Paris, Versailles and Fontainebleau Chateau

Itinerary

Paris, Palace of Versailles & Fontainebleau Chateau

Day 1, Travel from Shropshire to Paris, via Eurostar from St Pancras International Station

We will leave Shrewsbury at 07.00 and be in Versailles for dinner!

Join the Lakeside coach at one of our pick-up points for the transfer to St Pancras International Station, London. From here we will travel by Eurostar Plus to Paris which includes at seat service for food and drinks. A local coach company will meet us at the station for our transfer to our hotel.

Experience a comfortable French small-city atmosphere at our hotel in the town of Versailles, a great place to visit in its own right and perfect for an evening stroll.

After checking-in we will meet up for pre-diner drinks and a set menu dinner.

Day 2, A day at Versailles Palace, Garden & Estate

A short walk from the hotel is the Palace of Versailles, where we will spend the day. The Chateau of Versailles, the Palaces of Trianon and the park of the Château covers over 800 hectares. After a guided tour of the palace you are free to explore the estate at your leisure.

About the Palace of Versailles

Listed as a world heritage site in 1979, the Palace of Versailles is one of the greatest achievements in French 17^th century art. Louis XIII’s old hunting pavilion was transformed and extended by his son, Louis XIV, when he installed the Court and government there in 1682. A succession of kings continued to embellish the Palace up until the French Revolution. The most famous room in the Palace, the Hall of Mirrors, is an astonishing 73m long paying tribute to the political, economic and artistic success of France.

The Grand Trianon was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1670 to get away from the arduous pomp of life in the court and to pursue his affair with Madame de Montespan and is perhaps the most refined architectural ensemble found on the royal estate of Versailles.

The creation and renovation of the gardens of Versailles, were considered just as important as the Palace. From the central window in the Hall of Mirrors you can see the Grande Perspective stretching away towards the horizon from the Water Parterre along the grand canal. Throughout the gardens you can see grand fountains and water features, parterres and sculptures.

Dinner will be taken at the hotel this evening.

Days 3 & 5, two days exploring Paris

Both days will be a combination of a city coach tour taking in the iconic sites of Paris and a guided walking tour. We will also have timed tickets to visit the destinations shown below.

Paris at night is all part of the experience and we will stay in the city for our evening meals. One evening will be dinner on the river Seine and the other we will have dinner at a family restaurant in Montmartre.

Palais du Louvre. Rambling over four floors and through three wings, explore the former palace of the kings of France, now the largest museum in the world. Dive into its collection, encompassing nearly 10,000 years of art history, including some of the best known works ever created in palatial surroundings.

A garden at the heart of The Louvre, The Carrousel and Tuileries Gardens, are an integral part of the National Estate. Enjoy a stroll through the garden that was once a royal and imperial family playground, where young king Louis XIII hunted quail and crows and the son of Napoleon I played in the walkways.

Notre-Dame Cathedral. In April 2019, a devastating fire caused extensive damage to the cathedral, destroying its roof and iconic spire. After years of restoration, which are still ongoing, visitors can once again see the grandeur and beauty of Notre-Dame de Paris. France’s best preserved medieval cathedral was built in the Gothic style during the early 13th century, with construction taking just 30 years. In 1991, UNESCO designated the Cathedral as a World Heritage site.

The Musée d’Orsay, set in a magnificent former railway station is the place some of the world’s most celebrated paintings by impressionists, postimpressionist and art nouveau artists. The museum’s cavernous styled galleries are as dazzling as the art itself.

Musee de l’Orangerie, is home to eight of Monet’s enormous, ethereal Water Lilies canvases housed in two, purpose-built oval rooms. Also, see works by other important early modern artists including Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso and Renoir.

Montmartre is a quaint neighborhood with cobblestones, sidewalk cafés, galleries, and some of the most splendid views of Paris. Montmartre feels like its own little world—a mix of Parisian charm and quirky village, where Paris shows its artistic, bohemian heart.

