History in stone, beauty in the details

France

This ten-night journey is for those who like their history with a view, their culture with depth, and their meals served slowly and with purpose. You’ll stay in places that were once private homes, sip wine where the grapes grow just beyond the terrace, and float over the Loire in a hot air balloon at dawn. From the salons of Paris to the coastlines of Île de Ré, this is France as we know and love it: quietly extravagant, wildly inspiring, and stitched together by local knowledge. For honeymooners, it’s the kind of trip that makes you fall for each other all over again, often in places you didn’t expect.

IDEAL LENGTH

10 Days

STARTING FROM

$8000

IDEAL TIME TO GO

Apr - Jun

IDEAL LENGTH

10 Days

STARTING FROM

$8000

IDEAL TIME TO GO

Apr - Jun

An outline of your journey

Completely customisable for you

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A deeper look

Paris wrapped in gold light

You’ll arrive in the capital and check in to the Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal, where the windows open out to garden views and the scent of fresh pastries seems to follow you down the hall. With a private guide by your side, explore the city’s most iconic and intimate spaces: Notre Dame, the Louvre, the corners of Montmartre where stories still hang in the air.

Lunch is set at Café Marly, just beside the pyramid, and the croque-monsieur really is as good as everyone says. The next day is for Versailles. The scale, the silence, the strange calm of such grandeur. You’ll wander mirrored halls, immaculate gardens, and finish the day with a food walk through Paris’s creamiest, crunchiest corners.

History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details

Impressionist gardens and the weight of history

Stop in Giverny, where Monet’s gardens bloom just as they did when he painted them. It’s beautiful, it’s grounding. After lunch overlooking the lily pond, your driver will take you to La Ferme Saint Siméon, a 17th-century inn turned romantic hideaway on the Seine. The light here has inspired painters for centuries, and you’ll quickly understand why.

The next morning brings perspective. Stand on Omaha Beach, visit the American Cemetery, and walk through Sainte-Mère-Église, where the scale of the past feels more personal than overwhelming.

History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details

Bordeaux and the rhythm of the coast

From there, you’ll head south to Bordeaux and onward to the island air of Île de Ré. Your base, Villa Clarisse, is light, quiet, and exactly the kind of place that invites slow mornings. Spend your days exploring vineyards with a sommelier we trust implicitly, sampling oysters in Le Cap-Ferret, or walking the wind-swept beaches of Île d’Oléron with sand between your toes and nothing on the agenda.

History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details

Castles and kitchens in the Loire

Your final stop is the Loire, and it begins in the sky. A sunrise hot air balloon flight takes you over châteaux, rivers, and gardens. You’ll stay at Domaine de la Tortinière, a small château with just the right amount of flair, and spend your last day gathering ingredients from a local market with a private chef.

In a kitchen just outside town, you’ll prepare a traditional provincial meal together. It’s slow, it’s fragrant, and the kind of experience that quietly becomes a favourite memory. For couples just starting their story or returning to it, this final moment has a certain charm to it.

History in stone, beauty in the details
History in stone, beauty in the details

Unpacking in style

There’s something about stays that make you want to linger. With Footprint, you can stay at a London townhouse where the city runs just beyond your window. A lodge in the Scottish Highlands where the fireplace is always lit. A suite in New York where room service feels like a restaurant reservation. The right stay isn’t just where you rest— it’s where the experience begins.

Start a conversation.
See where it takes you.

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