Vacation and travel packages to England, Ireland and France

Described by past Back-Roaders as 'the dream tour', this relaxed itinerary combines the very best of British and French culture, and delivers an interesting and contrasting balance of history, nature and tradition. The Channel Islands are a particularly interesting corner of the British Isles where close proximity to the French mainland has given them a unique individuality. The occupation by the Germans in WW2 added a further dimension. Celtic Brittany, and rural and historic Normandy, add further contrasts. The landscapes of the impressionist painters, prehistoric monuments, superb food (of course!), pretty harbours, and the World War II beaches and D-Day beaches are just some of the features of the region and combine to make this a superb and unforgettable tour.

Tour Code	Arrive London	Depart London
CIF	*Saturday*	Saturday
CIF 01	21-Apr	05-May
CIF 02	12-May	26-May
CIF 03	02-Jun	16-Jun
CIF 04	23-Jun	07-Jul
CIF 05	14-Jul	28-Jul
CIF 06	25-Aug	08-Sep
CIF 07	15-Sep	29-Sep
CIF 08	06-Oct	20-Oct

Day One - Saturday
Welcome to London! Whatever your day of arrival, you'll be met by a representative of Back-Roads as you exit the customs hall this morning. You'll then be transferred to our London hotel. The remainder of the day is yours to recover from the rigours of your flight. The hotel is situated in an attractive neighbourhood of the city so you may enjoy local exploration. Dinner is not included tonight

Day Two - Sunday
We depart from London heading south into the ancient county of Hampshire. Today will be a long day's touring as we'll be taking an afternoon catamaran ferry across the English Channel to Guernsey. This gives us an opportunity to visit the new Forest, ironically named, as it is the oldest remaining natural forest in Britain. The scenery is lovely and we may even spot the famed, tiny New Forest wild ponies. The stately home of Beaulieu, on the site of a 13th century Cistercian monastery founded by King John, is on today's route as well as the maritime village of Buckler's Hard, a charming 18th century hamlet that was the start and finish to Sir Francis Chichester's successful attempt at circumnavigating the world single-handed. We'll also travel through Bournemouth, a typical south coast resort, before reaching one of the world's largest natural harbours, Poole. From here, the ferry crossing will take between three and four hours and we'll berth in the picturesque harbour town of St Peter Port. A short drive from Guernsey's main town through typical Guernsey countryside lies our overnight accommodation for four nights.

Day Three - Monday
Guernsey is the second largest of the Channel Islands - just 34 square miles in size! Despite its comparatively small size, there is great variety, as we'll see. Along the south coast, there is the wilder side of the island.

Days Six & Seven - Thursday & Friday
A short morning ferry crossing brings us to Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands (12.5 by 5.5 miles). Here we'll spend our next two days and nights exploring the island. In addition to its lovely scenery, we'll also be seeing fine historical sights such as the 13th century, one time home of Sir Walter Raleigh, Mont Orgueil Castle at Gorey, the mythical Grosnez Point and St Ouen's Bay with its vast sandy beach. In terms of contemporary history, we'll be visiting the concrete labyrinth of the German occupation force's Underground Hospital, built during World War II as well as numerous coastal fortifications. A visit to Jersey Pottery is also on the agenda. There'll be the opportunity, too, of visiting Jersey Zoo (not included in the price) established by naturalist and author Gerald Durrell. Here, animals live as closely as is possible to their natural environment while preparing to be re-released into the wild.

Days Eight & Nine - Saturday & Sunday
We take another catamaran ferry crossing of about three hours to the Celtic region of Brittany in France. We'll arrive at Saint Malo around midday (except for October departure which involves an afternoon crossing). This harbour town was originally built as a fortress and a haven for French pirates who raided ships in the English Channel and beautifully restored after almost complete destruction in WW2. Crossing the rive Rancey by way of one of the most unusual power stations, we arrive in Dinard, a town that grew from a small fishing village into an elegant seaside resort along the lines of the Cote d'Azur. Next, we drive to one of the best-preserved old towns in upper Brittany, Dinan, home of Bertrand du Guesclin. During our stay in Brittany, we'll also visit the interior of this ancient land. The countryside is pretty, its villages are picturesque and Breton heritage abounds

Days Ten & Eleven - Monday & Tuesday
An early start this morning as we head west to one of the best preserved 'old towns' in Brittany, Vitre. Before leaving Brittany, we visit Balzac's town of Fougeres. It is the layout of this medieval town which makes it so interesting (and the star of Balzac's "The Couans"). Here, streets that appear a few metres long turn out to be precipitous plunges down the escarpment on which Fougeres is built. Passing through the former borderlands between Brittany and her powerful neighbour, we'll then visit the incredible abbey church at Le Mont St Michel. Leaving Brittany, we'll pass through Avranches and from here on we'll come across many more reminders of our recent history. Our destination for today is the medieval city of Bayeux. Dinner on both days will be taken on the shores of the English Channel at Arromanches overlooking the site of Mulberry B Harbour, a truly remarkable location. Our tour continues with visits to some of the D-Day Beaches - Omaha, Gold and Juno. A visit to the war cemeteries of allied dead will be a poignant reminder never to be forgotten. As a contrast, a relaxing afternoon in the beautifully restored city of Bayeux is on our itinerary. Visit the famed tapestry, the cathedral, one of the many museums or spend time exploring the town.

Day Twelve - Wednesday
A gentle day's touring is in store for us today. We'll discover 'Calvados' country. Among rolling, green hills, we'll see the black and white manors, stop off at cheese makers and cider farms, and generally fit the day around the groups' interests. Beuvron-en-Auge is a beautiful example of a Calvados village. We'll pass through the Victorian resort of Deauville and drive along the Cote de Grace before arriving at Honfleur. Honfleur, a harbour that inspired artists, saw the launch of daring expeditions to the New World, and is today a thriving centre of fishing and tourism, which warrants a few hours of personal discovery.

