A People Unknown: The Basque Country 7 days, 6 nights

Coastal trails where waves break on rugged cliffs; beaches of white sand; rivers bubbling through valleys dotted with picture-postcard villages; sheep grazing on green mountain tops and curtains of red pimientos drying on village houses - This is the Basque country, a walker's paradise and a land of colorful traditions which unite the Basque community. Brightly painted houses are lovingly maintained; the red, white and green Basque flag flies proudly; each village has a "fronton' for games of "pelote" (jai alai); and the ancient Basque language is still heard on the streets. We will explore France's three Basque provinces—the Labourd, Basse-Navarre and Soule, with visits to sites that reveal their colorful customs. You may want to attend festivals and traditional games, enjoy Basque music and sample delicious local cuisine.

Brittany: Land of Myth and Legend 7 days, 6 nights

Land where the medieval is never far from the modern, where tradition, legend, and the magic of the past mingle with the reality of the present. A diverse landscape of natural beauty, woodland forests, wild and rugged coastlines dotted with tiny fishing ports, and a unique heritage of Celtic traditions. Brittany's masterpieces in stone speak of its spiritual past, from the ornate stone sculptures in hamlet churchyards to the mysterious prehistoric megaliths dotting the countryside. Walk in the present as in the past to discover Brittany's rich culture, its distinctive creperies and cider, delicious specialties from the sea, open-air markets, and regional folk customs.

The Loire Valley 7 days, 6 nights

For centuries the Loire Valley has been a capital of architecture, culture, fine wine and cuisine. In the Middle Ages and especially in the 16th century, royals built their sumptuous châteaux and gardens along the banks of the Loire valley's peaceful rivers. We will discover these regal dwellings strung out like jewels along the river, but there is much more to the Loire Valley than châteaux! You can discover some of the valley's other treasures, including centuries-old "maisons troglodytes," cave dwellings still used today as wine cellars, residences, restaurants, museums and more. The mild climate, fertile soil and gentle rivers provide an abundance of nature's freshest products. You will certainly wine and dine well in this region. After all, it is called the "garden of France" and is renowned for its exquisite cuisine and wines!

Paris, Languedoc, and the Côte d'Azur 17 days, 16 nights

This itinerary starts with 5 days to explore Paris. On one extraordinary evening you'll see the château of Vaux-le-Vicomte by candlelight, as Louis XIV did when he took it as his model for the grand palace of Versailles. Then you'll go south for a week in the Côte d'Azur: Nice's superb art museums; back-country villages where Picasso, Matisse & other 20th century "greats" loved to paint; and the magnificent natural beauty of tiny villages of the pre-Alps. On your last 5 days you'll discover the Languedoc, a region that prides itself on being unlike Paris, long ago had its own language and a culture far superior to its northern neighbors'. You'll start in the "rose city" of Toulouse; then Albi, with its impressive collection of Toulouse-Lautrec's works and its giant cathedral-fortress; the perched villages of Cordes & Conques; the medieval walled city of Carcassonne.