During your journey through the real part of France you will enjoy magnificent buildings, opulent valleys, fascinating landscapes and monuments representing 35.000 years of mankind.
This journey is a must-have for every one interested in culture, excellent food and incomparable wines. You will see the volcanic cone of Auvergne, the southern gothic cathedrals of the Midi-Pyrénées and the Languedoc and also the incredible colors of the Périgord (which are according to their main product: white, black, green and red). 
On your way to the Champagne area you will visit the fortified city of Laon with its famous cathedral and old city.
In the afternoon you will reach your hotel in Reims. During your stay you may visit the cathedral or one of the famous champagne cellars.
B&B in Reims.
In the morning you will leave Reims and travel through Burgundy to your next Stop: St. Etienne, your starting point for Auvergne.
B&B in St. Etienne.
Today’s destination is Le Puy-en-Vélay, where the famous Via Podiensis (St. James’ Way) starts. This part of the road to Santiago de Compostela was the first to become an UNESCO world cultural heritage. The city built on many volcanoes, is spectacular: you will visit the Notre Dame Cathedral of Le Puy as well as the statue of Notre Dame de France and the roman church St. Michel d’Aiguille (10th century).
In the afternoon you may go for a walk on the classical St. James’ Way and feel like a medieval pilgrim. After your walk you will return to St. Etienne.
B&B in St. Etienne.
After breakfast you will continue to the land of the Cathars. During the tolerant years of the 11th century the Cathars were a large social group in France. Their liberal thoughts were hated by Rome. Their extermination meant death of one of the most cultivated societies of Europe and the beginning of centralism.
You will reach Albi, starting point for the sightseeing. After your check-in, you will go for a first sightseeing. The gothic cathedral St. Cécile looks like a red-bricked fortress. In the old part of the town you may find the birthplace of Toulouse-Lautrec and the Episcopal palace, were a large collection of his work is shown.
B&B in Albi.
In southern France there are a lot of fortified cities due to the many civil wars. You will visit Cordes-sur-Ciel, established in 1222 during the wars of Albi.
In the afternoon you will visit the monastry Benedictine of St Peter in Moissac, famous for its cloister: the oldest, biggest and most beautiful in France.
B&B in Albi.
Today you will see Carcassonne. The town is one of the most impressive towns in southern France and symbol for the self esteem of French people in the middle ages. Although the inhabitants of Carcassonne knew about the destruction of Béziers, they stayed in their city until they run out of water.
In the afternoon you will reach the Gaillac area and you learn about the special features of the typical vineyards in southern France. After you visited the wine cellar, you may taste some wines.
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| You will leave Albi for Cahors to see the famous Valentre bridge, which has been crossed by millions of pilgrims on St. James’ Way. You will visit the town, birthplace of King Henry IV and the cathedral of St. Etienne (12th-14th centuries).
At the afternoon you may taste some wines of Cahors (facultative) in Puy-l’Evêque. You will continue to Sarlat and check-in at the next hotel before you will visit the old part of the town.
B&B in Sarlat. |
In the morning you will visit the old part of Sarlat, a typical medieval town, with your guide. In the 9th century, the town was mentioned for the first time but it flourished best in the 11th and 12th centuries.
In the afternoon you will see the most beautiful village of France: Roque Gageac. You may have a boat ride on the Dordogne (facultative). For a long time, this river was the border between France and England. During your boat ride, you will see the fortresses and castles of the 100 years war.
Finally you will visit Château Les Milandes, where Josephine Baker lived with her children.
You will return to Sarlat and may taste goose-liver and wines (facultative) on a farm.
B&B in Sarlat.
| Today will be the day of the Cro-Magnon, our ancestor, who lived in the caverns of Southern France where his paintings made him immortal. He chooses the landscape for practical reasons only. There was water with fishes, forests with deer and eatable plants, the rocks provided shelter against wind and carnivores and there is a wonderful view from above. You will visit Lascaux II for the original cave is no longer open for public.
You continue your trip to Périgueux, the capital of Périgord. The city was established by the Romans under the name Vesuna Petrocoriorium. The cathedral St. Front was consecrated in 1047, it is the biggest church with cupola roof in Western Europe and the only church in Aquitaine, which is built like the San Marco church in Venice.
In the afternoon you may visit the caves of Rouffignac with an electric railway due to their length. Rouffignac is also named “cavern of the 100 mammoths”.
B&B in Sarlat. |
In the morning you may stroll in the city and visit the picturesque market of Sarlat with a large variety of goods presented by local farmers.
At noon you will travel to Rocamadour. This town conserved a lot of its original beauty. Since the Romanesque period, the monuments have been carved into the stone. In the middle ages, Rocamadour was a well known place of pilgrimage, for those pilgrims wanted to pray at the tomb of Zachaeus (who was sitting on a tree when Jesus entered Jerusalem) and the magic statue of Mother Mary. Even today more than a million visitors, tourists and pilgrims visit Rocamadour. The town is also famous for its goat cheese called Rocamadour.
B&B in Sarlat.
| Today you will leave the Périgord and go to the Loire valley. In the afternoon you will reach Orléans, the town of Jeanne d’Arc (Virgin of Orléans).
After your visit of the cathedral St. Croix, you may walk around and have a bite in one of the cafés.
B&B in Orléans. |
After breakfast you will return home or stay in Paris.
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