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Neil Davis

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020 7808 6785

020 7808 6785

Lead Price
From £2095pp
Duration
10 days & 9 nights
Itinerary Type
Tailor Made
Holiday Type
Rail Journey
Tour Highlights

In the footsteps of the Plantagenets

Explore the regal legacy of the Plantagenets on a rail tour through history. From Le Mans, your journey takes you to Chinon and Henry II’s favourite castle, then the Abbey of Fonevraud, which holds the tombs of Henry II, Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine. You continue to Poitiers, home to a grand Plantagenet palace, followed by Bordeaux, capital of Aquitaine. After wine tasting amid the vineyards of Saint-Émilion, you finish in Castillon-la-Bataille, the final battleground of the Hundred Years’ War. There is time at leisure throughout, and your itinerary can be entirely tailored to your passions and preferences.

Itinerary

YEAR:
DAY 1: Arrive in Paris by rail
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Arrive in Paris by rail

Depart London St. Pancras by rail for Le Mans, via Paris. Check into Hotel Concordia, in the centre of Le Mans, for 2 nights. (B) 

Meal basis: As per itinerary – B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner, N: No meals.

Accommodation: Hotel Concordia
DAY 2: Le Mans
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Le Mans

Enjoy a day at leisure to explore the historic centre of Le Mans. Highlights include the Cité Plantagenêt – the historic heart of the city – as well as the imposing cathedral, burial place of Geoffrey of Anjou. (B) 

Accommodation: Hotel Concordia
DAY 3: Tours
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Tours

Depart Le Mans by rail for Tours and check in at Hôtel L'Univers Tours for 2 nights. Spend the remainder of the day at leisure exploring Tours, capital of the historic County of Touraine. The city centre boasts an impressive gothic cathedral and numerous surviving medieval houses. (B) 

Accommodation: Hôtel L'Univers Tours
DAY 4: Chinon & Fontevraud-l'Abbaye
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Chinon & Fontevraud-l'Abbaye

Enjoy a full-day guided tour of the Plantagenet sites surrounding Tours. Begin at Chinon, one of the favourite castles of Henry II, before proceeding to the Abbey of Fontevraud, where the tombs of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart lie side by side. Conclude with a brief visit to the Chapelle Sainte-Radegonde, which features a rare original fresco depicting a Plantagenet hunting scene. (B)

Accommodation: Hôtel L'Univers Tours
DAY 5: Poitiers
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Poitiers

Enjoy a morning at leisure before departing Tours for Poitiers by rail. Check in at Hotel Mercure Poitiers Centre for 2 nights. (B) 

Accommodation: Hotel Mercure Poitiers Centre
DAY 6: Poitiers
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Poitiers

Explore the historic centre of Poitiers at leisure. Recommended visits include the Palace of Poitiers, which features a great hall commissioned by Eleanor of Aquitaine; the Baptistry of St John, said to be the oldest Christian building in France; and the city’s 12th-century cathedral. (B) 

Accommodation: Hotel Mercure Poitiers Centre
DAY 7: Bordeaux
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Bordeaux

Spend a morning at leisure in Poitiers before departing by rail for Bordeaux. Check in at Hotel De Sèze for 3 nights. (B) 

Accommodation: Hotel De Sèze
DAY 8: Bordeaux
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Bordeaux

Spend a day at leisure exploring Bordeaux, the capital of Aquitaine. Suggested visits include the 14th-century Pey-Berland Tower, St. Andre’s Cathedral, and the UNESCO-listed Place de la Bourse. (B) 

Accommodation: Hotel De Sèze
DAY 9: Castillon-la-Bataille
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Castillon-la-Bataille

Travel by private driver to visit one of the renowned vineyards of the Saint-Émilion region. Enjoy a tasting before proceeding to the town of Castillon-la-Bataille, site of the last battle of the Hundred Years’ War that ended Plantagenet rule in Aquitaine. (B) 

Accommodation: Hotel De Sèze
DAY 10: Depart for London by rail
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Depart for London by rail

Depart Bordeaux by rail for London St. Pancras via Paris. (B) 

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The Cox & Kings signature experiences

  • Travel entirely by rail to/from London St. Pancras
  • Explore Henry II’s imposing castle at Chinon  
  • Enjoy wine tasting at a renowned vineyard in St. Emillion  
  • Admire a rare medieval fresco at the Chapelle Sainte-Radegonde
  • Visit the last battlefield of the Hundred Years War at Castillon-la-Bataille
Low Season
From £2,095 per person
High Season
From £2,395 per person

What's included

  • Accommodation, itinerary & meal basis as described
  • International standard class train tickets to/from London and all domestic rail travel
  • Local guides and entrance fees where applicable

Important information

Tailor-made travel
For a price quote based on alternative accommodation standards, to discuss flight options or to tailor this itinerary, please call to speak with a Cox & Kings consultant or enquire online.
Guideline prices
Prices above are per person in pounds sterling (£), based on two people sharing a twin/double-room. Single supplement available on request. Pricing is indicative and may be subject to change due to external factors such as variable flight prices.
Meal basis
As per itinerary – B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner, N: No meals.
Superior tour
This tour is based in 4-star accommodation.
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