Day 01 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 02 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 03 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 04 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 05 Dinan
D-Day beaches, Arromanches 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. We’ll end our day in bucolic Brittany, near the delightful town of Dinan and have dinner together at our hotel.

Hôtel Manior de Rigourdaine (3 nights)

Day 06 Dinan
St Malo, Fort la Latte
Today is devoted to exploring the Emerald Coast. We’ll begin by taking the foot ferry from Dinard to St- Malo where we’ll enjoy a walking tour of its soaring walls that protect the city center and have some free time and lunch. After lunch we’ll drive west along the Emerald coast stopping for views before touring sensationally situated Fort La Latte, then return to our home base.

Day 07 Dinan
Walking Tour
We’ll spend our morning touring Dinan’s ancient lanes and half-timbered center, then return to our hotel and have a free afternoon to hike, relax and recharge.

Day 08 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 09 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.

Au Logis des Remparts (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.