Day Thirteen - Thursday
This morning we'll drive through the Seine Valley to Rouen, capital of Normandy, and site of many historic events that shaped the course of history in Europe. Leaving Normandy, we'll pass through the Picardy region on our way north. History and modern times are never far apart in France and today we'll skirt battlefields that shifted frontiers five hundred years ago at Agincourt, fifty years ago on the River Somme, before visiting a site dedicated to man's explorations of the next frontier, space. Our nightstop is near Saint Omer, in French Flanders, Nord-Pas-de- Calais region.

Day Fourteen - Friday
It is 'au revoir' to France today as we head for Calais and speed through the Channel Tunnel to Kent. Historically always the first place to be 'visited' by foreign invaders, Kent has seen many civilisations leave their mark here. The Romans brought wine and roads, the Saxons ale and agriculture and the Normans left us with cathedrals, castles and the foundations for modern English society. We'll take a scenic route through the county and visit one of its splendid gardens before heading back to London to arrive back at your hotel mid-afternoon.

Day Fifteen - Saturday
Today you return home, so we'll transfer you to the airport.

AQUITAINE AND BEYOND - South West France

This magical tour offers an almost unbelievable variety of sightseeing - magnificent historical cities often dominated by powerful hilltop fortresses, miles of vineyards, mountainous scenery, art from prehistory to present day, an amazing array of architectural styles, ancient ports, distinct cultures and naturally (it is France, after all) some wonderful food. And, as ever, it’s a tour for those curious for new knowledge, for those who want their imaginations stimulated and for those who simply want a holiday where they don’t feel they’re part of the tourist herd.

Tour Code	Arrive Bordeaux	Depart Bordeaux
SWF	Sunday	Saturday
BORD 01	22-Apr	05-May
BORD 02*	06-May	19-May
BORD 03	02-Sep	15-Sep
BORD 04*	16-Sep	29-Sep
BORD 05*	14-Oct	27-Oct

DAY ONE - SUNDAY
You arrive at Bordeaux to be met by your guide-companion and transferred to our local base. The remainder of the day is free for you to recover from the ardours of modern travel and to enjoy local surroundings. Tonight, all tour participants will meet to enjoy the first of many excellent dinners.

Dinner in France is a special meal; it is a nightly ‘event’ and not to be rushed. You’ll find that we eat somewhat later than you might normally be accustomed to at home, and we’ll be at the table longer. It’s an ideal opportunity to enjoy conversations, reflect on sights seen and experiences had, and to discuss the following day’s touring option with your guide-companion.

DAY TWO - MONDAY
Our drive this morning takes us through the Vignoble de Bordeaux (vineyards of Bordeaux) as we head south–east. We’ll enjoy a mid-morning stop at St-Macaire, a small, mediaeval town perched on top of a rock before continuing through the splendid scenery to Toulouse. Toulouse, once the capital of the Visigoth kingdom, was once France’s most important centre for cultural and artistic activity. Indeed, the country’s oldest literary society, formed to further the cause of the language, was established here in the 14th century. The city’s main architectural claim to fame is its brick-built aspect; it being one of the few mediaeval towns not to be built of wood or stone. You’ll enjoy visiting the St-Sernin Basilica (built in the 11th century), and St Stephens Cathedral (12th century) as well as having a general overview of this very attractive city.

DAY THREE- TUESDAY
Today we’ll spend the morning visiting the amazing Carcassonne, undoubtedly the most impressive walled city in the world. It seems untouched since the middle ages. Here, in the narrow alleys of this fortified town, you’ll learn about medieval siege warfare and, on a much lighter note, enjoy finding interesting shops (it’s famed for its used books), truly ancient churches, and super cafes and restaurants. Carcassonne is naturally a popular destination on the main tourist highway so this afternoon we’ll do what we do best, escape the herd and explore behind the tourist façade. In the surrounding hilly countryside there are a multitude of small, less visited villages accessible only to our mini-bus.

DAY FOUR - WEDNESDAY
It’s a relatively short drive to our next destination but we’ll be taking something of a detour to experience the scenic beauty of the mountainous Languedoc region, most especially the Gorges du Tarn. Stops in smaller villages to explore local history will be the order of the day. This may be a good day to enjoy a lunchtime picnic, sampling foods and wines of the region.

DAY FIVE - THURSDAY
What if life but full of care if we have no time to stand and stare? And what better place to live this Back-Roads philosophy than the medieval town of Albi where you’ll enjoy a day of leisurely exploration. In the atmospheric old quarter you’ll explore the cathedral-cum-fortress of St-Cecile, the Palace de La Berbie and the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, where you’ll see works of this amazingly talented painter who we’d normally associate wit gay Paris. This was his birthplace. There are also some exceptionally interesting smaller museums, one of the best being the Musée de Cire which honours Albi’s many historic and heroic citizens, including the great 18th century explorer Jean-Francois de Gallup de Laperouse. Back-Roaders from Australia and New Zealand will find this of particular interest.

DAY SIX - FRIDAY
Our first stop of the day will be at Cahors, a town almost completely surrounded by its river. The area was the first to develop canals and thus became an important commercial centre in the middle ages. Two particular points of interest are the Pont Valentre, a six-arched, 14th century, and the Boulevard Gambetta, named after the town’s best known son.

DAY SEVEN - SATURDAY
Sarlat is the capital of the Périgord Noir (Black Périgord). It’s an ideal base for our explorations of the region and three nights here allows us to fully unpack and unwind. Our touring days are of the most relaxed kind with short drives and quality time at sites of interest. We’ll begin with a day in this old town itself, parking the bus up and exploring on foot. It is market day so it’s a fascinating experience. It will be a day of ‘organised independence’, your guide-companion having fully briefed you on the town’s possibilities over dinner on the evening before. He/she will, of course, also be offering a walking tour of his/her own for those who would like such. It’s quite an experience to wander around a town that ‘peaked’ (in terms of prosperity) in the 14th century! Its exceptional townscape reflects the riches of the early landowners and merchants who benefited from the wealth of the surrounding countryside. Highlights of your day will include visits to some of the preserved mediaeval houses. This is the sort of town best explored by simply ‘poking-around.’ Photographers will need lots of film!

