Tours in the province of France. Inaccessible provinces of France. Better than mountains can only be the mountains of France
We offer excursion tours to France in 2020. Here you will find weekly tours to Paris with departure from Moscow and other cities for a week or weekend. We also offer a variety of excursions in and around Paris. But our main difference is that we specialize in excursion tours around the provinces of France.
Here you will find weekly excursion tours "Visit to Paris" and the author's tour "Paris - Normandy - Brittany" (on Saturdays and Sundays), the author's tour "Exclusive travel in Normandy - Brittany" (several times a year), beautiful excursion tour"Paris - Champagne - Burgundy - Alsace" (held once a month), as well as the author's tour "Colors of Provence" and others interesting tours in the South of France.
Provinces of France are waiting for you in our tours: Normandy, Brittany, Provence, Cote d'Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon, Aquitaine, Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace.
Our tours in France are designed for tourists from different cities... In each tour, in the "Transport" section, there is information on flights and transfers.
In the South of France we offer a tour "Colors of Provence"- the region that we know and love well, there is a wonderful exclusive program "Travel to the Southern Provinces of France" for 8 days and his older brother "A great trip to the Southern provinces of France + Colors of Provence" for 12 days. It's really big Adventure full of impressions, but not fatiguing, despite the duration and abundance of visited cities and attractions. All tours can of course be combined with an extension of your stay in Nice or a vacation in others. resort towns French Riviera.
Perhaps it is worth mentioning one more program "Spain - France - Catalonia"... It is good to combine it with a vacation on the Spanish Costa Brava.
The programs are carried out on our comfortable buses with experienced drivers and guides. Our own transport allows us not only to provide a high class of service, but also to guarantee all the stated dates of the tours. We wish you a vivid travel experience in France.
This charming tour can be visited not only on its own, but also as an extension of your trip to Paris. During it you will make fascinating excursions around Normandy, Brittany and the Loire river valley, get acquainted with their history, natural and architectural sights, visit the castles that once belonged to the French nobility.
One of the oldest French cities, Rouen will open to visitors as a Viking city and the ancient capital of Normandy. On the Old Market Square, you will hear a story about the Virgin of Orleans. Honfleur is the most beautiful sea port, along the picturesque streets of which it is pleasant to stroll, slowly considering the beauty of the Old Town. Deauville is considered a city of aristocrats, being a luxury resort on the banks of the English Channel. Despite the significant destruction during the war years, Caen still remains one of the most interesting cities in terms of architecture in Northern France. For many centuries, the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, which combines natural uniqueness, architectural merits and mystical history, flaunts on a rock in the middle of waters and quicksand. Angers, due to its historical past, is considered the most English of the French cities.
The Loire Valley is another unique area in France. Nobody can name the total number of castles located on its territory, but each of them has a unique history and architecture. So, Chenonceau is called a castle-bridge, since it is thrown across the river, Amboise is partially glorified by the name of Leonardo da Vinci, Chambord is considered one of the most romantic castles in France.
Tour program
Arrival. If desired, a program in Paris.
Paris - Rouen - Honfleur - Deauville - Caen
08:00 - meeting with the guide. Transfer to the city of Rouen (135 km) - the city of the Vikings, the ancient capital of Normandy and the modern capital of the Upper Normandy region. Rouen is one of the largest, oldest and most beautiful cities in France. Rouen provides a sightseeing hiking with an inspection of the magnificent Rouen Cathedral, as well as a walk along the Old Market Square, associated with the history of Jeanne D'Arc, and along the Groß-Orlozh street with its ancient clock tower.
Transfer to the city of Honfleur (92 km) - one of the most beautiful seaports in France. Walk through the Old Town with picturesque streets, 17th century salt warehouses, old docks and the old Enklo quarter. Walk along the embankment of St. Catherine, visit the church of the same name - a rare example of wooden architecture of the 16th century.
Travel to Deauville (18 km) - a luxury resort on the banks of the English Channel with the widest sandy beach and the famous boardwalk with "personalized" cinema booths. A city of aristocrats, casinos and romantic stories inspired by the cult film by Claude Lelouch "Man and Woman". Walking tour in the city.
Moving to Caen (60 km). Architecturally, Caen is one of the most interesting cities located in Northern France. Walking tour of the city. Overnight at the hotel in Caen.
