Alsace, Burgundy, Loire Valley and Paris - visit some of the top sites in France as you are whisked from place to place in the comfort of your own chauffeur driven vehicle with a knowledgeable driver, and enjoy luxurious castle stays during your trip.

Discover the beauty of the Alsace region with its hilly vineyards, bucolic countryside and picturesque towns and villages such as Colmar, Riquewihr, Obernai, Ribeauvillé while you are based out of Strasbourg - a world heritage UNESCO site, located close to the border with Germany. Learn about the colorful history of the area, visit sites such as the Haut-Koenigburg castle, and wander through the narrow, cobble stones laneways alongside the Ille river that runs through Colmar.

Explore places of interest on the drive to Burgundy, and here, take in the intricate Burgundian tiled roofs of the historical buildings, explore the interesting city of Dijon and the wine-centric town of Beaune. Stop off and do some wine tastings as you drive along the "Routes des Grands Crus" and see the actual places of some of Burgundy's top producing wines as you go through the quaint villages.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Vezelay en route to the Loire Valley, and once you arrive in the heart of castle country, discover the spendour of some of the best in the area - either in the company of a Local Guide or independently.

Visit the likes of Blois and Chartres en route to Paris and relax in the capital and see some of what this great city has to offer.

Staying in some of the best Castle hotels in the country, you are sure to feel like royalty by the end of your trip!

Strasbourg is a world heritage UNESCO site, located close to the border with Germany, and provides the perfect base to explore the surrounding Alsace wine region. The city exudes charm, and has a rich and fascinating story to tell. Having been in German hands for some eight centuries, there is still a strong influence on everyday culture, ever-present in the local Alsace dialect, medieval architecture, hearty cuisine and colourful place names. The heart of the old city lies within the arms of the River Ill, forming a small island. It’s magnificent Gothic cathedral, around which the city has grown, dominates the centre and should be the first stop for visitors to the city. The medieval past is most strongly felt along the winding cobbled streets of the "Petite France" area, where tanners and weavers once resided.

Enjoy a private airport transfer in Paris in a private vehicle with a professional driver.

Enjoy the direct train ride from Paris to Strasbourg. The ride is approximately 2.5 hours in length.

Avail of a train station transfer in a private vehicle with a French speaking driver.

Junior Suites category room (39 sq. m) is located in the historic part of the castle and has a large bedroom as well as a small lounge. The marble bathroom has both a bath and shower. Each room comes equipped with Wi-Fi access, flat screen, Satellite TV, air-conditioning, mini bar, and hairdryer.

Part of the Grandes Etapes de France group, the wonderful Chateau de l'Ile hotel is situated 6 km from Strasbourg, ideally located in a 4 hectare park within a tree-lined bend in the Ill River. With its half-timbered style and flowery balconies, it reflects traditional Alsatian architecture and is ideally suited to discover the region. The hotel has a traditional brasserie and gastronomic restaurant as well as the Ile Spa. The 62 rooms are decorated with elegance in the spirit of the 18th and 19th centuries and offer pleasant views over the Ill River or the typical village of Ostwald.

Overnight at Chateau de l`Ile (4*).

After being picked up by your private driver and vehicle, you will drive along the Alsatian Wine Road and discover the charm and treasures of this wine growing area with its many villages with their flower-decked streets, historic houses, Roman churches and fountains. Visit the city of Colmar, known as the Venice of France since the river meanders through the city. As you stroll through its narrow cobbled streets, flanked on either side by sixteenth and seventeenth century half timbered houses, you will be struck by the calm and atmosphere of this authentic medieval setting, even further enhanced by a large pedestrian zone.

Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you would like to have an English speaking Guide accompany you on 2 hour Guided tour of the city of Colmar.

Overnight at Chateau de l`Ile (4*).

A famous Chateau in France.

Leave Alsace and be driven through the Franche Comté region which is located close to Switzerland and Jura. Your journey will end in Burgundy in Vougeot (near Dijon).

