If you're short on time and want to see Paris and western France, this five-day road trip is the perfect getaway. Start in the City of Lights to haggle with market vendors and view art at the Louvre, then hit the road for the Loire Valley to the south-west. Here, each château is more magnificent than the last, and an endless variety of French wines are waiting for you to taste them.
Most people visiting both Paris and Tours spend about 9 to 11 days in France, which usually includes some time in Bordeaux as well. If you're only headed to Paris and Tours, you can enjoy a comfortably-paced trip in six to nine days. For the best itineraries, including Paris and Tours, keep reading below.
If you've got six days and want to explore Paris and the Loire Valley, consider this short road trip. Start in the capital city, where you'll eat your fill of pastries, visit the Louvre, and learn about the city's history. Spend the second half of the trip in the Loire Valley, where magnificent castles dot the countryside, and the stories flow like French wine.
Paris, the Loire Valley, and Bordeaux—when it comes to French history and wine, what more do you need? This nine-day road trip includes this and more: from world-famous art in Paris and the famed castles of Tours to the unparalleled Bordeaux wine and fresh-caught Arcachon oysters. Dive into the French lifestyle as you enjoy fresh seafood in a typical brasserie and haggle with burly vendors at an 18th-century market.
If driving from Paris through western France for 10 days sounds like a dream come true, this itinerary is for you. Start in Paris, where art at the Louvre, flaky croissants, and a day trip to Versailles will capture your imagination and taste buds. Continue to the Loire Valley to see the famed castles and see where da Vinci lived, then end in Bordeaux for world-famous oysters and wine.
If you have a week and want to explore western France, this quick road trip is perfect. Begin your journey in Paris, where you'll spend equal amounts of time exploring the city's history and savoring pastries. Continue to Normandy to visit the preserved city of Bayeux and see D-Day sites. End the trip in the Loire Valley to discover its famed castles and châteaus.
For most travelers, nine to 11 days is the perfect amount of time for a France trip with stops in Paris, Bordeaux, and Tours. Travelers with less time can hit the route's highlights in four to eight days, which makes for a fast-paced journey. With more time, you can enjoy extra activities at each stop or a few days in another region like Amboise, Bayeux, or Toulouse. See more ideas for Paris, Bordeaux, and Tours itineraries below.
Most travelers will find that 8 to 10 days is perfect for a well-paced France trip with stops in Paris, Bayeux, and Tours. Travelers with less time can hit the route's highlights in six or seven days, which makes for a fast-paced journey. With more time, you can enjoy extra activities at each stop or a few days in another region like Bordeaux or Saint-Malo. Keep reading for more inspiring Paris, Bayeux, and Tours itineraries.
Eleven days driving through the pretty countryside of western France—what could be better? Start your trip in Paris—the land of espresso, world-famous art, and the gilded halls of Versailles. Hit the road for the Loire Valley, where 300+ castles, each one lovelier than the last, await exploration. End with three days in Bordeaux for a visit to the market and tasting of Arcachon's oysters.
Eight days is enough time to see the highlights of western France at a leisurely pace—and this road trip does just that. Spend three days in Paris, exploring the city's history and secrets—both at street level and underground. Continue west to the Atlantic coast for a vacation on Normandy's seaside, then head to Loire Valley, where 300-plus castles line the peaceful country roads.
View art in Paris, enjoy beaches in Normandy, and taste oysters in Bordeaux on this twelve-day road trip through western France. Spend four days in the City of Lights (with a day trip to see Versailles), then head to the Atlantic Coast for seafood and WWII history. End in Bordeaux, where the wine flows freely and the food is world-class.
If spending thirteen days driving from Paris through Normandy to Bordeaux sounds like your perfect getaway, this trip is for you. Get to know the sweet side of France on a pastry tour in Paris, breathe in the fresh ocean air in Normandy, and view castles (including da Vinci’s former residence) in the Loire Valley. End in Bordeaux to sample the best of France’s wine and cuisine.