Mont Saint Michel - Saint Malo - Angers
Start of the day in Le Mont-Saint-Michel - (125 km). The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is a real gem of medieval Gothic, an island-abbey, a mirage island on a granite rock among quicksand, rapid ebb and flow, one of the pilgrimage shrines of the Christian world. Mont Saint Michel is included in the lists of UNESCO sites and has no analogues in the world in terms of the combination of architectural merits, mystical history and natural uniqueness. The abbey, dedicated to Michael the Archangel, has been rising on the mountain since the 7th century, and all these centuries it has been attracting curious, suffering and believers. Today Mont Saint Michel is the second most visited place in France after Paris.
Moving to Saint-Malo (54 km) - a fortified city, the eternal rival of the Norman Mont Saint-Michel, the refuge of formidable corsairs, the place of the most powerful ebb and flow in Europe, the birthplace of the discoverer of Canada, Jacques Cartier. The program includes a walking tour of Intra Muros - the old town, enclosed in a ring of fortress walls, from which a beautiful sea panorama and a view of the ancient forts opens. After the tour, you can buy real Breton souvenirs and delicacies in the shops of the city.
Moving to Angers (198 km), walking tour of the historical center itself English city France, which became the cradle and "second capital" of the English royal plantagenet dynasty. A majestic fortress with 15 formidable bastions reigned over the city and the river for many centuries, the foundation of which was laid in the 9th century, defending against the raids of the Normans, by the warlike and cruel owner of these places - Fulk Nerra, Count of Anjou. The city at all times found itself at the crossroads of wars from the pre-Roman era to World War II, which miraculously spared the city.
Accommodation in Angers.
Amboise - Chenonceau - Chambord - Paris
Loire Valley. Visit to the castles of Chenonceau, Amboise (internal inspection) and Chambord (external inspection).
Moving to Chenonceau (159 km) - one of the most beautiful and elegant castles of the Loire Valley, a castle-bridge that spans the Cher river. "Castle of the Five Dames", which belonged to the beautiful favorite of Francis II, Diane de Poitiers. The castle is deservedly recognized as a masterpiece of architecture and is under the protection of UNESCO.
Amboise (20 km) - a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, the favorite castle of the kings of the Valois dynasty - Charles VIII and Francis I; the place where Leonardo da Vinci made his last brilliant discoveries. Here the great Italian lived his last years(in the nearby castle Clos-Luce), found eternal peace and left the French crown as a token of gratitude to his magical "La Gioconda".
Chambord (58 km) is one of the most recognizable and romantic castles in France. It was built by order of King Francis I of Valois, a fine art connoisseur, founder of the Renaissance in France, patron of Leonardo da Vinci. This castle served as a hunting residence for the king, and at the same time gave him an excellent opportunity to be closer to his beloved, Countess Turi, who lived nearby.
Moving to Paris (178 km).
Optionally - a program in Paris. Departure.
Finally, I will post photos from this year's summer trip - "A great trip to southern province France "with DSBW. Route: Nice - Avignon - Pont du Gard - Nimes - Carcassonne - Bordeaux - Cognac - Angoulême - Sarles la Caneda - Rocamadour - Toulouse - Arles - Marseille - and 4 more days of rest in Nice. The tour is very interesting and beautiful, especially if you are interested in Roman architecture. Personally, I'm more interested in the Black Madonnas - so for me this tour was also quite rich and informative, although in some cities (I was taking a list from Moscow where I can see the Black Madonnas along the route) I had to look, and in some places it was not without small adventures.
The main disadvantage is that we got to the worst time, the end of July - the beginning of August. Anyone else, but by the middle of the tour I was just sick from the heat (although the whole day of walking for my own pleasure in Bordeaux somewhat corrected the situation). If interested, I can tell you about the organizer and the guide.
And the pros ... but what to say about them, there they are all in the photographs.
Market in Nice
Panorama
Avignon. Square in front of the Papal Palace.
There was a theater festival in Avignon at that time, and throughout the central part, the artists gave their little performances
View of the Pont Saint-Benese (pont d "Avignon from a song that every French is said to know; in other words, the motive is familiar even to me)
The Pont du Gard is a stunning monument of Roman architecture ...
And a small memory of our ancestors-tourists (pay attention to the date in this "Vasya was here")
Gallery on the first level of the bridge. Here, it seems to me, the scale and power of the structure is very well felt ...
Roman arena in Nimes (1st half of the 1st century AD)
She's inside. The entire amphitheater can be bypassed from above, although physical conditions are needed corresponding - you constantly have to climb the rather big daytables up and down. But it's worth it!
