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[Top]
[Home]
[Cruises]
[Lesbian Cruises]
[About Cruising]
[Tours and Vacations]
[About Vacations]
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Arrange your flight to arrive as early as possible this morning in Paris. Collect your luggage, go through customs and exit the secure area, where you will be met by a representative and taken to our meeting spot. Once everyone has been collected, we depart the airport and drive the 60 miles to Giverny, where we have lunch, take a walking city tour and see Monet's Home and Garden. We continue on to Rouen, arriving in late afternoon for hotel check-in and time to freshen up. This evening, Toto Tours hosts a cocktail party to toast the start of our tour, followed by a Welcome Dinner. Overnight in Rouen. 
After a hot buffet breakfast at our hotel, take a morning walking tour of Rouen to see the main sites including its impressive Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral. Drive to Le Havre for sightseeing in the central old city which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We drive north along the English Channel to Etretat for lunch and to see the limestone cliffs, three natural arches and the pointed "needle" which have inspired many artists. We cross the bridge over the mouth of the Seine River, driving to our final destination today: Deauville. The evening is free. Overnight in Deauville. 
This morning we take a very short drive to the town of Honfleur, the starting point for the Hundred Years War from the 14th to 15th centuries. Located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine, we take a boat tour of the picturesque waterfront with its slate-covered, colorful frontages that also inspired Impressionist painters. After lunch in Honfleur we take another short drive to Trouville-sur-Mer, where we have a walking tour of this village along the Touques River. Another quick ride returns us to Deauville, where we enjoy free time to explore. Overnight in Deauville
This morning we take a drive along the Cider Route, seeing those village and orchards known for their world-class cider. We stop in the town of Camembert, which gives it name to its most famous product – the soft, creamy cow's milk cheese, "Camembert de Normandie." After a cheese tasting with a glass of cider, we continue our journey to Caen, known as the city of William the Conqueror. Here we check in at our hotel and take an afternoon tour of the city, which was almost entirely rebuilt after the extensive damage it sustained during World War II. The evening is free. Overnight in Caen. 
Enjoy a full-day excursion to the Normandy Beaches. Our first stop is the town of Bayeux, home of the Bayeux Tapestry honoring the life of William the Conqueror, which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We continue on to Colleville-sur-Mer, the closest town to the beaches, where we first have lunch. Then we visit the U.S. Military Cemetery and Omaha Beach, the site of the Allies' landing on D-Day, June 6, 1944. We return to Caen in the afternoon for a free evening. Overnight in Caen. 
This morning we drive to the historic town of Villedieu-les-Poeles, known for its early copper industry and bell foundry. It was one of the towns almost entirely spared of Allied bombing during the war. Next we visit the picturesque fishing village of Cancale, where we stop for lunch. We make a photo stop at the rocky outcrop of Pointe-du-Grouin to see its bird sanctuary, lighthouse, and beautiful view of Mont Saint-Michel far off in the distance. We continue on to the walled port city of St. Malo for a city tour of its many ancient structures. Our last short ride brings us to Dinard, an attractive beachside town along the English Channel. The evening is free to explore on your own. Overnight in Dinard.
We check out of our hotel after breakfast and drive to one of the world's most famous sites. A strategic stronghold since ancient times, Mont Saint-Michel is one of France's most recognizable and beloved landmarks. The original builders constructed the entire island according to feudal society – with God (the abbey and monastery) on top, the great halls just below, then housing and commerce, and on the bottom the fishermen's and farmers' housing outside the fortified walls. The island and its bay have UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, and while 3 million people a year visit the site, our Toto group will have the rare privilege of staying at the only hotel within the city walls. Once the tourist throngs have all left for the day, we will have the entire place almost to ourselves during the evening. It is a magical experience at night, allowing you to truly take a step back in time. Overnight on Mont Saint-Michel. 
We depart Mont Saint-Michel after breakfast and spend part of the day driving back in the direction of Paris. We stop along the way for lunch, arriving in Chantilly by late afternoon. Check in at our beautiful chateau and spend a free evening enjoying the amenities of our chateau or explore the town on your own. Overnight in Chantilly. 
Enjoy a morning tour of Chateau de Chantilly, one of the most beautiful of the grand chateaux France. The chateau's art gallery, the Musée Condé, houses one of the finest collections of paintings in France after the Louvre. The main French formal garden features extensive ornamental flower beds and fountains. There is also a French landscape garden with a cascade, pavilions, and a rustic ersatz village, the Hameau de Chantilly. The estate overlooks the Chantilly Racecourse and the Grandes Écuries (Great Stables) which contains the Living Museum of the Horse. We provide a group transfer back to our own chateau after the tour, but those who wish can remain into the afternoon to explore more of this fabulous estate and return to our hotel via taxi on their own. This evening we celebrate our impressions of northern France during a festive Farewell Dinner at our chateau hotel. 
The Place du Vieux Marché (the old market) and the Gros Horloge are within easy walking distance of the Mercure Rouen Centre. Rouen Train Station is situated just 1 km away and underground, private parking is available on site.
Guests of the Golf Barriere can use of the hotel's fitness room, hot tub and sauna and enjoy a relaxing massage. An 18-hole golf course is available at an extra cost.
At the Caen Côte de Nacre's restaurant, the Novotel Café, guests can enjoy traditional cuisine 
The Grand Hotel's spa and fitness centre, Phytomer, offers a range of relaxing body and beauty treatments. It has a sauna and indoor swimming pool with massaging jet system.
The restaurant, Le Pré Salé, is famous in the area and serves delicious seafood and regional specialities. The bar, Le Normandy, offers a relaxed setting for a drink amongst friends.
Facilities for relaxation include a sauna, a steam-room and a fitness centre. Massages and beauty treatments are available on request. There are also mountain bikes, and a tennis court. A golf course and horse riding stables are nearby.
