Megaliths of France

Welcome to Paris!

If you arrive by air on this day we will provide you with a transfer from the airport to the hotel.

Guests arriving before the 3 PM check-in time will be able to stow their bags at the hotel and begin exploring the city at their leisure.

Once checked in, there will be some time to relax with the tour officially beginning with a welcome orientation followed by dinner.

Accommodation: Paris, Timhotel Opera Blanche Fontaine or similar

Meals: Welcome Dinner

Following breakfast, we will enjoy a guided half-day tour of Paris followed by a visit to the Paris Observatory. Founded by Louis XIV in 1667, the observatory is the world’s oldest continuously active astronomical observatory. Known for its rich history in solar observation it also serves as France’s premier astronomy center, functioning as a prominent research institution focusing on contemporary astrophysics and mapping the universe.

Returning to the hotel, you’ll have a free afternoon to explore Paris and Montmartre at your own pace.

Accommodation: Paris, Timhotel Opera Blanche Fontaine or similar

Meals: Breakfast

Following breakfast and hotel check out, we will travel to our first stop of the day, the Chartres Cathedral. 

Located in northwestern France, Chartres Cathedral is an acclaimed masterpiece of High Gothic architecture. Built between 1194 and 1220, it is celebrated for its vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, and mismatched spires.The cathedral houses the world’s most complete collection of original 13th-century stained-glass windows (known for its signature cobalt “Chartres blue”), detailed sculptural portals, and a medieval nave labyrinth. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, it remains a major Christian pilgrimage destination housing the Sancta Camisia (the Virgin’s Veil).

After our guided tour of the cathedral we will have time to walk through the old town and independently stop for lunch. 

Later in the afternoon, we will continue on our way by coach to Normandy and settle into our hotel in Caen.

Accommodation: Mercure Caen Centre Port de Plaisance or similar

Meals: Breakfast

Our morning begins at Bayeux’s iconic tapestry, preserved for centuries tucked away at the top of the town’s cathedral’s cloister. A remarkable historical record, the tapestry not only records the visitation of Halley’s comet in 1066 but it also gives us a record of the events leading to the crowning of William the Conqueror. We will follow the visit with a stroll through the old town to see the ⁠Bayeux Cathedral.

In the afternoon, we  turn our attention to a somber exploration of key D-Day battlefields. We will first visit ⁠Pointe du Hoc, where U.S. Rangers staged a daring cliffside assault on German gun emplacements. Then, we will continue to ⁠Omaha Beach, the most heavily contested D-Day landing sector, followed immediately by a visit to the ⁠Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, overlooking the coastline. We conclude our afternoon in Arromanches-les-Bains, where we will observe the fascinating remains of the artificial Mulberry Harbor built during the invasion.

Accommodation: Mercure Caen Centre Port de Plaisance or similar

Meals: Breakfast

Following breakfast our morning begins with a 3-hour guided walking tour exploring the city of Caen. On this tour, we’ll visit historical landmarks including the Abbaye aux Hommes and the city’s medieval streets. Rich in Norman history, this tour begins our journey exploring the cultural heritage of northwestern France.

Following our morning tour, we will travel by coach from the Caen/Bayeux area toward the spectacular tidal island of Mont Saint Michel. During our guided visit to the iconic Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel, we’ll ascend the medieval cobblestone Grande Rue, and explore the cloister, refectory, and sweeping panoramic views of the bay.

Leaving Mont Saint Michel we will proceed to Saint-Malo, Brittany’s walled “pirate city” in northwestern France. The city is renowned for its imposing granite ramparts, rich maritime heritage, and dramatic tides. Once a fearsome haven for corsairs, today it offers a charming historic center, sandy beaches, and sweeping views of the English Channel.

Accommodation: Saint Malo Area: Hotel de l’Abbaye Handwritten Collection or similar

Meals: Breakfast

After checking out from our hotel, we will head to the ⁠Megaliths of Carnac. Located on the scenic southern coast of ⁠Brittany, France, this extraordinary landscape boasts the world’s densest and largest concentration of prehistoric standing stones.

Erected by Neolithic farming communities between 4500 and 3300 BC, the site features more than 3,000 hand-hewn granite monuments. These distinct structures—which include solitary menhirs (standing stones), dolmens (stone tombs), and massive tumuli (burial mounds)—stretch roughly four kilometers in parallel rows across the moors. 

Led by an archaeoastronomer, our group will experience this remarkable landscape while examining leading theories surrounding their construction, purpose, and connection to the sky. 

Enjoy a free afternoon to explore the area at your own pace.

Accommodation: Hotel Mercure Vannes Le Port or similar

Meals: Breakfast

Following breakfast, our day begins by exploring the Locmariaquer Megalithic Site, featuring three iconic megalithic monuments erected between 4700 and 3800 BC. The first, the Grand Menhir Brisé is the largest monolith erected by man during the Neolithic period. Nearby there is the Dolmen de la Table des Marchands, with its two magnificent ornate slabs, is a passage grave and the Tumulus d’Er Grah, an individual closed tomb.

We will break for lunch before boarding a scenic 15-minute boat ride from the port of Larmor-Baden to the cairn of Gavrinis; a megalithic monument referred to as the “Sistine Chapel” of the Neolithic age and considered a gem of prehistory. Due to the number and intricacy  of the engravings found at the site, Gavrinis proves to be a unique example of funerary and ceremonial architecture. Located in the heart of the Gulf of Morbihan, the cairn of Gavrinis opens onto an incredible panorama of islands and the double megalithic enclosure of Er Lannic.

Accommodation:Hotel Mercure Vannes Le Port or similar

Meals: Breakfast

Start the day with a magical morning drive into the heart of Brittany’s legendary Brocéliande region. Step back in time among more than 40 standing stones with an immersive walk through the ancient, forested moorlands of the Menhirs de Monteneuf. It’s a peaceful, breathtaking escape into nature where we will wander the trails and see half-extracted stones abandoned by Neolithic builders. While walking through these ancient monuments, our archaeoastronomer guide will share theories surrounding their construction and meanings.

Continuing on, we proceed toward the historic city of Rennes, a lively city famous for its stunning medieval timber-framed houses, the sprawling Parc du Thabor, and incredible local dining. Enjoy a relaxed evening exploring Rennes.

Accommodation: Novotel Spa Rennes Centre Gare

Meals: Breakfast