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Steena can’t wait to share her perfect day exploring the streets of Paris with you. In a fairytale setting of the Christmas markets in Paris and France’s Christmas capital Strasbourg, you’ll be dazzled by gorgeous lights and displays, and indulge in the best chocolates and macarons ever filling your senses with everything decadent, sweet and Christmassy! It’s said there’s an author in everyone. You’ll help Steena plot a new novel set in Paris inspired by your daily experiences, places visited and things you observed. And, as a special treat, you will receive a signed copy of the novel on release. You’ll be the very first to read the story based on your experiences!
Day 1: Sunday December 7: Bienvenue à Paris
From Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport, you will be transfered to a charming 4-star boutique hotel @Maison Favart, where you will have time to freshen up, relax, go for a swim in the heated pool or explore the lovely neighborhood. Best-selling author Steena Holmes and Tour with Absolutely representative Nancy McGee will be greeting you and the other guests for a welcome cocktail in the evening at your hotel followed by dinner at the lively local French bistrot.
Meals included: dinner
Day 2: Monday December 8: Chocolate & Notre Dame Cathedral
You’ll start your day at family owned chocolate manufacturer, the oldest in Paris founded in 1761 offering a wide range of chocolates, the ideal place to pick up a few gift items to take home. One of Steena’s favorite areas is the Left Bank, and it’s not just because that’s where the famous Shakespeare & Co bookstore is located or the fact Odette’s puff pasty shop is just around the corner, it’s also where the Notre Dame craft market is located. After having sweet and savory crepes for lunch, you’ll be taken for a guided tour of the fully renovated Notre Dame Cathedral. Dinner will be at the an elegant bistrot located in one of the most stunning Parisian alleyways.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Tuesday December 9: “Emily in Paris” & Christmas market
This morning you will go for a ride in a tuk tuk, a fun and unique way to discover Paris landmarks and the emblematic locations where the romantic comedy series “Emily in Paris” was shot. The guided tour will end at the largest Christmas market in Paris at les Tuileries . You’ll have plenty of options to warm you up for lunch (at leisure) like french onion soup and mulled wine. You’ll enjoy your dinner this evening next to Palais Royal prepared with seasonal ingredients at this restaurant and wine bar honored for it’s collection of over 1000 wines.
Day 4: Wednesday December 10: Girly day & Cabaret
This morning your French fashion guide will take you for a tour where where you’ll learn how to tie a scarf, pop into an exclusive perfume shop and discover Brigitte Macron’s favorite handbag shop. You’ll have lunch at the tea parlor in the flagship Ladurée macarons boutique. After lunch, another girly experience awaits you at the exquisite Dior museum. Another must-see in Paris is a genuine French cabaret. After an early dinner, it will be time to head out for champagne and showtime @Le Moulin Rouge!
Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Thursday December 11: Strasbourg, the capital of Christmas
This morning, you’ll take a train through the countryside to winter wonderland: Strasbourg. Your tour guide will take you for a tour of the Strasbourg cathedral, described by Victor Hugo as “a skillful combination of monumental size and delicateness”. After lunch, there will be free time to stroll along some 300 stalls at the main market offering an amazing choice of sweets by master chocolatiers, gingerbread, mulled wine, local specialties such as pretzelsand and hand-crafted items for Christmas gifts – presided over by a giant Christmas tree! At nightfall, the Christmas lights will illuminate the town which will be the perfect time for some mulled wine before boarding the train back to Paris. Dinner will be at leisure
Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 6: Friday, December 12: French desserts, Montmartre and wine tasting
The day begins by donning an apron for a hands-on pastry workshop to make delicious french desserts in Montmartre. The rest of your day will be at your own pace in Montmartre to further explore the area which includes a small Christmas market, or visit a favorite museum, or relax at the spa. At the end of the afternoon, you will go for a wine and cheese tasting in a stone-walled cellar conducted by a sommelier.
