Castles & Kings: London to Paris
History, art and royalty come to life on our landmark family trip to London and Paris. Seek clues on a London spy walk…see sights aboard a private double-decker bus…enjoy a speedboat adventure on the Thames…catch a hit play in the West End. Across the Channel, stroll through a fairy tale French palace…hunt for the treasures of the Musée du Louvre…and whirl around the Tuileries Garden’s carousel.
See the most coveted attractions in unforgettable ways on our London and Paris family vacation. Peer into Royal life at Windsor Castle… take no prisoners at the Tower of London… pedal through Royal Parks… catch a bird’s-eye view on a private London Eye capsule… and hide away in the British Secret Service’s former quarters. Then cross under the English Channel to Paris, where you’ll step into 17th-century opulence at Palace of Versailles… explore the Louvre on a scavenger hunt… see street artists at work in Montmartre.
Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, First Class accommodations on the Eurostar, motor coach transportation, sightseeing, admissions, porterage and the services of the Tauck Director, local guides and drivers are included. Transportation from London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports or St. Pancras or Waterloo Train Stations to The Royal Horseguards is included, regardless of the time you check in to the hotel, provided you have furnished us with accurate flight arrival information at least three weeks prior to the start of the tour. If you are arriving into another local train station please retain a receipt for the transfer and submit it to your Tour Director for reimbursement. Transportation from The Westin Paris to the Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly Airports or the Paris train station is also included when you check out of the hotel. Transportation to and from airports and train stations may be shared with other Tauck guests.
Age Recommendations – Children 8 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, we have a minimum recommended age for each journey to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.
Rates and schedules are not guaranteed until booked and will vary based on departure date.
Itinerary
Tour begins: 3:00 PM, London Marriott Hotel County Hall. Welcome to “merrie olde” England for the start of Tauck Bridges’ fun and enriching London and Paris family vacation! A transfer is included from London’s Heathrow Airport to London Marriott Hotel County Hall. Climb aboard one of London’s signature double-decker buses for a private guided tour of this grand capital city; this evening, get to know your fellow family travelers at our welcome reception and dinner.
Meet the Beefeaters who watch over the Tower of London and the famous ravens that live within its walls; see the Bloody Tower and the British Empire’s priceless Crown Jewels. You’ll explore more than history today as you embark on a thrilling speedboat adventure* along the River Thames… then ride 450 feet above the city in a glass pod – a private one, thanks to Tauck Bridges – on the celebrated London Eye, the world’s highest observation wheel. The remainder of the day is free to explore London as you please.
The home of English kings and queens for over 900 years, stately Windsor Castle is still a residence of the British Royal Family; tour the castle today, providing the Royal Family isn’t in residence. As your exciting Tauck Bridges family vacation continues this afternoon to London, join us on a bicycle ride* through the British capital’s Royal Parks. After dinner on your own this evening, your family enjoys a special treat… a performance of a hit show in London’s West End Theatre District.
Although two million years’ worth of history and culture might be a little tough to see in one day, you’ll get a taste of what the fascinating British Museum has to offer on a guided tour of this amazing place – housing the world’s most comprehensive collection of art and artifacts, from maps to mummies and more, in nearly two-and-a-half miles’ worth of galleries. Later, it’s spy versus spy on an afternoon “Spy Walk,” where you’ll become a secret agent and try to save the world… will you rescue the damsel in distress… and what about the white cat? Return to your London hotel for your family’s final evening in London, free to spend as you please.
Hop aboard the high-speed Eurostar train from London to Paris which takes you under the English Channel through an underwater tunnel for 20 minutes of your two-hour ride from England to France. Sightseeing with a local guide starts as soon as you arrive in Paris. You’ll explore Île de la Cité, an island in the Seine River reached by bridges. The island is the oldest part of Paris, settled in the 3rd century BC, and then by the ancient Romans. Today the island is home to the beautiful chapel Sainte Chapelle, the flower market, the Palais du Justice, and the Conciergerie palace, where prisoners were held in dungeons before being carted off to the guillotine during the French Revolution. Queen Marie-Antoinette was one of them – and you’ll see where she lived tomorrow when you visit the Palace of Versailles. Stroll out for dinner at a Parisian brasserie not far from your hotel which is close to Place de la Madeleine, Place Vendôme, Place de la Concorde, and the Champs-Élysées.
Today takes you about an hour outside the city for a guided visit to Château de Versailles, built by King Louis XIV and the largest palace in Europe, revealing a realm of grandeur and riches beyond imagination; it would cost more than $2 billion to build this sprawling palace complex today! Explore the opulent palace with a local guide and view the exquisite gardens, among the most extraordinary and famous in the world. Following lunch at a Versailles café, return to Paris for a visit to the Eiffel Tower, an afternoon sightseeing tour, and a free evening to enjoy more of Paris as you wish.
Explore the treasures of one of the world’s most famous museums this morning – Musée du Louvre, home to Leonardo da Vinci’s mysterious Mona Lisa, the 2nd-century Greek sculpture, Venus de Milo, and about 35,000 other works of art from the Middle Ages to the 19th century housed in this former palace – on a guided scavenger hunt and tour that also includes nearby Tuileries Garden, a leafy public park with fountains and one of the most popular carousels in Paris. A “petite train” takes you to hilltop Montmartre, an artsy neighborhood of winding streets, corner cafés, bakeries, and shops under the benevolent shadow of the beautiful white-domed Sacré-Coeur Basilica, with inspiring views of the city below. Montmartre has long been a magnet for artists, including Auguste Renoir and Pablo Picasso who painted many of their works here. Following some free time this afternoon, join us this evening for our private, exclusive farewell dinner at a local restaurant where an interactive magic show teaches the kids some amazing tricks.
Tour ends: Paris. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from Fauchon L’Hotel Paris to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport or Orly Airport. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for your flight check-in.