THE BEST OF FRANCE in 11 days
This Best of France tour distills the country to my top destinations in and around Paris. We’ll begin (and end) with the very best of Paris. Sandwiched in between are some of the best sites, food, wine, and experiences in the country: the vineyards and cathedrals of Burgundy, the Loire Valley’s elegant châteaux, Brittany’s quaint villages, Normandy’s magnificent Mont St. Michel, and the D-Day battlefield beaches.
Your Adventure Starts Here!
| PRICE FROM | DATES | |
|---|---|---|
| $4489 + air | Jun 3-13, 2026 |  |
| $4589 + air | Sep 16-26, 2026 | |
| $4589 + air | Oct 7-17, 2026 | |
Paris – 3 nights
Beaune – 1 night
Loire Valley – 2 nights
Mont St. Michel – 1 night
Normandy – 2 nights
Paris – 1 night
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Single Room Additional Cost ~$910
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Welcome to Paris – Meet your Exploring Europe guide at 3:00 p.m. in your hotel lobby for introductions and a tour overview. Then, let’s focus on Paris’ historical center surrounding our hotel neighborhood. On our short walking tour, you’ll discover the wonder and history of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the opulence of the nearby Ile St. Louis and reflect on the atrocities of WWII at La Mémorial des Martyrs de La Déportation. Cap off your day with a dinner at one of David’s favorite restaurants and a sightseeing cruise on the Seine River. Sleep for 3 nights in Paris. Dinner.
DAY 2: Paris – Enjoy an ascent up the Eiffel Tower this morning for far-reaching vistas of the sprawling metropolis of Paris. Then we’ll head up to the artsy neighborhood of Montmartre to experience this quaint bohemian village and the nearby Sacré Coeur church. Enjoy a free evening on your own. Your tour leader can suggest activities ranging from shopping, museums, catacombs, church towers, and more.
DAY 3: Paris and the Louvre – Enjoy the morning at the Louvre museum to experience what some consider the world’s best collection of art. Armed with David’s “Louvre Destination Guide,” you will have several hours to explore the art, history, and wonder of this magnificent museum. Following the tour, stroll through the adjacent gardens ending on the famous Champs Elysées, where you can enjoy the evening and dinner on your own.
DAY 4: Burgundy – Today, we will leave Paris and head to Burgundy. Vézelay is a small hill town known for its Abbey and as a major starting point for pilgrims on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela. Later, we will travel through the vineyards and villages of Burgundy (which read like famous wine labels) and set up in Beaune for the evening. Following an orientation walk and a little independent time, we will meet for a grand feast featuring fresh specialties from Burgundy. Sleep 1 night in Beaune.
DAY 5: The Loire and Amboise – After a peaceful morning in town, we will load up and head through the French countryside to the Loire River Valley. In Amboise, you have time on your own for sightseeing and dinner. You can choose to visit Leonardo da Vinci’s home (Clos Lucé), tour Amboise’s castle, or wander the cobbled pedestrian-friendly streets. Sleep for 2 nights in Amboise.
DAY 6: Chateau Chenonceau and Amboise – This morning, we’ll visit the Château de Chenonceau, an elegant, river-straddling, 16th-century castle. After an audio-guided tour, you’ll have plenty of free time to roam through the gardens and pathways. Later, return to Amboise for a group dinner. Dinner.
DAY 7: Brittany and Mont Saint Michel – We will do a little driving today. Once in Dinan, enjoy a walk through the town surrounded by half-timbered houses and learn about the Bretons’ Celtic heritage. Later, arrive at the Abbey Mont St. Michel. We will arrive just in time to wave goodbye to all the tourist crowds, leaving Mont for us to enjoy in relative peace. Sleep 1 night on or near Mont St. Michel.
DAY 8: Normandy and Bayeux – After breakfast, enjoy a walking tour of Mont St-Michel and its hilltop abbey. Then, we will travel to Bayeux to have a look at the famous tapestry, embroidered with detailed scenes of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Sleep for 2 nights in Normandy.
