Day 1: Paris – Notre-Dame Cathedral Tour & Versailles Palace
Begin your day at Notre-Dame Cathedral, newly reopened and magnificently restored.
Step into the luminous interior where fresh stonework and restored stained glass bring the Gothic space back to life. You can schedule your visit for a quieter time, either in the morning or around midday, to avoid peak queues.
Versailles (Private Half-Day Skip-the-Line Tour)
In the afternoon, depart Paris with a private driver-guide for Versailles.
With skip-the-line access and expert commentary, explore the state apartments and Hall of Mirrors, designed to astonish. The symmetrical gardens contrast power and beauty.
Return to Paris for your evening at leisure. Overnight in Paris.
Day 2: Champagne Day Trip – Hautvillers, Épernay & Moët & Chandon
Today you’ll enjoy a luxurious Champagne day trip with a private Mercedes vehicle and an English-speaking driver-guide.
Hautvillers: The Village of Dom Pérignon
Start with a guided walk through Hautvillers, the hillside village central to Champagne’s history.
You’ll visit the church where Dom Pérignon is buried and wander lanes that overlook vine-covered slopes in every direction.
Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs: Private Tour & Tasting
Continue to the Côte des Blancs for a private visit with a premium family producer in a Grand Cru village.
Enjoy a cellar introduction and a tasting of elegant Blanc de Blancs Champagnes: bright, mineral, and structured.
Avenue de Champagne, Épernay
Walk the UNESCO-listed Avenue de Champagne, where historic houses rise above chalk cellars.
Moët & Chandon: Private Cellar Tour & Tasting
End with a private tour at Moët & Chandon, exploring the cellars and tasting two iconic Champagnes.
Return to Paris in comfort. Overnight in Paris.
Day 3: Champagne Day Trip – Around Reims, Veuve Clicquot & Reims Cathedral
A second Champagne day deepens your experience with more vineyards, contrasting styles, and a rich historical center.
Champagne Scenic Road: Montagne de Reims
Enjoy a guided drive through the Montagne de Reims vine villages, with commentary on terroir and how the landscape shapes the wines.
Boutique Producer: Private Visit & Tasting
Visit a premium boutique producer for a private cellar visit and tasting.
Boutique producers offer intimate, detailed insights into Champagne production, an ideal counterpoint to grand houses.
Veuve Clicquot: Chalk Cellars & Tasting
In the afternoon, explore the crayères of Veuve Clicquot and enjoy a guided tasting of two Champagnes.
Madame Clicquot’s story adds a compelling human angle, showing vision and resilience behind the name.
Reims Cathedral
Conclude with a visit to Notre-Dame de Reims, the coronation cathedral of French kings. The scale and symbolism are immense, an essential cultural balance to the tastings.
Return to Paris. Overnight in Paris.
Day 4: Champagne Slow Luxury Day – Spa, Vines & the Perching Bar
Today is intentionally slower, offering Champagne as a lifestyle rather than a checklist.
Enjoy a relaxed morning: sleep in, visit a market, or take in the countryside. Optionally, add a vineyard walk or scenic viewpoint before your spa visit.
This afternoon, visit a spa, a restorative pause between tasting days. Choose thermal facilities, a massage, or a pool-and-sauna reset, tailored to your comfort.
In the evening, you’ll finish with a Champagne tasting at the Perching Bar, set at the edge of the Montagne de Reims forest.
A short walk along wooden bridges leads to a tree-nestled bar, an unforgettable spot for a final glass as the valley lights fade.
Return to Paris. Overnight in Paris.
Day 5: World War I Verdun Battlefields Day Trip
Today’s shift in tone offers a deeper historical dimension beyond France’s beauty and gastronomy.
With your private guide and Mercedes transport, travel to Verdun, one of the most significant WWI sites in Europe.
See major remembrance sites: Fort Douaumont, Ossuary Memorial, destroyed villages, trenches, and the Verdun Memorial Museum, all explored with sensitivity and context.
Return to Paris in the evening. Overnight in Paris.
Day 6: Paris to Tours By First-Class Rail & Private Transfers
Today is a transition, handled comfortably.
Board your first-class train back to Paris. On arrival, a private transfer will meet you and escort you across the city to Paris Montparnasse, removing any stress around station changes.
Continue by high-speed first-class train to Tours (Saint-Pierre-des-Corps), where a private transfer takes you to your accommodation.
Overnight in Tours (Loire Valley).
Day 7: Loire Valley – Château de Villandry, Ussé & Wine
Begin with Villandry, famed for formal gardens, ornamental patterns, kitchen gardens, and water features that resemble living art.
Your guide brings symbolism and design philosophy to life as you stroll unhurriedly.
Family-Run Winery & Château d’Ussé
Enjoy wine tasting with regional pairings at a family-run estate, a warm, personal contrast to grand venues.
In the afternoon, visit Château d’Ussé, the Sleeping Beauty-inspired castle with elegant interiors and classic gardens.
Return to Tours for the evening. Overnight in Tours.
Day 8: Loire Valley – Chaumont-sur-Loire & Lunch on a Private Boat
Today blends château elegance with a memorable Loire luxury: private lunch on the river.
Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire
Begin at Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, perched above the river and layered with royal history.
Your guided visit brings the château’s story to life, from its architecture to its changing owners to the refined details that make it feel both intimate and grand. You’ll also discover the estate’s remarkable stables, once considered among the most luxurious in Europe, and enjoy time in the landscaped parklands where art, heritage, and nature combine effortlessly.
