The 10 Small-Group Day Trips in France That Earn the Road Time

1.Normandy D-Day Small-Group Day Trip with Omaha Beach, Cemetery & Cider Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,786 reviews · 12 to 13 hours (approx.) · from $320Our pick

Leave central Paris at 7 a.m. for a 12 to 13-hour small-group visit to Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, German bunkers, the Overlord Museum, and the American Cemetery. An expert guide such as Will, Bruno, Julian, or Etienne leads the day, with lunch and a Normandy cider tasting included in the plan.

“It was breathtaking and our guide was fantastic. Everyone was cooperative and very much enjoyed the day.”

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2.Giverny Small-Group Half Day Trip with Monet’s Gardens from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,663 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $157

Travel from Paris in an air-conditioned minivan with a group of no more than eight. Your English-speaking guide introduces Monet’s art, then leads you through the flower gardens, Japanese pond, colorful home, and village churchyard. Guides may include Kenny, Lucy, Frankie, Marius, or Laurent.

“Well worth it- a one hour drive to the idyllic village of Giverny and Monet’s garden and home. Our guide was cheerful, humorous and informative.”

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3.Monaco & Eze Small-Group Day Trip with Perfumery Visit from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 847 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $135Best value

Ride from Nice in a comfortable eight-seat Mercedes minivan, stopping at hilltop Eze, the Fragonard perfume factory, Monaco-Ville, and Monte Carlo. Your English-speaking driver-guide, such as Ian, Noé, Francesca, or Thierry, combines local stories with free time to explore.

“Unfortunately I felt this trip was a waste of a day. Eze was beautiful but there’s not much going on there. Monaco was not worth sitting in traffic to get there. Each stop gave you enough time to walk around a little bit, but it was not enough time to sit for a meal. I’ve been on a lot of day trips all over Europe and this was one of the worst. Our driver, David, has a good personality and was a very good driver. I recommend him, but not this tour.”

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4.Colmar, Medieval Village & Castle Small Group from Strasbourg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 769 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $241

Travel from Strasbourg in an air-conditioned minivan for Colmar, Riquewihr, Eguisheim when conditions allow, and Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle. You get a guided castle visit, free time in the villages, English commentary, and a maximum of eight people. Guides such as Camille, Jerome, Pauline, and Léa have earned strong praise.

“Fast paced with lots of walking but we were able to see three towns and a castle in one day and still get back to Strasbourg in time to enjoy dinner. Carlos was full of historical facts!”

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5.Giverny and Versailles Small Group Day Trip from Paris with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 755 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $392

Spend about 10 hours visiting Monet’s home and gardens at Giverny, eating a three-course lunch at Moulin de Fourges, and touring Versailles. Groups are capped at 15, though some departures have been larger. Guides such as Pamela, Carmence, and Nick have earned especially strong praise.

“Nice trip. Good tour guide. A bit disorganized with rough start. The bus picked up extra guests and they moved our stuff for absolutely no reason. Parts were rushed. Meal was just ok.”

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6.French Riviera Cannes to Monte-Carlo Discovery Small Group Day Trip from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 662 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $151

Spend nine hours exploring the French Riviera in a Mercedes minivan limited to eight people. Visit Eze and Fragonard, Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo, Cannes, and Antibes with guides such as Tony, Noah, Stephan, and Adrienn, then return to Nice with hotel pickup included.

“Our tour guide Ralph was great. We got to see a lot in one day. We recommend this tour. We would have liked to have longer in Eze.”

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7.Provence Countryside Small Group Day Trip with Grasse Perfumery Visit from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 613 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $135

Leave central Nice in an eight-seat Mercedes minivan for a full day through Cannes, Grasse, Gourdon, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Expect an English-speaking driver-guide, a Fragonard perfumery visit, hilltop views, free time for lunch and browsing, and hotel pickup and return.

“We had a great time on this day trip - we were able to visit several beautiful and interesting small towns and viewpoints that would have been very difficult to get to on our own. Our tour guide Eric had interesting stories and facts to share about the history of each location. Would definitely recommend!”

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8.Loire Valley Wine and Castles Small-Group Day Trip from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 613 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $296

Travel from Paris in a group of up to eight to see Chambord’s grand staircase, Chenonceau over the river, and Amboise’s royal ramparts. Guides such as Tim, Valeria, Enzo, and G have earned praise for lively history talks. Lunch is independent, and the wine tasting is brief and informal.

“This day trip was so fun! The castles were amazing! The trip was well organized and the guide was friendly. A few things I would note. The trip is 12-13 hours so definitely plan for that. I’m sure every trip and tour guide is a bit different but we spent a lot of time at Chenonceau castle. So, we felt a bit rushed at the 2nd stop, Amboise castle. Since there is more to do at the Amboise castle (castle, lunch and wine tasting) it would have made more sense to spend the most time here. Also, the wine tasting was a bit dull and skimpy. I expected something a…”

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9.Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Small-Group Day Trip from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 275 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $344

Leave Paris at 6:50 am in an air-conditioned minivan with up to seven other people. Visit Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery, and Overlord Museum, with guides such as Nicolas, Sébastien, Fabrice, and Régis bringing the D-Day sites into focus. Return to Paris after about 12 hours.

“Our tour guide was knowledgable and a wonderful driver . I read other reviews that complained about the driving, our guide was a good safe driver! My husband is a history buff and had been looking forward to this tour! The experience was excellent! We had ample time at each stop and our guide provided good historical background! We would highly recommend this tour”

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10.Loire Valley Royal Castles Guided Small group Day Trip from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 129 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $331

Spend about 13 hours exploring Chenonceau, Amboise, and Blois with a guide such as Olga, Valentin, or Ilya. You’ll tour royal rooms, see Leonardo da Vinci’s tomb, taste seven local wines at Plou et Fils, and travel in a Mercedes minivan with up to seven participants.

“The castles are amazing. The Loire Valley is a must visit if you are in Paris. Da Vinci’s tomb was beautiful and Chambord is worth the trip itself. We loved the labyrinth gardens at Chenonceau!”

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