfleur
Market day; Walking tour; Calvados tasting

It’s market day in Honfleur so we’ll have the early morning free to roam the market, then take a walking tour of this sea-faring town before having free time to explore more on your own. We’ll end our day with a Calvados tasting.

Day 5: Arromanches
D-Day beaches; Museum
Let’s start early today and spend most our day along the D-Day beaches, centering on the artificial harbor at Arromanches and its spectacular new museum, then visit the German stronghold at Longues sur Mer. 
Hotel de la Marine (1 night) www.hotel-de-la-marine.fr

Day 6: Dinan
Bayeux Tapestry; Fort La Latte
We’ll begin today with a visit to Bayeux and its remarkable tapestry documenting the French victory over the English in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings. You’ll have some free time to visit this lovely city and find lunch. In the afternoon we’ll drive west along the Emerald coast stopping for views before touring sensationally situated Fort La Latte. Hotel Manoir de Rigourdaine (2 nights) https://rigourdaine.com

Day 7: Dinan
St. Malo and Le Mont St. Michel
We’ll spend our morning touring the fortified city of St. Malo and have free time for lunch there (crepes anyone?) and our late afternoon touring the nearby abbey of Le Mont St. Michel. 

Day 8 Fontevraud

Abbey of Fontevraud; Wine tasting

We’ll make a beeline for the Abbey of Fontevraud, stopping to visit a nearby mushroom cave where we’ll have lunch, then check into our hotel located at the Abbey of Fontevraud before touring the abbey and its fabulous and new art museum. We’ll end our day with an informal wine tasting before having dinner together.

Hôtel la Croix Blanche (1 night)

Day 9 La Roque Gageac

Oradour sur Glane

It’s due south to the dreamy Dordogne Valley. We’ll stop on the way to honor the martyr village of Oradour sur Glane, then set up for the next three nights in the riverfront village of La Roque Gageac.. 

Hôtel la Belle Etoile (3 nights)

Day 10 La Roque Gageac

Cave art; Castle Castlenaud

We have all day to savor this glorious region where medieval castles rule and pre-history permeates the countryside with cave art dating back 30,000 years. We’ll tour a cave with original art and visit the castle of Castlenaud, an English stronghold for some of the Hundred Years War with impressive displays of medieval warfare. You’ll have free time this afternoon.

Day 11 La Roque Gageac

Market Day; Canoes

It’s market day in several Dordogne towns and villages; we’ll pick one to explore and divide a picnic shopping list to share over lunch. If the weather agrees, we’ll rent canoes for an optional paddle down the Dordogne or Vézere rivers passing bucolic villages and stone fortresses as we glide. If the weather disagrees we’ll visit the Museum of Prehistory in Les Eyzies de Tayac.

Day 12 Bordeaux

St. Emilion

It’s due west today to the wine-soaked village of St. Emilion where we’ll have lunch and spend our afternoon touring this pretty town and sampling the local product. It’s a short hop down the road to Bordeaux where we’ll set up for the next two nights.

Grand Hotel Francais (2 nights)

Day 13  Bordeaux

Walking tour

Today starts with a locally guided walking tour of Bordeaux. We’ll explore the city’s historic core and impressive monuments and learn about its unique, river front history then have free time to explore on our own before gathering for our last dinner together.

Day 14 Tour Over after Breakfast

Bordeaux has excellent air and rail connections. Imprint will assist with airport/station transfers.

[Itinerary details, hotels, and activities subject to change]

What’s Included:
13 nights accommodation; All breakfasts, 6 dinners, 3 lunches; All tour transport; All tips (tour manager, local guides, drivers, group meals, hotel staffs); Full-time services of a Imprint tour manager, local guides; All entrances: D-Day Museum, Fort La Latte, Mushroom Cave, Abbey Fontevraud, Pre-history art cave (or Museum of Prehistory), Castelenaud; All activities: Walking tours - Rouen, Honfleur, St. Malo, Dinan, Oradour sur Glane, St. Emilion, and Bordeaux; Route of the Ancient Abbeys, Jumièges Abbey, Etretat, Calvados tasting, D-Day beaches, wine tastings (2), canoe excursion, market visits, and more.

Important exceptions:
Tour participants are responsible for the cost of drinks, free-time sightseeing and meals, and expenditures of a personal nature.