Paris and Normandy: A Tailor-Made Journey

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.

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)

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)

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)

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)

Meet your guide for a walking tour of historic Bayeux. Begin with an introduction to one of its earliest constructions, the ‘decumanus’, or long Roman road which delineates the very heart of town and stretches from east to west and now houses a long line of patisseries, half-timbered houses, cafes and local shops to explore. As you continue along the cobbled streets and stone bridges you will reach the Notre-Dame Cathedral, a striking example of an intricate Gothic façade, and internal architecture which originally dates back to 1077, consecrated in the presence of William the Conqueror. (B)

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)

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)

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)