Paris
Ohhh, so French! But who hasn’t dreamt of visiting Paris and walking along its glamorous Avenues and medieval streets, admiring some art in the hundreds of museums, taking a boat ride on the Seine River, and sipping espresso in an outside café? Or for that matter, dining at an amazing restaurant offering the best cuisine in the world? Over 2000 years of history with so many iconic spots: the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the Louvre, Sacré-Coeur, and the intense Art Nouveau monuments of the Eiffel Tower and the entire Metro subway system! The Moulin Rouge, Champs-Elysées, l’Arc de Triomphe, the list just goes on and on…Practically everywhere you look there’s something exquisite to feast the eye…No wonder it’s undisputedly one of the world’s greatest cities.
Loire
An hour from Paris, the Loire Valley with its chateaus and vineyards is another “must-see” destination in France. The Loire is home to nearly 400 chateaux - castles and palaces from the Renaissance and Middle-Ages. With over 60 wine “appellations” and 173,000 acres of vineyards, you are sure to find at least a few wines to fall in love with. We’ll take you to Amboise where Leonardo Da Vinci spent the last portion of his life working for King Francis I, who ordered the construction of the magnificent castle of Chambord nearby. Taste fine wines from Vouvray and the local goat cheeses in our own Caves Ambacia. Walk in the Renaissance gardens of Chenonceau, the bridge-castle over the river Cher, and take a bike tour in the winding river banks or fly over the magnificent panoramas in a hot-air balloon! These are among the special, lifetime memories we enjoy helping create.
Champagne
Champagne is the French region just an hour east of Paris famous for its beloved bubbly and rolling hills full of spectacular vineyards. We’ll go through Reims, where many Kings were crowned in the massive gothic Cathedral, then through Epernay and along the Avenue de Champagne with its many “Houses”. We’ll stop in vineyards among the patchwork slopes of the Marne Valley, pay our respects to Dom Perignon himself interned at his Abbey, then descend directly into the many miles of underground cellars of world-renown producers Moët et Chandon, Veuve Clicquot and Taittinger to learn the secrets of how this one-of-a-kind sparkling wine is made. We’ll taste these exquisite champagnes and delight in authentic meals made by the winemakers themselves!
Burgundy
Burgundy is a magic destination for food and wine lovers. Here’s where you’ll taste some of the very best Pinot’s in the world by visiting Romanée-Conti, Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges – all along the “Grands Crus Route” lined with meadows and hilly vineyards. It’s also a chance to take in the great cultural treasure of the region’s main cities, like Dijon, Beaune and Mâcon. We will show you places full of charm and mystery like the medieval hospital “Hospices de Beaune” now hosting the annual famous Charitable Wine Auction, and the Château du Clos de Vougeot, an structure that was once served as both a palace and a fort. Enjoy a traditional Burgundian meal with local wines and taste the authentic aromas and flavors of rural and ancient France.
Provence
The Mediterranean Sea here is absolutely superb, the Roman heritage outstanding and the lavender fields totally amazing. In Avignon, relax on the terrace of a café and celebrate where you’ve found yourself with a glass of rosé in the sunshine. See the Luberon region with its picturesque villages, wineries and its own fields of lavender. Discover the fantastic Roman heritage of Nimes and Arles, or tour the Camargue area with its pink landscape, wild bulls and spirited horses. Our tours can take you to Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and the fishing village of Cassis, with stunning coastal roads and expansive cliff-top views. On our wine tours, taste the fantastic Rhône Valley pride, like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Muscat de Beaume de Venise.
Bordeaux
This region holds France’s fifth biggest city and the largest wine producing area in the entire world (290,000 acres). With us, you won’t visit without having tastings of the Grand Crus in Saint-Émilion and Pomerol wineries - two of the greats of the Right Bank of the Gironde River. Then on to the Left Bank, where you’ll visit the Médoc area, with renown labels like Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe.
Synonymous with the fine wines of its namesake, the city of Bordeaux is as charming and nuanced as its many vintages. In its heyday as France’s wealthiest port city between the 16th and 19th centuries, much of the convulsive history between England and France played out right here. But it’s not only about wine-tasting, it’s also home to fabulous museums like the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Cité du Vin, a huge museum dedicated to…Yes, wine of course! The old city center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the rich layers of history waiting to be discovered by you.
Normandy
Not only famous for its World War II landing beaches, but also the incredible island of Mont Saint-Michel topped by a gravity-defying medieval Abbey, and the 900 year old Bayeux tapestries which are truly stunning to behold. Climb this picturesque village to visit that high-perched monastery to take in amazing views of the entire bay. Here, you’ll walk directly in the footsteps of historical figures such as William the Conqueror, Richard the Lionheart and Joan of Arc! Later, imagine the WWII battlefield drama of D-Day at Omaha and Utah Beach and the Pointe du Hoc. Finally, cool off by tasting the refreshing local ciders and Calvados, the delightful Normandy apple-derived spirits.
Alsace
Now here is a region full of genuine Fairytale Villages (think Pinocchio, Frozen and Beauty and the Beast to name a few), spectacular wines, and delicious food. Only separated from Germany by the Rhine River, you’ll instantly know you’re in a very unique and charming part of France. In this historic province, you can visit the preserved medieval capitals of Strasbourg and Nancy, full of colorful, half-timbered (Tudor-like) homes ornately adorned with hanging flower boxes on curving, cobblestoned streets. Follow the Alsatian wine route through rolling hills, with views of mighty castles like Haut-Koenigsbourg, and stop in quaint villages frozen in time - all while tasting products of the world-famous local vineyards. Riesling, anyone?
Dordogne
Dordogne is an area of southeastern France also featuring enchanting medieval villages, along with stunning natural beauty, scenic rolling countryside and the awe-inspiring, now world-famous prehistoric cave paintings. We take you to explore the incredible Padirac chasm, the picturesque fortress village of Rocamadour and the wonderful village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, voted France’s Most Beautiful Village.
The French Riviera
Besides being best known for its glamorous beaches and coastline frequented by the rich and famous, Saint Tropez also happens to be a charming fishing village; it only became popular in the '60s as celebrities started buying up holiday properties. Close to it is the Port of Antibes and its stunning fortified city - well worth a stop. The main city on the Riviera is Nice. So much to enjoy here: strolling along the Promenade des Anglais, shopping at the amazing flower market, and enjoying a glass of rosé in the Old City. In the splendid hills above it all, time stands still in the village of Eze – where you get the feeling you've walked through a secret passage and straight into the Middle Ages. Last but not least, the legendary Monaco, a fabulous destination with its Casinos and high-end shopping experience.