Learn more about France

Enjoy a daytrip to the seashore, where Brittany meets Normandy, and discover the secrets of Mont Saint Michel, dubbed the “Merveille de l’Occident” (the gem of the western world), located in a huge bay where some of the highest tides in Europe occur. Visit the Abbey and enjoy its medieval architecture (11th - 16th centuries). Step into the past as you walk along the city walls of Saint Malo, and learn more about the famous ship-owners such as Jacques Cartier and Robert Surcouf, before treating yourself to a savoury crêpe and a bowl of cider. 

Embark on a daytrip to the Normandy coast to see the landing beaches and relive D-Day: Omaha Beach, the American war cemetery of Colleville-sur-mer, the Mémorial de Caen, a museum and war memorial commemorating World War II and recounting the history of the peace process.

Follow in the footsteps of history during a one-day trip to the Château de Chambord, the largest in the Loire Valley, and its surrounding hunting park. Enjoy the French renaissance style furniture and architecture dating back to the reign of François 1er. Follow on with the Château de Chenonceau, called the “Château des Dames”, overlooking the river Cher. This is the second most visited French château after Versailles.

Make the most of your stay in Angers and explore the hidden treasures of the region. Did you know about the underground dwellings carved out of limestone rock? Visit the village of Rochemenier and you will understand what “troglodytic” means. See more of the local heritage and call in at the “Fontevraud Abbey”, the largest monastic community in Europe, hosting the graves of King Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lion Heart. In the evening, enjoy a dinner in a troglodytic restaurant and taste the local speciality: the fouées!

A daytrip to the Normandy village of Giverny and the museum of impressionism to learn more about the impressionist movement. The museum traces the development and rise of the movement and its influences throughout the world, and particularly its impact on 20th century art. Since 2012, an exhibition named “Autour de Claude Monet” (“Around Claude Monet”) has been devoted to the illustrious father of impressionism and the Giverny art colony that settled along the valley of the river Seine.  

Take delight in an evening at the Cinescénie du Puy du Fou in Vendée. With an audience of more than 11 million, 1,200 actors, 24,000 costumes, this sound and light show (duration: 1h40, covering an area of 23 hectares) traces back the history of the Vendée through the saga of a local family from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

The Golfe du Morbihan, a little inland sea of 12,000 hectares (mor bihan means little sea in Breton) was flooded by the Atlantic Ocean thousands of years ago. A boat tour around its many islands is a fascinating experience that will allow you to discover the local wildlife. A trip to the Gulf is also an opportunity to see megaliths such as dolmens, menhirs (standing stones) and cairns. Finish your day with a walk around the pedestrian streets of the beautiful Breton city of Vannes.