This 17-day tour of France and Spain is brimming with history and culture, and the perfect combination of big city sights and small town charm. Starting in Paris the City of Lights, then to the moving memorials of Normandy, the fairytale castles of Loire valley, and the delectable food & wines of Bordeaux. Then crossing the border into the Spanish Basque country and the foodie mecca of San Sebastian, you end in style in the capital of Madrid. Relish in the abundant history, glorious architecture, grand culinary traditions, and luxurious accommodations of this France and Spain bespoke private tour.
Tour description
The Best of France & Spain Private Tour
DAY 1 ARRIVAL PARIS
On arrival at Paris Airport to start your private France & Spain custom tour, our chauffeur will await you to transfer you to your 4* boutique establishment in the best area for visiting Paris, just off the Pont Neuf, within a few minute walk from the Louvre and the Notre Dame and other important sights and just across the river from the lively Left Bank cafes area. On this first evening in Paris you might want to simply relax and unwind after your journey, otherwise we have several dinner recommendations for Paris’s best restaurants nearby to be found in your Personal Travel Website.
Tour in a Nutshell Chauffeured transfer from the airport. Accommodation at a 4* boutique hotel in the best area for visitors to Paris, just off the Pont Neuf, within a few minute walk from the Louvre and the Notre Dame and other important sights.
DAY 2 PARIS
Your excellent Officially Licensed Guide and Driver will pick you up at your hotel in a luxurious, air-conditioned Mercedes and take you on a very special full day Private Paris Tour, stopping by all the most iconic and beautiful places. Your fun and very entertaining guide will give you tons of information on architecture and history, as well as about the daily life of the Parisians. We can customize this private tour to your interests, stopping at places like Notre Dame, Place Vendôme, Opera Garnier, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Champs Elysées and more! You can also have a walking tour in the mythical neighborhoods of Marais and Montmartre and a stroll along the romantic Seine River. The day will include lunch in a typical French bistro with wine to further experience the Parisian Joie de Vivre!
Tour in a Nutshell: Full Day guided tour of Paris with luxury transportation. Typical French lunch with wine. Overnight in Paris.
DAY 3 NORMANDY
You have the morning free to see more of Paris with our many suggestions or maybe do some shopping at the many gourmet shops, ateliers, and fashion boutiques. Then a chauffeured transfer or high speed train will take you from Paris to Normandy to continue your France & Spain Luxury Tour.
You will be staying in Bayeux, a lovely small town with a great location for discovering the D-Day Landing Beaches and Memorials, and one of the few towns not to be destroyed during the battle. Bayeux has a very interesting Battle of Normandy Museum, British War Cemetery, charming medieval quarter, Romanesque cathedral, amazing medieval tapestry, and authentic restaurants. Your accommodation will be in a 5* boutique hotel located in the very heart of Bayeux’s historic and medieval center with easy access to all the sights.
Tour in a Nutshell: Chauffeured Transfer or high speed train from Paris to Bayeux. Accommodation at a 5* boutique hotel in the center of Bayeaux.
DAY 4 NORMANDY
Today your France & Spain History & Culture tour includes a truly moving experience commemorating the tragic and heroic battles, as you visit the D-day Landing Beaches and museums. Our engaging and highly specialized WWII guide will lead you on your private D Day Tour of Normandy. From the exploits of the 82nd and 101st airborne division around Saint-Mère-Église and Carentan to the daring assault of US Army Rangers at Pointe du Hoc, from the dunes of Utah beach to the bunkers of WN72 on Dog Green sector of Omaha, you’ll hear about the achievements of the “Greatest Generation”. Standing in the middle of Omaha Beach at low tide, one can understand the true meaning of bravery and sacrifice. In between your visits, you will enjoy a relaxing local fare lunch. Depending on your preferences, you can visit the Caen Memorial today (2 h approx.) or leave it for a separate visit tomorrow (the indoor and outdoor premises are very vast and some visitors spend half day or even full day there).
Tour in a Nutshell Tour of D-Day Landing Beaches & Memorials with driver guide. Local lunch with wine. Overnight in Bayeux.
You might want to add a Free Day in Bayeux to have more time in this quintessential Normandy town. Alternatively we could add another day to visit more World War II memorial sites such as Caen or Arromanches. Or how about a day tour to the charming coastal town of Honfleur, with its beautiful harbor, medieval timber church and delicious scallops and Etretat, with its the white alabaster cliffs and beautiful hiking trail above?
