Grand Tour of France by Cosmos Vacations

Grand Tour of France

1-877-510-4653

COSMOS Vacations
Affordable Escorted Vacations!

14 DAYS

Grand Tour of France

Duration: 14 Days

Land Tour w/deluxe motorcoach

ROUEN, HONFLEUR, CAEN, NORMANDY LANDING BEACHES, BAYEUX, MONT ST. MICHEL, ANGERS, LOIRE VALLEY, LA ROCHELLE, BORDEAUX, TOULOUSE, CARCASSONNE, NIMES, PONT DU GARD, AVIGNON, Arles, AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FRENCH RIVIERA, LYON, BEAUNE

Specially-priced Air Rates Available: YES

You’ve seen photos of the Eiffel Tower—now’s your time to see it in person. You’ve studied and read about D-Day’s Normandy Beaches—now’s your chance to visit them. You’ve heard about France’s famous wines—now’s your chance to see the wine-growing region in Bordeaux. All of this and much more are included on this France tour that starts and ends in Paris.

History buffs are sure to be delighted by the many historic towns and attractions on this tour. Immerse yourself in ancient Roman history when we stop at Pont Du Gard bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 1st Century; visit the amphitheater in Arles, the city with the most Roman remains outside of Rome, Then, moving on to the Middle Ages, visit Rocamadour, a town perched high on a cliff; walk by the ancient battlements in the beautifully preserved, medieval town of Carcassonne; and visit Beaune’s Hôtel-Dieu charity hospital, built in 1443 after the Hundred Years' War left many of the town's population destitute. On the “route Napoleon”, follow in the footsteps of Napoleon, when he returned from Elba. Coming to recent history, see Normandy’s landing beaches, where Operation Neptune was launched on June 6 1944.

Art history fans will enjoy a visit to Aix-en-Provence, the birthplace of painter Cézanne, and a stroll around the 17th-century Cours Mirabeau, a lively area with fountains, elegant homes, and famous cafés.

In Grasse, the world’s perfume capital, visit a perfume workshop. Spend time in the Châteaux Country, home to spectacular castles since the 11th century. Discover the Dordogne, one of France’s most picturesque regions, with its charming villages and attractive castles. Of course, no France tour is complete without visiting the French Riviera, and you’ll plenty of time to explore this beautiful area on the Mediterranean Sea.

This value-minded tour through France is truly a vacation of a lifetime!

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

ROUEN Orientation walk
HONFLEUR and CAEN Visit
NORMANDY LANDING BEACHES Visit the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach
MONT ST. MICHEL Visit
ANGERS Visit the cathedral
CHATEAUX COUNTRY Visit
LA ROCHELLE Visit
BORDEAUX Orientation walk and wine tasting
ROCAMADOUR Visit
CARCASSONNE Orientation walk
PONT DU GARD See the Roman aqueduct
ARLES Visit the Roman Amphitheater
AIX-EN-PROVENCE Visit
GRASSE Visit a perfume workshop
BEAUNE Visit Hotel Dieu
PARIS Guided sightseeing

Inside visits and special features:
Shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description including admission charges where applicable.

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:

Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments
Mont Saint Michel and its Bay
Palace and Park of Versailles
Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)
Historic centre of Avignon

OPTIONALS:
Choice of optional excursions at reasonable prices to customize your own experience. Please find a detailed list in your travel documents

HEADSETS throughout the tour

PARIS Novotel Paris 17 (F) or Ibis Styles Meteor Avenue D 'Italie (ST)
CAEN Ibis Caen Porte D'Angleterre (ST)
MONT ST. MICHEL Hotel Vert (T)
AMBOISE Novotel (ST)
BORDEAUX Quality Centre (D)
TOULOUSE Ibis Pont Jumeaux (ST)
AVIGNON Ibis Avignon Centre Ponte De l'Europe (ST)
NICE Ibis Promenade des Anglais at Nice (ST)
LYON Parkest (ST)

HOTELS - (D) Deluxe (SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class (ST) Superior Tourist Class (T) Tourist Class

DINING HIGHLIGHTS

Buffet breakfasts daily; 4 dinners

TRANSPORTATION
Scheduled transatlantic flights and airport transfers in Paris if Cosmos issues the air tickets. Touring by private first-class air-conditioned motorcoach

GUIDES
Local Guide for city sightseeing in Paris. Professional Tour Director while touring

AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Airport transfers may be included when you make your flight arrangements.

