Small Group Tour to France
Schedule
Tue Oct 01 2024 at 07:00 am
UTC-05:00Location
Austin–Bergstrom International Airport | Austin, TX
**NEW TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT: FRANCE WITH PATHFINDERS**Small group tour (limited to 14 people) visiting Paris and the French Riviera October 1-9, 2024
October is a wonderful time to visit France - the cows will be gone and the weather should be beautiful. Bonus: Flights for our dates are very cheap! Below are all the trip details:
OCTOBER 1: Arrive in Paris + Explore the town with your BIG RED BUS 24-hour ticket
Welcome to France! After landing, a driver will be waiting at baggage claim to transfer you to your hotel in the city. We will be staying 4 nights in a sweet 4 star boutique hotel, the Dandy Hotel & Kitchen https://www.dandyhotelparis.com/en/restaurant.html, conveniently located on a lively pedestrian street full of restaurants and cafes and walking distance to the Louvre Museum and Notre Dame Cathedral. You’ll be greeted by a concierge, who will get you settled and answer any questions you may have. You’ll be given a 24-hour BIG RED BUS pass to use today. This is a great way to see the city, while recovering from your long plane ride! Unwind at the bar, restaurant or sauna conveniently located in our hotel before getting a good night’s rest before we begin our French adventure.
HIGHLIGHTS: Private airport transfers; red bus 24 hour ticket
OCTOBER 2: Morning on your own + Private walking food tour
Enjoy your delicious Parisienne breakfast at the hotel, and then head out to explore and tour on your own. Paris is huge, and members of the group may have a variety of interests. We will poll the group before our trip to determine what everyone would like to see – and will organize groups accordingly. Some may choose to visit the Louvre, while others might want to bike around the city with a guide. There is something for everyone! Your bus pass will still be valid all day today – so enjoy hopping around the city. Later in the afternoon the group will gather at our hotel to begin our 3 hour walking food tour. Our evening will be spent tasting a variety of French delicacies and learning more about the City of Lights.
HIGHLIGHTS: 24-hour city bus ticket; walking food tour of traditional Parisienne food (and wine)!
OCTOBER 3: Full day tour to either Versailles or Normandy
Today you will have a choice of tours: visit the D-Day beaches of Normandy or go to the spectacular Palace of Versailles just outside of the city. Those choosing to visit Versailles will travel with a concierge via train to the town of Versailles and will enjoy a 3-hour guided tour of the palace and gardens. An optional bike tour with a picnic lunch is available as alternative way to visit the estate. You’ll return to Paris with time left to explore on your own or with a concierge. Should you choose to visit Normandy today, you will head out with a concierge at around 6 am to go to the meeting point for your tour. You will have a full day of touring that includes visits to the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, Operation Overlord Museum and the German Bunkers. You won’t be back to Paris until around 8 AM. It will be a long – but very interesting and informative day!
HIGHLIGHTS: Full day tour of Versailles or Normandy
OCTOBER 4: Free day + evening Seine River dinner cruise
Spend your day at your leisure visiting the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, the Sacre Coeur church, the Dior Museum, the Eiffel Tower or any other of Paris’s marvelous landmarks. You might also spend the day shopping, biking, or taking a cooking class. We will help you organize this day before our departure to France. We will likely organize small groups with similar interests to venture out together with a concierge. In the evening, we be back together for our evening tour. We will see the City of Lights at its best - while dining on a river cruise on the Seine!
HIGHLIGHTS: Gourmet 3 course dinner on a Seine River boat cruise
October 5: Train to the French Riviera!
After breakfast, we will head to the train station to board our fast train to Antibes, our home for the next 4 days. We will travel in comfortable first-class compartments directly to our destination: a journey of about 5 hours. You can play cards, read, eat snacks from the on-board café, or bring your own picnic. We will pass right down the middle of France – so we will have stunning views along the route. Antibes is a Riviera gem that blends old-world charm with modern energy. There are picturesque cobblestone streets that lead to open markets, plus pedestrian areas full of cafes and chic boutiques - all located along the dazzling Mediterranean coastline. A perfect base for exploring the South of France. After checking in to our hotel, the gorgeous 4 star spa Hotel Villa Port d’Antibes https://villa-port-antibes.com/en/home/ you have the evening on your own to explore the town.