Dinner is not included tonight giving you the opportunity of perhaps taking a longer lunch and a less formal meal tonight.

DAY EIGHT - SUNDAY
This will be a day to remember as we explore the Dordogne, placing particular emphasis on the breath-taking array of prehistoric sites. In the region there are over 200 separate sites! Many are concentrated around the vicinity of Les Eyzies so this will inevitably be the focus of our attentions. The principal sites to be visited will be those featuring the astounding cave paintings like those at Lascaux.

DAY NINE - MONDAY
We’ll continue our explorations of the Dordogne and it’s prehistory as we travel northwards with a stop in the ancient town of Périgueux. Our destination, and base for three nights, is Angoulême. This is fortified town with the ramparts of the old town dominating the new town below. Angoulême has some interesting and unusual sightseeing possibilities including a wonderful museum of Celtic gold, a museum of the paper trade and a museum dedicated to the art of the strip cartoon! It’s a great place to warm to ‘Asterix’ if you don’t already love this French comic hero!

DAY TEN - TUESDAY
With the Angoulême region as our base we take a day trip to the port of La Rochelle. This is an ideal place for an extended, harbour-side lunch of locally caught seafood. En route we’ll stop at Cognac, visiting one of the famed brandy distilleries. There’s much else to see on our circular tour to the coast including the Roman amphitheatre at Saintes, or perhaps, if time allows, we could touch on the Marais Pontevin, an area of ecological interest called locally ‘Green Venice’ for its many canals.

DAY ELEVEN - WEDNESDAY
A city famed for its porcelain, Limoges, is the centre of today’s visit. It’s a grand shopping opportunity, ladies! We’ve also included one of France’s most poignant sights to remind us of the country’s more recent history. In 1944 a contingent of German SS troops, pushed back by the Allies D-Day landings, descended on Oradur sur Glane. They massacred several hundred of the inhabitants and then systematically destroyed the village. The shell of the village has been left as it was, a sad monument both to the dead and as a reminder of Europe’s turbulent past. It’s a deeply effecting visit.

DAY TWELVE - THURSDAY
We couldn’t come to this region and not explore the famed vineyards in some depth! So, today, the area around St Émillion, and the town itself, are the focus of our attentions. The town will delight and it provides almost a perfect summary to our tour; medieval, narrow, cobbled streets, ancient ramparts, historical buildings, shopping and a chance to taste a local delicacy (in this case macaroons) and absorb life with a glass of fine wine beside you. Lovely!

DAY THIRTEEN - FRIDAY
Alas, our final day but a fitting climax to a tremendous tour. The traditional seat of the Dukes of Aquitainne, Bordeaux’s history stretches back 2000 years, over which time it has seen Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Saracens at its gates. Today’s visitors find a fantastic city boasting both a modern town with tree-lined avenues bordered by elegant buildings, luxury shops and pavement cafes, and an old town (Vieux town) resplendent with a wealth of historical buildings both secular and religious, museums, art galleries and shopping opportunities. There’s plenty of choice here for everyone and following a morning tour with your guide, you’ll be free to spend this afternoon just however it suits you. If you’re considering joining this tour, please do note that it will prove unsuitable if you have mobility problems. While this should not be considered in any way ‘a walking tour,’ there are many French cities, and countryside sights, where we cannot take a vehicle. If you have any doubts as to the tour’s suitability, please do contact us to discuss it.

Tonight we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner and relive some of the many memories we’ve experienced over this past two weeks.

DAY FOURTEEN - SATURDAY
Transfer to the airport for your return home or perhaps onward to another great back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd holiday experience.

Itinerary note: please note, the order of attractions visited may change depending on opening times and seasons.

ALSACE LORRAINE, BURGUNDY & CHAMPAGNE

We doubt whether there’s a more interesting and varied tour of France available. Our small group of just eleven explore at leisure three distinct provinces of the country - Burgundy, Alsace Lorraine and Champagne, seeing both the major icons and getting behind the tourist façade to see a La Belle France the coach tourists never can. We tour magnificent, ancient cities such as Dijon, Strasbourg, Colmar, Nancy and Reims. We enjoy the breath-taking scenery of the Vosges, the Ardennes, the mountainous Swiss-French border, and Côte d’Or. We’ve time in small villages and towns, sampling local foods and seeing daily life as it is. We’ve palaces and cathedral, museums and art galleries, shopping and eating. And, as we are touring through three of the greatest wine growing area, there’ll be visits to vineyards and wine tasting. It’s a perfect tour for either the first time visitor or the committed ‘Francophile’, and can be combined with our 6 day tour of the Loire to make it an unbeatable holiday.

Tour Code	Arrive Paris	Depart Paris
ABC	*Sunday*	*Saturday*
ABC 01	06-May	19-May
ABC 02	27-May	09-Jun
ABC 03	17-Jun	30-Jun
ABC 04	08-Jul	21-Jul
ABC 05	02-Sep	15-Sep
ABC 06	23-Sep	06-Oct
ABC 07	14-Oct	27-Oct

DAY ONE - SUNDAY
You’ll arrive in the ‘city of light’ to be met by your guide/companion. The rest of your day is free to enjoy the city, recover from the rigours of air travel. This evening your guide will meet the group for a welcome dinner.

DAY TWO - MONDAY
We depart Paris at 08.30 for an excellently varied first day’s touring commencing with a city with royal roots stretching back in the 12^th century, Fontainebleau. It was here, from the famous horseshoe staircase of the magnificent palace, that Napoleon bade his men farewell following his abdication in 1918. The palace can only be described as magnificent. Our next stop will be Sens, noted as the site of France’s first gothic cathedral (12^th Century). Then we arrive in Troyes, one of the capitals of the Champagne province. A must here is to spend some time wandering around the old timbered houses of Old Troyes, perhaps visiting the unusual Tools and Labour Museum or the Museum d’Art Moderne.

