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Authentic Europe · Self-guided

Paris, Normandy, the Loire Valley & Bordeaux

Self-guided 9-day train trip: Paris, Normandy, Loire Valley, Bordeaux

Illustration of Paris, Normandy, the Loire Valley & Bordeaux

Authentic Europe runs this 9-day, 8-night self-guided tour by train through Western France, from Paris to Normandy, the Loire Valley, and Bordeaux, before returning to Paris. Day 2 is a train from Paris to Bayeux, followed on day 3 by a full-day guided tour of Normandy's D-Day sites, including the US cemetery and Pointe du Hoc. Day 4 continues by train to Tours in the Loire Valley, where day 5 is a full-day guided castle and wine tour taking in Chenonceau and Chambord. Day 6 is a further train journey to Bordeaux, and day 7 is a full-day guided Saint-Émilion wine tour, with tastings at three Classified growth chateaus. Day 8 is the train back to Paris, ahead of departure on day 9. All three excursions are guided in English, while the rest of the trip, including the four train journeys and city time, is handled independently. This suits travelers who want Normandy's history and two wine regions covered by expert guides, with everything else at their own pace.

What to know before you look closer

  • Neither listed hotel states a location in the evidence (Best Western Plus L'Artist Hôtel and Hotel Tourisme Avenue) despite four different overnight cities (Bayeux, Tours, Bordeaux, and Paris), so which hotel applies to which city isn't specified.
  • Tourist taxes are paid locally and are not included in the price.
  • No specific departure dates are listed beyond a 2027 offer category; confirm current availability with the operator.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Paris

    Arrival in Paris, the capital of France

  2. Day 2railovernight: Bayeux

    Train from Paris to Normandy

  3. Day 3overnight: Bayeux

    Visit Normandy's major D-day sites & landing beaches

  4. Day 4railovernight: Tours

    Train from Normandy to the Loire Valley

  5. Day 5overnight: Tours

    Loire Valley castles and wine tour (tasting incl.)

  6. Day 6railovernight: Bordeaux

    Train from the Loire Valley to Bordeaux

  7. Day 7overnight: Bordeaux

    Saint-Émilion wine tour (tasting incl.)

  8. Day 8railovernight: Paris

    Train from Bordeaux to Paris

  9. Day 9

    Departure from Paris

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Train from Paris to Normandy.
  • Day 3A full-day guided tour of Normandy's D-Day sites, including the US cemetery and Pointe du Hoc.
  • Day 5A full-day guided Loire Valley castles and wine tour, including Chenonceau and Chambord.
  • Day 6Train from the Loire Valley to Bordeaux.
  • Day 7A full-day guided Saint-Émilion wine tour, with tastings at three Classified growth chateaus.

Included

  • 8 nights hotel accommodation in a standard room with private shower/WC, including breakfast
  • Train tickets as per the itinerary, reserved seats onboard
  • Full-day guided Normandy D-day tour by minivan including entrance tickets and guided tours of the US cemetery & Pointe du Hoc
  • Full-day guided Loire Valley castles and wine tour by minivan including entrance tickets, guided tours at Chenonceau & Chambord, and a wine tasting
  • Full-day guided Saint Emilion wine tour by minivan including visits and wine tastings in three Classified growth chateaus, and a walking guided tour of the city of Saint-Emilion
  • Electronic travel documentation, including a detailed travel itinerary and travel vouchers
  • 24/7 emergency phone service while travelling
  • All tours are guided in English

Not included

  • Tourist taxes (paid locally)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes, this trip travels entirely by train through Western France; train tickets with reserved seats are included, covering Paris to Normandy (day 2), Normandy to the Loire Valley (day 4), the Loire Valley to Bordeaux (day 6), and Bordeaux back to Paris (day 8).
Is this trip guided or self-guided?
It's self-guided overall, but all three included excursions (Normandy's D-Day sites, the Loire Valley castles and wine tour, and the Saint-Émilion wine tour) are guided in English.
What does the Saint-Émilion wine tour include?
Visits and wine tastings at three Classified growth chateaus, plus a guided walking tour of the city of Saint-Émilion.
What hotels are used?
Best Western Plus L'Artist Hôtel and Hotel Tourisme Avenue are listed, though the evidence doesn't specify which city each is in. Rooms are standard, with private shower/WC and breakfast.
What is not included?
Tourist taxes, paid locally.

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