And this is just my personal very strong impression. Something like a stone mound, and among the stones ... faces. What does this mean - I do not know
Bordeaux, Cathedral of St. Andrew
Local entertainment is the fountain on the Quai de Garonne. It's just an area covered with a thin - barely covering the feet - layer of water. Personally, I took off my shoes and frolic. The locals are clearly having fun with the same.
Of course, there were some Roman ruins here too ...
Triumphal Arch
And this is a statue in front of the building of the Faculty of Medicine. The students were clearly celebrating their graduation ...
Sardya la Caneda. Foie gras production center, by the way! Therefore, the geese are honored and respected here.
In general, this is a real medieval city with very narrow and very crooked streets, into which it is no wonder to get lost.
And this is Rocamadour - a major European pilgrimage center, part of the Santiago Way.
This is a castle and three churches, partly built on a small platform on the rock, partly carved right into this rock.
From the churches up to the castle, there is a winding road symbolizing the way of the cross of Christ; once upon a time pilgrims passed it on their knees. And in one of the churches one of the Black Mother of God is kept
(sorry for the quality)
Toulouse. The city is pink! Once it was possible to build here only from bricks; and now a house made of any material will certainly be painted or at least trimmed with red or pink
Capitolium
Arles. There is a Roman amphitheater here, but in some places it has been restored already in our time
And here once Van Gogh was treated
Marseilles.
From above, from the magnificent cathedral, the city blesses Notre Dame de la Garde
And in the cathedral itself there is a wonderful silver statue of the Virgin
In the group of islands, the middle (and smallest) is the very island on which the castle of If is located. Unfortunately, we did not hit it
And here is the castle closer (behind it you can see Notre Dame de la Garde)
Cathedral in a major
We went to Grasse ourselves, while we lived 4 days in Nice. A small, cozy town, although it is not so easy to crawl to it from the station (rather high up the mountain) There are also elegant streets ...
And those where Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, apparently, and watched his victims
And this is a panorama of Cannes - we stopped on the road from Grasse
And this is Monaco - Monte Carlo - another of our independent travel.
It's a pity that you can't shoot in the prince's palace, although everything is clear - the palace is residential, and, standing on the gallery of the courtyard, you don't know - what if the prince is personally watching you from the window of his wing? If you are, be sure to go on a tour! They give out headphones, there is an excursion in Russian (and very good Russian), and I strongly advise you to see the palace itself. We also visited the exhibition dedicated to Princess Grace Patricia - actress Grace Kelly. How local residents love their princely family! The British also love their queen, but they also make fun of her, and scold her ... And here - such a touching love ...
Princely palace
"Changing of the guard of pages"
A piece of the Formula 1 track
And there are such racing cars in the city.
Famous Casino
A small educational program: Black Madonnas, Black Virgins, Vierges Noires are statues of Our Lady made of black / dark material or painted black. Madonna was revered at all times, and why her images were made black, no one knows. I rummaged through a lot (although, unfortunately, I was only able to read articles written in Russian and English), as a result I discovered: serious researchers are quite careful, with the caveats "probably, maybe" they say that these are possibly remnants of Celtic cults - the newly converted Catholics tried so hard to cross their old beliefs and gods with the new religion; this is the most common version. "Possessed" (Eco defined them very well) claim about the same, but categorically (somewhere I even met the theory that some of these statues are former statues Isis with Osiris). Perhaps there is some truth in this - some statues are sooo far from traditional Catholic images and more resemble statues from Easter Island.
So that's it. I posted the Notre-Dame de Rocamadour above. Here it is closer - this is an ordinary postcard, I took a photo on the Internet
12th century, possibly 9. One of the few originals that have survived so old - most often I personally met either copies or simply newer statues.
This is Notre-Dame de la Daurade in Toulouse.
It is 1806, made instead of a statue destroyed during the revolution, but very different from the original. She is considered the patroness of expectant mothers.
In Toulouse, according to my list, there should have been another statue, but there were some misunderstandings with it. I was looking for Notre-Dame du Palais - a statue made of dark stone, which should now be on the Jesuit church. We found this church in the middle of the night ... This statue is there:
In principle, everything is correct - the stone is not that light.
And then on the excursion we found this one:
It is located above the entrance to the Notre-Dame du Taur church and also fits the description in all respects (to be honest, it is rather scarce)). In short, I'm still at a loss. Until my hands reach the author of the list from where I took the information, and ask for advice.
Another statue was in Arles, but unfortunately we did not see it - there was not much time in the city, according to the program it was in the evening, and the church, which I suspected that the Black Mother of God was there))), was closed.
But we found the Black Virgin in Marseille - Notre-Dame de la Confession
It is in the Basilica of the Abbey of Saint-Victor, tree, 13th century.
