Paris to Normandy One Week Driver Guided Tour
Private Tours
Free Refunds & Rescheduling
Customizable Itineraries
Tailor your week-long itinerary to suit you
Our one-week tour itinerary takes you from the center of Paris to the D-Day landing beaches of Normandy and on to Mont Saint Michel. Discover what private tour experiences we have linked up for you on this 7-day tour.
What is included:
- Certified English-Speaking Expert Local Guides
- Complimentary Bespoke Tour Itinerary
- Select Central Luxury Accommodations
- Luxury Air Conditioned Vehicles for Tours & Transfers
- Unbeatable Refund Guarantee
- Skip-The-Line Tickets & Entrance Fees
- 24-7 In-Country Support
Day 1: Paris - Alencon
Let your private chauffeur drive you in style and comfort the 130 or so miles North of Paris to the beautiful town of Alencon which is nestled along the banks of the Sarthe. Alencon is known as the ‘Queen of Lace ‘and has UNESCO recognition status.
Explore the museum of lace that charts how Alencon became famous for its creation of delicate lace and material used by the finest couturiers in Paris. The town itself is a wonderful mix of architecture with Gothic, Medieval, and Renaissance influences throughout.
There is even an example of English architecture found in the Basilica which was constructed during the brutal 100 Years’ War between France and England. It was for part of this time that Alencon and the neighboring region were controlled by the English.
In the evening enjoy having a gourmet dinner on the grounds of one of the nearby chateaux, with several in the region, our tour planning specialists will consult with you beforehand to reserve your table in the chateaux of your choice.
Day 2: Alencon to Deauville & Trouville Sur Mer
Today head for the coast and the beautiful fishing villages of Deauville and Trouville Sur Mer, nestled side by side these two villages are both charming for very different reasons.
The Parisian elite likes to weekend in fashionable Deauville with its pristine white beaches lined with Beach Clubs and extravagant restaurants.
Lunch in one of the famous fish eateries and have fish caught that morning.
In the afternoon head to Trouville, Deauville’s more Bohemian cousin with its brightly colored cafes and bars scattered along the beaches, the vibe is definitely more relaxed. Sample the local delicacies such as Mussels a la creme or Calvados apple flan in the bustling village square.
Day 3: Deauville - Caen
Caen, home to one of the most famous English kings (who was in fact French) William the Conqueror.
William’s influence is seen throughout this historical town. He constructed the magnificent Men’s Abbey which he commissioned to try to get back in the Pope’s good books, given the Pope disapproved of William’s marriage to his distant cousin Matilda of Flanders.
The Abbey is a superb example of Norman architecture and houses William’s tomb. Close by is the Women’s abbey William constructed for his wife which is also as impressive as the Men’s abbey and also has beautiful gardens close by. Spend the morning visiting the wonderful old town and Marina.
In the afternoon you will be immersed in the flavor of Normandy cuisine – starting with a visit to a fromagerie and see how they create the perfect camembert and then it is off to one of the award-winning Calvados vineyards for a private tour around the wine estate.
Day 4: Caen - Normandy Beaches & Cemeteries
Today you will be taken on a private tour of the D Day landing beaches to see where this historic battle was fought and then visit the American National Cemetery where you can pay your respects to the thousands of US servicemen and women who lost their lives for the sake of our freedom.
Visit Sainte Mere Eglise and see where the first paratroopers arrived to liberate the town – today there is a monument of a paratrooper hanging in the back of the main town church to commemorate this historic event.
End the day with a tour of the airborne museum which is dedicated to the 82nd American Airborne Division.
Day 5: Normandy Beaches to Mont St Michel
Mont St Michel is a tiny tidal island nested off the coast of Normandy and Brittany. Explore this magical island complete with its iconic 11th Century Romanesque Abbey Church that sits atop this isle and is deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This Medieval city was formed across the south of the Island and even today you enter the island through a portcullis via the walled city’s gates. Explore the beautifully preserved cobbled streets lined with stunning 16th and 17th C half-timbered buildings en route to your private tour of the Abbey and Church.
Day 6: Mont St Michel - Rouen via Lisieux
En route to Rouen, your tour will stop at the town of Lisieux, home of the famous Basilica built to commemorate St Theresa.