DAY 5 MONT SAINT MICHEL
This early morning you will leave Bayeux and head to Mont Saint Michel with our charming chauffeur (approx 1,5 h drive) for another gorgeous stop on this France & Spain History Tour. Upon arrival, our fantastic officially licensed guide will take you on a fascinating walking tour of this stunning hilltop village. His captivating stories and comments will provide illuminating context as you visit this unique town and its famous abbey. You will enjoy a local fare lunch at the nicest restaurant in the area and have free time to further explore Mont Saint Michel on your own after lunch. Alternatively you can have free time for a quick bite on your own with our suggestions, or we can arrange lunch at a less touristy place outside Mont Saint Michel. You will then continue to the lovely town of Dinan in Brittany (50 min drive from Mont Saint Michel), conveniently located on the way to Bordeaux. Dinan´s half timbered houses, historic castle and churches, cobblestone streets, plenty of lovely restaurants and charming river port make it a perfect overnight stop.
Tour in a Nutshell Private Chauffeur transfer from Bayeux to Dinan with a tour of Mont Saint Michel enroute. Guided tour of Mont Saint Michel included entrances. Local lunch with wine. Accommodation in a luxury B&B in Dinan historic center.
If you want to discover more of Brittany, why not add a Free Day in Dinan or Optional day tour to the charming coastal towns of Saint Malo and Dinard, with their medieval streets and rampants, corsair history, colorful markets and delicious oysters from the nearby Cancale!
DAY 6 LOIRE VALLEY
Our chauffeur will take you from Dinan to the Loire Valley/Tours area (3 h drive approx.) where you will visit one of the most beautiful castles, such as, Château Chenonceau (a gorgeous Renaissance castle with its arches that elegantly span the river Cher), Amboise Castle (which holds the tomb of Leonardo), Château Azay-Le-Rideau (with its reflecting pool and English gardens), or perhaps Château d’Ussé (which inspired the story of Sleeping Beauty). This day of your France & Spain food & wine tour, we can easily combine a chateau with a Touraine winery visit nearby. The Loire Valley is the third largest vineyard in France, with 57,000 hectares of wine and a variety of terroirs and appellations such as Vouvray, Bourgueil, Chinon, Saumur, Anjou, and Muscadet. Alternatively you may skip the winery and visit two castles instead. In between visits you will enjoy a local cuisine lunch. Evening to relax at your castle hotel with its comfortable modern rooms or dining at the restaurant.
Tour in a Nutshell Private chauffeur transfer from Dinan to Loire Valley. Two visits of your choice (castles and/or winery). Local cuisine lunch with wine. Accommodation in an elegant 4* castle hotel near Tours.
DAY 7 BORDEAUX
Our chauffeur will transfer you from the Loire Valley to Bordeaux (3,5h drive approx.). All the center of Bordeaux – and half of the entire city – has been a World Heritage Site since 2007, in recognition of the unity of the classical and neo-classical architecture and urban development. Bordeaux is a lively city filled with gourmet shops, restaurants and of course many “caves” for wine tasting right in town. No wonder it´s a favorite stop on our France & Spain private tour! We will give you many suggestions for discovering the best of this city. Make sure to walk along the river’s edge, through the different Bordeaux quays, where you can admire the river on one side and the gardens and the beautiful buildings of Bordeaux on the other.
Optional Bordeaux afternoon private tour with our fantastic official guide, a perfect mix of history and food tastings in this city of gourmets!
Tour in a Nutshell Private chauffeur transfer from Tours to Bordeaux. Free afternoon in Bordeaux. Accommodation in 5*boutique hotel in a historic mansion in the center of Bordeaux. OPTIONAL Bordeaux guided city tour.
DAY 8 SAINT EMILION
Your France & Spain Food & Wine tour continues as our charming chauffeur and local guide takes you on a day tour of the lovely French town of Saint Emilion. This tiny town is possibly one of the most famous viticultural centers in France outside the city of Bordeaux itself. Nevertheless Saint Emilion remains unspoiled in character and atmosphere. Charming boutiques, restaurants and wine shops add to the lure of this UNESCO-listed village. Your guide will show you round all the most interesting places, while sharing with you fascinating facts about the local history, culture and of course wine, so intrinsically related to the region’s development. During your tour of St. Emilion you will visit a grand cru winery, including a tasting. As well as enjoy a gourmet lunch paired with wines at another gorgeous chateau estate. The day will end back at your Bordeaux hotel.
