Secret France small group tour

Upon arrival in Zurich we will come to the hotel individually. Our tour begins with a welcome meeting at the hotel followed by dinner. (D)

After breakfast we board our coach and head for Geneva, where we will stop and have the opportunity to explore the city. We will then continue on to the town of La Clusaz, nestled high in the mountains of the Aravis range in Haute Savoie (Upper Savoy), which will be our base for the next five nights. We will arrive in time for dinner at a local restaurant, where we can try the region's famed cuisine. (B) (D)

We travel by coach to Annecy, where we will walk around the city before taking a cruise around the crystal-clear, spring-water fed lake. We will have time for lunch at a local restaurant, after which we will drive up to the 13th-century Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard, which stands guard over the lake and offers views across the region. (B) (L)

Today we will have a walking tour of Le Grand Bornard, and then will be able to visit the Maison du Patrimoine. (B) (L)

We will visit the ski resort town of Chamonix and the picturesque Montenvers rack-railway which runs from the town to an altitude of 1913 metres. From its upper terminus, we can walk on a small part of the Mont Blanc Massif and, if conditions permit, those adventurous enough have the opportunity to visit the cave carved inside the Glacier itself. We'll pause along the way to enjoy a packed lunch with a view. We return to our hotel in time for dinner. (B) (L) (D)

Since ancient times, the upper valleys of the Rhône and Lake Léman (also called Lake Geneva and through which the French/Swiss border runs), have allowed for a route through the Alps between Italy and France. Today we also visit Yvoire and Thonon-les-Bains. (B) (L)

En route to the Haute Loire region, we visit Chambéry which was once the capital of Savoie and a staging post on the way to Italy from France. The city is still the gateway to many of the skiing resorts in the Alps. We also stop for a guided tour of the city of Lyon – in former times a major centre of the silk industry in France, before travelling to Montfaucon. (B) (D)

Right in the middle of the Massif Central, Le Puy-en-Velay is one of the most remarkable-looking towns in France. Set in the middle of a basin surrounded by spectacular basalt plateaux and peaks, its own towering peaks – each with a distinctive church or statue - appear to be playthings tossed up from deep within the earth by giants. After our guided tour of Le Puy, we visit St. Michael d'Aiguihle. (B) (L)

Our first stop will be the small town of Tence on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, with its small Penitents’ Chapel followed by lunch in a local restarurant and some free time to explore the town on your own. (B) (L)

The rural region of Saint-Agrève is located between the high Doux and Eyrieux valleys and the Haut-Lignon plateau. We will visit the ski resort of Lalouvesc and Lamastre, a small town located southeast of France in the Ardèche. Then we will see Montfaucon-de-Velay and its celebrated chateau. (B) (L)

En route to our next destination we stop at the magnificent new creation of Lord Norman Foster, the viaduct of Millau. Later we explore the city of Rodez with our guide, capital of the Aveyron Department with its famous grey-rose cathedral before travelling to Figeac. (B) (D)

Today we will travel to the nearby town of Figeac where we enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. We'll then continue to Cordes sur Ciel (Cordes on the sky), which was renamed in recent times because of the way it rises above low lying mists on winter mornings. Here we meet our local guide for a walking tour. (B) (L)

Today we transfer to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, perched on a cliff overlooking a meander of the River Lot and is a masterpiece of medieval architecture. We also visit Cahors, popular with writers and artists over the centuries. (B) (L)

We will spend a morning in the medieval hilltop town of Najac with its spectacular castle. The afternoon will be spent in the city of Albi with visits to the magnificent Cathedral of Ste Cécile and the renowned Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. (B) (L) (D)

We will take visits to the Bastide towns of Villefranche de Rouergue (with its market) and Sauveterre de Rouergue, as well as continue the Toulouse-Lautrec theme as we visit his family home, Château de Bosc, at Naucelle. (B) (L)

Conques (pronounced "conk" and named for the shell-shaped structure of the land) is home to a magnificent Romanesque church and the only medieval shrine that still survives intact on the pilgrimage route across the Pyrénées to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. We begin our guided walking tour visiting St. Foy Church and the Treasury. (B) (L)

Our "en route" stops today will include the rose-red city of Toulouse and the modern pilgrimage site of Lourdes, one of the Europe’s great shrines and centres of spiritual and natural healing. (B) (D)

From the Basque town of Sare we will explore Cambo-les-Bains, a spa town in the French Basque country, which pioneered cures for respiratory disease, and the home of Edmond Rostand, author of "Cyrano de Bergerac." Throughout our visit to Cambo-les-Brains we learn about Basque cakes. We also explore the picturesque town of Ainhoa, regarded as "one of the most beautiful villages in France." (B) (L) (D)

After our city tour of San Sebastián, the capital of the Basques in Spain, we visit Iglesa de Santa Maria. After lunch we continue to Pamplona, the place of the running of the bulls in Spain, for a guided visit. (B) (L)

We board the train to the fabled La Rhune mountain in the heart of the Basque country, and explore the fishing port of St Jean de Luz where we take lunch at a local restaurant. We return to Sare and explore the Grottes de Sare later in the afternoon followed by dinner at the hotel. (B) (D)

Today we complete our exploration of the Basque country with time in the town of St Jean Pied de Port at the base of the Roncevaux Pass, one of the traditional crossing points of the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostella in Spain. We also pause to view St. Etienne de Baigorry on our way back to Sare. (B) (L)

Today we will make the journey across to Daz. On the way we will stop off to visit the Anglet where Pelota gloves are manufactured, and then the city of Biarritz (French capital of the Basques), where we will have a guided tour of the beach side town. We will then continue straight to Dax, in time for dinner at our hotel. (B) (D)

Our next stop is St. Emilion, where we will have a guided tour of the underground church, which was carved out of surrounding limestone. We then travel on to Tours. (B)

Today we will continue our journey north to Paris, stopping at Azay-le-Rideau and visit the UNESCO listed Chambord Castle. We continue to Orleans and have some time to view the town before pressing on to Paris where we'll enjoy our farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B) (D)

Our tour ends after breakfast. (B)