Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, special dinners, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of local guides, drivers, and the Tauck Director are included. A representative of Tauck will meet you at Charles de Gaulle Airport  and provide transportation to the Trianon Palace Versailles in Versailles, regardless of the day and time of your arrival, provided you have furnished us with accurate flight information at least two weeks prior to your departure. Tauck will also provide transportation from the Hotel Lutetia Paris to the Charles de Gaulle Airport regardless of the day and time of your departure.

Hotel Accommodations – The tour price includes all hotel accommodations with private baths. The Tauck standard is to provide the best available hotels without sacrificing value. Although the quality may differ slightly from place to place, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bedded rooms with a rollaway cot where available and are not recommended for comfort.

Meals – Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary. Dining experiences throughout France are renowned for their culinary delights but tend to be very lengthy. In order to best balance your valuable time, some à la carte menus on this tour have been slightly modified while still offering fine regional selections.

Tauck Director – Normandy, Brittany, Paris & the Loire Valley is conducted by a Tauck Director who remains with the group throughout the tour. Your Tauck Director is a professional, fully trained employee of Tauck.

Gratuities Included – All gratuities for restaurant and hotel staff and local guides are included.

No Options Sold – Your Tauck Director will assist you with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance but will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed and pleasant experience for you.

 

Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from Tauck for travel originating in the United States.

Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours – To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your tour. As a service, Tauck will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through Tauck. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the Extend This Journey section on this website and discuss it with the reservations agent when you book your tour.

Luggage Responsibility – Although every effort is made to handle your luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities. Please refer to the Tauck Protection Plan for more information.

Personal Expenses – Phone calls, room service, alcoholic and bar beverages, laundry, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.

Tauck Director and Driver Gratuities – The customary gratuities for the Tauck Director and driver are not included. Gratuities should be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.

 

Airline Security Measures –

If you are traveling from the U.S., beginning in 2010, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Secure Flight program will require that your name, as it appears on your domestic or international airline ticket, precisely match your name as it appears on the government-issued photo ID (i.e., passport or driver’s license) that you present during security screening. The ID name must also match any additional airline data, such as frequent-flyer information. For example, if you present your driver's license to security and it says John T. Smith, your ticket must also say John T. Smith; not John Thomas Smith, not Jack Smith, or any other variant. Your date-of-birth and gender information provided to the airline must also match your photo ID.

If you make your air travel arrangements through Tauck, please ensure that the name you provide us precisely matches your name as shown on the identification you will use while traveling. If you make your own airline reservations, please ensure that the airline has the correct information.

For more information on the Secure Flight program, please visit the TSA web site, www.tsa.gov, by clicking here.

If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport.

Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocket knife, cigarette lighter, or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times.

Air Services – Airfare may be purchased through Tauck for travel originating in the United States. By using Tauck's air services, you agree that Tauck, in purchasing, selling or otherwise arranging air transportation, is acting only as your agent and is not liable or responsible for any accident, death, personal injury, illness, property damage, delay or other loss or expense of any nature whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of any act of God, or any actions or omissions (including any failure to provide services) or default of, any carrier. All carriers are independent contractors and are not owned, managed, controlled or operated by Tauck. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between yourself and the airline (and not Tauck), even if purchased through Tauck. Tauck is not liable for, and does not assume responsibility or accept claims with regard to, seat assignments, schedule changes, flight changes, cancellations, claims for a refund or reimbursement of airline ticket fees, or any other loss incurred by you for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation to, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar relief from creditors). Tauck must handle ticketing for Tauck's special fares, which are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until reserved. Special fares cannot be combined with any other promotional offer. Tauck's air services can only be purchased in conjunction with a Tauck tour. Tickets or e-ticket numbers will be mailed with final documents. If you cancel or change your air before or after departure, all airline cancellation and change fees will apply.

Holiday and Museum Closures – Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed.

Itinerary Changes and Price Flexibility – Tauck pledges to make every effort to operate your tour as advertised. Tauck reserves the right to alter or curtail the itinerary, or substitute sightseeing, hotels, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary. Any savings realized by these changes will be refunded to you. Any resultant added expense will be covered by Tauck. Although not expected, prices on this website may be modified due to unexpected significant external factors not forecast at the time of publication.

