Best Of Paris & Loire - 7 Days (Small Group)

Welcome to French. Independent arrival to Paris.  Free Day in Paris. Overnight in Paris.

Breakfast at the hotel and be ready to start your journey in Charging Paris the city of Love. This tour centers around Ile de la Cité, the tiny island on the Seine River that's considered the birthplace of modern-day Paris. It's here that a small Celtic settlement created over 2000 years ago grew to become one of the most beautiful cities in the world. You'll start the tour with a delightful stroll along the Seine, seeing lovely sights and learning about Paris' history. Along the way, you'll see the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in Paris, and the enchanting Place Dauphine. You'll also explore the atmospheric streets of the Latin Quarter before reaching the majestic Notre Dame Cathedral. It's still being restored after the fire that hit it but can be admired from close enough to appreciate its beauty. Among the highlights of this tour is Sainte Chappelle, the sacred building erected by Louis IX to house his relic collection and widely regarded as Paris' most stunning church. Your skip-the-line ticket will quickly get you inside, where grand vaulted ceilings and mesmerising stained glass windows depicting biblical stories await you. After the visit, the tour ends with a scenic river cruise to admire Paris from a unique angle. In the afternoon, reach a designated meeting point. During this half-day tour you will see the best that Versailles has to offer without having to wait in line ! We will take you back to the Golden Age of France with an afternoon at the Palace of Versailles. The chateau and gardens count among the most prestigious monuments of the world’s artistic heritage, and are certainly the finest and most complete achievement of 17th century French art. Former residence of the ‘Sun King’ Louis XIV, this sumptuous royal palace was home to three of France’s most illustrious Kings for over 100 years. The guided tour of the palace includes the State Apartments of the King and Queen, Royal Chapel and Hall of Mirrors, a richly decorated gallery which boasts 357 mirrors, french bay windows and crystal chandeliers. Overnight in Paris. (BB)

Louvre Museum - Small-Group Guided Tour:  As one of the largest museums in the world, it has over 35,000 objects on display from prehistory to the 19th century, spread across more than 650,000 square feet of gallery space. Your guide will lead you through the galleries of this extraordinary French institution and explain the changing face of the Louvre through its architecture and design . You will marvel at the iconic glass pyramid and admire masterpieces from artists such as David, Géricault, Delacroix and Leonardo da Vinci himself. You will see the most famous artworks: the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Mona Lisa, painted by da Vinci at the beginning of the 16th century. At the end of the small group tour, you will have the possibility to spend more time in the Louvre to visit other sections of the museum independently. Overnight in Paris.  (BB)