Europe Adventure Travel » France, Spain, Italy, Germany, England

France & Spain - Le Pays Basque

Ideally situated in the South West of France and North West of Spain at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains and on the Atlantic seaboard, the Basque-country has kept its superb natural environment, unspoiled and jealously guarded by its proud inhabitants.

The coastal paths meander beside endless stretches of golden sand, in sight of the Atlantic surf. The untamed beauty of this wild coast is interspersed with sophisticated Basque cities with their heady mix of port and beach life. On the mountainside, the pretty villages and farms nestle in green valleys surrounded by open slopes and a semi-wild landscape.

The origins of the Basques remain shrouded in mystery but the songs, festivals, local sport, distinctive regional cuisine and folklore reveal a unique history and strong cultural identity where they still speak the oldest living language in Europe.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, Spain, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: May, October
FROM: $3,995
DURATION: 7 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Walking Vacation in Le Pays Basque region of France and Spain

France | Provence

The magnificent region of Provence offers an ideal mix of dry climate, picturesque hill towns, Roman ruins and landscapes blanketed in lavender, sunflowers, vineyards and olive groves.

Walk in the footsteps of six successive Popes at the medieval Palais des Papes in Avignon
Pedal to the 2,000-year-old Pont du Gard aqueduct, an engineering marvel constructed in places of six-ton stone blocks
Stroll the narrow streets of Uzès, where countless towers offer postcard-perfect views of the city and surrounding countryside
Taste the difference between the black tanche and buttery green picholine olive at an open-air market in St-Rémy-de-Provence
Soak up the views of the chalky limestone hills of the Alpilles surrounding Les Baux-de-Provence
Step into a Van Gogh canvas of cornfields,sunflowers and drawbridges in Arles
Savor a well-earned meal of bouillabaisse, topped off with a sweet Beaumes-de-Venise dessert wine, a plate of fromage de chèvre or a bowl of lavender-infused sorbet

ACTIVITY: Biking & Cycling Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: April, May, June, August, September, October
FROM: $3,598
DURATION: 7 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Provence Bike Tours

France - The Historic Dordogne

Discover 15,000 years of French history as we walk the Dordogne, one of France's most beautiful and unspoilt regions.

Setting off from Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, where 'Cro-Magnon man', one of the earliest modern humans, was first discovered, we explore an ancient world of caves, historic castles, lush farmland and elegant châteaux. We take a boat along the Dordogne River, visit cliff-side villages, dine in majestic surroundings and wonder at the perfectly preserved prehistoric cave paintings of Grottes de Font-de-Gaume.

We also visit Les Milandes, former home of 1930s music-hall queen, Josephine Baker, where we enjoy lunch and a display of falconry.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: June, September
FROM: $3,895
DURATION: 7 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Walking Vacations in France's Perigord Region

France - Barging in Burgundy

The luxury barge, La Belle Epoque, is our home for seven days as we glide along the waterways of Burgundy.

Tranquility and comfort accompany us on our journey, cruising peacefully through Burgundy. Every day we leave our barge to set off on foot to explore Renaissance châteaux, dramatic cliffs, wooded hills, medieval towns, lush valleys and ancient vineyards.

Fine French cuisine is prepared on board La Belle Epoque by our personal chef and every meal is accompanied by a different regional wine, making this trip a gourmet's delight.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration, Yachting and Barging
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: October
FROM: from $4,650
DURATION: 7 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Barging & Walking in Burgundy France

France Family | Loire Valley

From castles to kings to vintage cars, this weeklong Loire Valley adventure is a recipe for family fun.

Pedal at a leisurely pace crisscrossing vastforests, lush vineyards, fields of sunflowers and quiet villages
Bike to King François I’s Chateau de Chambord and count the staircases in the grandiose 440-room estate
Marvel at the lifelike King Charles VII and Anne of Brittany wax figures at the Chateaude Langeais
Ride to Le Clos Lucé in Amboise, the last residence of Leonardo da Vinci, to check out his countless inventions
Explore Chateau de Chenonceau, perched gracefully over the Cher River
Opt for a gentle kayak along the Vienne River and ooh and ahhh over the vintage car collection at Musée Dufresne
Whet your appetite over appetizers and a glass of fine vintage champagne at the le Grand Monarque’s exquisite Champagne Bar

ACTIVITY: Biking & Cycling Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: July, August
FROM: $2,798
DURATION: 8 days
AUDIENCE: Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: France Family Vacations

