Visit the world famous castles of the Loire Valley, stroll around the most beautiful villages of France in Saint-Emilion, Vézelay, Gordes or Balazuc and experience the unique cultural heritage of the main wine regions of the country. Besides historical places, discover the contemporary landmarks of La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris.

 

BORDEAUX

	Saint-Emilion Saint-Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage site and arguably the most famous Bordeaux wine village, is built on a scenic area overlooking the Dordogne river. Around the monolith church carved into limestone, its animated streets are lined with historical houses and medieval monuments. Saint-Emilion is the iconic place of residence selected by D&A for touring in right bank Bordeaux.
	La Cité du Vin La Cité du Vin, opened on June 1st 2016 in Bordeaux, is a fantastic high tech museum, a unique place of exhibitions, movie projections and seminars about the cultures of wine. Aiming to become the Guggenheim of wine, la Cité du Vin is definitely confirming the position of Bordeaux as the capital of winemaking across the world. After a lunch at the Belvédère restaurant with a panoramic view of Bordeaux and the banks of the Garonne river, we embark on an immersive and multi-sensorial journey and explore various  features of the wine civilization in the most exciting and creative ways.

 

BURGUNDY

	Vézelay Looking onto the Monts of Morvan, Vézelay is the first stopover of our scenic road trip between Burgundy and Sologne. Sainte-Madeleine Basilica, another UNESCO World Heritage site listing, stands at the top of a steep hill and commands a majestic view over the winegrowers houses and the Renaissance dwellings.
	Châteauneuf-en-Auxois Dominating a luxuriant countryside and the Burgundy Canal, the fortified village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois and its imposing stronghold bears witness to the strategic position it occupied for centuries between Dijon and Autun. The medieval streets reveal historical houses of rich Burgundy merchants and lead up to the viewpoint which offers a splendid vista all around the plains of Auxois.
	Clos de Vougeot The Clos de Vougeot is recognized worldwide as one of the jewels of the Burgundy traditional culture. Founded in the 12th century by Cistercian monks and transformed into a Renaissance château, this historic place is a landmark of the Côte de Nuits, located between the very prestigious appelations of Chambolle-Musigny and Vosne-Romanée. Since 1934, the Clos de Vougeot is the seat of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, an exclusive wine society promoting Burgundy heritage. Every month, inducted knights host lavish gala dinners bringing together hundreds of selected international guests in the château winery. Around the world, the Chevaliers are organized into many Commanderies, including in Australia, China and Singapore.
	Hospices de Beaune Cruising around Burgundy, we have a stop over the famed Hospices de Beaune. Founded in the 15th century as a charitable hospital for the destitute, the Hôtel-Dieu, with its roofs of shimmering colors, is one of most remarkable sights in the region. The Hospices de Beaune still own vineyards and organize, every year in November, the most famous charity wine auction in the world.
	Cluny Abbey The Cluny Abbey, a grand Benedictine monastery built in the Romanesque style, was once the spiritual heart of Europe. For five hundred years, until the construction of Saint Peter’s in Rome, the abbey church was the largest religious building in Europe. At the height of its influence, in the 12th century, Cluny ruled over an empire of ten thousand monks. Today, high tech augmented reality enables visitors to imagine the breathtaking monument in its original architecture.

 

CHAMPAGNE

	Troyes On our way between Burgundy and Champagne, Troyes, the city of a Thousand Colors, is a magnificent ensemble of historic buildings and churches. The charming medieval quarter of this old capital of the Champagne region has quaint half-timbered houses, narrow streets and marvelous examples of Gothic architecture.
	Reims Cathedral  Reims Cathedral, a world heritage site where the kings of France were crowned for a thousand of years, is an amazing monument of the Gothic architecture. Harmonious proportions, majestic arches and twin towers, exquisite stained glass and a unique body of sculpture make it an absolute masterpiece of the 13th century.