And finally, the very statues from Chartres Cathedral:
Notre-Dame de Sous-Terre
Notre-dame du pilier
(photo was stolen on the official website of the cathedral)
Another Paris
This was my first trip to France. Gray and wretched - here it is, my impression of Paris! Either my friend stabbed me and brought me not to Paris, or the emigrants changed the city beyond recognition. Although how do I know what he was like before my arrival ?! I know Paris from Hugo's stories and from the film Amelie. The French women also turned out to be different from the films. Ordinary, not Catherine Deneuve.
Provincials
I didn’t see Paris normally, I didn’t go to the famous “Moulin Rouge”. We were taken to the provinces, the French track is boring and not brutal. There is no mystery in it, like we have, when you do not know what awaits you. You go too smoothly, you don't feel the steering wheel. I got the idea to do Dakar here. Let them feel what real off-road is! The French are spoiled for good roads, quality wine and welfare benefits. We have developed immunity even to the apocalypse, so I sarcastically glanced at my escorts.
We drive past French villages. Our guide says that the French themselves love the provinces, they are attached to their homes and neighbors. Oddly enough, but about Paris, he speaks casually, as a bustling and dirty city. I agree with him. But I am silent, the guide and so sideways in my direction. He is pissed off by my impeccable English and my ungodly pronunciation of merci, excusez moi.
After a 7 hour flight and disappointment in Paris, I want to send a friend. He deprived me of Thai massage and all inclusive hotel. Mark saves him. He is the owner of a winery with bottomless barrels of red and white wine. Red wine with a lightly roasted steak was a great end to the evening.
Morning in the village
The morning in the French countryside is not the same as ours. There are no crowing roosters and, in principle, living creatures. This pleases, no one intrusively wakes up. But lying in bed when the owners are already working, I found it uncomfortable. They get up early. Mark rides a 56 hectare farm on a horse - Domain Sant'Anne. Driving through the vineyard can ruin him. I join Mark, get into the carriage, his son talks about the family business.
Red, white and rosé, still, semi-sparkling and sparkling wines are made under 60 different names, which differ in appearance from very dry to very sweet. Four completely different types of wines are produced from Chenet Blanc grapes: dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling. These are the traditions that arose under the influence of the whims of the local climate. This grape variety has an inherent excess natural acidity and if it receives enough sunlight, it has a high sugar content. But from the point of view of viticulture, the Loire Valley is considered a northern region, wine producers are obliged to take into account late frosts, cold winds and changeable weather in summer. In sunny years, winemakers strive to produce the most intense wines from sweet and savory grapes, but in other cases they only manage to make semi-sweet or dry wines. Species diversity is at the heart of the Loire winemakers' predicament, since you cannot build a reputation on inconsistency. With the exception of wines such as the finest Savenniere, dry chané blanc wines are too often dry, harsh and sour. They do not add to the reputation of the Loire, but their characteristics are similar to Champagne wines. While still wines with such characteristics are disappointing, sparkling wines are delight. It is not surprising that during the period of the rapid development of the champagne trade in the 19th century. the production of sparkling wines began in Saumur. Today the Loire is renowned as the largest sparkling wine market outside of Champagne itself.
Spirit Hunter Louis
My friend clearly liked France. What makes free wine and pretty French women! I was still thinking about Thai massage and ocean relaxation until Mark suggested going to Chambord Castle. This is the hunting lodge of the kings, where, I suspect, they took their girlfriends. Previously, turners also bought houses with servants, arranging dinner parties in the castles, while the legal wife decided the fate of the people in Versailles. I was more interested in the legends of local ghosts. I don't believe in them, but the French are sure that they are found here. Actually, that's why I went to Louis's hunting lodge. Now these same hunting lodges are being bought by our oligarchs.
I lagged behind the guide and turned on the headphones for Russian-speaking tourists. If we omit the long introduction, then the story of Chambord is interesting.
Chambord Castle is a citadel of medieval architecture. It was built by order of King Francis I in 1519 and served as a hunting lodge. King Francis spared no expense for the construction of the castle, he was not embarrassed by his debt to Spain. He threw all the forces of engineers and workers to build his "house". Moreover, he raised the tax to the church and forced his subjects to smelt silver. The design of the building was developed by the Italian architect Domenico da Cortona, but it is also rumored that Leonardo da Vinci had his hand in the work. It was he who suggested the elements for the decoration of the building. Also Leonardo da Vinci designed the stairs in the castle. The central staircase is made with a double spiral winding. There are 77 staircases in the castle. They say that Francis specially ordered the construction of many stairs so that his favorites did not collide with each other. The beautiful Constantinople with numerous columns served as the inspiration for the creation of the Chambord castle.
