A château in the heart of Normandy — your home away from home... Explore Normandy's villages and landscapes that inspired great impressionist paintings as you sip and savor your way along the cheese and cider trail, retreating to a château at the end of the day to eat, drink, and be merry like French royalty.

Don't just see history, sleep in history: Stay in a château and feast on grand dinners fit for kings and queens, stroll through pristine gardens at sunset, and try a game of pétanque — a French favorite!

Cheese & Cider Trail: Follow the trail through picturesque towns to taste Normandy's world-renowned cheeses and hard ciders.

Private room: Enjoy your own room in the château at no extra cost, providing a quiet retreat to relax after a day exploring.

Welcome to France! Transport to your royal château in the heart of Normandy is included.* Upon arrival, your slowcation leader will greet you. Thereafter, you can enjoy a welcome drink and hors d’oeuvres and explore the château you'll call home for the next week and a half. Later, join the group for a tour of the château, its beautiful grounds, and private underground museum! In the evening, gather for a feast fit for nobility as you get to know one another.

*IMPORTANT: Airport pick-up from Paris (CDG) is included only if you arrive on Day 1 or are staying in Paris before the trip. Pick-up from other airports, dates, or cities is not included. We normally don’t include transfers, but this trip is an exception since the château is quite far from a major airport.

Airport drop-off is not included. Private transfers arranged via your trip leader or online through Welcome Pickups typically cost €500~€600 per vehicle (shareable with others leaving at similar times), while train or bus and taxi combinations cost around €50~€150, depending on your preferred combination. Your trip leader can help arrange departure transportation. Please refer to the trip's FAQ for more information.

Included:

• Activities: Château transfer*; Welcome drink & hors d'oeuvres; Château tour; Welcome dinner

• Meals: Drinks & hors d'oeuvres; Dinner

• Accommodation: Château

Start your morning with a French-style continental breakfast at the château, then head into Normandy’s lush countryside to dive into its delicious traditions. First stop is a cheese factory in Livarot, so devoted to its craft that people call it the "cheese village." Explore the fromagerie, see how creamy favorites like Livarot, Camembert, and Pont-l’Évêque are made, and taste some of these local favorites.

On the way to lunch, there's a stop at Château de Saint-Germain-de-Livet, a charming castle with beautiful gardens that could be from a fairytale book!

Next, we make our way to Pont-l’Évêque, another famous cheese town, for lunch as a group. Afteward, visit a historic Calvados distillery to see how apples are turned into Normandy’s famous brandy and enjoy a little sip of this iconic drink.

We return to the château to unwind before gathering again for dinner together.

Included :

• Activities: Livrarot cheese visit & tasting; Château de Saint-Germain-de-Livet gardens; Calvados distillery tour & tasting

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Accommodation: Château

Today, we make our way to Giverny, the location of Claude Monet’s gardens and house, where some of his most celebrated works are brought to life. Stroll through colorful flowerbeds and cross the iconic Japanese footbridge over the lily pond — it's like walking straight into one of Monet’s masterpieces!

After a leisurely lunch in Giverny, you have the chance to channel your inner artist at a floral painting workshop with watercolors and pastels. You can take your creation home as a keepsake of your visit.

In the afternoon, return to the château to relax and unwind before coming together for another delightful dinner.

Included :

• Activities: Monet’s house and gardens; Painting workshop

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Accommodation: Château

Delve into a tragic part of France’s history dedicated to the Allied Forces who fought against all odds to reclaim the French coast. This moment not only changed the course of World War II but also profoundly shaped the world. Begin with a visit to the American Cemetery, whose rows of white crosses and Stars of David pay tribute to the American soldiers who gave their lives during the D-Day landings and subsequent battles.

Afterward, we visit Omaha Beach, where the Allies initiated the largest amphibious invasion in military history on June 6, 1944, a date that will live in infamy. Today, the beach is peaceful, with gentle dunes meeting the crisp waters, yet it remains a place of solemn reflection.

We then leave the coastline to Bayeux, where you have some free time to enjoy lunch on your own terms, wander the charming streets of the Old Town, visit the Gothic cathedral, or browse the local shops at your own pace.

At the end of the day, return to the château for a delicious dinner together.

Included :

• Activities: American Cemetery; Omaha Beach; Bayeux free time

• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

• Accommodation: Château

Today, we start in Étretat, a town known for its dramatic cliffs where the foamy waves of the English Channel crash against the rocks. You’ll have some free time to wander and take in the views, followed by lunch as a group with panoramic vistas over the cliffs.