DAY 9: The D-Day Beaches of Normandy – We will spend the day touring the Normandy beaches. It was here, in June 1944, the Allied D-Day landings took place. Through the course of the day, we’ll visit Pointe du Hoc and the Normandy American Cemetery, where 9,389 white crosses and Stars of David, and 1,557 names of those lost in battle, memorialize the Americans who gave their lives in the quest to liberate Europe. Later, we will make a stop at Sainte Mère Eglise, the airborne parachute site made famous by “The Longest Day” and “Band of Brothers.” Returning to town, enjoy some free time and dinner on your own.
DAY 10: Paris – We will return directly to Paris this morning. Your guide will be available to assist with sightseeing hints and suggestions such as museum entrances, shopping, and tours. This evening, we will meet for a grand farewell feast. Sleep for 1 night in Paris. Dinner.
DAY 11: Your tour over after breakfast – Paris’ airports is well connected by a network of taxis, shuttles, or public transportation. Your guide will help you with post-tour planning if needed. Au revoir!
Itinerary specifics are subject to change.
INCLUSIONS
Transportation by coach and minivan from your first hotel in Paris to your last hotel in Paris.
10 nights accommodation in traditional hotels, guesthouses, and B&B’s. All rooms have private en-suite baths.
All tips and gratuities to guides, drivers, restaurant, and hotel staff.
Strictly Small Group consisting of 6-18 participants.
All breakfasts and four of your dinners.
Traditional dining experiences at some of David’s personal favorite restaurants. Eating well is a priority and you’ll enjoy fine regional fare featuring the best the locale has to offer.
Water is included with all group meals. Sodas, beer, and other drinks are your responsibility.
All tours and admissions at no extra cost: Seine River Cruise, Eiffel Tower admission, Louvre Museum entrance, Paris historic center walking tour, Montmartre/Pigalle walking tour, Métro transportation in Paris, Champs Elysées orientation, Vézelay orientation, Beaune walking tour to the vineyards, Chateau Chenonceau tour, Dinan orientation, Mont St. Michel orientation, D-Day Beaches driving tour, and much more.
A full-time Exploring Europe guide and local experts dedicated to bringing to life the art, history, and culture of the tour destinations.
David’s tour handouts are delivered electronically and detail each day’s historical and cultural experiences.
Free luggage tags and David’s custom-designed drawstring backpacks.
Our Unconditional Tour Price Guarantee, once locked in, will never change.
$50 Tour Alumni discount for each David McGuffin tour you’ve taken prior to this travel year.
EXCLUSIONS
Comprehensive Trip insurance. We strongly recommend comprehensive insurance for tour.
Fee for passports.
Beer, wine, spirits, and soda during the tour.
Laundry, phone, internet, and personal items
Extras and optional activities.
Anything not mentioned in the itinerary.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
CANCELLATION POLICY
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS:
Deposits- Deposits for tours are fully refundable for 30 days from your initial application and deposit date, unless otherwise noted. If you book a tour less than 90 days before its departure date, full payment is due immediately, and the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after seven days. After these dates, deposits are not refundable and will be forfeited if you cancel your tour reservation.
Payments- Tour payments are due in full 90 days before your tour departure date. If you find you must cancel between 90-0 days before your tour departure, please contact us immediately. We will work with you to transfer your payments to another tour departing within 18 months. We strongly recommend that everyone purchase comprehensive travel insurance that covers tour cancellations, emergency medical, and other unexpected events.
Cancellations will be effective when the written notification is received at David McGuffin›s Exploring Europe by mail, e-mail, or fax.
SIGN UP BY EMAIL OR POST
If you do not want to sign up online:
You may download a tour application and send it to us with payment.
-OR-
You may return it by:
- FAX 1-800-570-1351
- Email – info@davidmcguffin.com
- email – take a photo of the form with your smartphone and attach it to an email
- TXT – take a photo with your smartphone and TXT to 904-612-8149
KEY TO WALKING & ACTIVITY
Walking and Physical Activity: We have planned this trip to provide maximum tour experiences. The basic nature of Europe does require some degree of physical activity to get out and see the sights, especially in the big cities. To help you plan, we’ve included a daily projection of physical activity. Here is the key for our walking activity ratings:
Light – Walking done on level surfaces with some hills and elevation gains. Two miles or less of required walking during the day.
Moderate – Walking done on paved and gravel paths and cobbled city sidewalks. To enjoy the full tour experience, some uphill and downhill walking is expected, as is standing while viewing sights or museums. Four to six miles of walking per day.
