France Tours

Access is tightly controlled, since the art is fragile and visitor numbers affect its survival. Some sites are seen through meticulous replicas and others in the original, and several tours have secured access to caves that are otherwise closed. Each itinerary sets out which is which.

Prehistory and cave art in the south-west, Roman archaeology in Provence, megalithic Brittany, and gardens through the Loire, Normandy, Provence and the Riviera, including tours built around the Menton Lemon Festival and the International Rose Festival.

Spring and autumn for the archaeology, when sites are quieter and the walking is more comfortable. Gardens run from the Riviera in late winter through to the Loire and Normandy in early summer, and Provence is timed for the lavender.

Yes. There are cruises on the Seine into Normandy and down the Rhône through Provence, with the gardens and sites reached from the water.

Yes, and many guests do. Shared interest does most of the work, and conversation tends to start with whatever you have just seen.