Private Travel Itinerary

France
2027

Paris · Brittany · Loire Valley · Sarlat · Lot Valley
Depart Sydney
Wed 24 March
—
Return Sydney
Mon 12 April
—
Duration
18 nights
Trip at a Glance
Paris
2 nights
Paris
Hôtel Brighton
25–27 Mar
 Brittany
5 nights
Brittany
Le Nessay
27 Mar – 1 Apr
 Loire Valley
3 nights
Loire Valley
Domaine des Hauts de Loire
1–4 Apr
 Sarlat
5 nights
Sarlat
Les Cordeliers
4–9 Apr
 Lot Valley
3 nights
Lot Valley
Château de la Treyne
9–12 Apr
Region 1 of 5

Paris

Arrival · Two nights in the heart of the city
Paris
Hôtel Brighton
Hotel · Paris
Hôtel Brighton
Rue de Rivoli · Opposite the Tuileries Gardens
Deluxe room with Paris / Tuileries outlook · approx 23–28 m²
Visit hotel website
2 nights
25–27 March
Louvre Paris streets Notre-Dame
Thu 25 Mar
Arrival
+
Afternoon
Arrive Paris Charles de Gaulle · Transfer to hotel · Light recovery walk
Evening
Tuileries · Seine · Palais Royal
Fri 26 Mar
Paris
+
Morning
Île de la Cité
Afternoon
Marais wander
Evening
Dinner nearby
Sat 27 Mar
Drive to Brittany via Chartres
+
Morning
Collect car from Gare Montparnasse · Drive south
Lunch Stop
Chartres · Le Café Serpente · Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres
Evening
Arrive Le Nessay · Coastal walk around Saint-Briac
Region 2 of 5

Brittany

Five nights on the Côte d'Émeraude · Easter week
Brittany
Le Nessay
Hotel · Brittany
Le Nessay
Saint-Briac-sur-Mer · Côte d'Émeraude
Boutique hotel with sea views and spa
Visit hotel website
5 nights
27 Mar – 1 Apr
Saint-Malo Mont-Saint-Michel Dinan
Saint-Malo · Mont-Saint-Michel · Dinan
Sun 28 Mar
Saint-Malo & Dinan
+
Morning
Saint-Malo — walk the ramparts and harbour
Late Morning
Dinan — medieval streets and ramparts
Late Afternoon
Saint-Suliac · Optional: Cancale
Easter Sunday — crowds expected in coastal towns. Start early for Saint-Malo.
Mon 29 Mar
Cap Fréhel Coast
+
Morning
Cap Fréhel
Visit
Fort La Latte
Afternoon
Scenic coastal driving
Easter Monday — outdoor coastal day, clear of closures and crowds.
Tue 30 Mar
Mont-Saint-Michel + Abbaye de Hambye
+
Morning
Mont-Saint-Michel — early arrival to avoid crowds
Afternoon
Abbaye de Hambye
Evening
Return to Le Nessay
Wed 31 Mar
Paimpol & Gardens
+
Morning
Paimpol · Abbaye de Beauport
Afternoon
Jardins de Kerdalo
Optional
Castel Meur
⚠ Confirm Jardins de Kerdalo 2027 opening dates — late March may be marginal.
Thu 1 Apr
Drive to Loire Valley
+
Stops en Route
Fougères · Vitré
Evening
Arrive Domaine des Hauts de Loire
Region 3 of 5

Loire Valley

Three nights · Châteaux, gardens and river towns
Chambord
Domaine des Hauts de Loire
Hotel · Loire Valley
Domaine des Hauts de Loire
Onzain · Relais & Châteaux
Elegant manor house amid parkland
Visit hotel website
3 nights
1–4 April
Chambord Chenonceau Amboise
Chambord · Chenonceau · Amboise
Fri 2 Apr
Major Châteaux
+
Château de Chambord
Château de Chenonceau
Sat 3 Apr
Gardens & Historic Towns
+
Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire
Amboise
Sun 4 Apr
Drive to Sarlat
+
Drive south · approx 3.5 hrs direct · Arrive Sarlat evening
Region 4 of 5

