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Lima to France: Paris, the Loire Valley and Mont-Saint-Michel

Lima → Paris → Loire Valley → Mont-Saint-Michel

Paris
"La_Tour_Eiffel_vue_de_la_Tour_Saint-Jacques,_Paris_août_2014_(2).jpg" by Yann Caradec from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
La Tour Eiffel vue de la Tour Saint-Jacques, Paris août 2014 (2) (Paris)
Foto: Yann Caradec from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

France châteaux Best season (general guide): Apr–Oct

This route links Paris with the châteaux of the Loire and the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. It spends seven nights in France. From Lima you'll connect to Paris, often through Madrid or Amsterdam.

Four nights in Paris give time for the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Marais and Montmartre. Walking along the Seine is a good first evening.

Take the train to the Loire. Chenonceau spans the River Cher, and Chambord is the largest of the châteaux. Villandry has formal gardens, and the Château du Clos Lucé, in Amboise, was Leonardo da Vinci's last home.

End at Mont-Saint-Michel, in Normandy. The abbey sits on a rocky island in a bay with some of the highest tides in Europe. Stay overnight to see it in the evening, after the day visitors leave.

April to October is the best season, when the châteaux are open longer. The official tide calendar for Mont-Saint-Michel helps you plan your visit.

Pacing: book the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay ahead with timed tickets, and use the metro to move between districts. Many museums close one day a week, so check before planning each day.

For the Loire, the train to Tours or Blois puts you close to the châteaux. Hiring a car or bike, or joining a small-group tour, is the easiest way to see several in a day, as public transport between them is limited. Cycling routes link many of the châteaux along quiet roads.

Mont-Saint-Michel is reached by shuttle bus from the car parks on the mainland. Check the tide calendar if you want to see the bay flood, and wear good shoes for the steep, cobbled streets.

Paris rewards slow wandering between the big sights, so leave some time for cafés and neighbourhood markets.

Suggested outline

  1. Lima

    Start

  2. Paris

    By air · 4 nights suggested

    The Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Marais and Montmartre.

  3. Loire Valley

    Overland · 2 nights suggested

    Chenonceau, Chambord, Villandry and the Clos Lucé.

  4. Mont-Saint-Michel

    Overland · 1 night suggested

    An evening at the abbey after the crowds leave.

    Mont-Saint-Michel
    "Mont-Saint-Michel_vu_du_ciel.jpg" by Amaustan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Paris — Arrive; Seine walk· Lima → Paris (by air) — long-haul; may arrive the next calendar day
  2. Day 2 · Paris — Louvre and Tuileries
  3. Day 3 · Paris — Musée d'Orsay and Le Marais
  4. Day 4 · Paris — Montmartre
  5. Day 5 · Loire Valley — Train to the Loire; Chenonceau· Paris → Loire Valley (overland)
  6. Day 6 · Loire Valley — Chambord and Villandry
  7. Day 7 · Mont-Saint-Michel — To Normandy; abbey in the evening· Loire Valley → Mont-Saint-Michel (overland)
  8. Day 8 · Mont-Saint-Michel — Travel home from Mont-Saint-Michel· Mont-Saint-Michel → Paris (overland), then Paris → Lima (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

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Paris

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Loire Valley

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