 

LOIRE

	Château de Montsoreau The Château de Montsoreau, Renaissance style castle, has an exceptional position at the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers, at the meeting point of the historic regions of Anjou, Poitou and Touraine.  All around, flower-decked streets with slated-roof, white tuffeau stone houses and green pathways lead to the Saumur vineyards.
	Cadre Noir of Saumur The Cadre Noir of Saumur is a prominent part of the heritage and culture of Anjou. Founded in 1828, this is the elite corps of the French military horse riding academy. Considered as one of the most prestigious horsemanship in the world, the Cadre Noir performs in shows and galas. D&A invites you to attend famed public presentations in the Grand Manège. Training the horse, jumping, in long reins, airs above the ground and classical riding. In Saumur, we share exceptional moments witnessing the best of French equitation.
	Château de Chenonceau Discovering Chenonceau, the most romantic and elegant Renaissance wonder of the Valley, is an absolute highlight of our Loire Tour. The exquisite proportions of the Ladies’ Castle and its gallery spanning the Cher river attract visitors from all over the world. Fabled retreat of Diane de Poitiers, Catherine of Medici and Mary, queen of Scots, Chenonceau salons are adorned with splendid ceilings, colossal fireplaces, scattered furnishings and precious paintings. Rowing a boat, passing under the arches of the Château and drifting along the river offers the best views and adds to the romance.
	Château d’Ussé The Château d’Ussé, overlooking the banks of the Indre river, is reported by Fodor’s Travel as the most beautiful castle in France. Literature describes this flamboyant mix of Renaissance and Gothic styles as the original ‘’Sleeping Beauty’’ castle. Charles Perrault, author of the beloved tale is said to have been inspired by Ussé when writing the famous story. Still occupied by the Duke of Blacas and his family, the fairy tale Château d’Ussé is a spectacular landmark in the Loire Valley region.
	Château de Cheverny The Château de Cheverny remains one of the most fascinating monument of the Loire Valley with virtually no changes having been made to it in the past 350 years. The imposing building of various roof styles features spectacular interiors and an incredible display of artworks. The outside grounds of the Château are equally beautiful with impeccably manicured lawns that leads to a perfectly landscaped park of magnificent giant trees. Electric boats and cars facilitate the discovery of this splendid estate.

 

PROVENCE

	Gordes Gordes is the most spectacular of the Luberon traditional villages. The calades, narrow cobblestone streets typical of the region, are just magic to stroll around. Made famous by renowned artists Marc Chagall, Victor Vasarely and Pol Mara, Gordes is an incredibly picturesque hilltop village to explore preferably off season. There, we stay in a magnificent hotel, considered by many reviewers as unrivaled in style and character.
	Balazuc Perched on a cliff overlooking the Ardèche river, the old fortress of Balazuc has kept many signs of its medieval past. The maze of winding streets and arched passageways has always been part of the village scenery, along with the castle, the Romanesque church and the outer gates.  Balazuc is a magnificent site for a break on the road to the grandiose Gorges de l’Ardèche.
	Avignon  A perfect starting point for exploring Provence, the historic city of Avignon awes visitors with its stunning Papal Palace, center of the Roman Catholic world throughout much of the XIVth century. Encircled by medieval ramparts, Avignon’s old town is a warren of cobbled streets, lantern-lit passageways and architectural treasures, namely the famous bridge Pont St-Bénézet. Bathed in the extraordinarily brilliant Provencal light, the city has long attracted artists, painters and lovers of the Southern France culture.

 

PARIS

	Louis Vuitton Foundation The Louis Vuitton Foundation is an outstanding venue located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris nearby the Bois de Boulogne. Opened in 2014, the foundation is a contemporary art museum and a cultural center sponsored by the LVMH group. Designed by the renowned architect Frank Gehry, this stunning glass building takes the form of boat sails inflated by the wind. A masterful architectural gesture about to become a new landmark in Paris.
	Seine River Cruise A visit to Paris can’t be complete without a scenic boat cruise on the river, so the day before flying back home, we invite you on board a Batobus.  The shuttle boat will take you through the heart of Paris, past the most famous districts and monuments of the capital city.