Day 1 Arrive in PARIS, France

Check into your hotel and spend free time strolling around Paris’ avenues. Tonight, meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers.

Dinner

Day 2 PARIS–ROUEN–HONFLEUR–CAEN

Drive first to the historical capital city of Normandy, Rouen—one of the most prosperous cities of medieval Europe. Walk through its center, rich in gothic architecture. Next, visit lovely Honfleur, known for its picturesque port and houses with slate-covered facades. Continue to Caen.
Today’s Distance: 211 mi/ 340 km

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 3 CAEN–NORMANDY LANDING BEACHES–BAYEUX–MONT ST. MICHEL

Time to see Caen before visiting the legendary beaches where Allied troops landed more than 75 years ago. Experience the most moving sites at Arromanches, St. Laurent, and the AMERICAN CEMETERY at Omaha. Next, journey to Bayeux, home to the famous tapestry depicting William the Conqueror’s epic battle in 1066 (entrance fee extra). Then, on to the unique beauty of Mont St. Michel, which stands on an island accessed via a causeway.
Today’s Distance: 162 mi/ 260 km

Breakfast

Day 4 MONT ST. MICHEL–ANGERS–CHÂTEAUX COUNTRY

Time to enjoy a visit of MONT ST. MICHEL before departing for Angers to visit its CATHEDRAL. Then, travel along the banks of the Loire River to reach the enchanting Chateaux Country. This evening, join an optional dinner at a local restaurant.
Today’s Distance: 236 mi/ 380 km

Breakfast

Day 5 CHÂTEAUX COUNTRY

Spend the day at leisure or participate in an optional excursion to see some of the most spectacular castles of the Loire, steeped in the history of noblemen and kings since the 11th century. Gothic spires, medieval turrets, great fortresses, and beautiful châteaux make for splendid panoramas.

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 6 CHÂTEAUX COUNTRY–LA ROCHELLE–BORDEAUX

This morning spend some time in the picturesque town of La Rochelle, situated on the Atlantic coast, followed by a scenic drive through the Bordeaux wine region. Stop for WINE TASTING at one of the celebrated cellars. Next, enjoy an orientation walk of the city center of Bordeaux.
Today’s Distance: 193 mi/ 310 km

Breakfast

Day 7 BORDEAUX–DORDOGNE–ROCAMADOUR–TOULOUSE

Discover one of France’s most scenic regions, the Dordogne. Stop in the dramatically located medieval town of Rocamadour, perched high upon a cliff. Continue southwards to Toulouse.
Today’s Distance: 298 mi/ 480 km

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 8 TOULOUSE–CARCASSONNE–PONT DU GARD–AVIGNON

Travel to Carcassonne for a walk in this well-preserved medieval town. Then, make a brief picture stop at the famous PONT DU GARD before reaching Avignon.
Today’s Distance: 217 mi/ 350 km

Breakfast

Day 9 AVIGNON–ARLES–AIX-EN-PROVENCE–FRENCH RIVIERA

Visit Arles, known all over the world for the paintings of Van Gogh. Admire the famous Roman AMPHITHEATER, then continue to Aix-en-Provence to see its main street, the Cours Mirabeau, lined with plane trees in the French tradition. See its 17th-century palace, houses, and fountains. Finally, head to the French Riviera on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Today’s Distance: 205 mi/ 330 km

Breakfast

Day 10 FRENCH RIVIERA

Take time to enjoy all the amenities of the French Riviera on your own. Tonight, maybe join the optional Monte Carlo by night excursion to see the Principality of Monaco.