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 7: Saturday, December 13: A fairytale Christmas Palace
Today, you’ll board a coach and head to the family owned Chateau Vaux le Vicomte which inspired the design of the Château de Versailles. Your guide will take you for a tour of the property and the castle which is transformed for the Christmas season with exquisite displays of garlands, illuminations, decorations, vintage toys and baubles. After lunch @ L’Ecureuil, you’ll have time to browse the lovely boutique offering a wide range of gift ideas or have a nibble on grilled marshmallows on the grounds. In the afternoon, you’ll be taken to a salon in the chateau for a fully private workshop on the art of hosting a French dinner party, a heritage that has been classified by UNESCO. Dinner will be at leisure.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 8: Sunday December 14: Photoshoot and Comedy show
This morning, a renowned photographer who knows all of the best places to take photos will take you for a photo shoot. Not only will she provide tips on how to take pictures and how to pose, Tour with Absolutely will be gifting you with photo souvenirs of the cherished moments of the day. After being under the projector, you will admire impressionist Monet’s works in a small jewel of a museum, tucked away in Paris’ posh 16th arrondissement. Back at the hotel, you’ll have some time off to prepare for the hit comedy show “How to become a Parisian in an Hour”. Dinner will be at a legendary belle époque bistro.
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 9: Monday, December 15: Opera house and Champagne
Your final day will begin with a guided tour of the stunning Opera Garnier, best known for The Phantom of the Opera. After the tour, you’ll have lunch and the afternoon off to make your last minute purchases and visit more iconic sites. You can’t leave Paris without admiring the Christmas window displays and the giant Christmas tree in the art deco dome of the Galeries Lafayette. Their gourmet food section is not to be missed for fine chocolate makers and pastry chefs including Christophe Adam, whose work is entirely devoted to éclairs. Back at the hotel, you’ll have time to pack all of your French treasures and prepare for dinner. You’ll raise your glass of champagne making a toast to your new friends before heading to a chic and sumptuous dinner venue located in Opera House.
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 10: Tuesday, December 16: Farewell
It’s time to have your last café au lait and to say “au revoir” to your new friends and head to Charles de Gaulle airport with your suitcases filled with French stocking stuffer, treast, souvenirs and sweet memories. Transfers will be arranged in the morning before check out at 11am.
Meals included: breakfast
Deposit
To secure a place on our tour, we ask that you fill in our reservation form, which indicates that a 30% deposit will be required. The balance will be due 2 months prior to the tour.
Included
Breakfast and all meals indicated in the program with wine at dinner, gratuities in restaurants, taxes, professional tour facilitator & guide, activities and admission fees as indicated in program, airport transfers on the first day of the tour and in the morning of last days of the tour, transportation by subway and on coaches for day trips, return trip train ticket Paris/Strasbourg, accommodation in a 4-star boutique hotel with a pool and wellness area.
Not Included
Round trips airfare to France, tip to tour guide and coach driver, any personal souvenirs or purchases outside of this tour and not indicated above, additional wine, beer or spirits beyond what is offered at meals, and all the sweet treats you pick up along the way, spa services at the hotel, travel insurance (highly recommended) and trip medical coverage (required for travelers over 50 years of age).
Terms and Conditions
If insufficient numbers of participants register for the tour or in the event of conditions deemed unsafe for our clients, the tour may be cancelled or postponed. While we endeavor to operate all trips as described, we reserve the right to change the trip itinerary owing to circumstances beyond our control or if more interesting opportunities arise. Any changes will be of similar or superior quality and content. If Steena is unable to travel, the tour will go ahead as planned with Nancy McGee, Tour with Absolutely representative.
Cancellation Policy
This is a non-refundable package group tour, no refunds even in the case of injury, illness or personal emergency. Cancellation must be notified by email to emma@tourwithabsolutely.com. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance including medical assistance and cancellation. If you get sick before the trip, departs or during it you will need your own medical and trip cancellation insurance to cover any costs incurred.
Payment
We accept Visa and MasterCard.