DAY THREE- TUESDAY
Naturally, a visit anywhere in France will offer the opportunity of visiting vineyards, but on this tour we have three very special regions; our first is here, in Burgundy. The first vine was planted here in Roman times and the produce of ‘La Cote’ has been revered virtually ever since. We’ll be visiting one of the vineyards as we tour. We’ll also visit the Burgundy Wine Museum when in Beaune. Our exploration of Beaune will take the form of ‘organised independence’ . On the evening prior to our visit you’ll have been well briefed by your guide-companion about the town. You’ll have been advised of the main sites, supplied with maps and had questions answered. You’re then free to explore the delights of the city at your own pace, choosing the attractions that hold the most interest for you. Of course, if you’re travelling alone you need not fear being neglected, as your guide-companion will also be offering a walking tour for those who would prefer his/her companionship. Beaune offers a wealth of delights including the Hôtel-Dieu, a marvel of Burgundian-Flemish art. There are also the Musée des Beaux-Arts, and a museum sure to delight any of the many physicians who travel with Back-Roads Touring Co., that of the great experimental doctor and physiologist, Etienne-Jules Marey.

DAY FOUR - WEDNESDAY
Michelin give Dijon a three star rating, and it certainly deserves every one of them. We’re going to spend a full day here to get inside this ancient university city, and seat of the Dukes of Burgundy. Highlights will include strolling pedestrian streets of the old town, such as the Rue des Forges, and exploring the rich remains of the Palais de Ducs (the Salle des Gardes in the Musée des Beaux–Arts cannot be missed). There’ll be an opportunity to visit the archeological museum (including fantastic local finds from Neolithic and Gallo-Roman periods), the botanic gardens, the cathedral and numerous smaller chapels. Or perhaps a visit to the mustard museum!? Dijon is a gourmet’s and shopper’s delight! We’ll find the Auger shops for local products such as mustards, sweets, blackcurrant liqueurs and spicy ginger cake.

Tonight dinner is not included to allow for some individual choice in dining. There are several Michelin two and three star restaurants in Dijon. Should anyone wish to sample the extremely expensive delights of one of these, please advise us well in advance and we’ll be delighted to make appropriate arrangements.

DAY FIVE - THURSDAY
Our first stop of the day will be at Besancon, an ancient centre for Christianity. Then we drive east and into the mountains where we’ll follow the Vallée du Doubs. To say that this is a remarkably pretty drive is a gross understatement. Indeed, the Gorges du Doubes between the towns of Morteau and Monteliard, is breath-taking. The physically fit may find enough courage to climb the three sets of steel ladders fixed on a rocky wall that enable us to have the most spectacular view at Les Échells de la Mort (‘Ladder of Death’). The Alsace is, of course, another area famed for its wines. No doubt we’ll find time over the next few days to sample a glass or two!

It should be evident from the description of this tour that those with a mobility problem will not find this a suitable holiday. If you have any doubts as to your fitness for this tour, please do consult with us first.

DAY SIX - FRIDAY
Another scenic day as we discover the Route des Cretes. This was a strategic road built during the First World War to ensure communications on the Vosges front line. We’ll obtain an amazing panorama of the area at Hohneck, from the Vosges to the German Black Forest, and later see the Vieil-Armand battlefield monument. This afternoon we may return to Colmar to visit the Musée d’Underlinden, a fantastic collection of art housed in an old convent.

DAY SEVEN - SATURDAY
We leave early this morning and follow the German border to the Capital City of the European Union, Strasbourg. Your day here will illustrate why the politicians chose it! Not only is this an historical crossroads for Europe, but it has an intellectual history that claims both Guttenberg and Goethe. It is rich in art treasures, has one of the finest gothic cathedrals, has superb shopping, and last but certainly not least, some of the best eating and drinking possibilities in the whole of the Union! We visit on a Saturday to take advantage of it being market day (there’re both traditional and flea market to explore and both are great for interesting souvenirs and presents), and to give you an opportunity of joining a special themed walking tour. Our return from Strasbourg takes us through Obernai where we’ll stop for dinner.

DAY EIGHT - SUNDAY
This morning you’re free to rise late and to explore Colmar. Highlights will include exploring the old town with its picturesque timbered houses, and perhaps enjoying a canal ride around ‘petite Venice.’ This afternoon we enjoy a two-hour drive west, through the hills and woods of the Vosges forests to Nancy. We’ll arrive in time for your guide-companion to offer a short orientation tour.

DAY NINE - MONDAY
Nancy is the former capital of the Dukes of Lorraine. It’s quite different in character from the towns of the Alsace and owes its elegance to 18^th century town planning, though its roots go back to the 11^th century! Art Nouveau is also much in evidence in Nancy’s architecture. There’s much to see and do here, especially for those with an interest in arts and craftsmanship. There’re the Ducal Palace, the superb glass and crystal collection in the Musée des Beaux-Arts (and paintings by Monet, Modigliani and Manet), the wonderful art gallery at Musée de L’École de Nancy and the old town with its ranges of buildings of architectural and historical interest.

DAY TEN - TUESDAY
We’ll take an opportunity of visiting another country today, Luxembourg. En route, we’ll visit Metz, a pretty and busy city on the river Moselle. Luxembourg adds a special interest to our tour of the region. This is one of Europe’s smallest countries, basically being a single valley. One important site is the burial place of General Patton.

DAY ELEVEN - WEDNESDAY
The First World War looms large today. We won’t help but have noticed signs of the age-old conflict between France and Germany over the Alsace and Lorraine as we’ve traveled through the region but at Verdun, scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the Great War, we’ll stop to contemplate this aspect of European history. Our time here will include a visit to the Citadelle Souterraine where there’s an imaginative tour that takes us on a recreation of life in the trenches. We’ll also visit the battlefield and associated museums and memorials.

