France 2027

Day 1 · Thu 27 May

Land in Paris

Land at CDG 1:25 PM on an overnight from Orlando. Transfer into the city, check in, and take it easy — a jet-lag buffer evening before the wedding leg. Tomorrow: TGV to Bordeaux, then the hosts' shuttle out to the château.

Paris (CDG → hotel)Land at CDG 1:25 PM (overnight from Orlando MCO, dep. 10:40 PM on the 26th). Clear immigration + bags, then into the city — RER B ~40 min or taxi ~45–60 min. Check in, easy jet-lag evening; tomorrow's an early-ish TGV.

Days 2–4 · 28–30 May

Wedding

~2h 38m by rail to Bordeaux Saint-Jean

TGV Paris Montparnasse → Bordeaux Saint-Jean (~2h10), then the hosts' shuttle out to Château de la Valouze (~1 hr NE, near La Roche-Chalais). Wedding runs Fri–Sun (28–30 May) with on-site lodging at the château.

Wedding, day 2 of 3. In Bordeaux — hosts have the day.

Wedding, day 3 of 3. Last night in Bordeaux before picking up the car tomorrow.

Château de la Valouze — wedding (day 1 of 3)Hosts' shuttle from Bordeaux Saint-Jean (~1 hr NE, in La Roche-Chalais). Check in; wedding begins. On-site lodging all three nights.

Day 5 · Mon 31 May

Bordeaux → Sarlat (via Brantôme & Périgueux)

1h 54m drive to Brantôme

Hosts' shuttle back to Bordeaux midday; pick up the one-way rental, then a scenic transfer east through two Périgord gems: Brantôme (river-island town, abbey set against a cliff with troglodyte chambers behind it) and Périgueux (Saint-Front, the Byzantine-domed cathedral, plus the medieval old town). Reach Sarlat by evening. NOTE: Brantôme depends on an early-enough shuttle — if it lands mid-afternoon, drop Brantôme and keep Périgueux, which sits right on the A89 and costs almost no extra time. (Awaiting hosts' shuttle timing to confirm.)

Périgueux — Saint-FrontCathédrale Saint-Front — a wild cluster of Byzantine white domes — plus a handsome medieval old town (Gallo-Roman ruins too, if you've the appetite). Right on the A89 line, ~1h from Sarlat.

Sarlat-la-CanédaBase for 3 nights. The lamplit old town in the evening is the best version of Sarlat.

Day 6 · Tue 1 Jun

The castle bend

The signature Dordogne day — four sites stacked within 10 minutes of each other on the river bend, ordered to use light and crowds well.

Jardins de MarqueyssacAt opening. Level clifftop paths, sculpted boxwood, THE land-based panorama over the whole bend.

Château de CastelnaudMedieval-warfare museum, working trebuchets on the ramparts. Best views OF Beynac are from here. Lunch in the village below.

Château de BeynacPark at the UPPER lot by the castle and walk down through the village — not the riverfront lot.

La Roque-GageacGolden hour. Riverfront stroll, then the south-bank pull-offs for the classic cliff-village photo — from land.

Day 7 · Wed 2 Jun

Slow day: Sarlat market, Domme & the water gardens

A deliberate breather between two big days. Start on foot at the Wednesday market on Place de la Liberté — calmer than Saturday's, all local producers — coffee, strawberries, walnut cake, no driving. Late morning, up to the hilltop bastide of Domme for the Belvédère de la Barre panorama, the honey-stone lanes, and the Grotte de Domme beneath. A leisurely lunch in between, then the afternoon drifts at Les Jardins d'Eau in Carsac — lily ponds, bamboo, boardwalks under the waterfalls. Nothing more than 15 min apart; the point is to linger, not to tick sites.

Sarlat Wednesday marketThe Wednesday market on Place de la Liberté — smaller and calmer than Saturday's, mostly local food producers (7 AM–1 PM). Coffee, strawberries, walnut cake; wander the medieval streets on foot. No driving.

Domme & Grotte de DommeDrive up to the hilltop bastide (~15 min). The Belévèdre de la Barre is the sit-on-a-bench valley panorama; wander the honey-stone lanes. The Grotte de Domme beneath the market hall is a ~45-min cave, exiting via the cliff elevator right at the viewpoint. Tickets on-site.

Les Jardins d'Eau (Carsac)Water gardens — lily and lotus ponds, a bamboo walk, floating walkways and a water labyrinth, boardwalks under the waterfalls. Gentle, shaded, ~1–2 hrs of drifting. Open daily 10–7; picnic tables in the shade.

Day 8 · Thu 3 Jun

Sarlat → Chenonceau → Pont-Aven

4h 10m drive to Château de Chenonceau + picnic

The long transfer, with a Loire stop. Sarlat 07:30 → Château de Chenonceau ~11:15 (~3h45): the château and gardens, then a picnic in the grounds — terrines, cheese and bread bought at the Sarlat market the day before, fresh bread from a Sarlat boulangerie that morning. Out by ~14:30, then ~4h west to Pont-Aven, arriving ~18:30. Carnac is nearly on the line: the Mané Kerioned dolmen is a free 10-min add (~19:30 arrival); the Côte Sauvage is a stretch (~21:00, still daylight) — only if out of Chenonceau by 14:00 and feeling it. ~7h40 driving.

