Taste of France

French Culinary Tour
This tour will expand your mind and entice your tastebuds, unveiling the secrets of the highly regaled French cuisine to every cook and foodie on your tour. Once you’ve had your fill of crepes and escargot, take a break from gastronomical research to explore the number of historical and artistic pit stops throughout Paris and the countryside. Come prepared with your best French and chef hat—and of course, come with an appetite.
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Day 1 Overnight flight to France (Paris)
Day 2 Bonjour Paris
Enjoy a local snack
Paris city walk
Île de la CitéNotre-Dame CathedralÎle St. LouisLatin Quarter
Details: Meet your tour director and check into hotel
Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group until your final airport departure. You’ll also have a private coach and driver while touring .
Details: Paris city walk
This city was made for walking. Stroll grand boulevards with sweeping views of the city, pristine parks with trees planted in perfect rows, and narrow streets crowded with vendors selling flowers, pastries and cheese. Then head to the Île de la Cité, a small island in the Seine, to see Notre Dame Cathedral. Please note Notre Dame Cathedral is currently closed due to fire damage.
Details: Notre-Dame Cathedral
View the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Work began in 1163 on a spot that had been a holy shrine since Roman times. Over the centuries, the cathedral has been the scene of some of France's most momentous occasions, including the coronation of Napoleon.
Details: Boeuf bourguignon dinner
The ultimate French comfort food, Boeuf Bourguignon is on the menu tonight. Sit down in a traditional brasserie to enjoy this dish made famous by Julia Child. This rich, red wine beef stew, cooked with onions, bacon and mushrooms, is served with pasta or potatoes. Bon appetit!
Day 3 Paris landmarks
Paris guided sightseeing tour
Arc de TriompheChamps ÉlyséesEiffel TowerChamp de MarsÉcole MilitaireLes InvalidesConciergerieTuileries GardenPlace VendômeOpera House
Details: Guided neighborhood foodie tour
Get a taste of Parisian gastronomie. Join a local guide for a tour of a neighborhood chocolate or cheese shop, where sampling is a must!
Details: Paris guided sightseeing tour
What's that huge white arch at the end of the Champs-Élysées? The Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after his victory at Austerlitz. Your licensed local guide will elaborate on this, and other Parisian landmarks. See some of the most famous sites, including the ornate, 19th-century Opera, the Presidential residence, the ultra-chic shops of the Rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, and the gardens of the Tuileries. You'll pass the Place de la Concorde, where in the center you’ll find the Obelisk of Luxor, a gift from Egypt in 1836, and the Place Vendôme, a huge square surrounded by 17th-century buildings. Spot chic locals (and tons of tourists) strolling the Champs-Élysées. Look up at the iron girders of the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. See Les Invalides (a refuge for war wounded), the École Militaire (Napoleon's alma mater), and the Conciergerie (the prison where Marie Antoinette was kept during the French Revolution).
Details: Tuileries Garden
Tuileries was originally the name of an old tiles factory. Yet, in the sixteen century, the queen of France, Marie de Medicis, ordered to build a castle with a long French garden at this place. Parisians used to call this new building the Tuileries Palace. During three centuries the garden was exclusively reserved for the court and the King. During the nineteen century, the Tuileries palace became the residence of Napoleon I, Louis XVIII, Charles X, Louis-Phillipe and Napoleon III. In 1871, Parisians burnt down the castle of Tuileries, during the last French Revolution and the insurrection of Paris.However, the garden kept its 17th-century design and became a popular place, always crowded in summer time.
Day 4 Paris
Optional  Versailles guided excursion (pre-book only)  $80
State ApartmentsHall of MirrorsGardens of Versailles
Details: Rungis Market tour
After an early breakfast in Rungis Market, you will experience the largest wholesale market in the world! This is where the best Parisian chefs come for their daily finds! This market is so big in fact, that a train station and highway exit have been built to accommodate all the meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and fresh flowers that come in and out of the market each day. You will tour large halls, each home to a different fresh product such as the fruit and vegetable hall, the cheese hall, and- not for the faint of heart- the fish and game halls. By the end of the day, much of what you see here will be exquisitely prepared and served in the fine bistros of Paris. (Please note that this activity takes place very early in the morning around 5AM at the time when the market is open and bustling!)
Details: Dessert at Ladurée
Since its humble beginnings in 1862 as a simple bakery, Ladurée has now become an international brand. This luxury bakery and sweets maker is one of the world's best-known premier sellers of the double-decker macaron!
Details: Couscous dinner
Immigration from North Africa (particularly from Tunisia and Morocco), has given the French capital a colorful mix of cuisines. Couscous is one of the most popular dishes today in Paris. Join the locals at a traditional North African restaurant and enjoy an authentic couscous: semolina traditionally served with a fragrant meat and vegetable stew.
Day 5 Paris--Loire Valley
Travel to Loire Valley
Troglodyte Village guided visit
Details: Loire Valley Châteaux excursion
France’s aristocrats began building defensive castles in the Loire Valley in the 11th century. A few hundred years later, their descendants created pleasure palaces among the lush green forests and wandering waterways. Today, sumptuous Renaissance castles stud the banks of the silvery Loire River, the longest in France.
Details: Château de Chambord photo stop
Note that due to ongoing renovations, scaffolding will partially cover the château façade until Spring 2023.
Details: Dinner in Troglodyte Village
Dug by men from the XIIth century onwards to extract the stone, “the tuffeau” destined for building, The Cave aux Moines was used as far back as the beginning of the XXth century to cultivate mushrooms. The beginning of the cave and the first metres of the galleries were used by people to live; that kind of living was called the "troglodytes". Here people and animals lived as a community.
Day 6 Loire Valley
Château de Chenonceau visit
Details: Vineyard visit
The Loire Valley is known for its numerous quality vineyards. Along the way, you will stop for a tour of one of these vineyards, and see how exquisite French wines make it from the vine to the glass. Mostly known for their crisp white wine made from the Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc and Melon de Bourgogne grapes, there are also a variety of red, rosé, and sparkling wines that come from this region as well. Dating as far back as the 1st century, the Loire Valley has been known for the production of quality French wines. Adults on tour can enjoy a sampling of some of the vineyard favorites! À votre santé! Cheers!
Details: Cooking class and dinner
Embark on a culinary adventure in the heart of the Loire Valley. You will start your experience by learning about French produce and agriculture. In the workshop, you will practice what you have learned and will finish with a cooking class. You can then enjoy the 3 course French meal you have just cooked supervised by professionals. Bon Appétit!
Day 7 Loire Valley--Normandy
Travel to Normandy
Details: Dairy farm visit
Dairy farming is one of Normandy’s major industries, and you will get to see how it all works! A local guide will greet you when you arrive at Isigny Sainte-Mère. This world famous dairy farm, once known only for its milk, now boasts an array of mouthwatering fresh cheeses, such as ladled Camembert, AOP Pont l'Evêque, Red Label Mimolette, Brie and Saint-Paulin, to name a few! The innovative technology developed by Isigny Sainte-Mère also produces a wide range of baby formulas, and instant powdered milks. All products are born from the high quality milk collected right there on the farm. We can’t forget the best part- a sampling of farm fresh Isigny cheeses! Bon appétit!
Details: Arromanches D-Day Museum visit
Ingenious military engineering allowed the Allied forces to land at Arromanches on D-Day. Barges towed 600,000 tons of concrete across the English Channel, sinking them to create an artificial harbor, and then 33 jetties and 10 miles of floating roadways allowed the troops to land in France. Learn about this feat and other at the Arromanches Museum, where dioramas, interactive displays, and models detail the Allied landing.
Details: Normandy D-Day landing beaches
See the D-Day beaches where on June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied troops landed in an effort to recapture the coast from Germany. All along the beaches, deserted German bunkers have been turned into memorials and the stark white crosses and stars that mark the cemeteries are grim reminders of the war.
Day 8 Normandy--Paris
Travel to Paris
Chocolate Museum visit
Dinner in Montmartre
Details: Seine River cruise
See the city from the water on an hour-long cruise along the River Seine. The Seine cuts right through Paris, dividing the city in half. See the Eiffel tower rising up on the Left Bank, the walls of the Louvre on the Right Bank. A guide will point out other monuments and architectural marvels as you pass, many of which are illuminated by clear white light at night.
Details: Montmartre tour director-led sightseeing
Follow your Tour Director through the artsy hilltop neighborhood of Montmartre towards Basilica Sacré-Cœur. Watch local street artists work their magic in the central square of Place du Tertre before seeking out the iconic red windmill on the roof of Moulin Rouge, birthplace of the French cancan dance.
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Day 9 Flight home from Paris