Next, journey to the grandiose Bénédictine Palace, built as a distillery for a liqueur. We will learn about its very special history and become amateur bartenders at a cocktail-making workshop under the guidance of an expert barman.

Return to the château later for some relaxation before gathering once more for a delicious homemade dinner.

Included :

• Activities: Étretat free time; Bénédictine Palace visit & cocktail workshop

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Accommodation: Château

Set off for the seaside town of Trouville-sur-Mer, home to "The Queen of the Beaches". Once a favorite getaway for 19th-century artists and the Parisian bourgeoisie, the town still captures that aristocratic coastal atmosphere.

You have free time to wander at your own pace — take in the bustling fishing port, stroll along the boardwalk lined with opulent mansions, or browse the local shops. Don’t miss the daily fish market, where you can pick out your own catch of the day and enjoy it on the spot with a glass of white wine.

Later, let's meet in the château gardens to partake in a favorite French pasttime — pétanque! Dress up and channel your inner French bourgeoisie (think Downton Abbey!). With a glass of wine in hand, hors d’oeuvres to nibble on, and the clink of boules on the gravel, it doesn’t get any more French than this... Oh la la!

Included:

• Activities: Trouville-sur-Mer free time; Pétanque tournament with apéritif

• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

• Accommodation: Château

Today is a day trip to Mont Saint-Michel, a small island with just 30 inhabitants, sometimes cut off from the mainland by the shifting tides. On the way, let's stop for a tasting of Mont Saint-Michel bay oysters and mussels, paired with a glass of wine.

Mont Saint-Michel is home to a famous abbey, and while some of the sands around the island at low tide are quicksand, don’t worry — there’s a paved pathway to reach it safely! Once there, you have plenty of free time to wander the charming streets of this charming village, walk up to the abbey*, and enjoy lunch at your own pace.

Later, return to the château in time for a group dinner to cap off another adventure-filled day!

*IMPORTANT: Entrance to the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey is included. The walk to the abbey is fairly steep, and there are around 350 steep stairs to reach the top, but you do not have to go all the way to the top. 

Included :

• Activities: Oyster and mussel tasting; Mont Saint-Michel free time; Abbey entrance

• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

• Accommodation: Château

This morning, we travel to Honfleur, a harbor town that looks like it’s been lifted straight from a postcard and has long inspired artists, including Monet. You’ll have free time to wander its narrow cobbled streets lined with colorful half-timbered houses and soak up the charm of the Old Harbor, where cafés and seafood restaurants overlook sailboats bobbing in the water.

In the afternoon, let’s head to a family-run cider farm set in the Norman countryside, where cider has been crafted since the early 20th century. Explore the estate and its cider-making process, then enjoy a series of playful, sensory activities paired with a tasting of their specialties.

Later, we'll visit the nearby town of Bernay, where you have some free time to grab a bite to eat, and discover its half-timbered houses, shops, and witness everyday life in a typical Norman town.

Included :

• Activities: Honfleur free time; Cider estate visit & interactive cider tasting; Bernay free time

• Meals: Breakfast

• Accommodation: Château

Depart this morning for Rouen, the City of 100 Bell Towers, where we’ll begin with a guided tour of this historic port city, famously linked to Joan of Arc.

After the tour, enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Stroll along its cobblestone streets, admire the beautiful Norman houses, go window shopping, and take in the grandeur of its cathedral.

Return to the château in the evening for some R&R and a farewell dinner, specially prepared by our private chef.

Included :

• Activities: Rouen guided tour and free time

• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

• Accommodation: Château

Say farewell to France and your new friends. Today is the last day of your trip. We hope to see you on one of our next adventures!

*IMPORTANT: Airport drop-off is not included. Please budget accordingly. Your trip leader can help arrange departure transportation, and here are the options:

1.) Private transfer (via trip leader): Shareable with others departing around the same time. Cost: €500~600 per vehicle, payable in cash to the driver. Arranged by your trip leader during the trip.

2.) Welcome Pickups: Shareable with others departing around the same time. Cost: approximately €500 per vehicle, payable online by card. Can be booked online before or during the trip.

3.) Taxi + train: Taxi from the château to Bernay €30~35 + train from Bernay to Paris Saint-Lazare €25~35 + train to the airport €15 or taxi/Uber €40~60. (Both taxi and train can usually be paid by card.)

4.) Taxi + train + bus: Taxi from the château to Bernay €30~35 + train from Bernay to Rouen €15~20 + bus from Rouen to the airport approximately €30. (Most options can be paid by card, though some taxis may only accept cash.)

Included:

• Activities: Free time; Departure (at your own expense)

• Meals: Breakfast