the LOIRE & DORDOGNE
‘Great River Valleys of France’
Walk & Tour
July 10-18, 2011
A fabulous combination of two great river valleys. From the magnificent Chateaux of the Loire to the village hamlets of the Dordogne, this is truly an enchanting program. Our journey takes in the history filled area of old Aquitaine. The Loire Valley offers unparalleled walking. Fields, woodlands,  monasteries and Royal Palaces are all part of a great landscape. The Dordogne offers exceptional beauty. Numerous Bastide hamlets surrounded by vineyards, tobacco fields and undulating rolling scenery allow the traveler to relax in its atmosphere. Both landscapes make for ideal walking with few climbs and can be handled easily by even the most infrequent walkers.
Day 1 July 10 Arrival pick up at Tours International Airport or rail station and transfer to our hotel in the Loire Valley. This evening welcome drinks before dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 2 July 11 From Saumur we walk a riverside path with views across the countryside. Our walk follows the Loire River with a delightful lunch in a small town. Our trek brings us to the exceptional village of Montsoreau. Dinner this evening on the river aboard an ancient barge.
Day 3 July 12 Today is a mixture of walking and sight-seeing. The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is a highlight of the Loire region. Here, Richard the Lion Heart and Eleanor of Aquitane are entombed. We tour the Abbey and grounds and lunch in the lovely village. Our walk today is quite short but filled with exceptional sights. Dinner this evening close to our hotel. 
 Day 4 July 13 Today we depart the Loire and head into the Dordogne region. En route we visit the town of Limoges and the famous Bernardaud Porcelain Factory. Following lunch we continue on to the Dordogne. We center ourselves at the ancient
town of Sarlat. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 5 July 14 This morning we visit the classic medieval fortified village of Domme with an easy walk around the valley overlooking the Dordogne river. Following lunch we visit the nearby village of Le Roque-Gageac with an afternoon boat trip aboard a gabares, a reproduction of the historic flat bottom boats that plied the river. The short cruise includes views of the many ‘chateaux castles’ that were built during the medieval period. Following our boat trip we’ll have time to stroll around Le Roque-Gageac and enjoy dinner alongside the river.
Day 6 July 15 Our walk this morning begins by the Dordogne River and the Chateau Les Milandes, former home of the American performer Josephine Baker. Our circular walk brings us back to Les Milandes and following lunch we tour the Chateau and the museum dedicated to her flamboyant lifestyle. We also visit a nearby falconry center with a display of the bird’s skills. Dinner this evening is at your leisure.
 Day 7 July 16 Today we rest our legs as we use our vans to visit a number of towns and villages in the ‘Poupre’ area so named for the color of the famous grapes of the region. Bergerac and St. Emilion are two of the beautiful towns we visit. Dinner this evening is in St. Emilion.
Day 8 July 17 It’s market day in Serlat and we have time to enjoy the animated atmosphere. With fresh local foods from the market we drive to the nearby Lez Eyzies for an ‘al fresco’ picnic along the trail. Our trail takes us to amazing rock formations and we visit the famous Grottes de Font-de-Gaume. Here we see cave paintings dating back 17,000 years. The museum of ‘pre-history’ offers artifacts and explanations of the period. This evening we dine in Serlat.
Day 9 July 18 Following breakfast we transfer you to Bordeaux International Airport or the main rail station.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Warm days. This is France and the food is terrific – we usually eat al fresco and at great restaurants, wine is included. Hotels are first class and typical of each area. Transportation is by small nine seat, air conditioned vans.
WALKING LEVEL: Short, easy walks of approximately 3 to 6 miles.
TOUR PRICE: $3,070 twin occupancy $1,020 single supplement
Early Bird Bookings: $2,690 twin occupancy $1,020 single supplement
Please book by February 28, 2011
Air is not included. We would be happy to give you information.
BOOKING: Refundable deposit of $750 required to confirm booking (please see Booking and Tour information)
ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE: Arrival in Tours should be no later than 3:00pm. Departure from Bordeaux no earlier than Noon.
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