Stop off in Belfort en route. Because of its strategic location; at the request of Louis XIV, military architect Vauban fortified the city with a pentagonal wall. The fortification work made Belfort one of the keystones in the Eastern Marches defensive system, and one of the most spectacular towns in the region. Places of interest include Vauban's ramparts, the citadel which is now home to the Museums of Art and History, and the famous Lion sculpted by Bartholdi.

Then visit the city of Montbéliard, born of the marriage between an heiress from Comté and a young prince of the empire, which has preserved the charm that is so unique to the lovely cities of the Württemberg Empire. The town includes stone-built market places, a 17th century Protestant church, Renaissance townhouses and small houses in bright colors. A castle dominates the city.

The next stop en route today is Besançon. Nestling in a loop of the River Doubs, the town offers visitors the charming spectacle of its narrow streets, the 16th century townhouses with their robust pediments on the façades and the 18th century mansions. The powerful colors differ from façade to façade thanks to the use of Chailluz limestone. From the Battant quarter, formerly the winegrowers quarter, to the streets around St John's Cathedral, stroll through the town and discover inner courtyards whose staircases are adorned with iron balustrades, fountains and beautifully maintained parks and gardens.

The Deluxe rooms are very spacious and comfortable, and are elegantly decorated respecting the authenticity of the location. Each room has an beautiful exposed beam or old red floor tiles. The rooms also offer a wonderful view over the French style garden or the village. They each have a bathroom with bath and a separate toilet.

Two miles from Vougeot, in the heart of the grands Crus, between Dijon and Beaune, the Château de Gilly (4*), with its 47 rooms and suites, is the very essence of Burgundy. This 14th century Cistercian residence, with formal French gardens, combines modern comfort, serenity, tradition, and fine cuisine. It has preserved its authentic 14th & 16th Century character, reflected in its moats, French-style gardens and dining Room with its magnificent vaulted ceiling. At the château there is the Vouge river, outdoor swimming pool, a tennis court, table tennis, pétanque and the possibility for bicycling and fishing.

Overnight at Chateau de Gilly (4*).

Dijon is exceptionally rich in art treasures and historic buildings, a product of its days as the independent capital of the Flemish-Burgundian State ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy. Places of interest include the Palace of the Dukes: the Dukes of Burgundy held court here, but the building seen today was mainly built in the 17th century for the parliament. It now houses the Fine Arts Museum, Notre-Dame: magnificent 13th century Gothic church, Saint-Michael church: begun in the 15th century & completed in the 17th century combining flamboyant Gothic with Renaissance details, Musée Magnin: a collection of French and foreign 16th- 19th century paintings in this 17th- century mansion. Enjoy exploring the city.

After you have seen Dijon, you will be brought to the famous “Route des Grands Crus”, the road of the vineyards including: Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits. Squeezed in between the flat plain of the Saône to the southeast and a plateau of rough woodland to the northwest, this narrow escarpment is about 30 miles (50 km) long. The grapes of the great Burgundy vineyards grow in the golden-reddish soil of the slope. The classification of the characteristics of the land is extremely technical and elaborate, but for the layman a rough rule of thumb might be that 95 percent of the best vines are on the uphill side of the N74 thoroughfare. The names on the signs haunt the dreams of wine lovers the world over: Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée, Romanée Conti, Nuits-St-Georges, Aloxe- Corton, Meursault and Chassagne Montrachet. Enjoy a visit of wine cellars and a wine tasting before continuing to Beaune.

Once the region’s main town, Beaune is now the capital of Burgundy‘s wine. Its most beautiful building, the Hôtel-Dieu, is an old hospice built in the 15th century in Burgundian Flemish art. It is famous for its multicoloured tiled roofs. Other places of interest are the collegiate church and the wine museum which is housed in the former mansion of the Dukes of Burgundy and presents the history of wine from ancient times until today.

If you would like to have an in depth experience of Dijon and Beaune you can avail of an English speaking Guide to accompany you as you explore both locations. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you would like to add a Local Guide to your itinerary today.

Overnight at Chateau de Gilly (4*).

Located a mere 12 km outside of Tours, Montbazon is situated on the river Indre between the towns Veigné, Monts and Sorigny.

