Alumni Travel
Saint Elizabeth’s Frolics in France
June 25-July 7, 2025
This joyful and varied itinerary introduces many aspects of France’s fascinating history and culture through the mediums of architecture, art and gastronomy. The route starts from one of the world’s great cities proceeding to medieval villages with gothic churches. Along the Loire valley there are visits to sumptuous chateaux and noted vineyards. By the sea ancient ports of call provide stories of old while the route changes gear from Gallic to Celtic in less travelled Brittany. Mont St Michel transports visitors to another time while the D-Day beaches are moving and all too recent. This trip is designed to inform, entertain and educate. It is suitable for all travellers with a curiosity to enjoy and understand a country with historic connections to the USA.
Day 1, 25 June
Fly from USA to Paris
Day 2, 26 June
Settling in with a stroll and a glass of something nice.
You are greeted by your Easy Going tour leader at the airport. After loading the tour bus it’s “welcome to Paris” as you get straight into the action with a sightseeing spin about the highlights monuments; Arc de Triomphe, Opera and Eiffel Tower. This afternoon check in to your hotel and get to know your neighbourhood with a gentle meander. Your included welcome dinner features local fare and a glass of vin rouge! Hotel Paris
Day 3, 27 June
Impressionism, revolution and crepes.
Today’s activities begin to track radical transformations in France with particular reference to the art world. An expert guided tour at The Musée d’Orsay will focus on the impressionist movement which challenged the art establishment and has influence lasting to this day. There is free time this afternoon. A jaunt up to Montmartre this evening takes you by the Bateau-Lavoir studios where Matisse, Monet and Picasso painted and socialised. This picturesque part of Paris still throngs with artists and offers terrific views over the city and a chance to pick up some of its tastiest crepes! Hotel Paris
Day 4, 28 June
The living dead.
After breakfast head to Pere Lachaise cemetery, final resting place for the celebrity deceased from Oscar Wilde to Gertrude Stein by way of Moliere and Chopin. This afternoon is free for personal exploration. You may choose to hit the Louvre or climb the Arc de Triomphe. Alternatively, the big stores such as the Galeries Lafayette may tickle your fancy or a lazy day of navel contemplation in the artsy left-bank, chewing the cud of life at a sidewalk café. This evening you’ll end with a gentle cruise along the river Seine to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle. Hotel Paris
Day 5, 29 June
A bit of Balzac and the fairytale castles of the Loire.
The Loire Valley is famed for its natural beauty, and gastronomic bounty. It is an area richly endowed with gorgeous chateaux, where scenes of historic significance and aristoctractic excess have played out. First stop today will be at the Chateau de Sachè, sometime country home of the writer Balzac. After renewing acquaintances at this beautiful if simple spot you’ll move on to one of the Loire’s most celebrated chateaus, Villandry. This particular ‘fairytale castle’ is known for its gardens. Your resting place this evening is nearby. Dinner is included tonight. Hotel Villandry
Day 6, 30 June
Gastronomic fantastic!
France is home to one of the world’s truly great cuisines. At the top end of things are the Michelin starred restaurants while underpinning its gastronomic heritage is high-quality artisanal know-how in producing culinary raw materials. Today you will visit a working farm to find out about the production of ‘fromage’ and enjoy an included lunch. The Loire Valley is also known as one of the great wine producing regions and later today you will visit a vineyard and enjoy the tasting! Hotel Villandry
Day 7, 1 July
The Celtic coast.
Today you set off towards Brittany which presents an altogether different sort of landscape by the Atlantic coast. A last skirmish with the chateaus of the Loire at Angers is where a vision of the apocalypse is preserved in awe-inspiring tapestry. This afternoon you arrive in Vannes, an excellent base for exploring the Golfe du Morbihan. After a familiarisation walk, dinner is included tonight. Hotel Vannes
Day 8, 2 July
Rugged, off the beaten track and prehistoric.
Britanny is a Celtic kingdom whose cultural ties with other gaelic speaking regions is strong. It is a less visited destination for tour groups but very popular amongst the French, who appreciate its ancient origins and somewhat independent character. Today you will visit Carnac whose history follows a timeline similar to that of Stonehenge over the water in England. Switching back to the medieval period, this afternoon you will enjoy a stroll around a perfectly picturesque port village, Saint-Goustan. Hotel Vannes
Day 9, 3 July
Mont St Michel. Monks and cider making.
Dramatically placed amidst the sea, the Mont St Michel is a monastery island where it feels as if you have just walked out of the 21st century and on to a Game of Thrones set. The winding cobbled lanes of this citadel in stone lead up to a religious fortress where monks lived and ruled for centuries. There are opportunities here to acquire one of the famous stripy sweaters and try a buckwheat crepe. Later visit a cider maker and sample calvados. Dinner included tonight. Hotel Normandy region
Day 10, 4 July
Battles old, battles new and some goats.
To get to grips with the complex events around the allied landings of the 6th of June 1944 a visit to Caen and its dedicated museum is a boon. This will set you up for subsequently visiting the coast where it all played out. Yet Normandy’s bellicose legacy goes back much further, and the cathedral here is the resting place for William the Conqueror who invaded England in 1066 and whose descendants still rule much of Europe today. Hotel Normandy region
Day 11, 5 July
D-Day.
Today history comes within touching distance. You will walk on the beaches where US forces landed during Operation Overlord. The D-Day landings were recreated unforgettably in Spielberg’s film Saving Private Ryan and your day will include a visit to the US military cemetery above Omaha beach that provided the backdrop to one of its most moving scenes. You will drive along the stretch of coast that saw the heaviest of the fighting and witness how some of the gun emplacements remain to this day. Hotel Normandy region
Day 12, 6 July
Claude Monet makes an impression.
A lovely last day’s journey full of flowers and good food. You will visit Giverny to see where Claude Monet worked on his world-famous water lilies. There will be a tour of the garden and a chance to reflect on the Japanese Bridge. An excellent last night’s farewell dinner is included. Hotel Seine Valley
Day 13, 7 July
Fly home from Paris.
You are accompanied to the airport and waved cheerio as you set off for the flight home.
What’s included?
Transportation:
All group ground transportation from arrival at Paris airport to drop off at Paris airport including private luxury tour buses, parking fees and tour bus permits, city taxes, boats, funiculars and travel by public transportation for group activities in Paris.
Meals and lodging:
- Bed and Breakfast every day in 3-star or 4-star establishments.
- 5 dinners with wine.
- 1 calvados tour with tasting.
- 1 farm visit with lunch and wine tasting
Guiding:
- 24 hour services of Easy Going tour leader.
- 3 locally guided tours.
- Use of Vox machines.
Entrances fees:
All castles, museums, historic sites as mentioned in the itinerary are included in the tour price. Visits to towns, villages and other sites as mentioned in itinerary.