Breakfast

Day 11 FRENCH RIVIERA–GRASSE–LYON AREA

First to Grasse to visit a traditional PERFUME WORKSHOP. See more of Provence and follow one of France’s great panoramic routes, which Napoleon took on his return from his exile in Elba in 1815. From Grenoble, join the expressway to the Lyon area.
Today’s Distance: 298 mi/ 480 km

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 12 LYON AREA–BEAUNE–PARIS

Travel through the picturesque vineyards and fields of Burgundy to medieval Beaune, the region’s wine capital since Roman times. Visit the famous HÔTEL-DIEU. Return to the French capital of Paris.
Today’s Distance: 304 mi/ 490 km

Breakfast

Day 13 PARIS

Discover the glorious ville lumières with its many boulevards and monumental buildings. On your included sightseeing tour, a local expert will guide you through Parisian history, tradition, and modern living. Optional excursions are also available to complete your experience.

Breakfast

Day 14 PARIS

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Breakfast

Grand Tour of France

14 Day Tour

From $2199USD
(Less applicable COSMOS PROMO(S) and Gardner Travel Discounts)

REQUEST RATES, AVAILABILITY AND OTHER INFORMATION HERE!

To request our LOW UNPUBLISHED RATE and availability for this tour please view our scheduled departures listed HERE. We will provide our private rate back to you by email response or phone call as you prefer it.

PLEASE NOTE: We have access to the U.S./Canada reservations only for this tour. If you reside outside of the U.S./Canada please contact the closest Globus Family of Brands travel agent in your country of origin.

Exceptional Vacations

Celebrating over 85 Years of Touring!

Prices are per person based on double occupancy and are land only. We also offer competitive group-based airfares from your home city airport that fit with this particular touring program.

Toll Free Call
1-877-510-4653
USA and Canada

We provide an additional agency point-of-sale discount for all Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways tour programs. Offer subject to availability and change without notice.

TALK TO AN EXPERIENCED

As a full-service travel provider, we can help you in finding your perfect tour at the best price available, today. We've been representing the GLOBUS Family of Brands for over 35 years as a Premier Agency Partner - a designation only awarded to the top tier agencies that are authorized to represent the full Globus Family of Brands. We can take you all the way from your own hometown to some of the most beautiful touring experiences in Europe and then back again - all with the expertise of a seasoned GLOBUS professional representative. When it is important to get it right, you can trust the services of our own professional GLOBUS Certified travel specialists. Please feel free to call us or email us or we would be happy to provide your information via email on the tour form, below.

Requesting Availability
We will check your requested tour program and accommodations for the date range that you may specify in the boxes below and reply back to you as soon as possible. Of course the more information that you can provide us, the closer we will be in matching your needs and preferences. We will not knowingly sell or pass along your information that you provide to any third party for any reason (see Liabilities and Privacy Policy). And we use SSL Technology to safeguard your information on our tour request forms that we have posted throughout our website.

We are available to answer your inquiries in person Monday - Friday (except holidays) from 8:30am until 5:30pm CST (1-877-510-4653 | 817-788-5210). We are available from time to time on the weekends via email to answer your questions. Our typical response time for your email request ranges from 3 hours to as many as 72 depending upon the availability of onsite resources and those of the tour companies and resorts/lodging establishments, as well as any variations you may request from our listed programs. We will respond to your requests as quickly as possible and as soon as we have all components of your package confirmable. All tour program rates are based upon double occupancy unless otherwise specified.

Thank you for your interest in this quality tour by The GLOBUS Family of Brands!

Randy C. Gardner
President
Gardner Travel Service, Inc.

and The Globus Family of Brands

More than three decades ago Cosmos pioneered the idea of quality value travel to Europe. Since then we've developed and refined the concept of vacation packages. Over a million people have come back to us for a second or third vacation...or more!

Our clients' repeat business is the best testimony to the incredible value and experience we offer.

If you've never taken a package vacation, consider this: Traveling with Cosmos is less expensive, more comfortable, and far easier than going it alone. Our volume contracting for hotels and services provides you with travel at wholesale prices. A Cosmos package is carefully planned to make the best possible use of your time.

Our team of experts has refined our itineraries to combine the must-see sights with significant time on your own, offering more choice and flexibility. You can travel relaxed and hassle-free, knowing that we've taken care of all the details.

Arthur Fromer Europe on a Budget

Once you've discovered the special advantages of traveling with Cosmos, you'll never want to travel any other way again. Cosmos is "A Smart Way To Go."

