blehrschall, Dec 2024

Amazing tour. The guide and driver did an amazing job at showing us the sights. They really were great. They went out of their way to make sure we were happy

Celeste_W, Dec 2024

We had very high expectations when we signed up for a two day tour of Loire Valley and Normandy for three. We used Viator's platform to contact Clewal because we wanted to clarify that we needed two rooms instead of a single Trio room, they asked us to pay 115 Euros for the update which we paid to get a 2nd single bedroom.

Day 1

Our driver Igor was waiting for us in a 7 seater mercedes van stocked with extra water bottles however our tour guide Helen sent us a text saying there were some complications with the transit system and would be arriving before 8:00. Helen showed up around 7:45am and so we departed the hotel and began the 3-hour drive with one stopover at a gas station for washroom break. We arrived at Chambord castle in the early afternoon and we were exploring the gift shop for about 15 minutes while our guide acquired tickets for us. The castle experience went as expected with Helen giving us some historical insight into King Francis' relationship to Chambord castle and its use as a hunting lodge. Due her Helen's personal preference (not liking to see dead animals), we did not visit the third floor.

Once we finished our Chambord castle tour we headed to the city of Amboise to have lunch at a small cafe with Helen. During lunch Helen asked if we wanted to stick to visiting Chateau l'Amboise or going to Chateau Clos Luce to visit Da Vinci's residential estate. We decided to go Clos Luce instead which had a small museum inside, his death bed, many blueprints of his inventions, as well as a sprawling garden with a few interactive exhibits.

The last castle to visit in the Loire Valley was Chenonceau where the early 16th century King kept his queen Catherine and mistress Diane on the same property until his death. The castle was not as big as Chambord but has lots of character and Helen enthusiastically told us about its history.

We thought Helen might ask us about our dinner plans or tomorrows activities but they didn't so the ride over was quiet and we rested in the car and we wouldn't see them again until the 8:30am pickup the next morning,

We were told we would get to stay at a hotel on the island of Mont Saint Michel so we got our hopes up. At just past 9:00pm, we arrived at L'Hotel Ramade in the city of Avranches which is 25 minutes away from Mont Saint Michel. We were very disappointed and weren't really given an explanation for this change. Helen and Igor checked us in but it was already 9:10pm, they did not have dinner planned for us, and the hotel's kitchen was closed. We had to beg the front desk at the hotel what we should do about dinner so they offered a set menu at 58 euros each and three a la carte options around 30-60 euros which seemed quite expensive for what was provided. We were extremely disappointed with the rooms. We paid an extra 115 euros for a second room but the two rooms were very small and did not have air conditioning. The windows were open when we arrived and we didn't sleep well because we were bitten by mosquitos.

Day 2

We had expressed interest in leaving early having heard that Mont Saint Michel gets busy later in the day. The earliest breakfast offered at the hotel was at 8am so we had breakfast and waited to be picked up. Helen and Igor originally said they'd be at the hotel at 8:30am but had to wait an additional 15 minutes outside for them. We arrived at Mont Saint Michel at around 9:20 am. There was a very long line for the buses to approach the Abbey. Mont Saint Michel itself lived up to expectations but was underlined by poor weather and being fairly crowded.

We travelled to Omaha beach and had lunch at L'Omaha the closest restaurant to the 'Les Braves' monument. Due to the rainy weather, we asked if we could see the Bayeux tapestry instead of the American cemetery. Finally we visited the Overlord museum and the audioguided tapestry museum in Bayeux before the three hour drive heading back to Paris.

Overall, Helen was a very knowledgable but soft spoken guide. It was very hard to hear her and follow along with what she was saying during the tours. Igor was a quiet but reliable driver. He mostly kept to himself, opened/closed the doors for us, and made sure he was where he needed to be.

Typically, in past tours we have everything already planned out before we embark but this tour felt more disorganized despite the high cost.

It would have been better if Helen had been more communicative about the day plan during our meals or while travelling. If everything had been booked and planned in advance there would be no waiting in line. We thought Helen might involve us more with the planning but spent most of the time with her headphones on during the long drives.

We were disappointed that we couldn't stay at a hotel on the island of Mont Saint Michel especially when Helen was telling us how nice it was and did not explain the reasoning for the change.

Samuel_L, Dec 2024

Our guide (Olga) and our driver (Sasha) were outstanding! Because of them, our experiences were exceptional. Olga was always attentive to our needs, paced our visits to castles, Mt. St. Michel and Normandy perfectly, and for two days provided relevant and interesting commentary on all sites visited. Our driver was always available, courteous and very skilled in managing traffic, especially in Normandy on June 5. We will take additional tours with Viator and strongly recommend Viator to our many friends because of Olga and Sasha. Thanks.

Denis_A, Dec 2024

Our tour guide Ilya was fantastic and our driver Ivan was very professional! Had the best time. Very impressed with this young man! Very knowledgeable on the tour. Definitely go with both of them again.👍👍👍👍👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Danelle_V, Dec 2024

This experience was a 10/10. My husband and myself had an amazing time visiting castles in the Loire Valley, learning about the history of them, experiencing incredible food in a small village and then went on to Normandy. We stayed in a hotel steps from Mont Saint Michel. The next morning we got up and beat the lines! Mont Saint Michel was breathtakingly beautiful. It is a true wonder of the world. The sheer fortitude of the people who built it was a miracle. Our last stop was Normandy and the D-Day Beaches. Omaha Beach was surreal, peaceful, and poignant. Taking in the enormity of sacrifice was incredible.

As for our guide and driver, Valentin and Vasiliy, you couldn’t ask for a more friendly and knowledgeable duo. Valentin spent time going over the history and importance of each location we were at. Vaslily drove us in a Mercedes Van with a ton of room, and drove safely and timely, picking us up everywhere. These two made the trip that much better.

If you want to go to the Loire Valley, The Normandy Beaches, and Mont Saint Michel this is the tour for you.