DAY TWELVE - THURSDAY
It’s time to raise our glasses for today we explore the famed Champagne region. Naturally, our day will include visits to well-known vineyards in the Marne valley, and to Champagne cellars (Moët et Chandon or Mercier) in Épernay itself.

DAY THIRTEEN - FRIDAY
Our final day sees us first in the ancient university town of Reims. It was here, at the magnificent cathedral, that French kings were traditionally crowned. Architectural and cultural highlights here include the cathedral Notre-Dame (considered one of the finest in the world), the Basilica and Museum de St Remi and the Palais du Tau (the archbishops palace). We can also visit the fascinating Salle de Reddition, General Eisenhower’s HQ and where the act of German capitulation was signed. The actual room remains exactly as it was on May 7^th 1945. Because Reims is noted for its many regional food specialities, this is an ideal place to enjoy an end of tour lunch that is included in your tour price. This evening, in Paris, you’ll be free to make your own choice for dinner.

DAY FOURTEEN - SATURDAY
Alas, it’s time to bid adieu with a transfer to the airport, unless you’re staying on to enjoy Paris, of course. At least you’ll be returning home with some of the fondest memories of a leisurely and varied tour through La Belle France.

PALACES AND CHATEAUX

A perfect shorter tour to combine with time in Paris or our La Belle France tour

This delightful short tour of the Loire, with soupcon of Brittany for added taste, will surely stimulate the travel palate. We’ve taken a good handful of the most luxurious chateaux of the Loire, mixed with some 12^th century castles of Henry II and bride, Eleanor of Aquitaine, added the jewel of the Sun King’s Versailles, and topped off with some of the most magnificent cathedrals in northern France. Added to the blend is time in rural southern Normandy and the Breton border town of Fougeres.

Tour Code	Arrive Paris	Depart Paris
CHAT	*Saturday*	*Saturday*
CHAT 01	28-Apr	05-May
CHAT 02	19-May	26-May
CHAT 03	09-Jun	16-Jun
CHAT 04	30-Jun	07-Jul
CHAT 05	11-Aug	18-Aug
CHAT 06	25-Aug	01-Sep
CHAT 07	15-Sep	22-Sep
CHAT 08	06-Oct	13-Oct

DAY ONE - SATURDAY
Arrive Paris. You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to our Pairs hotel base. You’ll be free for the remainder of the afternoon to explore this great city and to recover from your travels. Dinner is not included this evening, leaving you free to make your own arrangements

DAY TWO - SUNDAY
Departing Paris at 0.8.30, we commence our tour with a visit to a palace that perhaps best illustrates the wealth of pre-revolution France, Versailles. Both the gardens and interiors display an ornamentation and lavishness almost beyond the comprehension of the average person. That such incredible riches should have existed also boggles the mind (until we think of Bill Gates!). We drive westward through lower Normandy stopping at some of the small towns and villages en route choosing from such as Évreux, with its fine stained glass cathedral windows and Roman ramparts, Sées, and the Orne forests around Bagnoles.

DAY THREE- MONDAY
Our second day sees us first in Brittany’s Fougères. It's dominated by a 12th century castle and, although this mighty structure was partly demolished by Richelieu, it is still an imposing fortress. Fougères has a pretty town centre and retains a distinctly different cultural feel to it, perhaps as a result of long being the border town between Bretons and Franks. Our next major stop is Angers, once the capital of the great Angevin (Plantagenet) empire of the 12 century which extended from Scotland to the Basque country. Once again, an imposing castle dominates the mediaeval town. Another highlight of our stop in this centre of tapestry will be the famed ‘Apocalypse Tapestry’. This amazing, hand-woven, work of art dates back to the late 1300s. There’ll be time here to enjoy a late lunch and to explore the narrow streets of the old quarter or visit museums And finally to Saumur, our nightstop.

A word about evenings in France: our dinners will be taken later than you’re perhaps used to. The French famously take their food seriously and you’ll find our three-course dinners spanning the evening. It’s a civilised time to enjoy not only the excellent food that you’ll find on one of our tours but also some dinner table conversation.

DAY FOUR - TUESDAY
This is our first day on the Loire. The pretty and peaceful town of Montsoreau makes an excellent base for our explorations of the eastern Loire. Our filled day will include a visit to the local wine caves, seeing the troglodyte hill dwellings, visiting the fine local chateaux at Saumur, and spending time in the wonderfully picturesque Chinon, the 16^th century birthplace of the great comic writer, Rabelais.

DAY FIVE - WEDNESDAY
The Loire Valley is justly famed for its incredibly rich chateaux. In truth, there are almost too many to choose from! One we shall definitely be visiting today will be Villandry, justly famed for its magnificent gardens. And not far away is the château that reputedly inspired the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ story, Château d’Usee. Believe it or not, there’s even a local château with the largest collection of cadillacs outside of the USA! We’ll also include the serene Azay-le-Rideau where the Renaissance exterior of the local château is a sight to behold.

DAY SIX - THURSDAY
The whole development of secular French architecture, from feudalism to classicism, can be traced at Blois Château. Medieval towers, gothic roofs and walls, Renaissance interiors, sumptuous interiors. They are all here. It’s almost unbelievable that just a few kilometers away is yet another at Ambois, and a few kilometers further Chambord, the first great, classical French palace. Or perhaps the jewel of Renaissance architecture, Chenonceau châteaux. There’s even a small palace in Beaugency itself! There can be little doubt that the palaces of the Loire, set as they are in some of the most splendid gardens, and these set amidst wonderful countryside, will have given you several never-to-be-forgotten days (and several rolls of film of hours of video footage!).

DAY SEVEN - FRIDAY
Our final day takes us first through the city of Orléans, made famous, of course, by Jean, Maid of Orléans. We’ll only briefly visit this fairly modern city before driving on the short distance to Chartres. Here you’ll have time to enjoy shopping in the ancient, picturesque streets. We’ll explore the St-André quarter and some of the fine houses and restored mill-races and laundry-houses. The undoubted highlight, however, will be our visit to Chartres Notre-Dame Cathedral. Pilgrims have been coming here for eight centuries to admire and seek inspiration from the most magnificent, and certainly most extensive stained glass windows to be seen anywhere in the world. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner together.