Guidance

At the heart of every great Cosmos tour are the friendly, knowledgeable folks who show you around and help you maximize your free time. We go to incredible lengths to find the most professional Tour Directors and Local Guides. They deliver commentary in English, but are multilingual so they can navigate Europe with ease and give you the richest experience possible.

Headsets
For all guided visits and included sightseeing in Europe, Cosmos will provide personal audio headsets. See tour itinerary for details.

The Right Balance
No one enjoys a vacation where every second is spent on a schedule. We build free time into every Cosmos vacation, so you can eat, shop, and explore the way you want. Your Tour Director and Local Guides can offer suggestions for things to see and do-or you can join one of our many intriguing optional excursions.

Sightseeing
Our packages include guided sightseeing and scenic highlights that reveal the best of Europe, North America, and South America. Enjoy inside visits of the must-see sites with knowledgeable Local Guides who will bring each destination to life. Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description. See individual itinerary pages to learn what is included in your vacation.

Personalize Your Vacation with MyCosmos
Cosmos lets you enhance your tour with optional excursions that are meaningful to you. Whether you enjoy art, music, food, wine, history, or whatever, we give you the freedom to truly personalize your trip. Best of all, you can make your selections-and even pre-pay-in advance online at Cosmos.com/MyCosmos.

Cosmos Takes Care of Your Hotels

Where you stay makes all the difference
After a day's traveling you want to relax at a comfortable, clean, and attractive hotel. We have chosen hotels with the best rooms, service, and food for the money. Of course, they vary as different countries have different standards. However, we ensure that everywhere you get the best available in cleanliness and comfort.

Cosmos hotels are always located in good neighborhoods, some more centrally and others in residential areas. Especially in large cities we sometimes prefer good hotels in residential areas on the outskirts to less desirable or overpriced downtown hotels.

Rooms at all our hotels include private facilities: private bath or shower and a toilet.

Triple rooms are usually no larger than twin rooms and the third bed is often a roll-away bed put into a twin-bedded room just for the night.

Cosmos specifies your hotels
Our hotels are mainly superior tourist-class (ST) and tourist-class (T) establishments, but we also feature some first-class (F) hotels. Cosmos hotel ratings follow standards set by the independent Official Hotel Guide (OHG) or by national tourist boards. The specific rating for each contract hotel is determined by our quality controllers.

We reserve the right to substitute hotels listed on the tour pages with hotels of equivalent standard. With your Cosmos travel documents you'll receive a list of hotel addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers for your tour.

Stretch Your Vacation Dollars

Value-packed vacations at bargain prices.
With Cosmos, a company that specializes in package travel arrangements, you'll visit the world without spending a fortune. Because all our buying power is devoted to package travel, our clout with suppliers is powerfully concentrated -- and we pass the savings on to you with affordable vacation packages for every budget.

Singles save with "guaranteed share" rates
More than one-third of all people traveling with Cosmos are traveling independently. We therefore accept reservations on a "guaranteed share" basis. We charge singles the basic price and match up singles of the same gender in twin-bedded rooms. For mutual comfort we adopt a no-smoking rule in shared rooms. "Guaranteed shares" are not available for extra nights before or after your tour, on tours with overnight trains, or on train or cruise extensions.
If we cannot find a roommate for a traveler who has booked on a "guaranteed share" basis, we'll absorb the single room supplement, and that traveler will be accommodated in a single room at no extra charge.
Of course we do offer single rooms when available to those who prefer to travel solo and pay the single supplement.

Triple room reduction
Cosmos grants a reduction to three people who travel together and share the same accommodation. Triple room reductions, when available, are listed in the Dates and Prices box on the tour page.

A word of caution: Triple rooms usually are no larger than twin rooms, and the third bed, if there is one, is often a rollaway bed put in a twin-bedded room for the night.

Discount for young tour members
Cosmos grants a 10 percent discount on the land tour price to travelers who are under 18 years old on the tour departure date, provided they are accompanied by an adult. We do not accept children under eight on our tours because we have found that they are too young to enjoy these vacations.

