Paris — Rouen — Etretat — Honfleur

Paris - 07:30 Hotel pick-up and departure to Rouen. The guide will provide insights into French history related to Normandy: Rouen, Honfleur, Mont Saint-Michel, etc. The journey covers approximately 122 km on a highway from Paris to Rouen in our comfortable, air-conditioned Mercedes minivan with WiFi, taking around 2 hours.

Rouen - 09:30 - 12:00 Explore Rouen, the capital of the Duke of Normandy. Enjoy a walking tour of Rouen, known for its numerous bell towers and Gothic cathedrals. Visit the Notre Dame Cathedral from the 13th to 16th centuries, famous in Monet’s paintings, the Vieux Marché area, the site of Joan of Arc’s execution, the Church of Joan of Arc, the 16th-century Palace of Justice, and the medieval clock on Gros-Horloge street. The walking tour lasts 1 to 1.5 hours. Free time follows.
12:00 Depart Rouen for Etretat (about 80 km).

Etretat - 13:00 - 15:00 Arrive in Etretat. Walk to the Cliffs. Free time for lunch. Étretat is renowned for its chalk cliffs, featuring three natural arches and the Needle, which rises 70 meters (230 ft) above the sea. It was a favored spot for impressionist artists like Claude Monet. Today, it is a classic seaside resort nestled between two sets of chalk cliffs. Enjoy a beach walk or climb for stunning views. Along the seafront, numerous restaurants/cafés offer variations of Moules/Frites. Free time.

15:00 Depart for Honfleur. The drive takes about one hour.

Honfleur - 16:00 Arrive in Honfleur. The walking city tour lasts about 1 hour. Discover Honfleur with its famous port. Once the main defensive port of Normandy in the 15th century, it has transformed into a charming resort town with a picturesque bay, beloved by 19th-century artists. First mentioned in 1027, it belonged to Norman Duke Richard III. Ownership changed several times during the Hundred Years’ War. In the 15th century, French pirates ravaged the English coast. Later, in the 17th-18th centuries, the city thrived on trade with American colonies. After the port closed, the economy declined, and Honfleur became a suburb of Le Havre. Today, it is one of Normandy’s most famous tourist cities.
17:00 to 18:00 Free time.
18:00 Depart Honfleur for Calvados tasting.

Calvados Christian Drouin - 18:15 Arrive at a local Calvados producer. Learn from the local producer about the centuries-old production process and taste authentic Calvados & Cider of Normandy.
19:00 Depart for Mont Saint-Michel.

Saint-Lo - 19:00 Depart Honfleur for Mont Saint-Michel. The journey takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

20:30/21:00 Check-in at a 3*+ Hotel in Normandy.

Mont Saint-Michel — Cancale — Saint Malo — Angers

Saint-Lo - 07:30 Depart from your hotel in Normandy to Mont Saint-Michel. The journey takes less than 1 hour. The guide will provide insights into French history related to Normandy and Brittany, especially Mont Saint-Michel.

09:00 Arrive at Mont Saint-Michel.

Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel - 09:00 - 12:30 Arrive at the UNESCO World Heritage Mont Saint-Michel and visit the Benedictine Abbey. Your guide will lead you through the narrow streets of the medieval village to the top of the island. Enjoy panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and bay and enter the Benedictine Abbey. Entrance tickets include audio guides in multiple languages. The entire island and bay are UNESCO World Heritage sites, remaining largely unchanged since the Middle Ages as a pilgrimage destination. Mont Saint-Michel is France’s most visited site. Free time for lunch and exploring the city and bay.

12:30 Depart for Cancale. The journey takes about one hour.

Cancale - 13:30 Arrive in Cancale, the oyster capital of France. Enjoy oyster tasting at the local fishermen’s market. Purchase a tray from a stallholder to enjoy while admiring the bay of Cancale. Mention Cancale to a French person, and they will say “oysters,” cultivated in this fishing village for centuries. Enjoy breathtaking views over the Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel.

15:00 Depart for Saint Malo. The journey takes about 30 minutes.