In the company of your professional driver and private transportation, you will take the highway A31 in direction to Avallon. From there you will have the opportunity of visiting Vezelay founded in the 12th century. The narrow winding streets of the village are hemmed in by ancient houses featuring many examples of the local architecture, and the original village ramparts. The Abbey of St Mary Magdalene, listed by UNESCO as being a World Heritage Site contains the relics of Saint Mary and was historically a starting point for pilgrims following one of several French pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostella. From Vezelay you will be driven past Bourges, Vierzon and Saint Aignon along the Cher River to Tours, and then continue to Montbazon.

Leaving Burgundy today, you will be driven to the Loire valley for the next part of your trip. En route, enjoy a stop off in the pretty village of Vezelay. Founded in the 12th century, the narrow winding streets of the village are hemmed in by ancient houses featuring many examples of the local architecture, and the original village ramparts. The Abbey of St Mary Magdalene, listed by UNESCO as being a World Heritage Site contains the relics of Saint Mary. This town was historically a starting point for pilgrims following one of several French pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostella. Continue north west ward towards the Loire valley, and your hotel that awaits you!

The junior suite has either a King or twin beds. The rooms are luxurious and spacious and offer the most comfortable luxury conditions for long stays. In each room you can enjoy the quiet intimacy in a cosy atmosphere. The rooms are located in the main château, Ariane Pavilion or Fragrance House overlooking the Château. All the rooms come with air-conditioning, mini-bar, hair-dryer,and a flat screen.

The Château d'Artigny (4*) is perfectly in keeping with the royal estates surrounding it, and is typical & classic splendour of the great days of this region. It offers 47 rooms and 6 suites, a 25 hectare park, 2 tennis courts, an outdoor pool which is heated in cold weather, a pool house with a sauna, spa, relaxation room, pétanque, table tennis, golf practice, a restaurant and reception rooms.

Overnight at Chateau d`Artigny (4*).

Today is all about the castles of the Loire valley! Start the day off exploring Tours; the ancient capital of the Kingdom of France, which enjoys an exceptional location in the centre of the famous Loire valley. Louis XI made the city the French capital, and it prospered on arms and fabrics. However, during Henri IV's reign the city lost favour with the monarchy, and the capital left Tours for Paris.. The pedestrian Place Plumereau is Tours' most atmospheric quarter, set in the medieval heart of the city and full of cafés, boutiques and galleries. Streets such as rue Briçonnet reveal half-timbered façades, hidden courtyards and crooked towers. A gateway leads to Place St. Pierre-le-Puellier, a square with sunken Gallo-Roman remains and a Romanesque church converted into a café.

From Tours, you will be brought to the castle of Chenenceau. Sitting across the Cher river, Château Chenonceau was originally built between 1513 and 1521 but has been revised and remodeled, keeping with the Renaissance style for hundreds of years. Governed over centuries by the wives and mistresses of kings and nobility, the château reflects this feminine influence.

Depending on timing, you can decide if you would prefer to visit Villandry or Azay le Rideau castle. Villandry castle was the last great Renaissance chateau built in the Loire Valley and a perfect example of 16th-century architecture. Its spectacular gardens were restored to their Renaissance splendour earlier this century. The result is a patchwork of sculpted shrubs and flowers on three levels the kitchen garden, the ornamental garden and, on the highest level, the water garden.

Designed to look like a Gothic fortress, Château Azay-le-Rideau was only intended to be a summer residence. Built by a financier and his wife between 1518 and 1527, the château appears fortified while the interior affords complete luxury.

Get the most out of your discovery of the Loire valley and castles and consider having a Local English speaking Guide join you for either half of the day (4 hrs) or the full day (8hrs) as you explore the beautiful castles and/or picturesque towns in the Loire valley. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you would like to have a Guide join you for your itinerary today.

Overnight at Chateau d`Artigny (4*).