Journey Start and End Times are provided at the time of booking. The tour begins at 6:00 PM at the Trianon Palace Versailles on the first day of the tour. You or your booking agent will be advised of any change to this schedule. Please allow sufficient time to clear customs so that you may join the tour on time. The tour ends at check-out time at the Hotel Lutetia Paris on the last day of the tour. We suggest you allow at least 2½ hours for flight check-in.

Membership will be granted to all persons. Tauck reserves the right to terminate the tour of any person who is abusive of others or whose behavior disrupts the tour.

Photography on Tour – Occasionally, we will use photographs taken by fellow guests or your Tauck Director on your tour for promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any marketing activities, please notify your Tauck Director at the start of your tour.

 

Air Conditioning – The Trianon Palace Versailles, Hôtel Miramar Crouesty, and Hôtel Lutetia Paris provide air conditioning. The Château de Rochecotte, Royal Barrière Deauville, and Le Grand Hôtel des Thermes do not provide air conditioning.

European air conditioning should be considered as a climate-control system; most have three settings for the fan, plus a "cool" setting. Very few of the European systems actually have a temperature setting. In general, the amount of cool air that is produced from a European air conditioning system may be less than what you may have in your own home. Some hotels in Europe do not operate their air-conditioning systems on a year round basis, but only during certain months of the year.

ATM and Credit Cards – We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing for this tour to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be “suspicious” charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Clothing and Packing – Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is flexible and allows for layering. Casual, cotton clothing is recommended. A light sweater or jacket will provide warmth on a chilly early morning walk or a late night stroll.

In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, it is generally customary to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a jacket for men are acceptable dining attire. It is advisable to avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts for dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, but by all means be comfortable.

You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. Irons and ironing boards are available upon request. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription (or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you), a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your trip to northwest France:

Elevation – The maximum land elevation on this tour is approximately 1,000 ft (305 m).

Health – You should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances over uneven terrain, as some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. Northwest France is home to innumerable historic buildings and sites, many dating from the Middle Ages. Therefore, roads, walkways and architecture may present difficulties for some guests with physical disabilities. The ‘old towns’ of Europe are often a maze of hills with narrow cobblestone streets and charming squares, and there will be a fair amount of walking up and down hills at Mont-Saint-Michel. For the most part, however, the amount of walking you do at the various sites and towns is at your discretion.

We regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.

All guests rooms at the Hotel Lutetia Paris are non-smoking.

If you have a medical condition which might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify Tauck as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

If you are a U.S. citizen, no vaccinations are currently required for travel to France. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour, pre-recorded "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 877-394-8747 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on on to the CDC Internet website at www.cdc.gov.

If you are a citizen of another country, please contact a French embassy or consulate to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel.

Luggage Restrictions -

Checked Luggage – General

While it is common that airlines allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person.

In addition, airlines have adopted more strict policies in enforcing size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.

Many carriers require checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, Tauck cannot be held liable to the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage size and weight may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers.

Tauck World Discovery cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage size, piece or weight policies.

Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!

Carry-on Luggage – General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and only those items you need handy during the day such as purses, make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or in the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may not be accessible during daytime travel.

Travel Document Requirements – You will need a valid passport or similar acceptable travel document to enter France.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you are not required to obtain a visa for the short duration of this tour. Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

If you are a citizen of another country, you should contact a French embassy or consulate to determine what travel documentation is required.

We strongly recommend that your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of your tour. Also, we recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship, as well as both sides of your driver’s license. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Travel with Children

Age Recommendations – Children 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, for each itinerary we have a minimum recommended age to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.

Babysitting – Tauck journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. However, our guests have occasionally inquired about babysitting services. If you are interested, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements, to ensure your precise needs are met. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer babysitting services that may be arranged on site; however, babysitting services are not guaranteed at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.

Safety and Welfare Responsibility – We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. For safety and security purposes, children under 18 years of age must be booked into a room with at least one accompanying adult. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with Tauck, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.

Special Travel Documentation for Children

Authorization for Travel

If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so.

CBP also suggests that this note be notarized. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.

If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.

Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, Tauck requires all guests to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information is available from each country’s consulate.

