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Tour of charming villages of Normandy: Gerberoy,
Forges les Eaux, Ry and Lyons la Foret
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Everyone sees the major attractions of France: tours of Paris, Versailles and Loire Valley Chateaux. But many miss its less obvious and charming attractions, such as its unique villages in far-flung corners of the French country-side. This Paris Luxury Tour takes you off the beaten path to several of the most
 charming villages in France. While one of them is technically in the Oise, it is close enough to the border of Normandy to be included in this tour of charming villages of Normandy.
Our private tour from Paris takes you first on a ninety minute drive to the fortified village of Gerberoy. Nestled on a hill over-looking the Bray countryside, this village, comprised of half-timbered buildings and cobble-stoned streets, appears today as it did in the 17th century, when it was largely forgotten. A walk through it reveals a charm that has seduced visitors for hundreds of year and
 caused more than a few artists and writers to quietly take up residence.
One of them, Henri le Sidaner, was one of the early proponents of ideas that came to be known as Impressionism, expounded by his better-known friends who installed themselves closer to Paris. There is a small collection of Sidaner paintings that you can see at Gerberoy's town hall.
Half an hour away, this day tour from Paris of villages in Normandy will next stop at Forges les Eaux, right in the center of the greenest part of the Pays de Bray, where the gurgling waters
 of the spa town make a refreshing contrast. You will delight in discovering this resort town's half timbered buildings, following the course of the spring waters which flow past the resort's casino and park.
Today home to an important Club Med installation, this town also has credentials from Louis XIII, Richelieu and Louis XV, each of whom frequented it. Forges is also an excellent place to stop for lunch, and we suggest doing that at the Auberge du Beau Lieu, which serves well-made regional Norman cuisine with its ubiquitous apples and superb fresh cream.
After lunch, our tour of Normandy's charming villages drives on to the storied village of Ry, which is said to have been the model Flaubert used for the setting ("Yonville l'Abbaye") of Madame Bovary. There, passing a monument to Flaubert, you can stroll by
 the house where Delphine Couturier ('Emma') took her life, now a pharmacy. You can also view from outside the building that used to be Mr. Hormais' pharmacy. For serious fans of the novel, we can take you on a 14-stop 'In the Steps of Madame Bovary' circuit, which includes a 60 kilometer drive in the neighboring countryside.
Our last stop in our day tour from Paris of enchanting villages in Normandy is Lyons la Foret, an ancient Roman market town built inside the 12th century ramparts of a castle built by England's Henry I, surrounded by the largest beech forest in Europe. Catch-your-breathe beautiful, Lyons la Foret is one of those rare places that, once seen, you never forget, especially if you have the good fortune to see it on three days of the week when there is a market in its medieval, dormer-windowed, covered market. This picture book village is also a place on which Jean Renoir and Maurice Ravel left their mark.
We conclude this idyllic tour of villages of Normandy with a tranquil 90' drive through the Vexin countryside back to Paris.
Cost for 1-3 persons: 850 € per group
--- for 4-6 persons: 950 € per group
Includes driver/guide, luxury vehicle, fuel and tolls.
Meals, entry fees, drinks not included.
Please fill out our contact form with your exact requirements.
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