Sarlat

Five nights in the Périgord Noir · Dordogne Valley
Sarlat
Les Cordeliers
Hotel · Sarlat
Les Cordeliers
Sarlat-la-Canéda · Boutique chambres d'hôtes
Hosts Susan & Stephen · Central medieval location
Visit hotel website
5 nights
4–9 April
La Roque-Gageac Castelnaud Monpazier
La Roque-Gageac · Château de Castelnaud · Monpazier
Sun 4 Apr
Arrival
+
Evening
Settle in · Evening wander through Sarlat old town
Mon 5 Apr
Gardens & Villages
+
Morning
Sarlat covered market (Église Sainte-Marie) — open daily from April
Mid-Morning
Jardins d'Eyrignac — 12km from Sarlat · one of France's finest formal gardens · allow 2–3 hrs
Afternoon
Salignac-Eyvigues village — quiet, pretty, good for a late lunch
Tue 6 Apr
Birthday — The Dordogne River Corridor 🎂
+
Morning
Jardins de Marqueyssac — 9km · 150,000 hand-pruned boxwoods perched 130m above the Dordogne · open from 10am · allow 2–3 hrs
Lunch
La Roque-Gageac — riverside lunch · gabarre boat trip on the Dordogne
Afternoon
Beynac-et-Cazenac or Château de Castelnaud (Castelnaud has the better museum)
Evening
Birthday dinner in Sarlat — Susan and Stephen to make a reservation
Wed 7 Apr
Sarlat Market + Milandes + Trémolat
+
Morning
Sarlat Wednesday market — outdoor market through the medieval streets · foie gras, truffles, walnuts, duck
Afternoon
Château des Milandes — Joséphine Baker's restored château · ~20 min from Sarlat
Late Afternoon
Cingle de Trémolat — dramatic Dordogne river meander seen from above
Thu 8 Apr
Two Bastide Markets — Domme & Monpazier
+
Morning
Domme Thursday market · hilltop bastide · sweeping Dordogne views · ramparts · Belvédère de la Barre · Porte des Tours (Templar graffiti)
Afternoon
Monpazier Thursday market · ~45 min south · arguably the finest bastide in France · arcaded central square
Region 5 of 5

Lot Valley

Three nights · Quercy · The final chapter
Lot Valley
Château de la Treyne
Hotel · Lot Valley
Château de la Treyne
Lacave · Relais & Châteaux · Michelin-starred dining
Perched on a cliff above the Dordogne · formal gardens · 120ha forest
Visit hotel website
3 nights
9–12 April
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie Cahors Autoire
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie · Cahors Pont Valentré · Autoire
Fri 9 Apr
Arrival + Cardaillac + Figeac
+
Drive
Sarlat → Château de la Treyne · approx 45 min · check in · drop luggage
Afternoon
Cardaillac — ~55 min east · Most Beautiful Village of France · fortified medieval towers on a rocky spur
Late Afternoon
Figeac — medieval market town · birthplace of Champollion · Place des Écritures with giant Rosetta Stone replica · medieval streets · allow 2 hrs
Evening
Return to château · Michelin-starred dinner on the terrace or in the Louis XIII salon
Sat 10 Apr
The Lot River — Saint-Cirq to Puy-l'Évêque
+
Morning
Saint-Cirq-Lapopie — arrive early · perched dramatically above the Lot · one of France's most beautiful villages
Scenic Drive
Cliff road west along the Lot — Calvignac · Château de Cénevières · Bouziés towpath cut into the cliff face
Mid-Morning
Cahors — Saturday market at the cathedral gates · Pont Valentré · medieval old town · long lunch
Late Afternoon
Puy-l'Évêque — terraced medieval town above the Lot · hanging gardens · vineyard views (optional)
Sun 11 Apr
Gramat Market + Carennac + Autoire + Marcilhac
+
Morning
Gramat Sunday market · ~25 min from hotel · local and unhurried · Rocamadour cheeses and regional produce
Mid-Morning
Carennac — medieval priory village on the Dordogne · Romanesque cloister · Fénelon wrote Télémaque here · very quiet in April
Afternoon
Autoire — tiny valley village under limestone cliffs · waterfall · medieval houses · ruined château
Late Afternoon
Marcilhac-sur-Célé — 9th-century Benedictine abbey ruins at the foot of golden cliffs · half-timbered houses · quiet river · perfect final stop
Evening
Return to château · last night of the trip
Mon 12 Apr
Drive to Toulouse · Fly Home
+
Drive
Château de la Treyne → Toulouse · approx 2 hrs
Optional Stop
Château de Bonaguil — en route · late medieval castle in woodland · off the tourist trail
Drop-off
Return car at Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau
Flights & Transport
Outbound Flight
Wed 24 Mar · Sydney → Singapore → Paris CDG
Arrive Thu 25 Mar
Airline
Singapore Airlines · KrisFlyer points
Return — Two Options Open
Option A
Paris → Singapore → Sydney
Train Toulouse → Paris first
Option B
Barcelona → Singapore → Sydney
Separate intra-Europe flight · avoids backtracking
Car Hire
Provider
Avis · Automatic transmission
Insurance
Amex Platinum travel insurance
Verify terms before travel
Pickup
Gare Montparnasse, Paris
Sat 27 March 2027
Drop-off
Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau
Mon 12 April 2027
⚠ One-way drop fee: Avis will charge a relocation fee for Paris → Toulouse. Budget €200–400+. Confirm before booking.

⚠ Amex Platinum: Confirm coverage applies in France, covers the full duration, and that you must decline the rental company's CDW at the counter.
Still to Confirm
Booking Priority
Resolved