Day 1: Welcome to Trouville-sur-Mer

With the TGV or ICE, train travel to Paris is a breeze. We meet in Paris at the station in the early afternoon (at 2pm) and set off for Normandy. Trouville-sur-Mer is a charming seaside resort on the Côte Fleurie, part port town, part seaside resort. Over dinner, we set the mood for the days ahead. 210 km (A)

Day 2: Caen and Bayeux

Caen's most famous resident was William the Conqueror. After all, he built the mighty château and two abbeys here. The town's name itself points to another topical issue. "Caen" means something like "battlefield" in ancient Celtic. Historically, then, it's almost inevitable that the Allied landing beaches at Arromanches are just around the corner. And then there's Wilhelm. His conquest of England was embroidered in dyed wool on a strip of linen 70 metres long and around 50 centimetres wide, which we admire today as the "Bayeux Tapestry". After so much art, we look forward to the Calvados, which we'll sample in one of the distilleries. 210 km (F)

Day 3: Trouville-sur-Mer to Saint-Malo

Another highlight of today's trip is Mont Saint Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most precious sites in France. Mont Saint-Michel emerges from the wide bay like a mirage. The new stilt bridge provides access to the abbey as the tides ebb and flow... For a long time, the monks lived here at the mercy of the tides. An architectural "marvel of the West" was built around the monastery's Gothic church in the 13th century, on top of the rock at a dizzying height, which was surrounded by a fortified site to protect it from the English. In the small fishing village of Cancale, you can see the baskets of oysters in the sea at low tide. With a view of the harbor and the sea, we invite you to a culinary tasting at the oyster market. 260 km (B, D)

Day 4: Saint-Malo: A day at the seaside

In the morning, we discover daily life in the corsair city of Saint-Malo. We walk the mighty walls of the fortress and photograph the changing colors of the sea. You can spend the rest of the day on the sandy beaches or enjoy a sparkling cider in one of the small cafés. If you wish to leave the mainland, take an optional boat trip along the coast (bookable on site only). (F)

Day 5: Saint-Malo to Roscoff

Wide sandy beaches and small fishing villages are the hallmarks of the Côtes d'Armor, along which we head west. The Côte de Granit Rose, the pink granite coast near Perros-Guirec, offers us great photo opportunities. We marvel at the way wind and waves have shaped the land and coastline into bizarre sculptures and rock formations over thousands of years. Off the coast is the Sept Iles archipelago, France's largest bird sanctuary. In Roscoff, you can experience Brittany as you dream it. The iodized sea air, exceptionally clear seawater and fine sandy beaches invite you to relax. 240 km (F)

Day 6: Roscoff: St Thégonnec and the menhirs

Let's delve into the spiritual soul of Brittany: for generations, the Calvaire de Saint-Thégonnec was the destination of "Pardons", the typical pilgrimages of Breton folk belief. Later we arrive in Finistère. In the small town of Meneham, grotesque yellow and shiny rock formations formed by the sea evoke an atmosphere of "the end of the world". We marvel at the Men Marz Menhir, one of the largest in the country. 100 km (F)

Day 7: Roscoff to Auray

At the westernmost tip of Brittany, we're truly at the end of the world. We're on the rocky cape of Pointe du Van. Before us lies the Atlantic. We walk from the chapelle St.-Ils along the coastal path through a landscape of barren moorland. Small bays with bizarre rock formations open up again and again, on which the ocean waves break. In picturesque Pont-Aven, we devote ourselves to the fine arts, as the little town owes its fame to Gauguin's school of painting. We stroll along the bay, crossing small bridges and imagining the artists' enthusiasm for the clear colors of the sea. By the way: even today, the many art galleries in the village perpetuate the traditions of that era. 250 km (B, D)

Day 8: Auray, Carnac and Quiberon

In Carnac, menhirs are sprouting like mushrooms! Together, we explore the famous megalithic sites, some of which date back 5,000 years, and hear theories - some of them quite crazy - about their origins. And on the Quiberon peninsula, we're once again amazed by the spectacular coastline: strangely rocky to the west, with fine sand to the east. Jagged cliffs, tide-sculpted arches - even on a calm day, the sight of Atlantic waves breaking on the rocks is fascinating. We enjoy the afternoon at the "little sea" ─ the Golfe du Morbihan. 60 km (B, D)

Day 9: Auray to Paris

In Vannes on the Gulf of Morbihan, we spend our last peaceful hours. In the pretty old town with its many half-timbered houses and royal gardens, "the eternal union of the country and duchy of Brittany with the French crown" was announced. Then we leave Brittany and head for the French capital, arriving in Paris in the early evening. 482 km (F)

Day 10: Return journey

Today, it's time to say goodbye to France and take the train home from Paris. (F) Changes to schedule, flight plan, hotel and program are expressly reserved. (B=breakfast, D=dinner)