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    Day 9 Start extension to Côte d'Azur
    Travel to Nice on the TGV (one of Europe’s fastest train)
    Day 10 Monaco, Èze & Nice
    Monaco & Èze tour director-led sightseeing
    Prince’s PalaceParfumerie visit in Èze
    Details: Monaco & Èze tour director-led sightseeing
    On the Mediterranean coast, five miles from the Italian border, lies the tiny, glittering independent state of Monaco. Ruled by the Grimaldi family since the 13th century, Monaco is the epitome of French Riviera glamour. Your Tour Director will lead you on this brief adventure. Charles III opened a casino in the 1850’s to avert financial straits; needless to say, his plan worked--so well, in fact, that Monaco is a nearly tax-free state. Drop in on Prince Rainier (OK, see his house, the Palais du Prince), and visit a parfumerie in nearby Èze, where rich scents are made from local flowers such as jasmine, rose, and lavender.
    Details: Nice tour director-led sightseeing
    The Côte d'Azur's largest city spills down the hillsides to pebble beaches that line the shore. Your Tour Director will show you around the narrow pedestrian streets and tiny squares of "Le Vieux Nice" (Old Town), which is sprinkled with old palaces and mansions. Stroll down the Promenade des Anglais, which runs parallel to the water. Backed by Nice's grand hotels, the Promenade was built in the 19th century for the British who flocked here en masse.
    Details: Promenade des Anglais
    Stroll The Promenade des Anglais, named for the English who paid for it, is a seven kilometer walkway along the seafront. Called "La Prom" by locals, it's the best place to people-watch.
    Day 11 Flight home from Nice
    Map of the French Culinary Tour
    Tour Includes:
    • Round-trip airfare
    • 7 overnight stays (9 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms
    • Full European breakfast daily
    • Dinner daily
    • Full-time services of a professional tour director
    • Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
    • Visits to select attractions as per itinerary
    • 1 Paris Métro carnet
    • High-speed TGV train to Nice on extension
    • Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
    • Tour Diary™
    • Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
    • Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.
    We are better able to assist you with a quote for your selected departure date and city over the phone. Please call 1.888.310.7120 to price this tour with your requested options.
    Please select a postal code
    3695.00 total fee
    Basic Options


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