DAY EIGHT - SATURDAY
Airport transfers or extend your time in the ‘city of light’ until joining (or travel to join) one of our other super French tours. Most departures of this tour combines with our Alsace tour and three departures combine with our Provence tour.

IN SEARCH... OF THE WESTERN FRONT

Ypres, the Somme, Vimy Ridge. Names that have entered the English language and now represent something more than simply a place name. Nearly ninety years on, the scars of these, the greatest land battles fought on European soil, are still evident. Not only are there still trenches, gun emplacements and bunkers lying in fields and wood of Northern France and Belgium, but there are lakes left by the giant mines, half sunken tunnels, and huge tracks of land unsafe because of unexploded ordinance. Hardly a day goes by without a farmer turning up some sad reminder, including unknown soldiers, of the great sacrifices made in Flanders fields where ‘the poppies blow between the crosses row on row’. This tour explores the battlefields by foot and vehicle. We visit the best of the museums, the most poignant of the memorials. Actions fought by the gallant and heroic lads of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, India and Britain the mother country herself are remembered and discussed.

Tour Code	Arrive London	Depart London
WF	Saturday	Sunday
WF 01	07-Jul	15-Jul
WF 02	25-Aug	02-Sep
WF 03	13-Oct	21-Oct

Day One - Saturday
Arrival London where you’ll be met by your Back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd guide-companion. Today is generally a day for recovering from your travels but this afternoon we’ll be visiting the Army Museum. In this excellent museum we’ll be focusing on the Great War section to obtain an overview of World War One.

Day Two - Sunday
We have an early start and a drive to the Channel Port for our crossing to France. Loos our destination, and base for three nights, is near Arras. En route, we’ll visit the site of the Battle of Loos. This is a particularly good place to commence our tour as much of the ground remains little changed and it allows us to follow the battle in some detail. Loos has the particular ‘distinction’ of marking the first use of gas. A feature of this tour will be to visit particular graves of those decorated for conspicuous gallantry (mainly Victoria Cross winners) at various battle sites, and to hear a full account of the action that won them their honour.

Day Three - Monday
The Somme. For sheer carnage there has never been a battle to compete with the four and a half months that encompass The Somme. Sixty thousand casualties on the first day, Four hundred thousand by the end. The flower of the Empires manhood perished here. Our tour today begins in Albert, where there was fierce fight from the earliest months of the war. We’ll next see the huge mine crater at la Booisselle, then the South African museum and memorial at Delville Wood. Then on to Mametz Wood, High Wood and the tank memorial at Pozieres. This will be followed by the Ulster Tower, and nearby preserved battlefield and, finally, the Newfoundland memorial at Beaumont Hamel .

Day Four - Tuesday
Cambrai, The Kaiser’s Offensive &Breaking the Hindenburg Line. Cambrai was the first massed tank attack in history. Approaching 400 attempted to smash a hole in German defences. After two weeks of fighting, and 80,00 dead on both sides, the allies were back where they started. In March 1918 nearly one million men attacked along a front of almost 50 miles. It can become known as the Kaiser’s Offensive. It was the first tank v tank battle in history. Weather (and farming crops) permitting, we’ll find some original German trenches in the woods near Fayet. We’ll also be visiting the Australian National memorial, Fouilloy Cemetery and the Villers Bretoneux School Museum. Finally, we’ll view events around the breaking of the Hindenburg Line in September 1918. The Tennessee Memorial, 46^th Division Memorial, the Bellicort American Memorial and tunnels, and the American National Cemetery at Bony will be visited.

Day Five - Wednesday
Vimy Ridge and Neuve Chapelle. Leaving the Arras area, this morning we dedicate to the battle at Vimy Ridge. Here there is an excellent memorial run by the Canadian Government with preserved trenches and tunnels to visit. We’ll also visit the French National Memorial at Notre Dame de Lorette and the striking memorial at La Targette. Our drive takes us through the battlefields of Neuve Chapelle, then into Belgium and our second main visit of the day, Cloth Hall at Ypres for the Ypres Salient Museum, ‘In Flanders Field’. This is undoubtedly the finest of all Great War local museums with exhibitions including recreated trenches and an excellent photographic collection. Images from this last will certainly help understand the full horror experienced by the soldiers at the battlefields we’ll be visiting over the next days. We’ll also visit St George’s Memorial Church.

Day Six - Thursday
Ypres, 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd Battles. Names of places featuring in the Ypres Salient offensives are branded into our collective memory. Messines Ridge, Polygonn Wood, the Menen Road, Hellfire Corner, Hooge and Kemmel Craters, Hill 60, Sanctury Wood and, the one word that seems to stand for it all, Passendale. We’ll be visiting each of the important sites of all three offensives during our day. The Tyne Cot cemetery, the preserved trenches at Sanctury Wood, Lt Col. John McCrae memorial, Langemarck German cemetery and the Brooding Soldier memorial are amongst the sites. The day’s somber climax, and perhaps in many way the whole tour’s, will be the Last Post Ceremony that we’ll witness tonight at the Menem Gate Memorial.

Day Seven - Friday
Before returning via St Omer (an early British army HQ) and Calais, we explore the tunnels beneath Arras. We return to London via Kent. En route, we’ll look at a few village war memorials and particularly at some church regimental memorials. These, found in every village, town and even factory across the UK, demonstrate the loss of a generation almost more than anything else. If time, we’ll also visit the grave of Sir John French.

Day Eight - Saturday
London’s Imperial War Museum is on today’s schedule. We’ve also included some rather special and poignant Great War reminders including Stanley Spencers remarkable paintings at a mediaeval church and a VC winners grave and memorial in a quiet Thames-side churchyard. This will involve our driving out of London into the Buckinghamshire countryside and it’s here that we’ll enjoy our farewell dinner in an historic country pub.

