Grand Tour of France
16 days | 18 days with Paris extension
Discover the many sides of France.
Travel from the culinary capital of Lyon to the iconic city of Paris, and through the plethora of charming medieval villages and coastal Riviera towns in-between. This grand tour is your chance to eat, drink, and sightsee your way through this dynamic country.
Your tour package includes
- 14 nights in handpicked hotels
- 14 breakfasts
- 1 lunch
- 5 dinners with beer or wine
- 1 tasting
- 14 guided sightseeing tours
- Expert Tour Director & local guides
- Private deluxe motor coach
Included highlights
- Pont du Gard
- Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière
- Arles
- Carcassone
- Bordeaux
- Château country
- Mont-Saint-Michel
- Eiffel Tower photo stop
Itinerary
Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day
Board your overnight flight to Lyon today.
Lyon2 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Lyon
Included meal: Welcome dinner
Welcome to France! Get to know your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight's welcome dinner, featuring traditional Lyonnaise cuisine at one of the cities twenty-two certified bouchons.
Reviews
Hotels
We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
Hôtel Mercure Lyon Centre Saxe Lafayette
This contemporary hotel is located in the business district of Lyon. Guests enjoy a restaurant, bar, and fitness center. Nearby, you’ll find UNESCO-listed historic sites, the Presqu’île district, and the Part-Dieu train station.
Mercure Pont d'Avignon
This charming hotel is located in Avignon. Guests enjoy the fitness center, on-site restaurant, and outdoor terrace. Nearby you'll find Pont d'Avignon, the Papal Palace, and Jardin des Doms.
Hôtel Mercure Nice Centre Notre-Dame
This vibrant hotel is located in the heart of Nice’s city center. Guests enjoy the rooftop pool with panoramic views of the city, rooftop bar, fitness center. Nearby, you’ll find the Promenade des Anglais, the Notre-Dame...
Hôtel Mercure Montpellier Centre Comédie
This modern hotel is located in Montpellier’s city center. Guests enjoy the bar’s terrace, luxury toiletries, and rotating art galleries. Nearby, you’ll find the Place de la Comédie, Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle, and Porte du...
Hôtel Mercure Bordeaux Centre-Ville
This contemporary hotel is located in the center of Bordeaux. Guests enjoy a restaurant, on-site coffee house, and fitness center. Nearby, you’ll find the Old Town, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, and la Cité du Vin.
Novotel Blois Centre Val de Loire
This contemporary hotel is located on the hillside city of Blois in the Loire Valley. Guests enjoy an outdoor swimming pool, a gourmet bar, and a relaxing terrace. Nearby, you'll find Blois Castle, the Museum of Magic, and the...
Hotel Mercure Cabourg Hippodrome
This contemporary hotel is located in downtown Cabourg. Guests enjoy a fitness center, pool, and bar. Nearby you’ll find the Hippodrome de Cabourg, Plage de Cabourg, and Pavillon Charles Bertrand.
Hôtel Mercure Paris Gare Montparnasse
This chic hotel is located in the heart of Paris’ Montparnasse neighborhood. Guests enjoy spacious rooms, a traditional streetside restaurant, and an on-site coffee house. Nearby, you’ll find the Luxembourg Gardens, the Rodin...
Flights
Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
Add our airfare and you’ll get:
- Round-trip flight for your tour
- Airport transfers at your destination
- A great price locked in today
- 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
- Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
- Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
FAQ
- In order to enter France, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
- We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
- Beginning in 2026, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
- Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2026, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center.
- If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
- You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code FRC.
- You will walk for at least 3 hours daily across moderately uneven terrain, including paved roads, cobblestone streets, and sandy paths, with some hills.
- Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
- You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times.
- Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
- If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
- Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in Lyon and depart from Paris. A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
- Transfers to and from the airport at the beginning and end of the tour are included for travelers who purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who booked their own flights are responsible for securing their own airport transfers.
- All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
- Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
- Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
- Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
- Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
- We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
- A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
- You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
- It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
- At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
- If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
- If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
- You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code FRC.
- Cuisine in the Normandy region of France is known for its fresh flavors. Chicken, rabbit, and duck are staples, and you can find fish and shellfish in its coastal towns. The abundance of dairy farms throughout the region means many dishes are accompanied by cheeses and creams. Normandy is also famous for its apples, which are used to create cider and Calvados, or apple brandy.
- For a picnic with French flair, stop at a small grocery store for cheeses, pâtés, cured meats, fresh-baked bread, and fruit. In the cities, sidewalk vendors are known for their steaming crepes, while mouthwatering pastries and hot café au lait beckon from cafes. In restaurants, the prix fixe option is a popular way to enjoy a set three- or four-course menu for a good price.
- Although lunch is generally served from noon until 2pm in France, dinner is served from 7:30pm onward. Those wishing to eat earlier can stop at a cafe, where light entrées and sandwiches are available throughout the afternoon and evening.
- France operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses Types C, E, or F plugs with two small, round pins.
- We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other electrical device without a built-in converter.
- The majority of the hotels on this tour will have air conditioning. The strength of the air conditioning in European hotels is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada. When air conditioning is available, it is usually regulated seasonally and controlled centrally by the hotel.
- Your hotels may provide hairdryers, irons, and other small appliances. However, these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
- Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
- There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
- Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
- France is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and six hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
- When it’s noon in New York, it’s 6pm on tour.
- You will use the euro on this tour.
- Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
- We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
- You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
- Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
- International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
- At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
- We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $4USD per person per day for your driver.
- If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
- Tips can only be paid in cash.
- If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
- The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.
- Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on your tour.
- Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for excursions.
- Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
- Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.