Travel with insurance – and rest assured
Check out SquareMouth, insurance specialists that compare coverage, including Covid, from 19 reputable providers. Just select what best suits you (cancellation for any reason, interruption, medical evacuation…) . Prices are reasonable and well worth it for a stress free trip.
Arrival and Departure
On arrival, December 7, airport transfers are included from Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport to the hotel. You will be welcomed at the meet and greet by Steena Holmes and Nancy McGee Tour with Absolutely representative who will be your tour leader the entire stay. On December 14 the last day of the tour, airport transfers are included in the morning from the hotel to Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport. When searching for flights, check out Skyscanner which compares flights and prices from numerous airlines.
Photo Release
You hereby grant Tour with Absolutely permission to use your likeness in a photograph, video or other digital media in any and all of its publications including web-based publications, without payment or other consideration. In addition, you waive the right to inspect or approve the finished product wherein your likeness appears.
What to Pack
Phone chargers, medication, warm clothing, umbrella, comfortable walking shoes/sneakers/boots. Amenities, iron and hairdryer are in every room.
Weather
We expect average temperatures of max 8°C/47°F) and min 4°C/39°F.
Physical Requirements
This tour is “physically active.” Tour guests must be able to walk without assistance and carry their personal luggage.
The best way to get around Paris and avoid traffic jams is to take the subway which will be the main means of transportation in the city. You will also be travelling by coach for the day trip to Vaux le Vicomte chateau and to the Marmottan Monet museum, as well as on a train to Strasbourg. You may be on your feet, walking and standing, on uneven sidewalks, going up and down stairs in the metro, for a few hours, indoors and outdoors, rain or shine. If you need help climbing onto a tour bus or if you are winded after walking 50 feet, Emma will have other trips for you to join.
Accommodation
You are staying in a 4-star boutique hotel @Hotel Favart
Additional Services
Emma Gély of Tour with Absolutely is happy to assist with roommate matching in twin occupancy as well as pre- and post-tour travel planning.
Steena can’t wait to share her perfect day exploring the streets of Paris with you. In a fairytale setting of the Christmas markets in Paris and France’s Christmas capital Strasbourg, you’ll be dazzled by gorgeous lights and displays, and indulge in the best chocolates and macarons ever filling your senses with everything decadent, sweet and Christmassy! It’s said there’s an author in everyone. You’ll help Steena plot a new novel set in Paris inspired by your daily experiences, places visited and things you observed. And, as a special treat, you will receive a signed copy of the novel on release. You’ll be the very first to read the story based on your experiences!
Day 1: Sunday December 7: Bienvenue à Paris
From Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport, you will be transfered to a charming 4-star boutique hotel @Maison Favart, where you will have time to freshen up, relax, go for a swim in the heated pool or explore the lovely neighborhood. Best-selling author Steena Holmes and Tour with Absolutely representative Nancy McGee will be greeting you and the other guests for a welcome cocktail in the evening at your hotel followed by dinner at the lively local French bistrot.
Meals included: dinner
Day 2: Monday December 8: Chocolate & Notre Dame Cathedral
You’ll start your day at family owned chocolate manufacturer, the oldest in Paris founded in 1761 offering a wide range of chocolates, the ideal place to pick up a few gift items to take home. One of Steena’s favorite areas is the Left Bank, and it’s not just because that’s where the famous Shakespeare & Co bookstore is located or the fact Odette’s puff pasty shop is just around the corner, it’s also where the Notre Dame craft market is located. After having sweet and savory crepes for lunch, you’ll be taken for a guided tour of the fully renovated Notre Dame Cathedral. Dinner will be at the an elegant bistrot located in one of the most stunning Parisian alleyways.
Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 3: Tuesday December 9: “Emily in Paris” & Christmas market
This morning you will go for a ride in a tuk tuk, a fun and unique way to discover Paris landmarks and the emblematic locations where the romantic comedy series “Emily in Paris” was shot. The guided tour will end at the largest Christmas market in Paris at les Tuileries . You’ll have plenty of options to warm you up for lunch (at leisure) like french onion soup and mulled wine. You’ll enjoy your dinner this evening next to Palais Royal prepared with seasonal ingredients at this restaurant and wine bar honored for it’s collection of over 1000 wines.
