Rick Steves' Europe Loire to the South of France tour was my first RSE tour and it was absolutely incredible! Her enthusiasm for France and her vast knowledge of French histroy made this tour so much more than the average tour. Our tour guide made every day so special, and our tour buddies seemed to coalesce into a fun-loving group very quickly. This was my 3rd RS tour. This is a moderately active tour! Beautiful countryside and chateaus. She brought French culture, history, customs alive with her vivid descriptions. This afternoon we'll visit the elegant, river-straddling Chteau de Chenonceau, where we'll learn about royal life in France, with free time to roam through the chteau's opulent interior and gardens. Historical Journey of Provence - 6 Days (Small Group), The French Riviera - Monaco-Monte Carlo, Cannes, Nice, Antibes, The Magic of the Provenal Rhne and the Camargue (port-to-port cruise) (10 destinations), Highlights of France and Barcelona (End Barcelona, 10 Days), Hilltop Villages of Provence Cycling (including Apt), Brilliant Bordeaux (2023) (Bordeaux to Bordeaux, 2023), Country Roads of France (Classic, 16 Days), The exceptional region of Bordeaux (port-to-port cruise), Paris City of Love & Bordeaux - 7 Days (Small-Group). "I was in awe of the 16,000 year old cave drawings. There was a wide and interesting variety of geographies and experiences on this trip. The Best of Southern France | Road Scholar Maybe its because we in the US havent fought a war against a foreign aggressor within our shores but we easily forget the lessons of the past. ", "Wine tasting and lunch at the vineyard. See our FAQ | Email tour@ricksteves.com. The assurance that you can contact us at any time, for any reason, while you're in France. "I really loved the canoe trip! This was a small city tour of France. It caused anxiety for rest of trip. That was one of our favorite days despite the HEAT!". "Seeing the stained glass windows in Chartres. We visited a small cemetery at the top of the village. Stereotypes fell apart. He was informative and entertaining. Tour was fantastic. Overall the trip was superb. The guide was excellent and the itinerary was everything Id hoped it would be. The tour was well planned and executed. In addition to the great locales and fabulous countryside, our trip came alive because of her insight & analysis. Deals of The Week:Southeast Asia deals! Sleep in Sarlat. Shop travel deals. This was a great tour. Of course the chateaus were amazing but this was the first time I saw prehistoric cave art in person. Chris did an amazing job as our tour guidea wealth of knowledge with incredible background info on each of the areas we visited, plus a lot of fun anecdotes from her past French stays! The French people we met were all warm and friendly. Book your 2023 or 2024 trip by May 29.. The South of France - ProRome Tours 9 Stop Tour of the South of France - TripSavvy "Day in Dordogne River Valley with cave art, canooand outstanding scenery.". It was fun doing an active activity in the middle of the tour with our guide and the other tour members.". "Discovering how unique and impressive Loire valley chateaus are, especially considering some were built over 500 years ago.". The hotels, the choices of locations to visit and our your guide were all outstanding! The house also and yet it felt welcoming and homey. Testimonials - Read What Our Previous Travelers Think - TripUSAFrance Other favorite moments were walking across the top part of the Pont du Gard aqueduct, our lunch at the winery, and seeing Carcassonne all lit up while toasting with champagne.". mini french course while touring. "Besides Patrick being the best guide so far, the Castles, Chateaus and South of France experience surpassed what I thought it would be.". Lots of scenic beauty on the road, seeing the Pyrenees from the Carcassonne citadel, canoeing on the Dordogne River, walking through the aqueduct on top the Pont du Gard, and views overlooking Nice were other highlights.". "Favorite? I truly enjoyed this tour, which was my second Rick Steves tour. Enjoy live entertainment at the Moulin Rouge and watch a traditional Flamenco show. This morning we'll drive south, crossing the scenic valleys of the Lot and Tarn rivers as we make our way to Europe's largest fortified city: delightfully medieval Carcassonne. Cruise to spectacular Saint-Tropez, where a Local Expert will guide you along the coastal town's ancient walls for unparalleled views of its medieval towers. Our guide Arnaud was knowledgeable, good sense of humor yet maintained professional control at all times. Hardly anyone said a word as we walked around. The signs say Souviens-toi Remember. Hotel campagnile was not creaky, charming, historic or well located. We'll begin our morning visiting the Chteau de Villandry, famous for its remarkable "themed" gardens, inspired by water, music, love, and more. 2023-24 South & Central America Offers. We had the local dish of ailoli with snails, cod and delicious local vegetables.". Jazz bars and vineyards and lavender fields as far as the eye can see. And, Stoney's speech at the Oradour-Sur-Glane memorial-- about stopping the US from going down the same path that Germany did so many years ago. A nice balance between sightseeing and time to appreciate the food, wine, and country. There was a nice balance of history and culture as well experiencing modern French life. Whatever you wish to do, our . It gave people a lot of good stories, "Cnac and canoeing in Dordogne. The tour guide,Arnaud, was passionate about French history but lacked details on tour practicals and skipped the group picnic in Scarlat. "Malcolms riveting talk of the Chartres cathedral! Explore the best small group tours to France. In the afternoon, we paddled canoes on the Dordogne River, admiring chateaux on the cliffs above us. Seemed to have a lot of self guided or audio guided tours rather than local guides or tour leader guided. All of it expertly enlivened by our marvelous guide, Virginie. In Paris, a local foodie introduces you to tiny . Our tour guide was just great and so fun and our tour group I am still missing a week later. Group sightseeing events subject to change. Then we'll devote our afternoon to a walking tour of Arles. 