Paris | Paris & Irresistible Alsace Wine & Gourmet Tour

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From lavish Versailles and the elegant avenues & illuminated monuments of Paris to the picturesque medieval walled towns, quaint wineries and traditional "Winstub" of the Alsatian wine route, this 8-day Wine & Gourmet tour of France is sure to entice all your senses!

Day 1: Paris by Night & Cruise

Welcome to Paris! Now that you have arrived you’ll meet your driver who will bring you comfortably to your hotel in central Paris. Take some time to relax before this evening’s excursion when you will discover the majesty of the "City of Lights" during a panoramic evening city tour plus a Seine river cruise. Passing under the famous Seine bridges, during the hour-long cruise you'll admire the finest Paris monuments from a different angle. Then round off your discovery of Paris with a guided panoramic tour showcasing the city's main avenues and beautifully illuminated historic buildings including Concorde Square, Opéra House, Madeleine, Notre Dame Cathedral, Champs Élysées, the Arc de Triumph and many more. During Summer, while waiting for night to fall, part of the tour takes place in the daylight.

Day 2: Paris | Versailles

Early morning pick up from your Paris hotel to discover the lavish estate of Versailles. Travelling by deluxe mini-van, our guide will tell you about the history of this famous palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site, while en route. You will then tour the splendid State Apartments including the Hall of Mirrors and the King & Queen’s bedrooms with an audio guide (provided in multiple languages) and afterwards your guide will go with you to admire the gorgeous gardens designed by Le Nôtre. The afternoon today is free to stroll the streets of Paris on your own. (B)

Day 3: Paris City & Gourmet Lunch

This morning we invite you on a stunning Small Group Sightseeing tour of Paris in a deluxe air-conditioned minibus including all the major sites with stops for photos*. You will discover the village of Montmartre*. You will go to the centre of Paris: Opéra, Vendôme, Concorde Squares, Rivoli street, the Champs Élysées, the Arch of Triumph before reaching the Eiffel Tower and the Seine river where the most important monuments are located: Grand Palais, Louvre and its glass pyramid, the islands of la Cité and St Louis, Notre Dame Cathedral*. You will cross the left bank and the Latin quarter with the Pantheon, the Luxembourg Gardens, the Invalides and the famous bridges: Pont de l’Alma, Pont Neuf, Alexandre III. All along this tour, our professional guide will tell you about the 2000 year history of Paris. Stops at Montmartre, Eiffel Tower & Notre Dame Cathedral. Follow this wonderful tour with a 3-course gourmet lunch with wine at the traditional Les Noces de Jeanette Restaurant located next to the Opera square. The tour ends at the restaurant and the afternoon is free to continue exploring Paris on your own. (B.L)

Day 4: Paris | Strasbourg

Today you’ll travel by high-speed train from Paris to Strasbourg, a journey of less than 2 hours and you will be met on arrival at the railway station by your private driver and transferred to your centrally located hotel. After checking in, you are free to start exploring Strasbourg on your own. (B)

Day 5: Strasbourg Food & Wine

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and some time at leisure to relax or continue your discovery of the city, perhaps with a stroll through the incredible Petite France quarter with its traditional houses, small squares and Michelin star restaurants. Then, make your way to a local Winstub, the meeting point for the first activity of the day, where during a 45-minute small-group baking workshop you'll learn the secrets of making traditional Alsatian "Flammekueche" or  "Tarte Flambée”. Finish the class by eating your own freshly baked "Flammekueche" and wash it down with a glass of wine! It makes for the perfect self-made local lunch. 
In the afternoon depart for a half-day tour along the Alsace wine route to discover some of the most fascinating wines of France. Alsace is renowned for its aromatic white wines and during this half-day tour, you will visit 2 wineries to find out all there is to know about the 7 different types of Alsace wines. First, we depart for the lovely town of Obernai located on the ‘Wine Route’ where you will most certainly appreciate its little winding streets, old houses with multicoloured tiles, ramparts and the statue of St Odile patron saint of Alsace. After a guided walking tour of the town, enjoy your first wine tasting session in one of our selected wineries. Your tour will then continue along the breathtaking Alsace wine route to admire the stunning landscape with a stop a typical Alsace 'caveau' for our second wine tasting. A 6:00 pm return to Strasbourg is planned and the evening is at leisure. (B.L)

Day 6: Pearls of the Alsace

Beautiful Towns, villages and Amazing Landscapes – What a Combination! This morning depart for the beautiful town of Colmar. Discover the charm of the old town, its prestigious monuments, the Pfister house, the Koïfhus, Saint-Martin collegiate church, and the picturesque neighbourhoods of "Small Venice" or of "The Tanners". Then depart to the most beautiful village of Eguisheim. Surrounded by vineyards, the narrow & concentric streets highlight the architectural merits of its half-timbered houses lovingly decorated with flowers. After a walk in the village, your tour continues on to the lovely town of Riquewihr. Surrounded by ramparts, this charming village has been very fortunate to survive war and destruction. Its tiny streets, fortified walls and old houses have preserved their 16th-century splendour virtually intact, making for remarkable architectural harmony. Here you will have free time for lunch. Following lunch, enjoy the spectacular Alsace ‘Wine Route’. The itinerary leads across rows of vine-covered hills and through quaint villages with narrow streets. And now, end the day with a guided tour of an amazing castle - the mighty Haut Koenigsbourg Castle overlooking the valley! Built during the 12th-century, the castle occupied a strategic position controlling the wine and wheat routes to the North and the salt route that came from the East. After a busy day return to Strasbourg arriving around 6:00 pm. This evening, enjoy a fabulous regional dinner in one of the most traditional restaurants of Strasbourg - known as a Winstub: literally “wine lounge”. (B.D)

Day 7: Strasbourg

Today marks the end of your vacation time in Alsace!  At a time to suit your departing train or flight, your driver will collect you from your hotel with ample time to check in and begin your journey home. Au Revoir!  (B) 

Dailt departure

April 29 to October 28, 2020  with a minimum of 2 participants
Some excursions in this tour do not operate daily. The itinerary will be modified to suit.