Tour in a Nutshell: Full day tour of Saint Emilion with driver/licensed guide. Prestigious winery tour & tasting. Gourmet lunch paired with wines. Overnight in Bordeaux.
DAY 9 FRENCH BASQUE COAST
Our chauffeur will take you from Bordeaux to Saint Jean de Luz, visiting Bayonne on the way (2 hour journey) and another village if time permits on your France & Spain Custom Tour. The town of Bayonne is one of the most breathtaking places to see in this area of France; characterized by its timber-framed houses, its position alongside the Rivers Nive and Adour, and its smattering of medieval buildings. Stop to see its grand gothic cathedral and maybe taste some of the famous Bayonne ham. A delicious local lunch is included. If you prefer to keep discovering this area, 1 hour inland is the picturesque walled town of St Jean Pied de Port, famous for being one of the traditional starting points of the Way of St. James (the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela). You will have the evening free in Saint Jean de Luz, located in a quiet crescent-shaped bay with a beautiful fine sandy beach and a very authentic feel.
Tour in a Nutshell: Private chauffeur transfer from Bordeaux to Saint Jean de Luz with stops along the way. Local lunch with wine. Accommodation in a 5* historic hotel & spa in the center of Saint Jean de Luz and its beach.
DAY 10 SAN SEBASTIAN
Morning free to enjoy the unpretentious elegance of Saint Jean de Luz. Your France & Spain Bespoke tour continues with a chauffeured transfer to San Sebastian. This elegant beach city is renowned as the best city to eat in Spain (if not the World!). You will be staying at one of the city’s best historic hotels, on the prized La Concha beach. Upon arrival to San Sebastian our official guide will take you on a private cultural and gourmet tour. You will start with a panoramic tour to get an overall view of the city and then a walking tour in the old town. Not only will you see the town´s most important sights, but you will also go to the best bars frequented by local foodies and sample the specialties of each place, accompanied by the best Txakoli wine.
Tour in a Nutshell: Private Chauffeur transfer from Saint Jean de Luz to San Sebastian with panoramic tour upon arrival. Private guided tour of San Sebastian with tapas hopping & wine. Accommodation at a 4* boutique hotel on La Concha beach in San Sebastian.
DAY 11 SPANISH BASQUE COAST
Chauffeured full day tour of authentic experiences in the Basque Country, visiting the countryside, typical seaside villages, stunning seaside cliffs and flysch area. First to Getaria, a beautiful fishing village wedged between two beaches and with a backdrop of rolling green hills of the getariako txakoli wine region. Then on to the amazing “flysch beaches” around the small seaside Basque town of Zumaia. These beaches are home to the largest area of this unusual rock structure in the world and were also featured in The Game of Thrones. Finally you will visit Hondarribia, a colorful fishing village with a well preserved historic center and a booming culinary scene, the perfect stop for your gourmet lunch with local wine pairing. In the evening you will be back in San Sebastian to maybe enjoy a Michelin starred restaurant or a stroll along the seaside.
Tour in a Nutshell: Private chauffeur for a full day tour of Basque Country Coast. Gourmet lunch with wine pairing. Overnight in San Sebastian.
DAY 12 SAN SEBASTIAN
Morning small group cooking class and market visit with our utterly charming local chef, at his cozy cooking studio, or with another great chef at one of the traditional Gastronomic Societies. Learn how to prepare some of the best pintxos from the most legendary bar counters in Donosti, or more hearty traditional local dishes – the choice is yours on this France & Spain food & wine tour. You will use both traditional and modern cooking techniques and end in style with a sumptuous meal accompanied by txakoli and sidra (local cider).
For your free afternoon in San Sebastian, aside from the many suggestions in your Personal Travel Website, our guide will have given you further sightseeing ideas. If you are feeling adventurous why not climb Monte Urgell for some amazing views? San Sebastian is also known as a stylish city and an image-conscious one. Peruse La Parte Vieja for cool boutiques and high-end shops.
Tour in a Nutshell: Free day in San Sebastian. Overnight San Sebastian. OPTIONAL Fun cooking class with our young local chef, to discover why the Basque Country is a foodie mecca!
DAY 13 BILBAO
Our chauffeur will transfer you from San Sebastian to Bilbao. If you wish, we can add a stop in San Juan de Gaztelugatxe on the way. This islet on the Coast of Biscay (also known as “Dragonstone” in Game of Thrones) will dazzle you with its raw beauty.