Private Loire River Cruise with Gourmet Lunch
Next, step aboard a private boat for a two-hour cruise along the Loire. As you glide past islands, sandbanks, and historic riverbanks, a professional wildlife expert will point out the flora and fauna of this unique ecosystem, quietly fascinating and wonderfully calming.
On board, enjoy a gourmet tasting lunch of regional products, thoughtfully paired with local Loire wines, a slow, elegant interlude that feels distinctly “Loire,” and often becomes a favorite moment of the entire trip.
Return to Tours for the evening. Overnight in Tours.
Day 9: Loire Valley, Chenonceau & Chambord, the Icons in One Day
Today is a classic Loire pairing: the château that floats above water, and the château built on scale and ambition.
Château de Chambord
Depart Tours with your private driver-guide and begin at Château de Chambord, one of the most extraordinary Renaissance buildings in France.
The sheer scale is breathtaking, with towers, terraces, and a layout designed to impress. Your guide will lead you through key rooms and architectural highlights, including the famous double-helix staircase often associated with Leonardo da Vinci’s influence.
From the terraces, panoramic views stretch across the estate’s grounds.
Château de Chenonceau
In the afternoon, continue to Château de Chenonceau, gracefully spanning the River Cher.
Often called the “Ladies’ Château,” its story is shaped by the powerful women who lived there, most famously Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici, each leaving an imprint on the château’s design, gardens, and legacy. Inside, the rooms feel elegant and personal, and the riverside setting adds a sense of calm beauty to the entire visit.
Return to Tours in the evening. Overnight in Tours.
Day 10: Tours to Nice – First-Class Rail into the Riviera Light
Today is a scenic transition from river valleys to the Mediterranean coastline.
Your private transfer will take you to the station in good time for your first-class train to Nice. Settle into your seat, enjoy the comfort, and watch the landscape shift slowly from central France into the south, with olive tones, softer air, and that unmistakable Riviera brightness.
On arrival, a private transfer will escort you to your accommodation in Nice.
This evening is intentionally light, ideal for a relaxed promenade along the sea, a quiet aperitif, or an early dinner as you settle into the Riviera rhythm.
Overnight in Nice.
Day 11: Èze, Monaco & Monte Carlo – Riviera Glamour in Private Style
Today is your classic Riviera day, hilltop beauty, royal history, and a touch of glamour.
Èze Village & Fragonard Perfume
Begin in Èze, the medieval village perched high above the sea. Its narrow stone lanes, artisan studios, and panoramic viewpoints make it one of the Côte d’Azur’s most atmospheric stops.
You’ll also visit the Fragonard perfume factory, a delightful sensory experience and a quintessential French touch.
Monaco: Old Town & Royal History
Continue to Monaco, where your guide brings the principality’s story to life, from the Grimaldi dynasty to Grace Kelly’s enduring legacy.
Explore the old town’s streets and, if timing aligns, enjoy the changing of the guards near the palace. There is also the option to visit the Neo-Romanesque cathedral and the memorial dedicated to Princess Grace and Prince Rainier.
Monte Carlo
End in Monte Carlo, where iconic landmarks, Casino Square, the Hôtel de Paris, the gardens, and designer boutiques create a distinctly cinematic finale.
Return to Nice. Overnight in Nice.
Day 12: Nice – Hidden Wines & Panoramic Views
Today you’ll discover a quieter, more local side of the Riviera, where vineyards and hilltop producers offer wines with true personality.
With a private guide, travel off the beaten path into the Nice hinterland to meet passionate producers and learn about the region’s distinctive terroir and traditions. Enjoy exclusive access to vineyards and cellars, with tastings selected to showcase the character of these lesser-known wines.
Between tastings, pause at panoramic viewpoints where the coastline stretches out below, and the city of Nice feels like a jewel against the sea.
Return to Nice for a relaxed evening. Overnight in Nice.
Day 13: Nice – Private Gourmet Food Tour (Taste the City Properly)
There’s no better way to understand Nice than through its food.
With your private guide, explore local gastronomy beginning in the old town and continuing through the city’s essential culinary corners.
Cours Saleya Market & Niçois Specialties
Visit the Cours Saleya market, where local produce, herbs, olives, and seasonal color create a vibrant backdrop. Along the way, taste a curated selection of Niçois classics, often including socca, pissaladière, pan bagnat, sweet chard pie, olives, and other regional treats, paired, of course, with a glass of local wine.
You’ll also explore beyond the obvious highlights, discovering shaded alleyways, tucked-away producers, and stories of Nice’s Italian and Mediterranean influences that shaped its cuisine.
The tour ends at the perfect time for lunch, with your guide happy to recommend where to continue your gourmet day.
Overnight in Nice.
Day 14: Saint-Tropez – Bay Crossing by Ferry & Riviera Iconography
Today combines road and sea for a Riviera day that feels effortless and distinctly stylish.
Your private minivan will collect you at your hotel in Nice and drive to Sainte-Maxime, where you’ll board a ferry across the bay to Saint-Tropez. The crossing offers beautiful coastal views and instantly sets the tone, fresh air, sea light, and that sense of arriving somewhere iconic.
Saint-Tropez Guided Visit + Time at Leisure
On arrival, enjoy a guided orientation of Saint-Tropez with cultural insights and personalised recommendations for lunch. Afterward, you’ll have time to wander at your own pace, perhaps a cold drink by the harbour, a little shopping, or simply the pleasure of sitting in the atmosphere for a while.
Return by ferry to Sainte-Maxime, then drive back to Nice in comfort. Your private driver can either drop you off at the airport or your accommodation to conclude your tour.