The Sacré-Cœur, sitting high on Montmartre’s hill offers unbeatable city views. Built in the late 19th century, its bright white facade and iconic domes stand out as a defining feature of the Parisian skyline. Inside, the basilica is just as impressive. Wander through its serene interior and intricate stained-glass windows, or climb the bell tower for panoramic views that are worth every step.

Day 4, A day at Fontainebleau Chateau & Gardens

With so much to see we will spend a day at Fontainebleau. After a guided tour of the Chateau you are free to explore this extraordinary palace and gardens.

Fontainebleau Chateau is not just one monarch’s palace, it belonged to the kings of France, passed down from generation to generation from the Middle Ages to the 19^th century. Sitting in a 130 hectare estate, the various buildings forming the château are spread over four main courtyards, three gardens and a park. A diverse range of shapes, colours and buildings, reflect the tastes of the different eras in which they were built.

While the medieval origins of the castle are still visible in the former keep, the palace was completely rebuilt into a large Italianate palace and to this day the château retains decoration and ornamentation from the French Renaissance. Work on the castle continued until it became the Imperial palace after the Revolution, offering an insight into several centuries of French history, power, taste and the arts.

This succession of architectural styles unfolds throughout the gardens, which were completely redesigned during the 19^th century: the Diana garden and the English garden were designed in the style of English landscape gardens. The classical Grand Parterre by André Le Nôtre (1660-1664), with its 14 hectares of French-style formal gardens, offers a totally different experience in terms of space and perspectives. It extends, beyond the Bassin des Cascades, with a long park that Henri IV’s grand canal cuts through for its entire length.

Dinner will be at the hotel this evening.

Day 6, traveling from Paris to Shropshire

Provisional timing for departing the hotel is 09.00 we will go directly to the station to catch the Eurostar from Paris to London, St Pancras where we will be met by Lakeside coaches. Making our way back to Shropshire we will stop for comfort breaks en route.

Booking your place

Two people sharing a twin or double room is £2, 670 per person. A supplement for sole occupancy of a double room is £430.

£150 non-refundable deposit is payable on booking. Full payment is due 14 weeks before departure.

Please look at the Hotel Information section further down this page.

Accessibility & Mobility

During this tour you will need to be able to:

Transfer your luggage from the coach at St Pancras station, through the international terminal and onto the train
On arrival in Paris, to transfer your luggage from the train, through the terminal to the coach outside the station
Porterage is available at the hotel
Each day includes a certain amount of walking
Montmartre is described in the guide books as ‘steep and stair-lined’, however we will see part of the area fby coach.

Do call Jacky to discuss in more detail.

Travel arrangements

Departing Shrewsbury 07.00 on Monday 7 September and arriving back in Shrewsbury at 20.00 on Saturday 12 September. All timings are provisional and will be confirmed 7-days before travel.

The itinerary

On occasion we may need to make changes to the planned itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control. If this does happen we will get in touch to let you know the alternative arrangements.

Insurance & Travel Documents

For this trip you are required to bring your passport and take out your own personal comprehensive holiday insurance the is suitable for your needs. You will need cover for personal injury and personal liability, also for medical and repatriation costs. You may also want cover for cancelation expenses, delays, loss of luggage, money and valuables and legal expenses.

A note on currency fluctuations

The price for this tour is based on current exchange rates between sterling and the Euro and may be subject to change with currency fluctuations. If necessary the revised fees will be recalculated and fixed based on the exchange rate(s) ruling at the time your final balance invoice is issued approximately 14 weeks before the tour. Wisteria Tours will inform customers should the situation arise.

And finally…

We have an ‘All Weather Policy’ which means the tour will go ahead come rain or shine unless the Met Office announces it is unsafe to travel. You are advised to check the weather forecast and bring appropriate clothing and footwear.

Novotel Chateau de Versailles

Novotel Chateau de Versailles

Our hotel is just 22 km southwest of Paris, and offers a comfortable French small-city atmosphere and a wonderful market, making it a great place to visit in its own right and perfect for an evening stroll.

Just 20 minutes walk from the Château de Versailles, the town developed around the 17th-century Palace and has a rich history, including being the cradle of the French Revolution.