All children traveling with you who are U.S. citizens must have a valid U.S. passport.

Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment

In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.

Tauck is not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by improper documentation for any travelers, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard for these letters, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.

 

Cell Phones – We understand and appreciate the value of instant communication when we travel; it keeps us in touch with friends and family, and it's a reassurance in the event of an emergency. However, the use of cell phones can be disruptive to a tour and to other guests who are enjoying their vacation. As a courtesy to others, we ask that you refrain from using your cell phone during motor coach travel, during group functions, when sightseeing and when the Tauck Director is addressing the group as a whole. There are usually many opportunities to make or receive calls at times when it does not affect others.

Please contact your cell phone carrier to determine whether your service extends to France.

Currency and Exchange Rates – The Euro (EUR) is the official currency in France. Currency can be exchanged at banks, exchange bureaus and all the hotels listed on your itinerary, though you will get a better exchange rate at the ATMs. Major credit cards are widely accepted, as are travelers’ checks. Foreign currency is not accepted.

To obtain up-to-date currency exchange rates, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to the Internet website www.oanda.com.

Customs and Tax-Free Shopping – You should familiarize yourself with France’s specific required customs declarations before you travel. In general, you are not permitted to bring live plants, fresh fruits and other produce items into most countries.

 

France - France Guide

 

If you are a U.S resident who will be returning to the U.S. at the end of the tour, current regulations permit bringing back $800 worth of items duty-free, as long as you physically bring them with you. There are limits to the amount of alcohol that can be a part of this exemption. Certain restrictions apply to unaccompanied goods mailed from abroad to the United States. Please call your local customs office or consult the government's customs regulations as contained in their publication entitled Know Before You Go.

If you are a resident of another country, you should refer to your own country’s rules and regulations regarding customs and duty-free shopping to ensure compliance upon your return.

Currently, France levies a 19.6% Value Added Tax (VAT) on most consumer goods and services. (The tax may be higher on luxury items and lower on basic goods.) As a rule, if you are not a resident of the country in which the purchase is made (or of the country’s intergovernmental economic community, e.g., the European Union), you may be entitled to a VAT refund and should inquire about the refund policy where you shop.

Electrical Current – The electrical current in France is 230 V, 50 Hz, AC. If your electrical devices do not conform to this standard, you will need to bring the appropriate converters and adapters.

Internet Access – All the hotels on this itinerary offer internet access, as indicated below:

Trianon Palace Versailles - Wireless internet access in rooms for a fee; complimentary access in the Business Center
Royal Barrière Deauville - Internet access in rooms
Le Grand Hôtel des Thermes - Dial-up internet access in rooms
Miramar Crouesty - Complimentary wireless internet access in rooms and throughout the hotel
Château de Rochecotte - Complimentary wireless internet access in rooms
Hôtel Lutetia Paris - Complimentary wireless internet access in rooms and public areas; use of computers in the Business Center for a fee

Time Zones – France is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (or Greenwich Mean Time). From late March through October, France switches to Daylight Savings Time and is 2 hours ahead. To determine current time major cities around the world, we suggest you log on to the Internet website www.timeanddate.com.

Weather – Northwestern France, including Paris, has a temperate climate similar to southern England with warm summers, cold winters and rainfall throughout the year. The western coast including the Loire Valley is milder and summer days are generally very hot. From April through October, the average high temperatures in Paris and Langeais range from 60 to 80˚F (16 to 27˚C) and the average low temperatures range from 40 to 60˚F (4 to 16˚C). In the coastal cities of Deauville and St. Malo, the average temperatures are slightly lower.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, www.weather.com.

 

Cancellation Fees – Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in Tauck incurring costly penalties and cancellation fees from our travel and hotel providers. Therefore, if you have to cancel a confirmed booking, Tauck will charge you a cancellation fee according to when your cancellation notice is received in its Norwalk, CT office. To help limit your liability, Tauck offers a Tauck Protection Plan.

If you choose to purchase Tauck’s Guest Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will have your cancellation penalties waived. Click here for more details.

If you choose not to purchase the Tauck Protection Plan, you will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows:

 

60 days or more before departure
$600 per person (the amount of the deposit)

59-8 days before departure
$900 per person

7-1 days before departure
$1,500 per person