Saint-Malo - 15:30 Arrive in Saint-Malo (Brittany). Walking tour of Saint-Malo. Saint Malo is a historic French port in Brittany on the English Channel coast. The walled city has a long history of piracy, gaining wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. Saint-Malo was once the city of corsairs and the birthplace of Jacques Cartier, the discoverer of Canada, and the poet Chateaubriand. Enjoy a walking tour of the Old Town, surrounded by high walls, with narrow cobbled streets and buildings from the 18th and 15th centuries.
18:00 Depart for the Loire Valley.

Angers - 20:30 Arrive in Angers. Hotel accommodation.

Angers — Chenonceau — Amboise — Chambord — Paris

Angers - 07:30 Depart from Angers to Chateau de Chenonceau. The journey takes about 2 hours (160 km).

Chateau de Chenonceau - 09:30 - 11:30 Arrive and visit Château de Chenonceau. Duration: 2 hours. Skip-the-line access. Enjoy skip-the-line access with a guide to Chenonceau Castle, known as the “ladies’ castle,” notable for its history of famous French women like Catherine de Medici and its stunning architecture, including unique arches over the River Cher. The Renaissance-style gardens of Chenonceau, with over 130,000 flowering plants, are impressive. Receive a brochure with explanations of each room. Free time to explore the gardens.

Plou Et Fils - 12:00 to 12:45 Visit a local winery with wine tasting at a family-owned winery with centuries of history. Learn about traditional winemaking and enjoy a tasting of local wines with explanations.
12:45 Depart for Amboise city.
13:00 Arrive in Amboise. Lunch time. Numerous cafes and restaurants line the main walking street of Amboise near the castle entrance, offering a variety of lunch options.

Chateau Royal d’Amboise - 14:00 to 15:00 Skip-the-line access with a guide to Chateau d’Amboise with a Histopad explaining the history of the castle and each room. Amboise is the grand 15th-century residence of King Charles VIII, showcasing the transition from Gothic to Renaissance architecture. Discover the history of Amboise, known as the birthplace of princes, the reign of kings, and the death of the great Renaissance master, Leonardo Da Vinci, whose grave is in the chapel.

15:15 Depart from Amboise to Chambord Castle, arriving around 16:15.

Chateau de Chambord - 16:15 - 18:00 Arrive at Château Chambord. Visit the castle. The guide will share the history of the castle and its construction. The Château de Chambord is renowned for its French Renaissance architecture. Constructed between 1519 and 1547 by Francis I, it is the largest castle with 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases. The castle is famous for its open double-spiral staircase, with two spirals ascending three floors without meeting. Leonardo da Vinci may have designed the staircase.
18:15 Depart for Paris. The journey covers approximately 180 km on the highway, taking 2.5 hours, with one stop at a rest area.

Paris - 21:30 Return to Paris. Drop-off at Opera Garnier steps or your hotel if the pick-up/drop-off option is booked.

• Hotel accommodation in Double Rooms for two nights with breakfast
• Entrance tickets to 3 Castles of Loire Valley
• Mont Saint-Michel visit with entrance tickets to the Abbey and audioguide
• Etretat, Pointe du Grouin, Oysters market in Cancale, Distillery visit with Calvados tasting
• Bottled water
• Walking tours in Rouen, Honfleur, Saint Malo
• Mercedes E220/E300 business class car for 2 - 3 people or Mercedes Minivan for 3 - 7 people

• Gratuities and Souvenirs
• Single Accommodation Supplement

Enjoy a premium 3-day private tour accommodating 2 to 6 guests to 7 key landmarks across Normandy, Brittany, and three renowned castles in the Loire Valley, all in our spacious, air-conditioned Mercedes Minivan with adjustable seats. The package includes tastings of Calvados and Oysters.

Stay comfortably in 4-star hotels with two nights’ accommodation, based on a 1/2 double room. Our itinerary includes walking your through Rouen and Honfleur, exploring the Etretat Cliffs, visiting the iconic Mont Saint-Michel and its abbey, Cancale, France’s oyster capital, and Saint Malo, a city with a rich corsair history. In addition, the tour covers the visit to Chenonceau, Amboise, and Chambord castles.

The itinerary optimizes time as the minivan travels faster and offers more comfort than a bus. Clewel Travel offers 15 other private and small-group tours departing from Paris using the Mercedes minivan.

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.