Provincial French Countryside

September 25 - October 09, 2024

Length: 15 days

Region(s): Europe

Activity Level: Activity indicator paw

Type: Land

Experience the beauty, allure, and hospitality of provincial France at an easy pace and in a unique style. Anchored by stays in vibrant Toulouse and enchanting Paris, this journey features diverse Languedoc, the remote Dordogne, the lovely Loire Valley, and historic Normandy as we stay in charming rural inns and small country hotels. It’s a small group tour de force!

Operated by Odysseys Unlimited

Tour Highlights

Discover medieval Carcassonne and the market town of Albi with its Toulouse-Lautrec Museum.
Soak up French life while staying in atmospheric rural inns and small country hotels.
Stay in charming Sarlat and explore the remote Dordogne, including a leisurely afternoon cruise on the Dordogne River.
Tour the International Center for Cave Art at Lascaux IV, showcasing reproductions of the original pre-historic cave paintings found nearby.
Visit the cliffside village of Rocamadour, a revered pilgrimage site.
Tour the impressive chateau at Chenonceau in the Loire Valley.
Visit the dramatic Gothic abbey of Mont St. Michel, dramatically sited atop a precipitous rock formation in the sea.
In medieval Bayeux tour the Tapestry Museum, home of the 1,000-year-old Bayeux Tapestry.
Tour Normandy’s famous D-Day landing beaches and sights, including the moving American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.
Walk amid artist Claude Monet’s gardens in Giverny, where he was inspired to create his Impressionist masterpieces.
Get acquainted with Paris on a city tour before bidding au revoir to France.
Continue exploring wonderous Paris on your own on an optional 3-day/2-night post-tour extension.

If you would like to view a digital copy of this trip’s brochure, please click on the words “Digital Brochure” under Additional Resources (follows directly below Itinerary at a Glance) on this webpage.

* Cal lecturer’s participation cannot be guaranteed and is contingent upon a minimum number of paying travelers.

Activity Level 3

What to expect: These trips feature long touring days with travel via motor coach, ship, zodiac, all-terrain vehicle, or train. Travelers are required to board transportation without assistance as well as stand and walk over uneven terrain for extended periods of time. Some tours may include optional higher-intensity activities and travel at higher altitudes with steep ascents and descents. Outings last four to six hours most days.

Suitable for: Travelers who are able to comfortably walk four to six miles, or 6,900–9,200 steps, each day.