Day 1 - Arrive Paris

Upon arrival at Paris airport you are welcomed to France by your local Guardian Angel as you exit customs into the arrivals hall, and transferred to your hotel where you are assisted with check-in procedures.

Overnight: Relais Christine

Day 2 - Paris

Today you enjoy a half-day (4 hours) sightseeing tour in Paris with your private vehicle and expert guide. This overview tour includes famous Parisian sights such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysées and the Ile de la Cité. Here you have the opportunity to explore the stunning Sainte Chapelle, a royal chapel built in Gothic style, which houses an extensive 13th-century stained glass collection.

The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight: Relais Christine

Meal Plan: B

Day 3 - Paris

Today you enjoy a half-day (4 hours) sightseeing in Paris to include the world-famous Louvre Museum. Originally the Royal residence of the Kings of France, the sprawling Louvre palace contains one of the most important art collections in the Western world, spanning from remotest antiquity to the mid 19th cent, with the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo as perhaps its two most famous exhibits, and the upturned glass pyramid by I.M.Pei at the entrance adding a contemporary touch.

Overnight: Relais Christine

Meal Plan: B

Day 4 - Paris

Meet your local guide and private chauffeured vehicle for a sightseeing tour of Montmartre. This district is forever associated with the idealistic Bohemian lifestyles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Parisians call it the 'Butte' (knoll) as it is the highest point in the city. Discover Montmartre's romantic charms along the winding back streets, small squares and terraces. Many artists paint quick-fire portraits in the 'Place du Tertre'. Walk up to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica for spectacular views over the city. Other famous landmarks of Montmartre include the 'Moulin Rouge', a 19-century windmill transformed into a world-famous cabaret and immortalized by the painter Toulouse-Lautrec, the 'Place des Abbesses', a picturesque square which is now a hub of the fashion world, or the Dalí Centre, a unique exhibition entirely devoted to the master of surrealism, and more particularly to his sculptures and engravings.

Overnight: Relais Christine

Meal Plan: B

Day 5 - Versailles

Situated to the west of Paris, Versailles is the location of the vast palace that was constructed in the seventeenth century for Louis XIV, the 'Sun King'. Housing up to 4,000 people, the palace was the glory of his reign and the epicentre of political power in France at the time. It became the model for grand houses all over Europe. During your tour, explore the complex of rooms and apartments that make up this extraordinary palace. Marvel at the opulent Grand Apartments, a collection of seven prestigious and lavishly-decorated rooms, all named after Roman Gods, which served as a parade apartment for the King's official acts. Step into the mesmerising Hall of Mirrors; the light flooding through windows on the one side of this 73 metre-long ballroom is reflected in no less than 17 huge mirrors on the opposite side. Afterwards, take a stroll in the formal ornamental gardens and see the Grand Canal, which stretches into the distance across the park.

After lunch at leisure (payable locally), spend the afternoon exploring the Trianon Estate and the estate of Marie Antoinette. From the Petit Trianon to the Queen’s Gardens, passing by the Queen’s Hamlet, the former Queen’s estate reveals Marie-Antoinette’s private life and is much like a country hamlet where she found a simple life away from the formality of court. Attesting to King Louis XVI elaborate tastes, some say her home resembles a fairy tale village. Time allowing, enjoy the beautiful architecture, ornate furnishings, and charming gardens of Grand Trianon. Commissioned in 1687 by Louis XIV, it was to be his retreat from the strict étiquette of Court life and was later also the home to Napoleon and his family.

The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight: Relais Christine

Meal Plan: B

Day 6 - Paris - Onzain

You are met this morning by your private vehicle and driver-guide for your transfer to Onzain. You first head to Rambouillet to visit the chateau surrounded by forests and an extensive park. Continue to Chartres to witness the magnificent Gothic cathedral with its world-famous stained glass windows, before arriving at your hotel.

Overnight: Domaine des Hauts de Loire

Meal Plan: B

Day 7 - Loire Valley

This morning you meet your driver-guide for a full-day (8 hours) sightseeing tour in the Loire Valley by private vehicle. Visit the Chateau de Chenonceau that straddles the river and is one of the best-known chateaux of the Loire region. Continuing on to Amboise you visit the Clos Lucé, a handsome Renaissance manor where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last four years of his life. The museum here contains working models of some of da Vinci's inventions.

This afternoon enjoy the Chateau d'Ussé, sometimes described as the original "Sleeping Beauty Castle", and the 16th-century chapel in the garden.

Overnight: Domaine des Hauts de Loire

Meal Plan: B

Day 8 - Onzain - Paris

Spend the morning at leisure, relaxing and enjoying the facilities at your hotel. This afternoon you are privately transferred to your hotel at Charles de Gaulle Airport for the last night of your tour.

Overnight: Sheraton Airport Hotel

Meal Plan: B

Day 9 - Paris

Please make your own way to your check-in desk for your departure flight.