Strenuous – Walking done on rugged and rocky paths and city-cobbled sidewalks. There will be steps and stairs. Up to three hours standing in museums or experience sites. Up to eight miles of walking per day.
Your Choice – No matter what your walking ability, we will help you find alternative ways to enjoy and experience all Europe has to offer. To get the most out of our tours, you should be able to operate at the light level every day with spurts of moderate and strenuous.
PRE-TOUR RESOURCES
Now that you’ve decided to join this tour, we are sure you’ll have some questions. Don’t worry. We are here to help you through each aspect of your tour from start to finish.
DAVID’S 60 SECONDS DESTINATION VIDEOS
Join David as he shares impromptu moments from his travels in the United Kingdom. Watching these short 60-second segments are a great way to experience David’s travel style and adventures. Watch David Explores France here.
David’s TRAVEL TALK TUESDAY almost-weekly broadcast and Video Series Blog.
Every week, when David is not traveling in Europe, he presents a LIVE broadcast on Zoom and Facebook. Check it out on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM Eastern Time.
Each Travel Talk Tuesday session is recorded. Watch them here.
DAVID’S BLOG ARTICLES
David and his team have answered many travel-related questions, and they are all tucked away on his blog. But, no need to go there. Just type in a keyword in the search box at the top or bottom of this page (it’s the gray rectangle with a small magnifying glass icon), and you will get results for your query.
PLEASE SEND US AN EMAIL OR GIVE US A CALL.
We are happy to answer your travel questions and give advice and suggestions. tours@davidmcguffin.com or 800-570-1351.
Testimonials & Reviews of our Tours
The Sicily tour was incredible! After touring with David, I felt that I had truly seen all that this special island has to offer: terrific historical sights, vibrant cities, incredible museums, majestic land and seascapes, as well as a delectable cuisine. Throughout the tour David was informative, hospitable and open to suggestions and adjustments. He has a very pleasant and accommodating persona and we were fortunate to have him as our escort. The guides he hires are excellent and really enhanced our experience. The only recommendation I have is to have a guide for EVERY excursion! Our driver, Paolo, was exceptional.
I have longed to go on safari since I was a teenager! When I learned about David's explorations BEYOND Europe, I couldn't wait to secure my spot! The Serengeti Safari was the first trip on my retirement agenda! I had high expectations, and this trip EXCEEDED every one of them. David has a network of skilled professionals at every bend in the road. I highly recommend this trip for anyone hoping to experience the beauty of Tanzania, its abundant wildlife, its rich cultural heritage, and its beautiful people!
This trip truly was a trip of a lifetime. The ability to see all of the animals in their natural habitat was really something so hard to describe in words. In so many ways it seemed surreal. I have visited over 50 of our US National Parks, so being able to visit and stay inside the Serengeti National Park made the trip even more special to me. Our guides were simply outstanding. They were knowledgeable and always made sure we had the best experience possible. Our accommodations were top of the line- even our safari tents were exceptional. If going on an African Safari is on your bucket list I highly recommend traveling with David!
This was our first of what I hope are many tours with David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe. We chose The Best of Scotland and Wales in 11 Days tour from 9/24/25 - 10/4/25. Our tour guide, David Gray, made this tour very special. He is very knowledgeable about the destinations on the tour but was also very personable……which made for a very relaxing tour experience. He’s just a nice man! Our driver, Ian, has a beautiful coach and really made us comfortable. He and David make a good team. We were able to go to places that I never thought I’d see because of them. The drive through The Highlands was breathtaking and something we will never forget. All of our hotels were very comfortable and close to the town centers they were in. We really liked our travel mates which also made for a very positive experience. This tour is very well thought out and planned. There was ample free time as well. My husband and I had a very memorable trip and we highly recommend David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe.
I have traveled with David for over a quarter of a century on 22 trips soon to be 23. I’ve traveled with as few as 3 total people and as many as an entire high school marching band. No matter where the destination or the adventure David has researched it and will have all the details taken care of before you ever get there. I often joke that on his trips all I ever worry about is getting to the airport on time- he takes care of all of the rest! I highly recommend David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe— I trust him explicitly and would never consider traveling abroad with anyone else. Knowing David and his wife Charlotte is a blessing in my life and traveling with them is always a pleasure.
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