Mané Kerioned dolmen (optional)OPTIONAL, if time permits. Nearly on the line from Chenonceau: unfenced, free, 10-min stop, a three-dolmen group you walk right up to. Adds ~1h to the day (Carnac detour + Carnac → Pont-Aven 1h05).

Côte Sauvage, Quiberon (optional)OPTIONAL, stretch goal. The Quiberon peninsula's cliff road, pull-offs and short walks. Adds ~1.5h; pushes Pont-Aven arrival to ~21:00 (sunset ~22:00). Only if out of Chenonceau by 14:00 and feeling fresh.

Pont-Aven — arriveArrive ~18:30 (later with the optional Carnac stops). One night. Dinner in the port.

Day 9 · Fri 4 Jun

Pont-Aven → Cancale

2h 40m drive to Cancale — arrive (base, 2 nights)

Wake up in the required stop. A slow morning and early afternoon in Pont-Aven — the port, the mills on the Aven, the Bois d'Amour woods the painters worked in. Leave ~14:30 for the north coast (~2h45), check in to the Cancale Airbnb ~17:15, laundry on, oysters and the port in the evening. Two-night base from here.

Pont-Aven — morningSlow morning in the artists' town: the port, the mills along the Aven, the Bois d'Amour woods the Pont-Aven School painted. Gauguin's old haunt. Lunch at Crêperie Armelle at noon.

Crêperie Armelle — lunchLunch. Galettes and crêpes, organic flours, local cider, young team, terrace and garden. Very popular — RESERVE (+33 2 98 09 10 47). Lunch service 12:00–14:00/14:30; aim for noon, out by ~14:00.

Cancale — arrive (base, 2 nights)Two-night base. Check in, laundry on, then the oyster port in the evening — a dozen from the quay stalls, eaten on the seawall looking across the bay at the Mont.

Day 10 · Sat 5 Jun

Saint-Malo & Cancale

A slow day from the Cancale base. 20 min to Saint-Malo for the rampart circuit and lunch inside the walls (Grand Bé only at low tide — check the tables). Back to Cancale for the afternoon: the oyster beds and stalls at the port, the coastal path toward Pointe du Grouin. Nothing timed; laundry finishes.

Saint-Malo Intra-Muros20 min from Cancale. Rampart circuit (~1 hr) above the beaches, lunch inside the walls. Grand Bé island only at LOW TIDE — check the posted tables; the sea returns fast.

Cancale — port & coastThe afternoon at your doorstep: the oyster beds at low tide, the market stalls at the port (~€7–9 a dozen), the coastal path north toward Pointe du Grouin. Unstructured.

Day 11 · Sun 6 Jun

Mont-Saint-Michel → Rennes → Paris

3h 26m drive to Paris — arrive · Eiffel at night

Mont-Saint-Michel at opening — ~35 min from Cancale, be at the abbey for 9:00 before the crowds. Out by ~12:00, ~1h15 to Rennes, drop the car (VERIFY Sunday depot hours), TGV ~1h30 to Montparnasse, Paris by ~15:30. Check in to the Paris Airbnb; Eiffel Tower at night.

Drop car — Rennes · TGV to Paris~1h15 from MSM. Return the one-way rental at the station depot. VERIFY the depot's Sunday hours when booking — a closed desk with no key drop breaks the day. TGV to Paris Montparnasse ~1h30, frequent.

Paris — arrive · Eiffel at nightArrive Montparnasse ~15:30, check in (2 nights). Evening: the Eiffel Tower lit up — the hourly sparkle after dark from the Trocadéro or the Champ de Mars.

Day 12 · Mon 7 Jun

Paris · Île de la Cité & Invalides

~21m by rail to Les Invalides · Musée de l'Armée

Full Paris day. Morning on the Île de la Cité: Sainte-Chapelle (book a timed slot) and Notre-Dame (free; reserve a slot online). Afternoon at Les Invalides — Napoleon's tomb and the Musée de l'Armée, whose WWII galleries carry the war thread the trip otherwise dropped. Evening free: a one-hour Seine cruise if it appeals.

Notre-Dame de ParisFive minutes' walk from Sainte-Chapelle. Free entry; reserve a timed slot on the cathedral's site to skip the queue. Towers are a separate ticket.

Les Invalides · Musée de l'ArméeNapoleon's tomb under the golden dome, and the Musée de l'Armée — its WWII galleries carry the war thread the trip otherwise dropped. Allow 2–3 hrs.

Day 13 · Tue 8 Jun

Fly home

A relaxed final morning in Paris, then out to CDG for the 4:40 PM flight to Orlando (lands 8:25 PM local, same day). Fin.

Sacré-Cœur (optional)OPTIONAL final morning. Free entry; the view from the steps is the point. Funicular from the base if the stairs don't appeal. Back to the Airbnb by ~12:30 for bags.

Paris CDGFly home: dep. CDG 4:40 PM → Orlando, arriving 8:25 PM local the same day. Be at the airport ~2:00 PM for international check-in — a relaxed final Paris morning first. Fin.