Your day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Paris

We'll all meet (adults and kids) around 5 p.m. at our hotel. After a bienvenue à Paris! get-together, we'll take a short walk through our neighborhood, followed by dinner. Sleep in Paris (3 nights). No bus. Walking: light.

Day 2: Historic Paris and the Orsay Museum

This morning we'll start our tour where Paris did, in the middle of the river, on the historic Ile de la Cité. Here we'll visit many of the island's most interesting sights, including the soaring Notre-Dame cathedral where Quasimodo hung out and Ezmerelda danced. We'll also visit the king's Sainte-Chapelle church and see the best stained glass anywhere. We'll break for lunch and then visit a renovated train station that today hosts the world's greatest collection of Impressionist art at the Orsay Museum. No bus. Walking: strenuous.

Day 3: The Left Bank, Parks and Free Time

We'll kick things off this morning by exploring Paris' spicy Left Bank, including the funky Latin Quarter, the Da Vinci Code-famous church of St Sulpice, and the kid-friendly Luxembourg Garden Park (which offers one of Paris' best play areas for kids). This afternoon you'll be free to visit the masterpieces in Europe's greatest museum, the Louvre, at your own pace. Other options include cruising the Champs-Elysées, climbing the Eiffel Tower or exploring Paris' many kid-friendly sights. No bus. Walking: strenuous.

Day 4:  The Fantasy Castle of Guédelon

This morning we say au revoir to Paris and drive into the countryside. We'll all feel like kids when we visit the amazing medieval Château de Guédelon — a castle being built today by enthusiasts using 13th-century materials and techniques. A local guide will explain the project to us, then we'll have ample free time to roam the grounds and meet the blacksmiths, masons and wood workers. Sleep near Guédelon (1 night). Bus: 3 hrs. Walking: moderate.

Day 5:  Chambord — the Castle of Kings

Today we'll drive to the happy hunting grounds of French royalty in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Loire Valley. Our first goal is the biggest and brightest of the Loire Valley châteaux: the Château de Chambord, where 365 fireplaces warmed royal hunting parties 500 years ago. This place is big, with kid-friendly activities that we can enjoy before driving further into the Loire Valley, where we'll sleep for the next two nights.  Bus: 3 hrs. Walking: strenuous.  

Day 6:  Château de Chenonceau and Amboise

We'll spend our morning visiting the queen of all Loire Valley castles: the Château de Chenonceau. This afternoon you'll have free time in Amboise for touring the local château, renting bikes, or exploring Leonardo da Vinci's home and vast gardens, where many of his inventions have been made into kid-engaging models. Bus: 2 hrs. Walking: strenuous.

Day 7:  Brittany and Mont St. Michel

We'll leave the Loire Valley this morning and make a bee-line to Brittany, where we'll stop for lunch and exploration in a half-timbered and crêperie-festooned town. Later this afternoon, we'll take a short drive to the mystical island of Mont St. Michel, where we'll sleep (1 night). Bus: 5 hrs. Walking: strenuous.

Day 8: Treasures of Normandy

After a morning tour of Mont St. Michel's towering abbey, we'll drive north to Bayeux, in the heart of Normandy. This afternoon we'll tour the 1,000 year-old tapestry/comic strip that brings to life William the Conqueror's victory over the English at the Battle of Hastings. Then we'll settle into our hotel in Arromanches (or Bayeux), where we'll sleep for the next two nights Bus: 2 hrs. Walking: strenuous.

Day 9: Normandy's D-Day Beaches

Today we'll visit powerful memorials to the D-Day landings, including the American cemetery at Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc where U.S. Rangers scaled vertical cliffs and the now quiet town of Sainte Mère Eglise, sight of the heroic airborne drop made famous by the movie "The Longest Day." A local expert will explain these dramatic events in a kid-friendly manner as we tour the key sights. Bus: 2 hrs. Walking: strenuous.

Day 10: Monet's Gardens at Giverny

We'll depart early this morning in order to visit Monet's masterpiece-inspiring gardens in Giverny. After lunch, we'll make our way back to Paris, leaving time for some last minute sightseeing before sharing a farewell feast together. Sleep in Paris (1 night). Bus: 3 hrs. Walking: strenuous.

Day 11: Tour Over After Breakfast

The Paris airports are easily accessible via shuttle vans or taxis. For those staying longer, your guide will be happy to send you off in the right direction and help with any trip planning needs. Au revoir!

Itinerary specifics subject to change.

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