Cosmos Vacations Offer Flexibility

Joining late and leaving early*
Many Cosmos land arrangements start and end in London. If you have already spent time in the British capital, you may want to skip one or more of the included London nights or even join at the first overnight hotel on the Continent. Call your Travel Agent for any reductions that apply to your vacation for joining late or leaving early. Vacations with these reductions are sold on a land-only basis.

A professional team takes care of you in London
For any help or information you might require during your London stay, please contact the Cosmos hospitality desk at your hotel. Our knowledgeable staff will serve you with a smile; give you guidance on what to do and where to go; and arrange excursions, evening entertainment, and theater outings for you.

Extra nights*
If you'd like more hotel nights than we've provided at the start or end of your tour, we can make reservations for you at the rates quoted below, provided you request them at the time you book your vacation. Rates are per person, per night, and include room with private bath, breakfast, service charges, and taxes.

Extra nights are only available immediately prior to or after your tour. Extra pre-tour nights in London are not available if you join your tour later than Day 2.

Every effort is made to reserve extra nights at the hotel where your tour stays. If space at the tour hotel is not available, alternative accommodation will be reserved at a hotel of equivalent standard. When this is the case, the transfer to and from the tour hotel is at our expense.

As hotel space is limited, we cannot reserve more than two extra nights before and/or after a tour, unless they are needed to bridge the gap between two Cosmos vacations. During particularly busy periods, hotel space in certain cities can become so tight that we may be unable to sell extra nights.

Trust & Travel Insurance

For generations, Globus has worked hard to provide the best on-trip experiences, world-class customer service, and the best consumer protection plans available in the travel industry.

DETAILS OF THIS INSURANCE PROGRAM WILL BE INCLUDED IN ALL OF OUR QUOTES.

and The Globus Family of Brands

More than 90 years ago, Antonio Mantegazza bought a rowboat to transport commercial goods across Lake Lugano in Switzerland. Who could know that rowboat would launch the world's leading escorted travel company? Today Globus is a global, family-owned company reaching every corner of the world. Globus is now the first choice among individuals looking for vacations with both domestic and international travel in a variety of styles to six continents and hundreds of itineraries to choose from (see Globus History video right).

Antonio's frequent trips across the scenic lake led him to consider opportunities in a different market - tourism. His entrepreneurial instinct pushed him to gradually acquire some motorcoaches to transport tourists around the Lake Lugano area. In 1928, Antonio opened a company specializing in motorcoach touring called Globus Viaggi. The company began with a fleet of 12 coaches which operated local excursions for European tourists in Switzerland.

By 1950, Globus Viaggi had grown to a fleet of 33 coaches and featured overnight excursions to Rome, Venice, the Dolomites and the French Riviera. Gradually, these became regularly scheduled tours and grew longer to cover more ground. Later that decade, under the leadership of Werner Albek, Antonio's business partner, Globus pioneered the concept of Grand European Touring by offering first-class European tours to North Americans. By 1961, the company launched its Cosmos arm, which featured affordable, value-priced European touring for the cost-conscious British traveler.

The coach tours were so successful that Cosmos soon introduced another form of travel for the British market: air holiday packages to the sunny destinations of southern Europe. By 1968, Cosmos air holidays became so popular the company formed its own airline, Monarch Airlines. Monarch Airlines started out modestly with two used Britannia aircraft and eventually blossomed into one of the most successful European charter companies with a large fleet of modern jets and its own engineering division.

Under the flagship of Sergio Mantegazza, current president and son of Antonio, Globus began expanding its markets beyond Great Britain and North America. Since 1974, travel packages have been sold in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most recently in Southeast Asia. Starting in the 70s, the company also aggressively expanded its offerings, introducing travelers to more countries than any other tour operator with packages to Africa, South and North America, Europe, the South Pacific and Asia.

Today, the Globus family of brands is marketed and operated by a network of more than 32 independent tourism and aviation businesses, serviced by a group of more than 5,000 professionals worldwide. Combined, Globus, Cosmos, and Monograms carry over 500,000 passengers a year, making the organization the leading operator of guided vacations worldwide. Globus attributes its success to the ideals of founder Antonio Mantegazza. For three generations, his vision, hard work, love for travel, and commitment have guided the company. These values are the cornerstone on which Globus was built and will continue to grow.