This stunning Basilica is the second most visited pilgrimage site in France after Lourdes and the Roman-Byzantine style was based on the Sacred Heart Basilica in Paris. The building was overseen by 3 generations of the same family of architects and was finally completed in 1954 and consecrated by the Most Reverend Archbishop of Rouen.
Spend the afternoon exploring the city of Rouen, the capital city of Normandy and home to the stunning Notre Dame cathedral, the inspiration for over 30 of Monet’s famous paintings. The magnificent building is an outstanding example of Gothic architecture.
Time permitting visit the Fine Arts Museum of Rouen which boasts the second largest exhibition of Impressionist painters, only bettered by Musee D’Orsay in Paris. The museum also features paintings by well-known artists such as Money, Pissarro, Turner, Renoir, and Sisley to name a few.
Day 7: Rouen to Paris via St Germain en Laye
This morning depart for Paris via St Germain en Laye. This town is famous not just for being home to one of the world’s best soccer teams (Paris St Germain) but also has a magnificent chateau literally in the middle of the town center.
The castle is surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens that were originally designed by Louis X1V’s head gardener. The most popular feature of the gardens is the two-kilometer-long esplanade that runs along the top of the scarp overlooking the Seine.
Despite its proximity to Paris St Germain en Laye has a feel of a small prosperous French country town with narrow streets lined with bars and brasseries, old squares with petanque courts, and a vast array of up-market épiceries and boulangeries. On market days (usually 3x a week) the city’s town center is transformed into a bustling market filled with the finest local and international produce where your guide will arrange a private food tour of the market and surrounding épiceries.
Request a custom Paris to Normandy itinerary
Depending on how long you have planned for your vacation in France, or if there are specific sites in Normandy that have a particular resonance with you that you would like to spend more time exploring, it may be the fact that our suggested itinerary does not suit your requirements.
To provide you with the ultimate tour experience our tour planners would love to discuss our ideas with you and provide a completely custom and complimentary plan for your Paris to Normandy vacation.
I have been working with Debbie for many years and she has provided me with outstanding levels of customer service and attention to detail. Plus nothing is too much trouble, she will go the extra mile to create amazing bespoke experiences for my guests.
Thanks to Debbie and her team for organizing the holiday of a lifetime. It was great to meet real locals and visit less touristy parts of Paris. We loved Luc the chef for showing us, including our 2 teenage daughters, how to make the best Cassoulet in France! Highly recommend Paul, our driver guide who looked after us our whole time in Paris. We will be back next year!
Absolutely delighted with the tour arranged by Luxury France Tours. The guide was marvellous so knowledgeable and ensured everyone had a wonderful time. Changed the itinerary to suit what we needed. I highly recommend this company to anyone planning a trip to France, five stars all round!
Quite simply, Luxury France Tours were fantastic at every step throughout the vacation they planned for us.
From our initial messages we felt listened to, and Debbie and her team acted on our interests and requirements to provide our group with a fantastic itinerary for our vacation in France.
An amazing time in Paris and Normandy was had by all thanks to Luxury France Tours. The tour guide was fantastic, the itinerary was tailored to the family’s exact tastes and the transportation was top-notch. If you are considering a vacation in France then I definitely recommend talking to Debbie first!
From start to finish, everything was absolutely perfect. Debbie and her team were super flexible and changed the itinerary when we asked. I can’t recommend Luxury France Tours company enough! I will be using them for all trips to France in the future!
We can confidently say Luxury France Tours is the team to trust for your French vacation. Debbie tailored the itinerary to the group’s specific interests and went above and beyond to make sure everyone saw and did everything they wanted.
As for our guides, we can’t speak highly enough of them, they are friendly, knowledgable and happy to discuss all our questions. All in all a 5-star experience.
Debbie and her team put together two wonderful tours in France for us.
Alongside highlights of Paris, the company arranged a driver-guided tour of the gorgeous Loire Valley wine region. All guides were knowledgeable, entertaining, and fun. Discovering secret messages in famous artworks and relaxing in the wine valley was a delight
Salut from France! I’m Debbie, founder of Luxury France Tours.
Having developed into a Francophile on a trip to the French Alps many years ago while still in school, I moved to France after a career traveling the world led to me meeting my (now) French Husband in Johannesburg. I created Luxury France Tours as a way of sharing my love of France & igniting this passion in others.
Email Debbie
hello@luxuryfrancetours.com
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