Day Nine - Sunday
Our tour is at an end. You’ll be transferred to the airport of your choice. It has been a remarkable week and the somber places we’ve visited and stories we’ve heard will, undoubtedly, stay imprinted on our minds for a long time to come.

BATTLES FOR FRANCE

There have been few events in man's history to compare with those which took place in June 1944 unless, perhaps, you were a soldier in the trenches of the Somme, or 'crying God for Harry' at the 15th century battle of Agincourt. Our tour explores these major battlefields and associated museums, and illustrates the grim realities of war.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES FOR YEAR 2001

Tour Code	Arrive London	Depart London
DDB	*Saturday*	*Sunday*
DDB 01	14-Apr	22-Apr
DDB 02	02-Jun	10-Jun
DDB 03	23-Jun	01-Jul
DDB 04	01-Sep	09-Sep
DDB 05	06-Oct	14-Oct

Day One - Saturday
London arrival. Most tour participants tend to arrive on a morning flight and are then transferred to our London hotel. This afternoon we take an introductory tour visiting the Imperial War Museum and, if time permits, Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms. Coincidentally, our London hotel in the suburb of Chiswick is within a few hundred yards of where the first V1 rocket fell on London!

Day Two - Sunday
This is our own 'longest day'. We leave London early in the morning heading southwest. Our itinerary contains many unique references and sites connected with the days leading up to June 6, 1944 before we board our ferry to France . There are also several of the better known sites, including the Portsmouth D-Day museum and see Eisenhower's HQ where 'Operation Overlord' was planned. We take the early afternoon ferry across the channel arriving in France four hours later. This will undoubtedly be a less stressful crossing than the men faced on the night of June 5.

Days Three, Four & Five - Mon, Tue & Wed
Over these momentous days we visit sites whose names will be etched into 20th century history; the D-Day beaches Omaha, Utah, Juno, Sword, Gold, Arromanches, Pegasus Bridge, the Falaise Pocket, Operation Epsom. We'll also visit the solemn national cemeteries, and museums en route, with a major highlight being the Caen Peace Memorial museum. We'll see sights connected with all of the allied armies and will be able to amend the itinerary on a daily basis to visit any location which might have a special meaning for one of our tour participants. Depending on the date of tour there may be a special commemorative event taking place at one of the sites and we'd always endeavour to visit such. In addition, we'll also visit Renaissance Bayeux and see the famed Tapestry of the Battle of Hastings, 1066.

Day Six - Thursday
After a short tour of Joan of Arc's Rouen and its medieval cathedral, today we'll step back to the days of the Great War of 1914-19 and specifically to the events which mark the Somme as one of the most poignant battlegrounds of Northern France. Fought on the chalky fields in 1916, the Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest and most costly encounter of the British Army's long and glorious history. Almost 60,000 men fell on the very first day. The line advanced just six miles over the following five months of battle and cost over 400,000 lives. The Somme became known as 'the glory and the graveyard of Lord Kitchener's army'. We'll visit preserved trenches, museums and several other noted battlegrounds. Amazingly, even after above eighty years, the area still yields up from its soils the remnants of man and machine. There are still areas we cannot walk through because of unexploded ordinance. Finally, we'll visit the city of Arras and, if time permits, take a tour of the underground fortifications.

Day Seven - Friday
'Cry God for Harry and England and bring on the dogs of war!' Agincourt, one of the greatest of all medieval battles, fought between the English and French forces, will be one of the day's focal points. It was here that the long bow came into its own for the first time and made all the difference. Even though this battle took place nearly 600 years ago, you can still feel the chill of the atmosphere and feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as you hear tales of both bravery and massacre. Later, as we drive northward, we'll pass the site of the main airfield used by the Luftwaffe for its 'Battle of Britain' campaign and finally enter into the space age with a visit V1 and V2 rocket sites from WW2 before taking the Channel Tunnel Shuttle back to the UK.

Day Eight - Saturday
We'll round our battlefields tour off with visits to 'Battle', scene of the 1066 battle of Hastings. Fittingly, the climax to our superb tour is a visit to Winston Churchill's home of Chartwell. Here, you'll not only see an excellent display of artefacts relating to this great old warrior's life (from the Boer War to the Cold War) but also almost smell his cigar smoke!

Day Nine - Sunday
Airport transfers for those who are returning home today. Others may wish to extend their stay in London and continue with their themed visits of military or war related sites. We will be delighted to make arrangements for those with a special interest in visiting museums or bases connected with their own service career.

RENAISSANCE ITALY

This is a country high on everybody's 'must see' list. Italy has been attracting tourists since at least the 15th century (and we don't include the various conquering invaders!). It was an essential part of a young man's (and the occasional liberated young lady's) education throughout the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The 'Grand Tour' of Europe was incomplete without time spent studying in one of the great renaissance cities. Carrying home a Canalletto painting home to hang on one's wall was as much a pre-requisite of travel as is today's purchase of souvenirs and sending postcards home.

Our tour encompasses the traditional great sights. How could one not visit Italy and see the treasures of Florence, the romantic Venice and that wonder of the modern world, Pisa's leaning tower? In addition, however, to visiting these major iconic sights, Back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd, as you'd expect of us, also takes you behind the tourist façade into the hills of Umbria, countryside of Tuscany and south to the coastal towns around Sirolo. It's a tour designed to introduce you to Italy's magnificent culture, history and natural beauties.

Tour Code	Arrive Rome	Depart Rome
IT	*Sunday*	*Saturday*
IT 01	15-Apr	28-Apr
IT 02	29-Apr	12-May
IT 03	02-Sep	15-Sep
IT 04	16-Sep	29-Sep
IT 05	30-Sep	13-Oct
IT 06	14-Oct	27-Oct

Special Note: please do note that there is considerable walking on this tour. Many of the historic Italian cities do not permit motorised vehicles in their centres, and many are sited on hilltops. This tour is not suitable for anyone with a mobility problem. Unfortunately, anybody joining with walking difficulties would often find themselves unable to join in group activities.

