Based on our own experience and the many tips we have received from enthusiastic holidaymakers, we have put together a cultural tour featuring the 10 most famous World Heritage Sites in France!
Today we enjoy our extremely pleasant flight to Paris, the cultural pearl of France. Our English-speaking tour guide welcomes us warmly at the airport of this marvellous French metropolis. On a stunning tour of the city, we take in the key attractions around the “City of Love“. They include the Notre Dame Cathedral, the world-famous Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysées, the Opéra Garnier and the impressive Louvre. We then leave Paris and travel to Orléans. Overnight stay in the Orléans area.
The first stop today is Orléans, the birthplace of Joan of Arc, who is remembered as the “Maid of Orléans“. The enormous cathedral in the centre of the historic old town is also dedicated to her. Afterwards, we arrive at the largest and most beautiful castle in the Loire Valley: Chambord (admission included). During the subsequent panoramic journey through the Loire Valley (UNESCO World Cultural Heritage), we will see the splendid castles of Chaumont and Amboise, and then meander along through Tours. The marketplace with its half-timbered houses is among the prettiest in France. Overnight stay in the Tours or Poitiers area.
We travel to La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast. The town is home to one of the most beautiful mediaeval harbours in Europe. In the afternoon, we will take the ferry from Royan to the famous Médoc peninsula. This is where some of the world‘s finest wines are grown, and we will see fascinating castles such as Mouton Rothschild, Margaux and Lafitte. We will sample some wines during a red wine tasting in one of the castles or manors before we arrive in the global capital of wines in the evening: Bordeaux. Overnight stay in the Bordeaux area.
In the morning we head to Bordeaux. Join an optional, but very charming guided tour exploring the many highlights. The historic centre, also known as the “Port of the Moon“, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. Equally impressive are the famous stock exchange square on the River Gironde and the opera house. The tour also includes a visit to the remarkable exhibition of a former submarine base from the Second World War situated in the Bassins de Lumières. In the afternoon, we leave the Atlantic behind us and travel east to the tiny village of Moissac on the route of Santiago de Compostela, where we visit the monastery (admission included). We follow the trail of the pilgrims (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and reach Toulouse. The “Pink City“ on the famous Canal du Midi (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is one of France‘s most beautiful cities. You are provided with plenty of time here to explore this historical town at your leisure.
Today, our journey continues towards the Mediterranean. En route, we stop off in Carcassonne (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Here we take a stroll through the world-famous city fortified by 40 towers and a city wall. Up to 4,000 people lived here in the Middle Ages. Today, tourists saunter through the ancient walls restored by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century and delight in the colourful surroundings. Following that, we strongly recommend taking part in our exceptional optional excursion to the beautiful Camargue region. On this trip, you will visit a bull breeder and enjoy a splendid evening meal. Overnight stay in the Arles or Nîmes area.
In the morning we will wander through Arles with its Roman and Romanesque statues (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The “Rome of Provence“ was made famous in particular by the painter van Gogh, who lived here for a while. We will also see the amphitheatre. After this we will arrive in Avignon. The “City of Popes“, with its mighty papal palace (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Bridge of Avignon, is the birthplace of the singer Mireille Mathieu. Afterwards, we continue through the Rhône Valley to Lyon. Here, we will take a short tour of the city, looking at the city centre with its Place Bellecour and the historic old town (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Overnight stay in the Lyon area.
Passing the renowned Beaujolais vineyards, we then continue our journey north through the Rhône Valley. Late in the afternoon we arrive at the old wine trading town of Beaune, which is home to one of the largest architectural jewels of central France: The Hôtel Dieu. The most beautiful features of this historical town are discovered as we embark on a walkabout. We then travel through the world-famous wine region of Burgundy (UNESCO World Heritage) before reaching Dijon. A tour through the town centre awaits us here, taking in the many palaces from the Renaissance. Among them, the spectacular Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy, the highlight of the “City of 100 Church Towers”. Overnight stay in the Dijon area.
Today we travel in comfort on a bus from Dijon to the airport in Paris for your flight home. Fellow travellers become great friends.
The package includes a boat cruise along the Seine in Paris and a guided tour of Bordeaux with admission to the Bassins de Lumières, as well as an outing around Toulouse and an excursion to Camargue with evening meal: only £149 per person.
The package includes 7× evening meals (2 course menu): only £199* per person.
£219 per person (subject to availability)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | 6 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 15 | 8 | 4 |
| London | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 7 |
Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking before your trip. Please check the website of the Foreign Office (www.gov.uk) before your departure.
