Historic Southwest: France & Spain
France | Spain | Switzerland
35 Days - 3,910 Miles
5
We are sorry :(
This tour is currently not scheduled. Please contact us if you are interested in this tour and we will keep you advised of future tour date announcements.
See the landing beaches of Normandy and glamorous Paris. Taste champagne and travel the lovely Loire Valley. Caravan along the Pilgrims' Way in Spain and see the gorgeous cathedrals in Burgos and Pamplona. We will tour impressive castles, monasteries and unique places like the Alhambra in Granada. Spend time at leisure on a Mediterranean beach and marvel at Gaudi's architecture in Barcelona. Also enjoy Switzerland's picturesque Oberland and the alpine resort of Interlaken.
Day 1
We meet you at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany and you get a transfer to our comfortable hotel. In the evening we host a briefing and a delicious welcome dinner.
Day 2
The next morning after breakfast we pick up the rental motorhomes. Following the RV orientation we drive to a supermarket to stock up with groceries. Then our European motorhome adventure starts with a drive to the beautiful Mosel River.
Day 3
Our caravan travels through Luxembourg to the lovely Champagne region in France where we visit a famous winery and taste the champagne.
Day 4
Today we have a tour of the beautiful Chateau de Fontainebleau - Napoleon’s favorite residence - and its extraordinary parks and gardens.
Days 5 & 6
On our bus & walking sightseeing tour we see the highlights of Paris: the Eiffel Tower, the charming Avenue des Champs-Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, the magnificent Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame and much more. On our day at leisure you may visit one of the world famous museums, like the Louvre, browse the book and antique shops of the Latin Quarter or enjoy a boat cruise on the Seine.
Day 7
In the morning we have a tour of the world famous castle, the Sun King’s splendid and enormous Chateau de Versailles. Then we drive to Bayeux and visit the Museum of D-Day & the Landing Beaches of Normandy. We end the day with a delicious dinner in a restaurant.
Day 8
Today we drive along the Normandy landing beaches and visit the different museums and memorials and the American war cemetery in Colleville (Omaha Beach). Our RV park is on Utah Beach.
Day 9
An easy drive brings us to the shores of the English Channel where we visit in the afternoon the impressive Mont St. Michel, situated on an offshore rock.
Day 10
The next morning we drive along the Loire River where we visit the pretty old town of Amboise. We will have a tour on a little tourist train before we enjoy dinner in a restaurant.
Day 11
This morning we continue our caravan through the Loire Valley and have a sightseeing tour of charming Chateau Chenonceau which is claimed to be the most beautiful castle in the valley. In the afternoon we arrive in Limoges.
Day 12
On our guided tour of the Bernardaud porcelain factory we learn about the process of making the famous Limoges porcelain. A beautiful drive brings us to the picturesque Bordeaux wine village, St. Emilion. A local guide gives us a tour of the amazing underground cathedral. Then we have a tour of a family owned winery where we sample the wines and have a delicious dinner.
Day 13
After an easy drive we cross the border to the Basque region in Spain. A local guide will show us the colorful old town of Pamplona. The Running of the Bulls, made famous by Hemingway, takes place here every year.
Day 14
Today our route follows the Camino de Santiago (Pilgrim’s Way) to Burgos. En route we visit the little hillside town of Laguardia in the lovely Rioja wine growing area. You might have some tapas for lunch in one of the typical little restaurants.
Day 15
A local guide shows us the charming old town of Burgos and Spain’s greatest Gothic cathedral. After that we will have lunch in a restaurant. Then there is time for you to explore this interesting city on your own.
Day 16
Our highlight for today is a tour of the ridgetop city of Segovia. We see the fanciful towers of the Alcazar and the cathedral. The most extraordinary sight though is the Roman aqueduct, a 5,180 feet granite block bridge.
Days 17 & 18
This morning we see the majestic palace-and-monastery complex of San Lorenzo De El Escorial, spectacularly situated at 3,000 feet about sea level in the Sierra de Guadarrama. From there it is just an hour drive to Toledo. The next morning we have a guided tour of the fascinating city, picturesquely located on a granite hill. After lunch in a restaurant you have free time to explore on your own.
Day 19
Scenic drive through the rugged landscape of Don Quijote’s La Mancha to the Andalusian city of Cordoba. There we have a tour of probably the most marvelous of all Islamic buildings, the Mezquita, a mosque later converted to Christianity. You will be impressed by its 850 pillars of porphyry, marble, and jasper. After that we explore the fascinating labyrinth of the old quarter.
Day 20
Our scenic road leads us through huge olive groves to Granada. There we have a tour of the Alhambra, the marvelous arabesque palace complex, perched on top of a hill.
Days 21 & 22
We head towards the sea and drive to the Costa Blanca, one of Spain’s premiere vacation destinations on the Mediterranean. The next day you may relax on the beach or explore the little harbor town of Altea.
