10 Days along The Country Roads of Normandy & Brittany

Posted by on Jan 18, 2013 in Normandy & Brittany, Travel with Karen | 0 comments

10 Days along The Country Roads of Normandy & Brittany

Full of charm and fascinating history, my trip to Normandy & Brittany is both rustic and serene.   The architecture, the weather, the food, the history, and even the seafood are all unique to this area of rich medieval origins.

I limit this trip to 8 people, determined by the number of seats available in the non-commercial minivan that I rent.  With me in the driver’s seat of a 9-passenger minivan, we take off, as a group of friends on an adventure ~ exploring the coastline, as well as the country villages.

Regional specialties delight; learn why the Camembert cheese you’ve tasted at home can never be as good as that in Normandy.  Sip cider and walk through apple orchards as we meander along the Route du Cidre, and enjoy a Hands-on Cooking Party in a 19th-century Renaissance castle.  Walk through the Celtic sea salt marshes with a salt worker and understand the manual method of salt production that has been in place for over 1,000 years …. all this and much more as you experience an enchanting journey through time on the inside track with me.

10 Days along The Country Roads of Normandy & Brittany

September 13 – 23, 2018 (Full)

Normandy Highlights

Beuvron en Auge

Picturesque harbor of Honfleur
Charming Normandy countryside & villages of the Pays d’Auge

Private visit & tasting at an organic apple orchard & cider distillery in Calvados
Bayeaux Cathedral & Tapestries of William the Conquerer & 1066 Battle of Hastings
Private DDay & Battle of Normandy outing with retired British Major General Hollands; Eglise Ste Marie, Point du Hoc, landing beaches, American & German cemeteries
Private visit & tasting at award-winning AOC Norman dairy specializing in 
artisanal “Beurre de Baratte,” crème fraîche, and hand-ladled AOC Camembert cheese

Brittany Highlights

Port de Dinan1

Rocky tidal island Mont St. Michel & private VIP tour of the historical Abbey
Privately guided walking tour of walled medieval town of St. Malo
and private tour of a shipowner’s mansion in the countryside
Scenic “Emerald coast” & Cancale with its bustling outdoor market on the church square

Hamlet of Mont Dol in the Bay of Mont St. Michel & exceptional gourmet dinner
prepared with local specialties and organic produce from the kitchen garden

Village & Château of Fougères ~ a masterpiece of medieval military architecture
Private “Secret Treasures” walking tour of  historic Rennes, capital of Brittany
Outdoor market tour in a quaint Breton village & 
Hands-On Cooking Dinner Party in Renaissance castle
Pre-historic monument of La Roche-aux-Fées
Medieval, picturesque village & Château of Vitré

Contact us for pricing and terms. 

Includes: 10 nights lodging in beautiful, high quality accommodations (2 nights in Honfleur, 2 nights in Bayeux, 4 nights in Mont Dol, 2 nights in Torcé); all breakfasts; 5 lunches; 5 dinners; van rental, insurance & fuel charges; tolls & parking;privately guided tours & visits; carbon offsets for flights; all highlights above, tips & advice from trip escort Karen Gros. LAND PACKAGE ONLY.  Excludes:   International flights to/from the US or other European city, transportation/taxis other than specified above, tips for guides, and mandatory comprehensive trip insurance.

Note:  This tour does include hills and stairs, and can be strenuous at times.

For more information & photos, visit daily itinerary description & photo gallery

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Celtic Sea Salt Marshes of Guérande
Optional 2-day add-on

marais salants

September 23 – 25, 2018

Artisanal Crêperie in ancient salt village
Private walking tour in the salt marshes with professional saltworker

Contact us for pricing and terms.   

Includes: 2 nights lodging in beautiful, high quality accommodations in Vannes); 2 breakfasts; 1 lunch; 1 dinner; continued van rental, insurance & fuel charges; tolls & parking; privately guided tour.  Excludes:  Mandatory comprehensive trip insurance..  This Add-on is only available to travelers who book the 10-Day Normandy & Brittany Itinerary.

For more information & photos, visit daily itinerary description & photo gallery

_______________________________

Practical Information

  • This is a LAND ONLY package beginning in Caen (Normandy) and ending in Rennes (Brittany)*; price does not include airfare, nor train travel to Caen/from Rennes, or within Paris.
  • When booking your flight, please note the following:
  • 1/ Outbound flight: Due to overnight flight from the US, you will need to depart one day prior to desired arrival in France.
    2/ Inbound flight:  Departs France and arrives USA same day
    3/ It is necessary that travelers spend one night in Paris before and after the tour, due to airline arrival and departure times. Therefore, please allow 14 days total travel time.  If doing the Add-On, allow 16 days total travel time.
  • The group will take the train together from Paris to Caen, and return together by train from Rennes to Paris (details below). In order to ensure that everyone arrives on the same train, Karen will purchase train tickets on behalf of each traveler at the best price (to be reimbursed by traveler in euros).
  • How to get from Paris to Caen:  Non-stop train from Paris to Caen; trip duration: approx. 2-hours; cost: approx. $40 per person. If desired, a private chauffeur may be arranged to collect each party in their respective hotels and drive everyone to the train station in Paris; cost: approx. $10 per person. Karen will then collect the minivan for the group at Caen train station.
  • How to return from Rennes to Paris*:  High-speed train from Rennes to Paris; trip duration: approx. 3-hour; cost: approx. $75 per person. Karen will drive everyone together in the minivan to the train station in Rennes; van will be returned at the Rennes rail station prior to departure.  Once at the Paris train station, Karen will escort you to the taxi stand to see that you are securely on your way to your hotel.
  • Please consult Karen before finalizing your flight plans.

* For those who do the Add-on, the tour will end in La Baule Escoblac, from where the rental van would be returned and high-speed train taken to Paris.  Price for train ticket from La Baule to Paris will be quoted upon request.

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