During a five-day sojourn in Paris, experience legendary museums and historic sites with your own private guide; then settle into charming Bayeux to visit Normandy’s poignant World War II sites.
Paris and Normandy: A Tailor-Made Journey
9 days from $5,995
During a five-day sojourn in Paris, experience legendary museums and historic sites with your own private guide; then settle into charming Bayeux to visit Normandy’s poignant World War II sites.
Overview
When you travel on a tailor-made journey, you will receive a Friends of the Smithsonian Archivist Circle membership*. Benefits include:
- A Smithsonian annual engagement calendar with full-color images of exceptional art and artifacts, mailed in the fall.
- Subscription to Smithsonian, the award-winning magazine of the arts, sciences, and history. Early access to Smithsonian magazine produced events.
- Invitations to four exclusive virtual programs for Friends of the Smithsonian members with Smithsonian experts.
- 10% discount in Smithsonian Museum Stores (good on purchases up to $200); 10% discount with the SmithsonianStore.com, and Folkways Recordings
- Recognition in the Friends of the Smithsonian Honor Roll, displayed electronically on the National Mall in the Membership Reception Center
- Special member rate for tickets to the Smithsonian’s IMAX® theaters and Einstein Planetarium.
- Free admission to the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.
- A complimentary copy of the annual Smithsonian museum guidebook.
- Invitation to a special welcome event for new members at a Smithsonian venue.
*Offer only available for first-time Smithsonian members.
To see itinerary, please click on an option below.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1 — Paris, France
Arrive in Paris and meet your private driver for the transfer to your hotel in the city center. Enjoy an introduction to Paris on an afternoon cruise on the River Seine, taking in views of the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral and more. Toast the start of your journey with a glass of champagne.
Day 2 — Paris
Your private guide meets you at your hotel for a morning walk to the two islands in the heart of Paris: Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis. See legendary Notre Dame Cathedral and learn about its meticulous reconstruction following the 2019 fire. Then stroll over to Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th-century chapel known for its remarkable stained-glass windows, which reach up to 50 feet in height. Cross to the Right Bank to the Louvre, where your private guide will tailor your visit to your interests, be it the Mona Lisa and other highlights, artifacts from ancient Egypt or Assyria, or the palace apartments of Napoleon III. (B)
Day 3 — Versailles and Paris
Travel with your private driver-guide to Versailles, a former hunting lodge transformed into an extraordinary palace by Louis XIV. Tour the royal apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, the opera, galleries, and chapel, hearing from your guide about the rich history of the palace and the reign of the Sun King. End your visit with a walk through the formal gardens and fountains surrounding the palace. Return to Paris and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. (B)
Day 4 — Paris
Delve into France’s military history with a guided morning visit to the Hôtel les Invalides—another creation of Louis XIV, designed as a home for wounded soldiers. Here, see Napoleon’s tomb and examine his legacy, and trace the history of warfare from Viking swords to World War II at the Army Museum. Continue to the Eiffel Tower for a shared tour, learning about the history and construction of this iconic monument. (B)
Day 5 — Paris
Take advantage of a full day at leisure to explore Paris at your own pace. You might visit another of Paris’s many museums (we recommend the Musée Rodin or the Musée d’Orsay), or wander through a historic part of the city. See the haunts of Picasso and van Gogh in hilltop Montmartre and take in sweeping city views from the steps of Sacré-Coeur; or venture into the narrow lanes of Le Marais, the former Jewish quarter, now full of epicurean shops and stylish boutiques and home to the renowned Musée Picasso. (B)
Day 6 — Bayeux
Your driver escorts you to the train station for your morning train to the town of Bayeux in Normandy. Meet your guide for a tour of the historic center, including a visit to the famous Bayeux Tapestry*, a 224-foot embroidery that depicts England in fascinating detail the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. (B)
*Please note the Bayeau Museum will close in September 2025 for a multi-year renovation.
Day 7—D-Day Landing Sites/Bayeux
Experience the poignant sites associated with the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. With your private guide, head to Omaha Beach, a six-mile stretch of tranquil sand where one of the most dramatic battles of World War II unfolded. Visit the Normandy American Cemetery, where nearly 10,000 American soldiers were laid to rest. Next, stroll among ruined German bunkers and mortar craters on the bluff at Pointe-du-Hoc, where American Rangers scaled the cliffs from the beaches below. In Sainte-Mère-Église, the first French village to be liberated, visit the Airborne Museum and learn stories of daring paratroopers that landed here before dawn. Make a final stop at Utah Beach before returning to Bayeux. (B)
Day 8—D-Day Landing Sites/Bayeux
Explore the British and Canadian landing sites with your guide today, including Pegasus Memorial, Ranville British Cemetery, and the Merville Battery. After lunch, continue to the Juno Beach Centre and for a walk along Juno Beach. Then visit two country estates that were used as headquarters during the war—one by the British and one by the Nazis. (B)
Day 9 — Return home
Transfer to the train station in Bayeux to catch a train to Charles de Gaulle airport, where you will connect with your flight home. (B)
Included meals are denoted as follows: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Reception (R), Dinner (D)