Guardian Holiday Offers

Day 1
You should arrive at the airport to take your flight to Paris, or you can travel by Eurostar from London St. Pancras International to Paris. A coach will then take you to Vernon, a very pleasant town in the Seine Valley near Claude Monet’s House and Garden, where you stay at the three-star Hotel Normandy and also take dinner in a local restaurant.

Day 2
After breakfast you take the short drive to Giverny, a small village where the Impressionist painter Claude Monet lived for 43 years until his death in 1926. We have all seen innumerable 'Monet's' reproduced on calendars and birthday cards but simply to be here in this spectacular display of colour is an unforgettable experience. In the water garden, in a Japanese style, surrounded by bamboo trees, rhododendrons, azaleas and shaded by a great willow tree is the lily pond. This is where the famous 'Nympheas' or 'Water Lilies' was painted. You can also see the Japanese bridge still there after all these years. The flower garden preserved exactly how it was cannot be adequately described here - its beauty has to be seen to be believed! Inside the house, is the precious collection of Japanese prints, displayed in several rooms, hung in the manner chosen by the master of Giverny himself. The dining room, with its yellow painted furniture, the bedroom, the 'blue' reading room and the kitchen with its attractive wall tiles are especially appealing. The memories of this morning will stay with you for a lifetime!

We then drive to Chartres and as you travel across the plain, the towers of the cathedral can be seen from 20 miles. You enter the town and it seems like the land which time forgot, with beautiful cobbled streets. The cathedral itself is arguably the most magnificent in France with perhaps the most intricate 13th century stained glass in Europe. You continue your southward journey arriving in the picturesque city of Tours, nestling on the sublime river Loire. We check in to our hotel for the next three nights, either the Holiday Inn Tours, Mercure Centre or Kyriad, all conveniently located near the old town, where we stay on a bed and breakfast basis. However, this evening we will also have dinner in a charming restaurant, full of the ambience unique to France. You will be served specialities of the region prepared by a chef of the highest calibre in the true tradition of French cuisine.

Day 3
After breakfast you make your way down the beautiful Loire Valley to the Château of Villandry, which has some of the most unique gardens you will ever see. They are planted purely with fruits, flowering shrubs and ornamental vegetables which sounds unusual, but the whole scene combines to produce a spectacle of outstanding natural beauty. Next is the town of Chinon, medieval in character with winding streets, pointed roofs, half-timbered houses dominated by the large castle in the English interpretation of the word and where Joan of Arc first met the Dauphin prior to crowning him King of France in Reims cathedral. You have time to explore the town so important to your own history.

Day 4
After breakfast you take the short drive to Amboise, a delightful little town nestling on the banks of the river. There is a royal castle to see, as well as Leonardo da Vinci’s house. The aristocracy, who built the châteaux, persuaded craftsmen from all over Europe to work on them but Leonardo liked the area so much he stayed after his work was completed and eventually ended his days here. His house has been restored with many models of his inventions on display including modern ideas such as the helicopter. You then continue on to Chenonceau, home of Mary, Queen of Scots and probably the most stately of the Loire Châteaux, majestically hovering on the waters of the River Cher, before returning to the hotel.

Day 5
After breakfast you leave Tours for the morning’s drive to visit the beautiful Château of Fontainebleau just south of Paris. This impressive building was famous as the place where Napoleon departed for his exile on the island of Elba. It is decorated in a fantastic style, with intricate frescoes covering each ceiling and parquet floors inlaid with exotic woods from all over the world. Most impressive is the vast display of exquisite furniture. The grounds of the château are both extensive and impressive, and formal in design. Fontainebleau encompasses everything you imagine about a French château; style, opulence, grandeur - even outrageousness, as you will see during our visit. We also have time to visit the typically provincial French town of Fontainebleau. We then leave here and drive to our hotel, the nearby Mercure, where we also take dinner.

Day 6
Today you drive to the airport or railway station, at the appropriate time, to return home.

Vernon - Hotel Normandy (http://www.le-normandy.net) three-star rated, a historic building in the centre of Vernon. It has a very good quality restaurant and cosy bar. All rooms have ensuite facilities.

Tours - Holiday Inn (http://www.holidayinn-tours.com) or Mecure Centre (http://www.mercure.com) or Kyriad (http://www.kyriad-tours-centre.fr) all three-star rated and conveniently located near the old town with restaurant and bar. All rooms have ensuite facilities.

Le Coudray-Montceaux - Mercure Parc du Coudray (http://www.mercure.com) three-star rated, this well-managed hotel is set in substantial private gorunds and has a good quality restaurant where we take dinner. All the rooms are comfortable and air-conditioned with minibar, safe and hairdryer.