I recommend this tour for those travelers who are interested in an active vacation and who think this may be their only trip to France. I am happy to further customise this tour including changing its duration. Features include:
France is one of the biggest countries in Europe. There is such a diverse range of landscapes from the French Alps to the Countryside and Mediterranean beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see! Whilst here you will be able to sample world famous French cuisine, as well as a delicious range of French Wine, Cheese and Patisserie.
A full length tour throughout France, whilst long, will take you to the best cities and locations throughout the country. It is ideal to take a tour like this if you want the best experience of France possible. In addition to Paris, you can visit cities such as Strasbourg and Cannes. As well as visiting the beautiful beaches of the French Riviera.
Although the cost may seem high at first, you will be getting much more for your money than if you attempted to plan a trip around France yourself.
Your A La Carte France tour begins in Paris where your personal driver-guide will collect you from either your accommodation or from Paris airport. From here you will take a short drive to the historic city of Honfleur where you can walk along the old port and view the slate fronted houses painted by famous artists including Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet and Gustave Courbet. Travel from here to the medieval centre of Bayeux, home to the famous Bayeux tapestry (which depicts the 1066 Norman conquest of England), the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the ramparts of the 11th century Ducal Castle.
Overnight in Bayeux area.
Experience a reflective walk with your guide along the Normandy landing beaches and learn about this famous site of the largest seaborne invasion in history. Continue from here on to the commune island Mont Saint-Michel. This island is one of Europe's major pilgrimage destinations and is renowed for the expansive 13th century medieval monastery that sits at its peak. From here your A La Carte France guide will take you by limousine to the fishing port town of Cancale.
Two nights in Cancale.
Enjoy some sightseeing in Cancale including its large number of seafood restaurants and a coastal walk from the town to the Pointe du Grouin. From here, your private A La Carte France tour takes you to visit the walled city of Saint-Malo and view its 17th century fortress, then continue on to the coastal beaches of Dinard where you can view a display of stripy beach tents and Belle Epoque villas. Finally travel to Cap Frehel where you can experience a historic lighthouse, a fortified castle, and views across the Emerald coast.
Second night in Cancale.
Today your A La Carte France driver-guide will take you to the city of Angers where you can view landmarks including the unique striped towers of its castle (which was built by Louis IX of France), the 16th century Logis Pince and the art deco design of the 1927 Maison bleue. Continue the tour by private minivan to Saumur and encounter prehistoric cave dwellings, chateaus and medieval villages, then visit Chinon for a tour of its 11th century castle.
Overnight in a castle-hotel near Chinon.
Experience a personally guided A La Carte France tour of the luxurious Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau; one of the earliest French Renaissance chateaux. Inside the chateau, you can view 16th and 17th century tapestries, coffered ceilings, and numerous royal portraits. From here enjoy a walk through the royal city of Tours; then continue on through the panoramic views of the Loire valley to experience two more luxury chateaux: the Chateau de Blois, a former palace which houses paintings and scuplutres from the 16th and 17th centuries, and the gothic/renaissance Royal Chateau of Amboise; burial place of Leonardo da Vinci.
Overnight in a hotel in the Loire valley.
Visit Limoges, and be guided through its many museums and galleries which display examples of the porcelain this city is famous for and has been producing for over 200 years. From here, travel with your chauffeur-driven limousine to the fortified village of Rocamadour. Set within a gorge, this village contains many historical monuments including various monastic buildings and the sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Overnight in Rocamadour.
Today your private tour of France takes you to the city of Toulouse where you can view unique pink terracotta brick architecture. Visit the Capitole de Toulouse and see the Theatre du Capitole and the Donjon du Capitole, walk along the Basilica of the Romanesque style Saint-Sernin, and experience the gothic style architecture of the 13th century Jacobins convent. From here, continue on your A La Carte France tour to the fortified town of Carcassonne and visit the famous Cite de Carcassonne, a medieval fortress founded during the Gallo-Roman period.
Overnight in Carcassonne area.
Enjoy a guided tour of Nimes, a city famous for its fine collection of ancient Roman remains and its historic old town. Here you can visit the well preserved Maison Carree (a Roman temple), the Arena, the temple of Dianna and the Tour Magne; a Roman tower that overlooks the town from the top of Jardins de la Fontaine. In the town's historic centre, your A La Carte France tour guide will show you other landmarks of significance including the cathedral of Notre Dame & St. Castor. From here, continue on to the ancient city of Arles where you can view more Roman remnants including the Thermae of Constantine and the Gallo-Roman theatre.
Two nights in Arles area.
Today your A La Carte France limousine tour will take you to the village of Baux-de-Provence where you can enjoy a walk through the ruins of the Citadelle des Baux and view remnants of ancient war weapons. Travel from here to visit the Pont Du Gard aqueduct which was built in the 1st century AD and considered to be one of the most beautiful Roman monuments in the region. Your private guide will also take you to the papal city of Avignon where you can view the Pont d'Avignon and Palais des Papes in the historic city centre.
Second night in Arles area.
Your custom trip today will take you to the medieval village of Fontaine de Vaucluse where you can view its fountain at the foot of the Vaucluse Mountains which is unique in that it only surges for only five weeks of the year. From here travel with your personal driver to the Senanque abbey and view the Romanesque architecture of its many structures. Continue on to the Roussillon ochre village and view its distinctive red, yellow and orange ochre deposits, and enjoy panoramic views from the cliff road.
Two nights in Frejus.