1-604-689-8611 Call Scenic 1-604-689-8611 Our guide, Virginie, was so much fun and a wealth of information. All the people on the tour are friendly and outgoing. Other than the time it took us to reach Chartres from CDG is was great. "It's hard to pick just one special moment. Tour guide was highly experienced. "The prehistoric caves with 13,000 year old engravings. The second WOW was the Pont du Gard. 18,000 years of history, intimate, fascinating medieval towns, castles and chateaus, great wine and food, wonderful tour companions, unique, well located hotels, etc. Obviously he was working very hard. Small Group Tours Menu Toggle. Find out more Sold Out Memories You Promised Yourself You'll have the entire day to savor the colorful weekly market in one of France's most pedestrian-friendly towns. Seeing *original* etchings and drawings from tens of thousands of years ago was very moving. Edelweiss Southern France Tour Review | Rider Magazine Maybe there were three: the cave paintings in the still-open Grotte du Rouggignac were amazing and surprisingly moving. It is beyond sobering to walk down streets and see the remains of a town and a populace that were obliterated not by bombs dropped from airplanes but by men who looked them in the face as they herded them to their deaths and set the town on fire. Perhaps the going through the waterway in the Pont de Gard!". ", Very good group and extremely competent and personable tour guide, "Pont du Gard, walking inside the top of the structure and later wading in the river down below, I felt was a perfectly blended immersion in the past while celebrating the present.". It was worth the three year wait!! The rest of your day is free to explore the town, or to learn more about the art of creating stained glass. This was my first RS tour and it was as many of my friends described: active, interesting and fun. Southern France was even better! overall very nice accommodations. Our guide, Arnaud, was excellent; the itinerary was interesting; even in the time of Covid precautions everything ran smoothly. We bought a couple of miniature statues made by the town locals. Au revoir et merci! ", Just an excellent and efficient, and cost affective way to see the country, see significant cultural sights, and imbibe the culture of the country, "I am not a 'wow' moment person. Bus: 1 hours. What a treat to see them in action and taste their wines - white, rose and red.". The hotels we stayed in were all clean with professional staff and amenities were sufficient. This tasty collection of French treats begins in the cozy, historic town of Chartres an easy train ride from Paris. Unfortunately we had to leave the tour after only four days due to a positive co-vid test. "Seeing Chenonceau, the Pont du Gard and the Mediterranean sea were very impressive.". "Pont du Gard, the cave paintings, the beautiful gardens (at Chateaus and the Diderot Hotel), Van Gogh's inspirations, Sarlat and Nice markets, and the two light shows (Chartres and the mine). You'll have some free time in the charming town of Amboise, where you can visit the home of Leonardo da Vinci (even grab a little lunch there) and study working models of the Renaissance man's cleverest inventions. Towns became more than dots on a map. The BEST way to see the South of France - This tour of the south of France was one of the greatest adventures I have experienced. "Canoeing on the Dordonge in the shadows of hillside chateaus was very special.". We saw a lot of rural France in the process. Tours of France Be enchanted by our France tours Step into a land of renowned artists, royal crusaders and remarkable cuisine - France seduces with its extraordinary wealth of museums, historic sites, centuries-old villages and home-grown delicacies. A rental car with automatic transmission & full insurance coverage. France Tours & Vacations | Tailor-Made Trips From Goway Travel If you've been dreaming. Two hours to get out of CDG, long lines to get train tickets and five train changes. Claire handled it as well as could be expected but it brought things down. For instance at the Pont du Gardthe layering of the guides narrative, our walking though the site, our time in the museum, and our own time wandering the site with our own thoughts built a powerful experience beyond simply a place on our itinerary. Equally the group I traveled with was awsome. While Covid did rear its ugly head a bit, we were able to continue on to more adventures and explorations to complete the tour. The churches and chateau, the small towns, the countryside, everything was outstanding. Edelweiss Bike Travel's Best of Southern France Tour. Our guide Arnaud did an amazing job each day giving us so much information on the bus while we traveled to our destinations. Light walking: 24 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. I've traveled in Europe many times with Rick's guide books but this was my first tour and I must say that I was extremely pleased. Loire & South of France Tour | France Vacations | Rick Steves 2024 Tours Home / Our Tours / France Tours / Loire to the South of France in 13 Days Tour 2024 Chartres Cathedral Previous Next Amboise Previous Next Chteau de Chenonceau Previous Next Chinon Previous Next Chteau de Villandry Gardens Previous Next Canoeing on the Dordogne Previous Next I have never been in a canoe so this was a personal challengeas we canoed around the last bend, a gorgeous chateau came into view and I was just wowed.". The record heat and Covid proved challenging, she handled it all like a pro. Several times he made extra arrangements form us to see sites that were not on the tour (Lascaux II).