Day 4: Wednesday December 10: Girly day & Cabaret
This morning your French fashion guide will take you for a tour where where you’ll learn how to tie a scarf, pop into an exclusive perfume shop and discover Brigitte Macron’s favorite handbag shop. You’ll have lunch at the tea parlor in the flagship Ladurée macarons boutique. After lunch, another girly experience awaits you at the exquisite Dior museum. Another must-see in Paris is a genuine French cabaret. After an early dinner, it will be time to head out for champagne and showtime @Le Moulin Rouge!
Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Thursday December 11: Strasbourg, the capital of Christmas
This morning, you’ll take a train through the countryside to winter wonderland: Strasbourg. Your tour guide will take you for a tour of the Strasbourg cathedral, described by Victor Hugo as “a skillful combination of monumental size and delicateness”. After lunch, there will be free time to stroll along some 300 stalls at the main market offering an amazing choice of sweets by master chocolatiers, gingerbread, mulled wine, local specialties such as pretzelsand and hand-crafted items for Christmas gifts – presided over by a giant Christmas tree! At nightfall, the Christmas lights will illuminate the town which will be the perfect time for some mulled wine before boarding the train back to Paris. Dinner will be at leisure
Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 6: Friday, December 12: French desserts, Montmartre and wine tasting
The day begins by donning an apron for a hands-on pastry workshop to make delicious french desserts in Montmartre. The rest of your day will be at your own pace in Montmartre to further explore the area which includes a small Christmas market, or visit a favorite museum, or relax at the spa. At the end of the afternoon, you will go for a wine and cheese tasting in a stone-walled cellar conducted by a sommelier.
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 7: Saturday, December 13: A fairytale Christmas Palace
Today, you’ll board a coach and head to the family owned Chateau Vaux le Vicomte which inspired the design of the Château de Versailles. Your guide will take you for a tour of the property and the castle which is transformed for the Christmas season with exquisite displays of garlands, illuminations, decorations, vintage toys and baubles. After lunch @ L’Ecureuil, you’ll have time to browse the lovely boutique offering a wide range of gift ideas or have a nibble on grilled marshmallows on the grounds. In the afternoon, you’ll be taken to a salon in the chateau for a fully private workshop on the art of hosting a French dinner party, a heritage that has been classified by UNESCO. Dinner will be at leisure.
Meals included: breakfast and lunch
Day 8: Sunday December 14: Photoshoot and Comedy show
This morning, a renowned photographer who knows all of the best places to take photos will take you for a photo shoot. Not only will she provide tips on how to take pictures and how to pose, Tour with Absolutely will be gifting you with photo souvenirs of the cherished moments of the day. After being under the projector, you will admire impressionist Monet’s works in a small jewel of a museum, tucked away in Paris’ posh 16th arrondissement. Back at the hotel, you’ll have some time off to prepare for the hit comedy show “How to become a Parisian in an Hour”. Dinner will be at a legendary belle époque bistro.
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 9: Monday, December 15: Opera house and Champagne
Your final day will begin with a guided tour of the stunning Opera Garnier, best known for The Phantom of the Opera. After the tour, you’ll have lunch and the afternoon off to make your last minute purchases and visit more iconic sites. You can’t leave Paris without admiring the Christmas window displays and the giant Christmas tree in the art deco dome of the Galeries Lafayette. Their gourmet food section is not to be missed for fine chocolate makers and pastry chefs including Christophe Adam, whose work is entirely devoted to éclairs. Back at the hotel, you’ll have time to pack all of your French treasures and prepare for dinner. You’ll raise your glass of champagne making a toast to your new friends before heading to a chic and sumptuous dinner venue located in Opera House.