Smelly cheese or fries
After a long excursion, a zhor attacked me. In my search for a cafe, I was helped by French women who were leaving the castle. They turned out to be atypical Europeans, they knew where Kazakhstan and Astana were. The feeling of pride was replaced by a momentary anger after the mention of Borat. They apparently expected me to wash my hands in the toilet, but I decided to disappoint them and behaved like an English dandy. In a cafe, we ordered oysters, somewhere I read that they have a positive effect on potency. I don’t know about the wellness functions, but it tastes like a nightmare! Nothing beats horse meat, oysters and frog legs in the furnace! Send brie cheese there, too, which smells like bachelorette socks.
KMP Group - tour operator in France having over 27 years of experience with this popular destination tourism.
We offer you a wide range of tours around this amazing country which annually attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. Today, France is the most visited country in the world by tourists. The number of tourists coming here is over 86 million people a year. A rich history, special atmosphere and French sophisticated style are the main reasons for such popularity.
Besides, France Is a country of haute couture, exclusive cuisine and winemaking. Having visited Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lyon or Bordeaux once, you will certainly want to come back here at least once again.
Location and climate: The northern and western regions of France are occupied by low mountains and plains, the snowy Alps rise in the southeast, mountains occupy the center, east and southwest of the country. The geographical location of France allows tourists to visit completely different climatic and cultural characteristics regions. The southern Mediterranean regions - Cote d'Azur, Provence and Occitania - are one thing, and Norman, Brittany and the central regions of the country are quite another. And all this is very difficult to see in one tour of France! Each region is so distinctive and gives so many new emotions and impressions that any traveler wants to stay here longer. We will help you choose among this variety exactly those tours that will be most interesting to you.
Climate of France also varies considerably across regions. In the central regions - maritime, temperate and quite mild, which allows you to comfortably travel around the country almost all year round. Southern regions Mediterranean Sea are located in the subtropical zone. In the eastern regions of France, the climate is continental. January average temperature: 1-8 ° C, July average temperature: 17-24 ° C;
The most favorable time to visit Paris is May and September-October, the Riviera is September. Mountainous regions have their own microclimate inherent in high-altitude regions. The best months to visit Corsica are from May to June and September to October.
Capital: Paris
Time: Time in France is 2 hours behind Moscow
Currency: National currency is Euro
Official language: The main language of communication is French, but throughout France there is an opportunity to communicate in English language... In addition, German is spoken in Alsace, and different provinces have their own dialects of French.
Tour operator in France KMP Group offers not only sightseeing, but also wine, wedding tours, with visits to ancient castles-hotels, rest on the beaches of the Cote d'Azur and much more.
Popular resorts
France is one of the first countries dreamed of as a travel destination. Holidays in France are both magnificent palaces and museums, where the originals of the greatest works of art are kept, and streets, which are described in the works of the classics, and with which the most important events of European and world history are associated. These are the most prestigious ski resorts and first-class seaside resorts on French Riviera where the most influential people in the world rest. Holidays in France are a combination of modern French luxury, the charm of small cozy restaurants with exquisite cuisine and a modest French province.
When purchasing tours to France, most tourists first go to Paris. Stroll the streets of Montmartre, taste real French coffee, sit and sip on wine, praised by many connoisseurs. On the numerous stairs and bridges of Paris, you will surely meet lovers - believe me, it is impossible not to fall in love here. There are more than 200 museums here, including the Louvre, the Picasso and Rodin museums and the Parisian Wine Museum. The heart of Paris is Notre Dame Cathedral, from which distances to other cities are measured.
When planning your trip to France, be sure to plan a visit to Disneyland Paris - a world of exciting adventures that will delight your kids. All the attractions of this legendary Disneyland cannot be avoided in a whole day.
You can also opt for Moulin Rouge Cabaret, Crazy Horse or Lido Cabaret. Or admire the views of the French capital from Eiffel tower and then dine at the famous restaurant Altitude 95 (58 Tour Eiffel), which offers a beautiful panorama of the Seine and Trocadero square.
Tours to France are in great demand among tourists, most of the tourist routes invariably pass through this country. We have developed the most interesting routes and excursions to all the significant sights of Paris and other regions. Choose the most suitable tour for you and call us - we will be happy to help you visit the most alluring and romantic country in the world!