France - Cezanne's Provence

Discover the color and radiance that inspired the Impressionist masters Cézanne, Van Gogh, Monet and Matisse. Brilliant blues of sky and water, dazzling flower fields and groves showered in sunshine where the Muses are still heard by a thriving creative community. We walk through cherry orchards and gentle hills, explore dramatic limestone gorges, and follow packhorse trails past towering medieval châteaux. Taking a winding path through woods and vineyards, we reach the Marquis de Sade's picturesque village of Lacoste. Then, heady scents of rosemary, cedar and thyme accompany us to old Ménerbes. We visit a wine grower and taste the Luberon wine.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: May, September, October
FROM: $4495.00
DURATION: 7 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Walking Vacations in Provence, France

France | Loire Valley

Retrace the footsteps of King Charles VIII, Catherine de Medici, Leonardo da Vinci and Joan of Arc as you indulge in rich history, majestic castles, lush vineyards and world-class cuisine of la Loire.

Kick-start your day with a mouthwatering pastry in Versailles
Pedal to King François I’s Chateau de Chambord and count the staircases in the magnificent 440-room estate
Crisscross at a leisurely pace through vast forests, verdant vineyards, fields of sunflowers and quiet villages
Practice your French with a local farmer at an open-air market in Loches
Ride to Le Clos Lucé in Amboise, the last residence of Leonardo da Vinci and home to his many inventions
Explore Chateau de Chenonceau, perched gracefully over the Cher River
Sip award-winning wine at the world-famous Chinon and Cravant wineries and dine like royalty over an exquisite meal of beef tournedos and handmade cream puffs at the Chateau de Pray

ACTIVITY: Biking & Cycling Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: May, June, July, September
FROM: $3,698
DURATION: 8 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Bike Tour Loire

France | Brittany/Normandy

Follow a spectacular shoreline from St-Malo to Bayeux, snaking through fishing harbors, along windswept seaside plateaus, past historic WWII sites and into a rolling green countryside peppered with sheep, cattle and ancient stone farmhouses.

Pedal to the backdrop of jagged promontories and sandy beaches, enveloped in the smell of the sea
Snack on a plate of sweet oysters farmed off the shores of Cancale
Marvel as Mont St-Michel grows from a speck in the distance as you make your way toward the majestic abbey
Relive a stirring chapter in American history on a visit to the cemetery above Omaha Beach
Watch as the story of William the Conqueror unfolds as you walk along the colorful 230-foot Bayeux Tapestry
Feast on fresh seafood, savory crêpes, Camembert cheese and Calvados apple brandy before unwinding in the comfort of the charming Château de Bellefontaine

ACTIVITY: Biking & Cycling Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: May, June, July, August
FROM: From $3,498
DURATION: 8 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: France Bike Trips

France - The Alsace

Alsace offers distinctive cultural, viticultural, and gastronomic experiences developed through centuries of ping-pong domination between France and Germany.

Today, the unique historic blend provides the walking visitor with unsurpassed richness and diversity from fairy-tale landscapes including pastel-painted villages, Europe's highest concentration of feudal castles to the distinctive Franco-Germanic cuisine and wines.

We walk along part of the famous Alsace Wine Trail, visit a medieval fortress with spectacular views to the Black Forest in Germany, and trek along forest tracks near Obernai and the Vosges Mountains, wining and dining along the way with the finest produce this fascinating area has to offer.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: June, September
FROM: $3995.00
DURATION: 7 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, Family Vacations & Adventure Travel, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Luxury Vacation - France

France - The Loire - River of the Kings

The Loire, France's most fabled river, is our companion for this seven-day Walk through the historic garden of France. Crossing undulating countryside and fertile riverbanks, we encounter a royal abbey, privately owned châteaux, vineyards and orchards, underground passageways and troglodyte caves. We dine on traditional local produce, visit a mushroom farm, sample the sparkling and still wines of Saumur, play locals at the ancient game of boules de fort and enjoy a delightful dinner on board a traditional barge on the river Loire as we watch the sun set. In Chinon we discover a medieval fortress where Joan of Arc met Charles VII and we visit Fontevraud, the royal necropolis of the Plantagenet family: Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lion-Heart, and the only mixed monk and nun community in France. Nearby we enjoy strolling through a charming medieval floral garden.

ACTIVITY: Walking & Hiking Vacations, Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration
WHERE: France, EUROPE
AVAILABILITY: June, September
FROM: $3,995
DURATION: 7 days
AUDIENCE: Solo Adventure Travel and Singles Vacations, For Groups: Adventure Travel With the Experts!, Vacations for Couples & Partners
MEMBER'S WEBSITE: Luxury Walking Vacations - Loire France

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Eco-Travel & Cultural Exploration