Days 23 & 24
An easy drive brings us to Barcelona, a fascinating city with a cosmopolitan flair. The next day our charter bus and a local guide pick us up for a full day tour of Barcelona. We visit Barcelona’s classic medieval Gothic quarter, the Columbus Monument and the harbor. There we have lunch in an excellent restaurant. Later we see the unique La Sagrada Familia church, created by Antoni Gaudi. There is time to stroll along the lively, tree-lined boulevard, “La Rambla”, before we enjoy dinner and a passionate Flamenco show.
Day 25
This morning we drive to Ribes, located in the foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees. From there we go on an exciting railroad excursion to Vall de Nuria located 5,900 ft. above sea level.
Day 26
We visit the delightful little town of Besalu with a local guide before we head back to France to our RV park in Fitou Aude.
Day 27
After our arrival in Avignon we ride a little tourist train through the city’s narrow streets and cafe filled squares inside the ring of the old city walls. We also see the outstanding residence of the medieval popes and the famous Pont d’Avignon.
Day 28
From Avignon we head toward the Alps. Our campground is located at Lake Annecy, in the French Alps. We visit Annecy and stroll along the ancient canals lined with medieval houses.
Day 29
A beautiful scenic drive brings us through alpine countryside to Switzerland. We have a tour of a Swiss cheese factory with lunch and visit the typical mountain village of Gruyeres.
Day 30
This morning we visit Bern, Switzerland’s capital. Our guide shows us the Münster, Bern’s cathedral, and the famous clock tower in the west gate of the old city walls. Then we walk along the pretty streets lined with arcades and medieval fountains. In the afternoon we have a short drive to the Bernese Oberland and the alpine resort of Interlaken.
Day 31
This day in Interlaken is at leisure. You might take the cog railway up the Schilthorn or Jungfrau mountain, stroll through Interlaken, or just enjoy the beautiful views from our campsite.
Days 32 & 33
We head back to France, to Colmar in the charming Alsace region. On our guided walking tour we see the cobbled pedestrian streets lined with pretty half-timbered houses and tour the house where Bartholdi, creator of the Statue of Liberty, was born. For dinner we try a local specialty. The next day we return to Germany.
Days 34 & 35
Today we return our rental motorhomes in Frankfurt. A shuttle brings us to our comfortable hotel. You might relax there or do some shopping before we meet for our tasty farewell dinner. The next morning after breakfast a shuttle will take you to the airport.
PRICES
We are sorry :(
This tour is currently not scheduled. Please contact us if you are interested in this tour and we will keep you advised of future tour date announcements.
The Tour Price includes:
Rental Motorhomes
- New or almost new 20-22 ft. (Upgrades up to 24 ft) class B+/C diesel motorhomes with stick shifts
- Fully equipped with bedding, camping chairs, dishes etc.
- Vehicle insurance with €1,500 deductible
- Unlimited mileage
- Full propane tank
Transfers
- Airport to hotel on arrival day
- Hotel to rental company
- Transfers to all activities included in our itineraries
- Rental company to hotel
- Hotel to airport on departure day
Meals
- Welcome dinner
- 2 breakfast buffets (Tour 4 - Greece: 3 breakfast buffets)
- Various other meals in fine restaurants as described in the itinerary
- Choice of one beverage (soft drink, beer or wine) with included meals
- Farewell dinner
Campground Fees
- Fees for the best available campgrounds
- Including electrical hook-up
Ferries and Toll Bridges
- Tour 2 - Scandinavia: Comfortable ferries, toll for the long suspension bridges
- Tour 3 - UK & Ireland: Comfortable ferries to and from France to England and to and from Ireland
- Tour 4 - Greece: Cruise the Adriatic Sea to and from Greece on comfortable ferris (overnight including inside cabin) and to and from Mykonos Island
Hotel
- 2 nights first class hotel (Tour 4 - Greece: 3 nights)
Experienced Wagonmaster & Tailgunner
- We are there for you at all times en route, during sightseeing and on the campgrounds
Daily Briefings
- Every afternoon we meet for a briefing at which we provide you with detailed information on the next day
Toll Roads (except cash tolls)
- All street tolls that we can pay in advance via vignette, online RV registration or transponders are included
- Cash tolls are not included (approx. €50-150 on some tours, mostly in Italy, Greece, France, Spain, Balkans)
Sightseeing Tours
- Selected sightseeing tours as listed in the itineraries
- Our sightseeing tours always include an experienced local guide
- Entrance fees to the sights
- Personal receiver and head-set to use on guided tour
- For big cities like Paris, Barcelona, Athens, Stockholm or London we have our own charter bus which picks us up at the campground
Navigation Aids
- Detailed trip-logs with itinerary and driving directions, personally prepared (except Tour 7 & 8 which are fully GPS guided)
- Road maps
- Pre-programmed GPS for use during the tour