Spend two weeks exploring the highlights of western France, from the City of Lights to the quiet villages of the Loire Valley. Sample pastries in Paris and head underground to see the catacombs, then hit the road for the beaches on the Normandy coast. End the trip in Bordeaux, where you'll haggle with vendors for fresh seafood at an 18th-century market.
Fifteen days is enough time to get off the beaten path in western France on this road trip from Paris to Bordeaux. Start in the capital city, where you'll visit the Louvre and enjoy afternoon walks along the Seine River. Head west along the Atlantic Coast to explore World War II history and explore small fishing villages and beaches, then continue south for countryside castles, Bordeaux wine, and the famed Arcachon oysters.
Spend sixteen days exploring everything western France has to offer, from the metropolitan culture of Paris to the peaceful countryside of Bordeaux. See art at the Louvre, take a day trip to the gilded halls of Versailles, and vacation like the French on the Normandy seaside. Visit Mont-Saint-Michel—the abbey on an island—before continuing south to the land of resplendent châteaus and free-flowing wine.
From the streetside cafes of Paris to the fresh seafood markets of Normandy, this seventeen-day road trip through western France has it all. Spend a few days in the capital viewing art and eating your weight in pastries, then head west along the coast to vacation like the French on the Normandy seaside. Wrap the trip up in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux, famous for their countryside castles, 18th-century farmer's markets, and the freshest oysters in France.
If spending eighteen days driving from France's capital down the western Atlantic Coast sounds like the perfect getaway, this itinerary is for you. Start in Paris for flaky croissants and strong espresso, then hit the road for the coast. Vacation like the French on the Normandy seaside as you explore medieval and WWII history, then continue to the Loire Valley to see resplendent châteaus. End in Bordeaux, where the wine and oysters are unparalleled.
This epic trip loops around three beloved regions in France with a nice mix of free time and guided tours. Start in Normandy to visit historical sites—spanning 900 years—between Bayeux and Omaha Beach. Next is Brittany, where you'll have free time (and a car) to explore the wild, rugged coastline at your own pace. Then experience UNESCO-listed villages and castles in the Loire Valley before finishing with two days in Paris.
Drive along the Atlantic Coast on this nineteen-day road trip through western France. Start in Paris to see world-famous galleries at the Louvre and walk along the Seine River, then head west to explore the fishing villages and beaches of the Atlantic Coast. Visit Mont-Saint-Michel, the abbey on an island, and enjoy fresh seafood in a typical brasserie. End the trip in Bordeaux to sample the best of France’s wine and cuisine.
Vacation like the French on the Normandy seaside on this 20-day road trip through western France. You'll walk through the gilded halls of Versailles, immerse yourself in history on the D-Day beaches, and sample the best of France’s wine and cuisine in Bordeaux. For a taste of authentic western France life, haggle with vendors for your lunch at an 18th-century market, then head to the beach to enjoy wine and seafood on the water.
Take the back roads of western France to discover a splendor of highlights and hidden gems on this three-week adventure. Start in Paris, where you'll climb the Eiffel Tower and visit Versailles. Head to the northern coasts and see the most beautiful spots of Brittany and Normandy. Go south to the Loire Valley to live the fairy tale life surrounded by castles and vineyards, and activate your taste buds as you savor cognac and wine amid the country's most famous vineyards and medieval villages.
City and countryside combine on this relaxed 8-day journey from Paris to the Loire Valley. Starting in the French capital, you'll take a glittering dinner cruise down the Seine and sample local cheeses in Le Marais before catching a train east into the heart of the Loire Valley. Explore the medieval city of Tours, then settle into the riverside town of Amboise—the perfect base as you tour the grand châteaus and world-class wineries of this spectacular French region.
Fairytale French landscapes beckon on this romantic, week-long itinerary. Start in Paris with a twilight dinner cruise down the Seine, then head to the storied Loire Valley. Here in the heart of France, you'll explore postcard-perfect medieval villages, lush vineyards, and stately châteaus. Continue south to elegant Bordeaux to sample the rich local gastronomy and visit the world-famous vineyards of the Haute-Gironde.
