DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight to Paris.

DAY    2            ARRIVE PARIS - AMBOISE - LOIRE VALLEY (2 NIGHTS)
We will be met at the airport by our Tour manager/guide, where we will board our own private bus and transfer into the Loire Valley. Our sightseeing begins with a visit to the Chateau d'Amboise, a one-time royal residence that was used to greet royal pilgrims en route from Paris to Santiago, Spain during the Middle Ages. Leonardo da Vinci is thought to have designed the spiral staircase, and the Petite Chapel, features a plaque, suggesting the burial place of Leonardo. We continue with a visit to Le Clos Luce, "The House of Light," a plush palace, where Leonardo spent the last years of his life. The house does a wonderful job of recreating the everyday atmosphere Leonardo enjoyed in his final years, and there are sketches and models of Leonardo's incredible inventions. We continue to our hotel in the Loire Valley.

DAY    3            THE LOIRE VALLEY (CASTLES AND KINGS)
This morning we visit the Loire Valley's largest residence and the brainchild of Francois I, Chateau Chambord. This massive "weekend retreat" for Francois I took over 15 years and 1800 men to complete. Highlights of our visit will include: the Double Spiral Staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci, and a walk along the roof, providing wonderful views of the Loire. We continue to the little village of Chenonceau, where we will visit the fabulous Chateau, the toast of the Loire! This 15th century Renaissance palace is forever associated with Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici, who were responsible for much of the current design. Our afternoon continues as we view the unique Troglodyte houses, before visiting the famous Cave Cellars of the Vouvray Vineyards.

DAY    4            THE LOIRE VALLEY - CHARTRES - ROUEN (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we journey to Chartres, where we will visit Chartres Cathedral, the jewel in the crown of medieval churches in Europe. We will tour the Cathedral, which is a testimony in stone to the religious fervor of the Middle Ages. Chartres Cathedral boasts an unrivaled expanse of sculpture, as well as one of Europe's most impressive collections of stained glass windows. We continue to Rouen, a city in Normandy with a rich history, dating back to the Romans. We will visit the Gothic masterpiece, the Cathedrale Notre-Dame, dominated by its famous west façade and its two unequal towers. Claude Monet increased the fame of the cathedral after completing his four paintings of the west facade. We conclude the afternoon with a stroll along the Rue du Gros-Horloge, a bustling street with old half-timbered houses and the famous Gros-Horloge Clock, to the Place du Vieux-Marche, the city's main square. In this square, the French heroine Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431, marked today by the great Cross of Rehabilitation, which commemorates her death.

DAY    5            DAY TRIP TO HONFLEUR & DEAUVILLE
Today we will enjoy a relaxing day on the Normandy coast, beginning with a visit to the fishing village of Honfleur, the base for the 17th century voyages that led to settlements in Louisiana and Canada. Bathed in the soft light of the northern sea, it is one of the most picturesque French ports, and its beauty appealed greatly to the painter Eugene Boudin, and his Impressionist colleagues. Our morning will include a visit to the Eugene Boudin Museum, which houses a variety of early Impressionist paintings, as well as a collection of Norman costumes. This afternoon we begin with a scenic drive along the Normandy Corniche, a scenic route that winds through the countryside of Normandy and affords fine views across the Seine Estuary. Our afternoon concludes in the fashionable resort of Deauville, which enjoys a worldwide reputation as a luxury resort. After time to explore and shop in Deauville, we return to Rouen for the evening.

DAY    6            ROUEN - GIVERNY - VERSAILLES - PARIS (3 NIGHTS)
                              (THE AGE OF FAITH AND THE AGE OF REASON)
Our day begins in the small village of Giverny, made famous after the arrival of Claude Monet in 1883. We will visit Claude Monet's House and Gardens, known also as the Fondation Claude Monet. The house is decorated in the original color schemes that Monet admired, and the gardens are the subject of some of the artist's best-loved works, including the Waterlillies series. After time to soak in the beauty of the gardens at Giverny, we continue with a visit to Versailles, a palace commissioned by Louis XIV around Louis XIII's hunting lodge. Our visit commences as we explore the ornate State Apartments, highlighted by the magnificent Hall of Mirrors. After time to explore the spectacular Gardens and fountains at Versailles, we continue to Paris, "The City of Lights." This afternoon we will take a Seine River Cruise, which will take us under many of Paris' graceful bridges, and past many important landmarks and monuments along both banks - a perfect introduction to the beauty of Paris.

DAY    7            PARIS (THE REVOLUTION AND NAPOLEON)
Our morning commences with an ascent of the Arc de Triomphe, a massive triumphal arch commissioned by Napoleon, which today is a symbol of Paris and home to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We continue with a stroll along the Champs Elysees, Paris' most spectacular thoroughfare, which offers a beautiful look at Parisian life and architecture. We return to the Place de la Concorde, before strolling through the Jardin des Tuileries, the beautiful Neo-Classical gardens, which lead to the entrance of the Louvre. We will enjoy a specialist-guided tour through the museum, which will include: Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, and many of the finest paintings and sculpture from Western Civilization. This afternoon we visit the cathedral of Notre Dame, begun in 1163 on a spot that had already been a religious shrine since Roman times. Over the centuries, the cathedral has been the scene of some of France's most momentous occasions, including the coronation of Napoleon. This evening we will dine in and stroll through the Latin Quarter, a section of the city that dates back to the Roman times, and which is generally associated with artists, intellectuals and political unrest. During our walk we will view the Sorbonne, Paris' oldest university.

DAY    8            PARIS (PARIS OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS)
This morning we will visit the Musee D'Orsay, dedicated to the rich diversity of visual arts from 1846 to 1914, and featuring masterpieces by: Delacroix, Manet, Degas, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin and Lautrec. We continue with an ascent to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Paris' most recognizable landmark, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1889. Paris is one of the most important centers of fashion in the world, and this afternoon we will visit the elegant stores of Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette for a first-hand look at the latest trends in fashion. This evening we will ascend to Montmartre, an area of Paris made famous in the late 19th century as an artists haunt. We will spend time in the Place du Tertre, a square known for its local artwork, before visiting the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, a huge white church which dominates the Parisian skyline.

DAY    9            DEPARTURE FROM PARIS
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as our tour manager/guide accompanies us to the airport for the return flight home.