DAY-BY-DAY TOUR ITINERARY
Day 1 – Wednesday, Apr. 25
Depart USA for Paris, France
Depart home city via your chosen air carrier to Paris, arriving the following day, Thursday, April 26th. (Please see Information for suggested flight itineraries/schedules).
DAY 2 – Thursday, Apr. 26
Arrival/Paris
Arrive Paris, the "“City of Lights."” After clearing customs, you will be personally met by Dave who will escort you to your awaiting transportation which will take you to the beautiful and centrally located hotel, the Radisson SAS Ambassador Hotel near the Paris Opéra http://www.radissonblu.com/ambassadorhotel-paris your "home" for the next six nights. We will meet you on your arrival at the hotel and will help you with check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy a little time to freshen-up, rest and relax, and explore the property. Be sure to stop by the D'Vine Wine Hospitality Desk if you have any questions about what to see or do. Paris, the City of Light, is home to the Paris Opera House, the Louvre, the Arc de Triumphe, Notre-Dame, and the Eiffel Tower. It abounds with quaint bistros, boutiques, beautiful parks and magnificent bridges, charming sidewalk cafes and quiet bars.
Paris offers it all, so simply enjoy what you want — romance and sophistication, peace and charm, or hectic activity and excitement. Also, don’t forget that Paris is the home of the internationally famous Moulin Rouge and the Lido de Paris...two of the most renowned floorshows in the world!
After check-in, the balance of the day is free for you to start checking off all of those items you have on your "to do" list. You may want to start your "great adventure" by simply strolling the Champs Elysées, one of the world's most famous boulevards. Be sure to bring your camera because you will definitely want to get a picture of you with the Arch de Triumph in the background! A local host will be at the D'Vine Hospitality Desk to help you with any assistance that you may need such as directions, sightseeing options, restaurant and bistro recommendations. Whatever you need, they are there to help you!
Tonight, before you hit the streets for the bright lights of Paris, We invite you to a “Welcome to Paris” cocktail reception at the hotel and short briefing about our stay in Paris.
DAY 3 – Friday, Apr. 27
Paris, France / Sightseeing tour of Paris
This morning, after breakfast, a half-day Paris city tour has been arranged, just to help you get your bearings. After the city tour, the rest of the day and evening are free for you to go out and experience the sights and sounds of Paris. Be sure to stop by the D'Vine Wine Hospitality Desk to learn about the many optional tours that are available to you.
This evening is on your own to eat, drink, and be merry at one of the "movie set" outdoor restaurants and bistros that line the narrow cobblestone streets of Paris. Or you may want to enjoy dinner and a show at the renowned Moulin Rouge or the Lido de Paris. Remember, you are in Paris and this is not by a cheap imitation…it’s... it's the real thing!
DAY 4 – Saturday, Apr. 28
Paris / Use your Metro Pass!
Enjoy a leisurely buffet breakfast. Today would be a good day to use start using your two-day Metro Pass to explore the city. The Metro pass allows you unlimited use for two days. You’ll be armed with maps, schedules and city sightseeing brochures to aid you on your great adventure, so don’t worry about getting lost! Just take your map and head out. You can always ask for directions!!
This evening, an incredible experience is on the agenda for you! Join us for an extraordinary champagne Dinner cruise on the Bateaux Parisiens (Parisian Boats) quietly cruising on the Seine River. Tonight will be one of those “once in a lifetime” experiences that you will cherish forever.
DAY 5 – Sunday, Apr. 29
Free day/Optional tour
This can be another great Metro Pass day so get organized and cram in as many of the "to do's" as you can! Again, please feel free to visit with our local D'Vine Wine Hospitality Desk hosts for any help or information that you may need.
An optional tour for today at extra cost - NORMANDY -
This tour provides a « Rendez-vous » with more recent history and a very special landmark in American history, the landing beaches of the liberation of Europe during the World War II.
By motor coach enjoy the lush and varied French countryside along the Seine River valley through Normandy to Caen and Bayeux. You’ll continue your drive via the costal road to your first stop at the Pointe du Hoc to relive the extraordinary exploits of the liberating forces who scaled these cliffs in the very first attack of the liberation.
Continue along the coast to see the memorial at Omaha Beach, and pause for lunch before driving the short distance to visit the American cemetery of St Laurent with its recently opened memorial center where you can see the full story of the Normandy Landings in this very moving setting.
From here you will return directly to Paris.
Duration: 11 hours.
Tour includes: Visit landing beaches & Pointe du Hoc
American cemetery in St Laurent
Omaha Beach
Pointe du Hoc
Tonight is open for you to have dinner on your own. Paris awaits you my friends! You can choose a flashy night club or a quiet bistro to finish the night off…it’s up to you!
DAY 6 – Monday, Apr. 30
Champagne tour
This morning we depart for a very special region of France – Champagne! After breakfast we board our awaiting motor coach and depart for the historic province of Champagne, best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name. Enjoy a glass of champagne as you spend a day in the famous region of Champagne on your day trip from Paris. The region's magnificent vineyards make a fine excursion from the French capital – you'll even get the chance to sample Mumm and Moët & Chandon champagne (or similar) in the cellars where they're made!
After, your driver- guide will drive you through the colorful vineyards of the most noble of wines and its typical villages, among them Hautvillers, the village where Dom Perignon used to live and where his tomb is.
You will also make a stop to visit the cathedral of Reims, the city of coronations, where Clovis was baptized by Saint Remi in 496 DC. You will first visit the Rheims gothic cathedral (XIIIth century) where most of the Kings of France were crowned (the Basilique Saint Rémi is also worth the visit). After our arrival back to Paris, this evening is free for you to enjoy dinner at your leisure
DAY 7 – Tuesday, May 01
Free day/optional tour
This is your last day in Paris...so make the most of it!
Another optional tour for today at extra cost - VERSAILLES - This excursion leaves Paris by motor coach via western highway for an unforgettable visit to one of the largest and most magnificent palaces in the world.
A short drive and we reach the charming residential town of Versailles which was the capital of France for 100 years in the 17th and 18th Centuries.
The small hunting lodge built for Louis XIII was converted by his son Louis XVI into the grandiose palace that you will visit today. You will see the fabulous Hall of Mirrors, scene of the signing of the 1919 peace treaty at the end of World War one, and the sumptuous royal suites with their original decoration dating from 1662. The reign of Versailles terminated when the people of Paris came to fetch the young king Louis XVI and his queen Marie-Antoinette to face the terror of the French Revolution.Surrounding the palace with their formal grandeur, view the immense park and gardens, filled with fountains and statues dating from the reign of Louis XVI.
Duration - 4 hours.
Tour includes:
Entrance fee to the Palace
Plus visit of the park and gardens
DAY 8 – Wednesday, May 02
Depart Paris for Home
After breakfast, transfer from the hotel to the airport for check-in. Depart from Paris for the USA and home city via your chosen air carrier. Arrive the same day.
Au Revoir…see you next year!