HIGHLIGHTS: Train trip from Paris to Antibes on a high speed TGV train in a first class reserved compartment
October 6: Day trip to Eze and Monte Carlo
We will be picked up at our hotel at 9 am this morning for our private 5-hour tour to Monaco and Eze, a medieval village perched on a hill with spectacular views of the Mediterranean and the villages on the Riviera. While in Eze, we will visit the Fragonard perfume factory and discover the secrets of French perfume! In Monte Carlo we will visit the Monaco Cathedral, the casino and see the racetrack used for the Grand Prix. We will travel in comfort aboard an air-conditioned van. There will be plenty of opportunities to take amazing photos of the scenery. At the end of the day our driver will bring us back to our hotel in Antibes where we will have the evening to spend at leisure.
HIGHLIGHTS: Private full day trip to the clifftop village of Eze and then to the jet set capital of the world: Monte Carlo!
October 8: Free day to explore Antibes; take the train to Cannes, Nice, Grasse or elsewhere; OR spend the day at the beach + Group dinner
We will brainstorm together before our departure to plan our final day in France to make sure that everyone checks off all the items on their French wish list. This day will also be weather dependent – October may still be perfect for a day at the beach. If we are lucky, today may also be a great day to enjoy time on a sunset cruise. The coast of the French Riviera is filled with romance and beauty, and the best vantage point to witness it is on the deck of a sailboat. As you sail, enjoy the coastal scenery, radiant in Provençal colors and dotted with quaint fishing villages. Admire the sumptuous villas of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the fine sandy beaches of Beaulieu-Sur-Mer. Then, as the sun dips behind the horizon, toast the end of your day with a glass of Champagne and some delectable appetizers.
You can connect with your concierge to design this day the way you want.
October 9: Fly home or continue onward to another destination.
Fly directly home from Nice (ask us how!), return to Paris, or continue your vacation for a little longer. Your concierge can help you with your plans.
DATES: October 1-9, 2024
PRICE PER PERSON (WHEN SHARING A ROOM): $3800
INCLUDED IN THE PRICE:
PRIVATE airport transfers from the airport in Paris to our hotel in Paris
8 nights in 4-star boutique hotels that are highly rated and perfectly situated in the heart of the action
Hearty French breakfast daily
Private transfers to and from the train stations
High-speed FIRST-CLASS train ticket from Paris to Antibes
24-hour BIG RED BUS ticket in Paris
Paris walking + food tour
Full day tour to Normandy and the D-Day beaches OR Versailles
Gourmet 3 course dinner cruise on the Seine River in Paris
Full day tour of Eze Village and Monte Carlo
NOT INCLUDED:
Any tours, meals, incidentals or transportation not specified above
Tips for guides and drivers who provide our tours
HOW TO BOOK: Send an email to [email protected] along with copies of your passport. You will be sent a registration for the trip and a link to pay your nonrefundable $500 deposit. Final payment will be due July 15, 2024.
AIRFARE: Is not included, but our concierge can help you book flights. Flights arriving in to Paris and retuning from Nice are VERY low right now. We have seen them as low as $500 round trip! But…these deals will not last long so book ASAP
PLEASE NOTE:
The price for this tour is not guaranteed until the deposit has been secured.
Hotels and tours may have to be replaced for equal or better providers when necessary.
Pathfinders Travel Concierge LLC is not liable for any loss or injury that occurs during this trip or while on tours booked by our 3rd party suppliers.
Pathfinders is not liable for any expenses incurred due to strikes, protests, cancellation or delay of flights, delay or cancellation of trains or due to traffic disruptions.
All travelers should secure their own travel insurance. Ask us if you need direction.