The largest European country by area is located in West Europe. France is very varied in terms of its scenery; from the mountain ranges of the Alps and Pyrenees, to the river valleys of the Loire, Rhône and Dordogne to the Côte d’Azur and the regions around Normandy and the Atlantic coast.
Parliamentary democracy with a two chamber system; state president Emmanuel Macron (since March 2017)
Paris (approx. 2.2 million residents)
predominantly Roman-Catholic
French
Four main regions: Atlantic region – temperate maritime climate; continental region – pronounced temperature differences (particularly in the east); Mediterranean region – moderate, warm maritime climate; alpine region – harsh mountain climate
France is part of the Central European Time zone where GMT+1 applies, along with daylight saving time.
Making telephone calls: The country code for France is 0033 with the zero cancelled before the area code. If you are calling the UK from France, please dial 0044 and the area code without the zero.
For entry, UK citizens should have at least 3 months left on the passport after the day they plan to leave France and the passport should be less than 10 years old. A stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period without is permitted without a visa. Nationals of other countries are advised to inquire at the French Embassy about the entry requirements applicable to them. Customers are reminded that it is their sole responsibility to make sure that passport and visa entry requirements for the country or countries that they are visiting are satisfied.
Regulations in respect of passport and visa requirements for France are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation whose Website is https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/. However, passport and visa requirements change from time to time and are also dependent on the purpose of your visit and your nationality. Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary, we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied. For up-to-date information on entry requirements, please visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/. The EU has a new visa waiver system, called ETIAS, which will be valid for three years. British passport holders travelling to the EU will need to apply and pay for an ETIAS, via an online system (https://etias.com/).
Your expert tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information about the country, people, history, culture, etc., and offer advice and assistance for organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information. Here you will find out all you need to know and useful information about the trip. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that France has to offer, and learn all about the country and its people.
Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras on arrival.
Explorer package: The package includes a boat cruise along the Seine in Paris and a guided tour of Bordeaux with admission to the Bassins de Lumières, as well as an outing around Toulouse and an excursion to Camargue with evening meal: only £149* per person.
Food package: The package includes 7× evening meals (2 course menu): only £199* per person.
* Package prices may vary when booking on site.
France is a member of the EU and of the European Monetary Union. This means that the Euro is the official currency. Exchange rate (as at January 2024): 1 GBP = 1.17 EUR; 1 EUR = 0.85 GBP. Purchases can be made in cash and also with the most common credit cards and sometimes also with an EC card. Cash withdrawals can be made using either a credit card or EC card. In some circumstances a fee may be charged by the relevant bank. You can find out more on this from your bank.
A government tourist and city tax of € 14 (approx. £ 12) per person is also payable locally (as at January 2024).
There are a number of products which have entry or exit limitations in France from outside the European Union. These include cultural goods, wild fauna and flora and products derived from these, vegetables and plant products, weapons and ammunition, medicines, tobacco and alcoholic beverages (please note the alcohol and cigarette allowances). You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. In terms of medications, only those necessary for personal use are allowed, and they must be accompanied by a copy of the prescription or medical report.
Important: If you’re travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain.
Particularly in larger tourist centres, it is recommended that you take precautions to protect yourself from pickpockets and against petty crime. It is recommended that you securely deposit money, ID cards, driver’s license, air tickets and other important documents (for instance in the hotel safe) and only take with you as much cash as you will require for that particular day (and your EC or credit card). Travellers should keep an eye on their valuables in crowded locations and at tourist hotspots, in airports (including in the security area), train stations, on the underground, bus etc.
On 1 November 2017 new anti-terror legislation was introduced in France which allows the French security authorities to take different measures with the aim of combating terrorism. In this context, in certain areas such as underground and mainline train stations, and in the areas near the border, there may be increased checks on individuals and their baggage. At entrances to certain institutions (e.g. museums) checks may be performed on hand luggage.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website (https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries). Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.
Medical care: Anyone entitled to free healthcare in the UK is also entitled to treatment in France – if it is urgently required – from doctors, dentists, hospitals, and so on that are approved by the foreign statutory health insurance company. You should get a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. If you already have an EHIC it will still be valid as long as it remains in date. You can also contact your health insurance company for information on current regulations. Nonetheless, you are urgently recommended to take out travel health insurance for the duration of your holiday which covers risks not assumed by the statutory health insurance companies (e.g. repatriation to the UK in the event of illness, treatment by private doctors or in private hospitals). Such policies usually also offer benefits not covered by state health insurance companies, e.g. the costs of repatriation.
Customers must ensure that they are in good physical and mental health in line with the trip in question. Customers must enquire about the physical mobility and psychological autonomy required for this trip.
All information is subject to change/Last updated: January 2024
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