Why France? Oooh…because we love croissants and cheese and standing amongst some of the greatest works of art in the world. France is a perfect country for quaint little villages and sweet forest edges were birds reside. There is no better way to describe France than a brilliant combination of culture and natural beauty; from the rugged coast of Brittany to the most beautiful castles in the world, France is amazing.

We start out this 20 day trip with a little time in Paris before we head out in search of birds. We will spend ten days birding in Brittany where we will search the coastal villages for birds, walk through the forests of King Arthur and visit beautiful medieval villages. Next we head to the Loire Valley where you will find some of the greatest castles and gardens of the world. You will also find birds! At the end of the trip, we will spend a few days in Paris drowning ourselves in art and food. Voila!!

Highlights: 1) Birding along the Brittany coast at the edges of small fishing villages. 2) Walking ancient medieval village paths in search of birds and ghosts! 3) Walking through amazing castles.

Printable Bird List
(This is a list of the birds that we have seen on this trip)

Travel Dates:
2009: April 14 – May 3

Group Size:
7 Travelers plus guides

Trip Length:
20 Days

Rates:
Rate per Person = $3,465 (based on double occupancy)
Rate for Single = $3,960

Rates are:
Inclusive: Domestic transfers and transportation, lodging, breakfast, lunch, dinner on days 2 & 18, group tours, entrance fees & Access America Deluxe with trip cancelation travel insurance.

Exclusive: International airfare, customs & immigration fees and visas, dinner on days 3 - 17, alcohol, personal expenses such as souvenirs and expenses relating to personal choices during free time, tips for guides.

You should budget approximately $300 - $500 for meals not included in tour.  If you prefer fine dining, you should budget more. 

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Paris (fly day)
Flights usually leave in the evening, so we will be arriving in Paris the morning of day two.

Day 2: Arrive in Paris (travel & birding day)
Late morning arrival in Paris; we will try and coordinate our flights to arrive together. We always find very special and unique hotels for our stay. In the afternoon we will have time to check out a good birding spot: Pere Lachaise Cemetery (great virtual tour). Besides being the resting place for numerous great artists and composers, including Chopin, Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison, it is also an excellent place to see birds.

Day 3: Paris ( culture & birding day)
We will spend the morning at the Bois de Boulogne, which is a 2,100 acre park with woods and gardens just on the western edge of Paris. There will be good bird sightings here. In the afternoon we will have time to walk down the Champs Élysées and see the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. 

Day 4: Mont Saint Michel, Normandy (travel, culture & shopping day)
An early train and bus will take us to Mont Saint Michel. This ancient and massive abbey is a sight to see. We will be staying within the walls of the 1200 year old complex. The abbey is built on an island that is revealed when the tide comes in.

Day 5: Saint Suliac (travel & leisure day)
Along the River Rance in Brittany is the fishing village of Saint Suliac.  We will be staying at La Goélette bed & breakfast. 

Day 6: Saint Suliac (birding & adventure day)
Saint Suliac is a quaint village for nice walks and birds. We will be spending the day in search of birds and adventure!

Day 7:  St-Malo (birding & shopping day)
St-Malo is a walled fortress and city.  Construction of this amazing place began in the 12th century.  There will be plenty of walking and sights to see.  This is also a great town for shopping

Day 8: Perros-Guirec (travel & leisure day)
A 2 hour train ride will get us to the fishing village of Perros-Guirec. Located on the northern coast of Brittany, this little village has great hikes and birding areas. We will be staying at the Gulf Stream Hotel.

Day 9: Perros-Guirec (birding & advenutre day)
On this day, we will be taking a boat tour out to Les Sept-Isles for some great birding.

Day 10: Perros-Guirec (birding & adventure day)
We will spend the day hiking and exploring the coast for birds and adventure!
www.chez.com/hirbec/perros.htm

Day 11: Huelgoat (travel & leisure day)
After a 1 hour train ride and a 1 hour bus ride, we will find ourselves in the small town of Huelgoat. Huelgoat is at the eastern edge of Parc Naturel Regional D’Armorique. This park covers a total of 270,000 acres. The area near Huelgoat is called Monts d’Arree. According to legend, this mystical and enchanting forest is said to be where King Arthur and Merlin found great treasures and where fairies still can be seen in the moonlight! We will be staying at the Hotel du Lac.

Day 12: Huelgoat (birding & adventure day)
We will explore the Huelgoat forest. Along with unique birds, there are a lot of interesting geological and historic sites. In this area there is archeological evidence of Roman encampment.

Day 13: Huelgoat (birding & adventure day)
Another day for birds & adventure! There are many miles of wonderful walking trails and rock formations to explore.  There is also a beautiful lake which is good for bird sightings. 

Day 14: Quimper (travel & shopping day)
A one hour bus ride and a two and a half hour train ride will take us to Quimper, a wonderful small town for walking and exploring. We will be staying at the Hotel Gradlon, a very charming place.

Day 15: Amboise (travel & leisure day)
A two and a half hour train ride through the French countryside will bring us to Amboise in the heart of the Loire Valley. We will be staying at Le Clos d’Amboise. Above the town is the Chateau de Amboise.

Day 165: Amboise (castle & birding day)
We will visit two sites: La Pagode de Chanteloup, and Chateau de Chenonceau

Day 17: Amboise (castle & birding day)
Two more magnificent castle and gardens to see: Chateau Chambord & Chateau Cheverny.

Day 18: Paris (travel & culture day)
From Amboise it is a 2 hour train ride back to Paris.  We will have time in the afternoon to check out some classic Paris sights, like the Rodin Museum, Invalides and the Catacombs of Paris. 

Day 19: Paris (art & shopping day)
There are many museums to choose from such as the Louvre and the D’Orsay.  If you prefer we can also spend the day visiting Versailles. 

Day 20: Fly Home (tears & smile day)
Flights usually leave in the morning, so getting to the airport and getting home is our only activity for the day.

Please note: The lodging described in this itinerary is always our first choice based on availability. If we must book with our second choice, the lodging type and style is comparable.

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