Normandy Heritage & Lifestyle, a 3-day Exclusive Tour departing from Paris

Giverny, the village which Claude Monet supreme impressionist master as well as American artists fell in love with.
The painters found a source of inspiration in such a beautiful environment of chalk cliffs, fields, rivers, and light. Claude Monet lived in Giverny for almost 43 years (1883-1926). With an unlimited passion for gardening and colors, the Master designed his flower and water gardens like works of art. In walking through the house and gardens, you feel the atmosphere that reigned at Monet’s home and the marvel at the floral compositions and, his greatest source of inspiration. You will visit his house, gardens and Japanese prints collection. The passion Monet felt for Japan led him to introduce Japanese touches into the completely original universe he had created in Giverny. The inspiration he drew from the Japanese art of gardens is clearly visible in the planning of the pond which he transformed into a spectacular « water garden » (elements of vegetation, water Lily pond, etc).

Bayeux is a well preserved town with typical streets, medieval houses, water mills and well-known with the Unesco-listed tapestry depicting the Norman conquest of England in 1066. This exceptionally ambitious piece of craftsmanship, measuring over 230ft (70m) in length, was most likely ordered by William the Conqueror’s half-brother, the warring Bishop Odo of Bayeux.
Bayeux is 6 miles away to the D-Day sites. During the world War II, Bayeux was extremely fortunate to avoid most of the destruction and tragedy following D-Day that other Normandy towns such as Caen suffered.

D-Day Sites ∼ Via large or small screen, we all think we know the Normandy landing beaches, stretching from Utah Beach to Sword Beach west to east, But nothing quite prepares you for a walk on the sites. All of them have significant museums in which to discover their riveting stories. The fifty-four miles of coast are littered with WWII museums, monuments, cemeteries and battle remains left in tribute to the courage of British, Canadian and American armies that successfully carried out the largest military operation in history: D-Day. On these serene beaches, at the crack dawn on June 6, 1944, the Allies finally gained a foothold in France. From this moment, Nazi Europe was destined to crumble. Pointe du Hoc is a D-Day tale of courage and resilience, a site where US Rangers scaled the sheer cliff-face (using rope ladders) to seize the German fortification here, four miles west of Omaha beach. You will visit Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc and the WWII Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, the resting place for nearly 10,000 Americans who died on the nearby beaches.

Pays d’Auge with its stunning countryside villages are well known for stud farms, cheeses and apple groves, brandy distilleries, and quaint villages with half-timbered houses. The itinerary follows a part of the Cider Route through Beuvron-en-Auge, Cambremer, Bonnebosq, etc. All along winding roads, you will enjoy the charm of the countryside, pastures, orchards, chateaux and manor houses.

Honfleur is as historic as artistic. One of the major port at the 17th century, this little seaside town features remarkable architectural heritage still today with its inland harbor lined with slate-covered frontage houses, an impressing former salt storage building “Grenier à Sel”, narrow cobble-stone streets with antique and designer shops, art galleries, and very good restaurants. Honfleur is the birth place of Eugene Boudin, 19-year older than Monet, one of the most influencing impressionist master who was the first one to take his easel outside and paint the landscapes live.