Paris is confident that it's the world's most beautiful, fashionable and artistic capital. After visiting the city you will no doubt find it hard to disagree. Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with over 30 million foreign visitors per year. Three of the most famous Parisian landmarks are the twelfth century cathedral Notre Dame de Paris on the Île de la Cité, the nineteenth century Eiffel Tower, and the Napoleonic Arc de Triomphe. The city's most prized museum is the Louvre, though there are dozens of other important ones.

In the morning, enjoy the drive to Blois. Once a fief of the counts of Blois, the town rose to prominence as a royal domain in the 15th century, retaining its historic facades and refined atmosphere to this day. Architectural interest abounds in Old Blois, particularly in the hilly, partially pedestrian quarter enclosed by the château, cathedral and river. A well signposted walking tour, the "route royale", is a gentle introduction to the noble mansions and romantic courtyards that grace the Loire's most beguiling town.

Continuing onwards, your driver will next stop off at Chambord so you can visit its castle. The history of massive Château Chambord began in 1518 with François I ordering the replacement of a small hunting castle with a grander residence. Believed to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci, the construction was still not complete in 1547 when François I died nor in in 1559 when his son Henri II died. This “unfinished” château contains 440 rooms and 365 fireplaces.

On the way back to Paris you can also enjoy a stop in Chartres which boasts the most beautiful & largest cathedral in Europe. The city's churches should not be overlooked; Saint Aignan leans against the ramparts of the upper town and the Saint Pierre abbey church, in the lower town, has wonderful stained glass windows. The Fine arts museum, situated in the former Episcopal palace, next to the cathedral regularly organizes prestigious exhibitions. Several beautiful old houses line the old paved streets. Numerous "hillocks" lead down towards the Eure valley with its old mills, tanneries, "lavoirs"- riverside wash-houses and bridges. Magnificent views of the cathedral can be seen from the banks of the Eure.

The deluxe rooms have a blend of spaciousness and intimacy, and are an ideal combination for your romantic stays. Each room has magnificent ceilings with exposed beams, the sandstone walls, the cosy, yet contemporary decoration, and fine-woven cloth. Every deluxe room comes with a large single bed or twin beds, and offers all the multimedia comforts, as well as a tea/coffee-maker and a hi-fi sound system.

The Aubusson Hotel (4*) is a fully refurbished 17th Century French mansion in the historical district of Saint Germain Des Pres, in the heart of Paris. The hotel is just a stone’s throw from Paris Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre museum, the Orsay museum, and the Luxemburg Garden. It is ideally located around Saint Germain Des Pres and the Latin Quarter to discover the famous Parisian art galleries, antique shops and finest designer's boutiques. The hotel offers 50 air-conditioned and soundproofed rooms, all equipped with private facilities. The hotel also offers a main lounge with a stone fireplace, a business space with Internet connection, an inner courtyard, a bar, a store laundry and dry-cleaning service, room service and an underground private car park. There is also a bar where live jazz music is often performed on Friday and Saturday evenings. A hot buffet breakfast is served in an elegantly decorated, high ceilinged room on the ground floor.

Overnight at Aubusson (4*).

There are so many things to do and see in Paris it is hard to know where to start! Within the city you can choose from any number of private guided tours - of neighbourhoods or places of interest such as the Louvre or with a focus on architecture. Consider a few hours with a personal shopper, or a guided tour in a vintage car through one of the neighbourhoods. If you are interested in doing something further afield consider a day trip to Chatres, Giverny (known because of Monet's paintings), Versailles, Normandy or Burgundy. A fun way to spend an afternoon is by hot air balloon - this is possible to do in the Parisian countryside. Please ask your Sale Advisor if you are interested in any of these optional tours and activities.

Paris takes on a different hue at night and, with many of the magnificent buildings aglow which make it is possibly the best time to admire the beauty of the city. There are plenty of options to choose from for evening entertainment including an early evening wine tasting in a beautiful, airy Parisian loft of a French sommelier located close to the lively Marais district, a dinner cruise, a cabaret show, dinner in the Eiffel tower followed by a night-time cruise, or an evening tour of the city with many of the historical buildings aglow.

Overnight at Aubusson (4*).

Enjoy a private airport transfer in Paris in a private vehicle with a professional driver.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport) (standard).