France
2027

Île de la Cité

Marais wander

Dinner nearby

Collect car from Gare Montparnasse · Drive south

Chartres · Le Café Serpente · Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres

Arrive Le Nessay · Coastal walk around Saint-Briac

Saint-Malo — walk the ramparts and harbour

Dinan — medieval streets and ramparts

Saint-Suliac · Optional: Cancale

Cap Fréhel

Fort La Latte

Scenic coastal driving

Mont-Saint-Michel — early arrival to avoid crowds

Abbaye de Hambye

Return to Le Nessay

Paimpol · Abbaye de Beauport

Jardins de Kerdalo

Castel Meur

Fougères · Vitré

Arrive Domaine des Hauts de Loire

Château de Chambord — open from 9am · the grandest château in the Loire · Da Vinci double-helix staircase · rooftop terrace · allow 2 hrs · book tickets in advance · €31pp (non-EEA)

Château de Cheverny — ~20km south · ~20 min drive · the finest furnished château in the Loire · inspiration for Moulinsart in Tintin · still owned by the Hurault family · allow 1–1.5 hrs

Château de Chenonceau — ~45km east · ~45 min drive · spans the Cher River · the Ladies' Château · allow 1.5–2 hrs · open to 6pm · €19pp · book tickets in advance

Full but very doable day with an early start at Chambord. Drop Cheverny if time is short — Chambord and Chenonceau are the priorities.

Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire — opens 10am in April · château, park and art installations · note the International Garden Festival (the main draw) typically opens late April, so the festival gardens may not yet be running · still worth a visit for the château and grounds · allow 1.5 hrs

Drive to Amboise — ~30km · ~30 min · lunch in town

Château Royal d'Amboise — perched above the Loire · Leonardo da Vinci's tomb in the Saint-Hubert Chapel · Histopad AR tablet included · panoramic views · allow 1.5 hrs · €17pp

Clos Lucé — 10 min walk from the château · Leonardo da Vinci's final home, where he spent his last three years at the invitation of François I · scale models of his inventions · gardens · allow 1 hr

Drive south · approx 3.5 hrs direct · Arrive Sarlat evening

Settle in · Evening wander through Sarlat old town

Sarlat covered market (Église Sainte-Marie) — open daily from April

Jardins d'Eyrignac — 12km from Sarlat · one of France's finest formal gardens · allow 2–3 hrs

Salignac-Eyvigues village — quiet, pretty, good for a late lunch

Jardins de Marqueyssac — 9km · 150,000 hand-pruned boxwoods perched 130m above the Dordogne · open from 10am · allow 2–3 hrs

La Roque-Gageac — riverside lunch · gabarre boat trip on the Dordogne

Beynac-et-Cazenac or Château de Castelnaud (Castelnaud has the better museum)

Birthday dinner in Sarlat — Susan and Stephen to make a reservation

Sarlat Wednesday market — outdoor market through the medieval streets · foie gras, truffles, walnuts, duck

Château des Milandes — Joséphine Baker's restored château · ~20 min from Sarlat

Cingle de Trémolat — dramatic Dordogne river meander seen from above

Domme Thursday market · hilltop bastide · sweeping Dordogne views · ramparts · Belvédère de la Barre · Porte des Tours (Templar graffiti)

Monpazier Thursday market · ~45 min south · arguably the finest bastide in France · arcaded central square

Sarlat → Château de la Treyne · approx 45 min

Walk the formal gardens and grounds · Dordogne views from the cliff terrace

Dinner at the château — Michelin-starred restaurant on the terrace or in the Louis XIII salon

Saint-Cirq-Lapopie — arrive early · perched dramatically above the Lot · one of France's most beautiful villages

Cliff road west along the Lot — Calvignac · Château de Cénevières · Bouziés towpath cut into the cliff face

Cahors — Saturday market at the cathedral gates · Pont Valentré · medieval old town · long lunch

Puy-l'Évêque — terraced medieval town above the Lot · hanging gardens · vineyard views (optional)

Gramat Sunday market · ~25 min from hotel · local and unhurried · Rocamadour cheeses and regional produce

Carennac — medieval priory village on the Dordogne · Romanesque cloister · very quiet in April

Autoire — tiny valley village under limestone cliffs · waterfall · medieval houses · ruined château

Loubressac — perched hilltop · panoramic views over three river valleys

Return to the château · last night of the trip

Château de la Treyne → Bordeaux Airport · approx 2.5 hrs

Château de Bonaguil — en route · late medieval castle in woodland · off the tourist trail

Return car at Bordeaux Airport (BOD) · then Vueling YV2913 Bordeaux → Barcelona · departs 12:50 · arrives 14:05

Arrive Barcelona 14:05 · check in · no agenda · wander, eat, decompress

Free day in Barcelona · Las Ramblas · Gothic Quarter · Barceloneta · tapas · whatever takes your fancy

SQ387 · Barcelona → Singapore → Sydney · departs 11:55