Meals included: breakfast and dinner
Day 10: Tuesday, December 16: Farewell
It’s time to have your last café au lait and to say “au revoir” to your new friends and head to Charles de Gaulle airport with your suitcases filled with French stocking stuffer, treast, souvenirs and sweet memories. Transfers will be arranged in the morning before check out at 11am.
Meals included: breakfast
Deposit
To secure a place on our tour, we ask that you fill in our reservation form, which indicates that a 30% deposit will be required. The balance will be due 2 months prior to the tour.
Included
Breakfast and all meals indicated in the program with wine at dinner, gratuities in restaurants, taxes, professional tour facilitator & guide, activities and admission fees as indicated in program, airport transfers on the first day of the tour and in the morning of last days of the tour, transportation by subway and on coaches for day trips, return trip train ticket Paris/Strasbourg, accommodation in a 4-star boutique hotel with a pool and wellness area.
Not Included
Round trips airfare to France, tip to tour guide and coach driver, any personal souvenirs or purchases outside of this tour and not indicated above, additional wine, beer or spirits beyond what is offered at meals, and all the sweet treats you pick up along the way, spa services at the hotel, travel insurance (highly recommended) and trip medical coverage (required for travelers over 50 years of age).
Terms and Conditions
If insufficient numbers of participants register for the tour or in the event of conditions deemed unsafe for our clients, the tour may be cancelled or postponed. While we endeavor to operate all trips as described, we reserve the right to change the trip itinerary owing to circumstances beyond our control or if more interesting opportunities arise. Any changes will be of similar or superior quality and content. If Steena is unable to travel, the tour will go ahead as planned with Nancy McGee, Tour with Absolutely representative.
Cancellation Policy
This is a non-refundable package group tour, no refunds even in the case of injury, illness or personal emergency. Cancellation must be notified by email to emma@tourwithabsolutely.com. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance including medical assistance and cancellation. If you get sick before the trip, departs or during it you will need your own medical and trip cancellation insurance to cover any costs incurred.
Payment
We accept Visa and MasterCard.
Travel with insurance – and rest assured
Check out SquareMouth, insurance specialists that compare coverage, including Covid, from 19 reputable providers. Just select what best suits you (cancellation for any reason, interruption, medical evacuation…) . Prices are reasonable and well worth it for a stress free trip.
Arrival and Departure
On arrival, December 7, airport transfers are included from Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport to the hotel. You will be welcomed at the meet and greet by Steena Holmes and Nancy McGee Tour with Absolutely representative who will be your tour leader the entire stay. On December 14 the last day of the tour, airport transfers are included in the morning from the hotel to Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport. When searching for flights, check out Skyscanner which compares flights and prices from numerous airlines.
Photo Release
You hereby grant Tour with Absolutely permission to use your likeness in a photograph, video or other digital media in any and all of its publications including web-based publications, without payment or other consideration. In addition, you waive the right to inspect or approve the finished product wherein your likeness appears.
What to Pack
Phone chargers, medication, warm clothing, umbrella, comfortable walking shoes/sneakers/boots. Amenities, iron and hairdryer are in every room.
Weather
We expect average temperatures of max 8°C/47°F) and min 4°C/39°F.
Physical Requirements
This tour is “physically active.” Tour guests must be able to walk without assistance and carry their personal luggage.
The best way to get around Paris and avoid traffic jams is to take the subway which will be the main means of transportation in the city. You will also be travelling by coach for the day trip to Vaux le Vicomte chateau and to the Marmottan Monet museum, as well as on a train to Strasbourg. You may be on your feet, walking and standing, on uneven sidewalks, going up and down stairs in the metro, for a few hours, indoors and outdoors, rain or shine. If you need help climbing onto a tour bus or if you are winded after walking 50 feet, Emma will have other trips for you to join.
Accommodation
You are staying in a 4-star boutique hotel @Hotel Favart
Additional Services
Emma Gély of Tour with Absolutely is happy to assist with roommate matching in twin occupancy as well as pre- and post-tour travel planning.