DAY ONE - SUNDAY
Arriving at Rome's Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) airport, we'll save the throng of the capital to the end of the tour and instead give you the chance to rest or take a seaside 'passeggiata' in a relaxing atmosphere a short drive away from the airport.

DAY TWO - MONDAY
Being outside the capital, we'll have a traffic free start as we head towards the walled provincial capital of Viterbo. Later, we'll explore the little known but atmospheric Bolsena and its lake before heading for Umbria and the flat top volcano town of Orvieto, with possibly the most impressive cathedral façade in Christendom. You'll learn why triple 'is' wine is so called and sample local salami in typical 'osteria'.

DAY THREE - TUESDAY
Through the enchanting hilltop towns (and some spectacular graveyards!) of Central Umbria towards St. Francis's Assisi where we'll have time to explore and perhaps find some local vinicultural and gastronomic specialities for a picnic. Todi and its neighbouring villages and towns are fascinating. Built as medieval fortresses, their town walls still dominate the hilltop and protect myriad small alleyways and streets. The impossibly quaint Monte Castello di Vibio boasts the smallest theatre in the world. It's exquisite and reflects the finery of the ancient merchants and land-owning families it was constructed for. On our Spring departures we take in an evening performance.

DAY FOUR - WEDNESDAY
We leave Umbria for the gastronomic and cultural delight that is Tuscany, the home of the pre-roman Etruscans. We'll take a capuccino in the wine producing town of Montepulciano before arriving in Siena that annually hosts the 'Palio', the world's most famous and vicious horse race, in its town square. We will almost guarantee everyone will hear your quick intake of breath when you first walk into this square! It is a truly stunning sight. Tonight we stay in Greve in Chianti. This attractive village is at the very centre of this famed wine and olive producing area. At night, the village centre is left to residents and you'll love the atmosphere, sitting at a table at one of the small café bars overlooking the piazza, with a glass of local wine in hand. Bello!

DAY FIVE - THURSDAY
A short drive through the Tuscan hills to Florence with the opportunity to explore this wonder of the Italian 'rinascimento'. Because of logistical problems with parking, you may spend much of today on your own but you'll, of course, be fully briefed as to where to go and what to visit so as to get the most from this unique city. Please note, the city can be very busy and if you are wishing to visit major galleries you must expect to line for a considerable time.

DAY SIX - FRIDAY
A view of Pisa's 'torre pendente' (leaning tower) and a visit to the magnificent baptistry are on this morning's agenda, before visiting the Vinci to see Leonardo's birthplace and museum of his inventions. After this, you'll perhaps agree with those who claim Leonardo to have been the man of the last millennium. Time permitting, we may also see the spectacular towers of medieval San Gimignano.

DAY SEVEN - SATURDAY
Time to cross the Apennines which we'll do in typical Back-Roads Touring Co. Ltd fashion, marvelling at the beauty of the Tuscan countryside which is untramelled by modern development. Although a driving day as we make our way east, we'll surely find some undiscovered villages and country hostelries. One outstanding memory will be of looking back on Florence from the villa-clad hills of Fiesole.

DAY EIGHT - SUNDAY
Abandoning our heroic minibus for the day, we'll mingle with the locals on a brief public bus ride over the lagoon to the Pearl of the Adriatic. Trips by 'vaporetto' to the glass producing Murano island and optional gondola rides will provide highlights as well as discovering the hidden beauty that lies only just behind the throngs in the 'serenissima'. Venice is, naturally, a great tourist city but with your Back-Roads Touring guide you'll enjoy getting behind the tourist façade and seeing something of the Venice known by the locals rather than the tourists. Our accommodation is a 15-minute train ride outside old Venice, in Mogliano Veneto. This small, pleasant village allows us to get a better feel for real life in the region, and past tour participants have enjoyed spending an hour or two experiencing modern Italian life in the local shops and streets.

DAY NINE - MONDAY
Today we have a choice. Some tour participants may enjoy another day exploring Venice; its size will probably surprise you. It's very easy to spend some time with 'organised independence' here and your guide will be able to assist in helping plan a day for anyone wishing to exploit the opportunity for a less structured visit to this absorbing city. Alternatively, your guide will be offering a tour to Verona, that famed city of ill-fated lovers, Romeo and Juliet, and/or to Padua, a medieval university city and perhaps, depending on group interest, Vicenza, Mogliano Veneto

DAY TEN - TUESDAY
Across the flatlands of the Po delta, homeland of Guareschi's Don Camillo, through the pine forests to Ravenna with its Byzantine mosaics and historic mystique. In the afternoon we'll cross the border to the independent state of San Marino or San Leo and visit its castle with splendid views over Romagna and the Marches.

DAY ELEVEN - WEDNESDAY
Who knows that the 'old Master', Raffaele Sanzio, was a Marchigiano? Yet, a visit to the university town of Urbino reveals not only his birthplace but a splendid gallery and a vibrant youthful atmosphere. This afternoon a contrasting visit to some of Europe's largest caves which have recently hosted the world's 'isolationist' records, in the depths of the 13 mile Our final base while on tour is under the enchanting and little known Conero mountain.

DAY TWELVE - THURSDAY
A journey to the mysterious Sibylline mountains is on today's agenda with a lunch of local lentils and sausage on the upland plain of Castelluccia. This is a time to really 'feel' like a local! Returning this afternoon, we drop south to the provincial capital of Ascoli Piceno where you'll be astounded by the magnificent piazza with its marble flooring.

DAY THIRTEEN - FRIDAY
Alas, time to cross the Apennines, Romeward bound again, but how better than through the tunnel of the 9,000 ft high 'stone of Italy' with its most southern permanent glacier and lunch in the upland town of L'Aquilla (the eagle). Before heading for the Eternal City, we'll have time to visit Tivoli's splendid gardens or Hadrian's majestic villa.