Experience a personally guided A La Carte France tour along the Esterel corniche; a coastal road which provides magnificent views across the Mediterranean. Your driver will point out sights to you including the deep blue ocean, the red porphyry flow of Cap Roux, many small coves and inlets where you can swim or enjoy the sunshine. Continue on your journey and take a walking tour through the old town of Monaco and see landmarks including the Palais Princier, Jardin Exotique, and the world renowned Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium.
Second night in Frejus.
As you travel by minivan through the Vercors your A La Carte France tours driver-guide will point out sights of interest including roads carved into the cliffside, waterfalls and cascading rivers. Experience the caves of Choranche which contain narrow stalactites that resemble straw, view the unique "suspended" houses in the historic village of Pont-en-Royans, and marvel at the gardens and natural fountains in the village of La Sone.
Overnight by Lake Annecy, at the footsteps of the French Alps.
Today your A La Carte France tours driver-guide will take you for a private walking tour of the medieval city of Annecy. Here you can view winding canals and pastel-colored houses in the Vieille Ville, and the Chateau d'Annecy which overlooks the city. Travel by limousine to the Roches de Baumes lookout point and enjoy views over the karst landscape, formed in the jurassic period.
Overnight in Arbois.
Travel between Cernay and Le Hohneck and your driver guide will point out features of the magnificent scenery including an expanse of lakes, rocks, grazing fields and mountain passes. Climb to the top of the Vosges area of France; the Grand Ballon d'Alsace, then continue on to Colmar and view its display of religious and secular landmarks in German and French architectural styles and the canals of the river that earned the city the name 'little Venice'.
Two nights in picturesque Riquewihr.
Your journey today takes you to the 16th century village of Riquewihr, one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and a place renowed for its speciality riesling wines. Continue from here to the restored 12th century Haut-Koenigsbourg, a castle fortress where you can view an artillery platform, luxurious royal rooms, and medieval gardens. Finally enjoy a scenic limousine drive to Trois-Epis and Le Galz with your A La Carte France tours guide.
Second night in Riquewihr.
Today allows you to experience Strasbourg, the capital city of the Alsace region. Here you can enjoy a blend of German and French architecture and culture, a privately guided walk through Petite France area, and see the Palais de l'Europe and Palais des Droits de l'Homme. Next, join the city of Metz by private miivan; Metz is renowned for its historic architecture including the Basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains (the oldest church in France) and the largest collection of stained glass windows in the world at the Gothic Saint-Stephen Cathedral.
Overnight in Reims.
The final day of your private A La Carte tour of the Best of France takes you through Reims; a city known for its champagne wine. Here you can enjoy wine tastings and cellar tours or view the city's array of monuments including the Porte de Mars (the oldest monument in Reims), Saint-Remi Museum, the Saint Remi Basilica, and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Reims - a former place of the coronation of French kings. From here you will return to Paris with your private minivan, marking the end of your tour.
Au revoir et bon voyage, honores voyageurs.
bookings for tours shorter than 10 days.
Boutique / Luxury price includes: private
driver-interpreter throughout the tour, private
local guides, transport (air conditioned minivan or large sedan), all entrance fees
as per suggested itinerary, porterage,
accommodation in boutique / luxury
(best available) style small hotels and Bed
& Breakfasts (comfortable double room with
private bathroom), continental breakfasts,
light lunches (i.e. quiche, sandwich, soup),
dinners in fine cuisine restaurants (3 items to
choose freely à la carte) with best available
local wine (half a bottle per dinner per
person), all taxes and tolls. This price does
not include: optional tipping (not compulsory),
personal expenses, insurance, flights to and
from France, drinks other than mentioned
and optional activities.
no refund for cancellations received
later.
To see the area's best market one must travel to Villeneuve-lèz-Avignon, where at the entrance to the town, in the main square, the stalls and umbrellas are set out like a Cartier shop window. The tomatoes are perfumed with the scent of moist earth, the olivettes taste like fruit, scents of basil and croissant waft in the air, and one's nose twitches near the cheeses where round of goat cheese look like cakes served in a tender crust that dissolves before the cream makes itself felt. 
This is the kind of market tour where one can discover the taste of genuine produce and flavors never before experienced.
Chinon is a red wine that, depending on its vintage, must be kept in the cellar for a long time, and is drunk starting at Easter. The rosés are delicate and very fruity, while the whites, on the other hand, have a more floral fragrance. Many vineyards offer tasting tours and bottles for sale. The vineyards of 
Cabernet Franc smell of wild strawberries and violet, and adding to the town's draw is the great history made by Rabelais, Cesare Borgia.
From the promontory of Grouin to the cape of Erquy the coastline looks as though it has been ravaged by the rocks, cadenced by the little ports, and tamed by the soft beaches. Both land and sea reflect the rhythms of the tides, and the beautiful, greenish sea is as unchangeable a Dinard itself, the jewel of the Belle Epoque, with its beaches dotted with blue-and-white striped cabanas.
Since 1890 almost all the crowned heads of Europe have passed through, making it a famous and fashionable destination.
Arles is at the gates of the Camargue, a land of saltwater marshes crossed by ditches and the rivers of mud, beached on sands lined with reeds waving in the calm breeze. This regional natural park, in the form of an island embraced by the Rhone River, is fascinating for its wild beauty and its unique fragility. Bulls and Camargue horses of many breeds live in the freedom or within the lands of the Manade, where guardians and animals live together. An ideal example is the Domaine des Méjanes, near the Vaccarès basin. Rare species of migratory birds can be seen in the ornithological park of the Pont de Gau.
The old village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer was built at the mouth of the river and is a great day trip destination.
