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The Best of Paris

When we were dreaming of visiting Paris, of course our minds were filled with visions of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre...all the places that you wouldn't want to miss. Actually visiting these spots surpassed our imagination, because we had our wonderful guide, Marie Altman, to bring the sights to life. She is a lifelong Parisienne who shared her love of the city with us.

Scroll over the pictures below to see the whole view or click on one to see them as a slideshow.

View from the Arc de Troimphe	Notre Dame	Sainte Chapelle from the exterior
Stained glass	Sculpture at the Louvre	Orsay Museum
Napoleon's tomb	Arc de Triomphe	Luxembourg Gardens
Our wonderful guide

The Best of the Loire

After several days in Paris, we boarded a bus and set out to for the Loire valley. We enjoyed seeing the rolling vinyards and smaller towns--a nice change from the big city. The highlights of this part of the trip were the stunning chateaux we visited. Chambord and Chenonceau were very different, yet each was amazing in its own way.

Grapes growing in the sun	Chateau de Chambord	Inner staircase
The chapel at Chambord	The Loire River	Aquaduct
Chateau de Chenonceau	Chenonceau	Sunset on the Loire

The Best of Mont St. Michel, Normandy, and Giverny

The last few days in France were filled with contrast--from the medieval abbey of Mont St. Michel, to the historic D-Day beaches, to the colorful gardens where Monet painted. What a perfect ending to our trip of a lifetime!