Your driver will drop you off at your boutique 5* hotel where our official guide will meet you for a tour of Bilbao, starting with a visit to the Guggenheim museum. This spectacular building designed by architect Frank Gehry is a speciality of your guide. On your France & Spain Private Cultural tour you will then discover Bilbao´s old town on foot with its charming streets, boisterous bars and plenty of quirky and independent shops. During your tour you will try some of our guide´s favorite pintxos and drinks. You have the evening free to keep discovering Bilbao with our many recommendations.
Tour in a Nutshell: Private chauffeur from San Sebastian to Bilbao. Guided food & culture tour of Bilbao. Entrances to Guggenheim Museum. Food tasting & drinks during the tour. Accommodation in a 5* hotel, just steps from the Guggenheim.
DAY 14 MADRID
Private chauffeur from Bilbao to Madrid. Along the way you can stop for a visit and lunch in historic Burgos or at a fantastic Ribera del Duero winery.
Burgos is a historical Castilian town renowned for its beautiful Gothic cathedral, an architectural masterpiece and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a stroll around the old town and lunch on some typical local specialties such as “lechazo” (slow-roasted suckling lamb) and “morcilla de Burgos” (spiced-blood-and-rice sausage).
Ribera del Duero is a mythical wine region unmissable for any wine lover. You will visit a family-owned prestigious winery which has been cultivating the same vineyards in the Ribera del Duero since the 1930s. After your premium wine tasting you will have a gorgeous lunch at a picturesque 16th Century Mill Restaurant famous for great asados (grill/barbecue), perfect to enjoy with Ribera del Duero wine!
In Madrid you will check into a 4* boutique hotel housed in an eighteenth century building which used to be the residence of the Duke of Noblejas. The hotel’s location is perfect, next to the famous Plaza Santa Ana, within the Golden Triangle of Art. Evening free with our many suggestions & restaurant recommendations to make the most of your France & Spain history tour.
Tour in a Nutshell: Private chauffeur from Bilbao to Madrid with stop in Burgos or Ribera del Duero enroute. Entrance to Burgos Cathedral or Winery Visit. Lunch with wine. Accommodation 4* boutique hotel centrally located in Madrid.
DAY 15 MADRID
Officially Licensed guide will take you on a private history, food and art tour of El Prado and Old Madrid. Starting with the Prado museum, which is the biggest art gallery in the world, your private guide, additionally qualified in Spanish History and Art; will make sure you don’t miss anything. Your private tour of Madrid will then take you to the Plaza Oriente to see and learn about the Royal Palace and the Cathedral.
You will then walk through Madrid’s old town to San Miguel market, the hottest gastronomic spot in Madrid whose bars and restaurants make it the place to meet! On your journey, you will enjoy some fantastic bites to eat, and a beverage or two, as you sample the best variety of tapas the city has on offer!
Tour in a Nutshell: Private guided tour of El Prado & Old Madrid. Tapas-hopping meal with wine. Overnight in Madrid.
DAY 16 TOLEDO
This morning of your France & Spain Luxury Tour you are off to Toledo for the day. Our Official guide will meet you at the train station, and lead you on a visit to Toledo Cathedral, considered to be one of the high points of Gothic art. This monumental building, with a basilica floor plan and five naves, commenced in 1226 and was not finished until the 15th century. You will then learn about remains of the Jewish community still preserved in the city in the synagogues of Santa Maria la Blanca and El Transito. And finally to the church of Santo Tome, famous for housing El Greco’s painting, El Entierro del Conde Orgaz. You will then enjoy a 3 course lunch with wine, prior to taking the train back to Madrid. In the evening you are free to do as you wish – relax, have a light dinner, wander around Madrid, the choice is yours. We have many suggestions for great restaurants.
Tour in a Nutshell: 1st class high-speed return train tickets to Toledo. Private guided tour of Toledo. Entrances in Toledo. Local cuisine lunch with wine. Overnight Madrid.
DAY 17 MADRID DEPARTURE
This is the last day of your France & Spain History & Culture Tour. After checking out of your hotel, our chauffeur will be waiting to transfer you to Madrid airport for your onward journey.
We do hope you will join us for this enticing and exciting history and culture tour of France & Spain! Here with our insider knowledge, you can enjoy some of the very best history and cultural experiences that France & Spain can offer. No doubt it will be a truly memorable vacation!
Tour in a Nutshell: Chauffeured transfer to Madrid airport.
Tour quotation
The Best of France & Spain Private Tour Details
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