In December, the Champs-Élysées light up from end to end, from the Concorde to the Étoile. Under the dome of the Galeries Lafayette, a Christmas tree rises toward the stained glass while shoppers look up, bags in hand. Every neighbourhood sets up its Christmas market and the air smells of roasted chestnuts. The stay opens with a panoramic tour of Paris, leaves two almost free days for wandering, then drifts along the Seine on a bateau-mouche.
The road then heads for the Loire Valley. In Blois, the château tells the story of the kings who lived there. Chenonceau keeps the memory of Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de' Medici, and Leonardo da Vinci rests in the small chapel of the château of Amboise. Chambord raises its Renaissance silhouette before a stop at its biscuit factory, then at a Vouvray winemaker. In Tours, the Ursuline convent recalls Marie de l'Incarnation, who left from here to land in Quebec City in 1639.
The journey ends in Chartres, with its Gothic cathedral and monuments the town dresses in light at night. A 9-day escorted tour, guaranteed departure, with 8 meals and well-located hotels.
Highlights:
-Paris during the holidays and its many Christmas markets
-Bateau-mouche cruise on the Seine
-Châteaux of Blois, Chenonceau, Amboise and Chambord
-Wine tasting in Vouvray and the Chambord biscuit factory
-Chartres and its UNESCO-listed cathedral
Accommodation categories:
Paris: Hôtel André Latin 3* or similar
Tours: Hôtel Oceania L'Univers Tours 4* or similar
Chartres: Hôtel Mercure Chartres Centre Cathédrale 4* or similar
The itinerary is subject to change without notice. The final itinerary will be available from your travel advisor!
The displayed rate is for two adults in double occupancy. Other dates, room categories and occupancy types (single, triple or quadruple) may be available. Price available upon request*.
Flights with Air Canada or another carrier
Travel insuranceSynergia network group departures
Advisors in the Voyages Synergia network build their own escorted group departures every year, with limited places. These are trips born of a passion rather than a catalogue: fishing in Guatemala, safari in East Africa, guided expeditions. The list above changes with the seasons.
What sets these departures apart
- A Quebec tour leader who knows the destination and travels with the group
- A restricted number of places, often a few dozen, sometimes fewer than ten
- A clear theme, built around one activity rather than a destination alone
- Fixed dates: you join the departure, you do not build it
How to book
Each departure has its own responsible advisor. Choose the trip that interests you in the list, then reach us through the contact page for remaining places and terms. These departures often fill months ahead.
Other ways to travel as a group
If no date suits you, two other routes exist: organized trips, already built and sold by tour operators, and a custom group, built around your own participants. Voyages AquaTerra holds Quebec permit 702703.
