Wow! Time flew from 2023 to 2024. Already, Darren Frazier, the tour leader, was in Northern France again for another tour. This time, the tour was even better! Why was that? Darren hired a wonderful local tour assistant, Matthias Koch, to join the trip for the entire duration. Matthias is deaf and hails from Germany but has resided in Paris, France for the past 13 years. Matthias brought a wealth of knowledge about France: culture, food, history, people, geography, and more. Everyone in the group enjoyed Matthias’s company throughout the trip.

We kicked off our journey in the quaint town of Chantilly for the first time, home to the famed Chantilly Château and its Great Horse Stables. It was a delightful way to start the tour, including a wonderful welcome dinner with fine French cuisine.

Then, we headed to the Normandy region, home to the gorgeous Bayeux Cathedral and Tapestry. We checked into a cozy mansion with a view of the coast where WWII occurred on D-Day. We drove to see Mont St. Michel, a mind-boggling towering church atop a tiny island surrounded by the sea.

For a few nights in the lovely coastal town of Dinard, we visited the fortified city of St. Malo, home to the port where pirates roamed and contracted with the kings to attack enemy ships and bring back treasures. For the first time on this signature tour, we visited a couple of jaw-dropping views from the capes, including Cap Fréhel.

Saying goodbye to the Brittany region, we explored two historic towns, Fougères and Vitré, which were part of the defensive “wall” during the Hundred Years War.

Our final stop before returning to Paris was the Loire Valley, where we stayed inside an amazing château in Amboise. We visited Leonardo da Vinci’s château from his final years when King Francis I invited him to stay.

Paris! Of course, we visited every must-see landmark: Versailles Palace, the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Sainte-Chapelle, Cathedral of Notre Dame, and more. At each of these sights, we were led by local deaf professional guides. In the end, we became a ‘family,’ and everyone looks forward to joining our future HOT tours. So, thank you for joining us. Until next time in 2025! Bon voyage!