13 Small-Group Day Trips in France for Your Spare Day

1.Normandy D-Day Small-Group Day Trip with Omaha Beach, Cemetery & Cider Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,786 reviews · 12 to 13 hours (approx.) · from $320Our pick

Leave central Paris at 7 a.m. for a 12 to 13-hour D-Day tour in a minibus limited to eight people. With guides such as Augustin, Bruno, Will, Julian, or Etienne, you’ll visit Omaha Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Longues-sur-Mer, the Overlord Museum, the American Cemetery, and a cider farm. Lunch is extra.

“Bruno was an exceptional guide touring us through Normandy explaining the complex events surrounding DDay. All the important highlights were included. Great stories and explanations. The visit to the American cemetery at Omaha Beach was moving. Truly it left a lasting memory. Ended the tour with some great cider tasting. Lots of driving, but worth it.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Giverny Small-Group Half Day Trip with Monet’s Gardens from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,663 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $157

Ride from Paris in an air-conditioned minivan with a guide and up to seven others. At Giverny, explore Monet’s flower garden, Japanese water garden, colorful home, and village church graveyard. Guides such as Kenny, Marius, Frankie, and Augustine add art and local context, while free time lets you enjoy the estate at your own pace.

“Our guide, Marius was wonderful! Very knowledgeable, energetic and a happy personality! We would use this company again!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Monaco & Eze Small-Group Day Trip with Perfumery Visit from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 847 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $135

Travel from Nice in a comfortable eight-seat Mercedes minivan, stopping in hilltop Eze for village time and a guided Fragonard perfumery visit. Then explore Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo, and part of the Formula One circuit. Guides such as Ian, Noé, Francesca, and Thierry are praised for mixing local stories with useful free time.

“Wear good walking shoes and take some water:) Ian is the BEST! He shared such wonderful info and was very kind! It was obvious that he wanted everyone to enjoy the day. Great tour and guide!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Colmar, Medieval Village & Castle Small Group from Strasbourg

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 769 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $241

Spend about eight hours touring Alsace by air-conditioned minivan, with a guided walk in Colmar, free time in Riquewihr, possible winter access to Eguisheim, and a guided visit inside Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle. The group is limited to eight, and guides such as Jerome, Camille, Pauline, and Thierry are praised for their local stories and careful driving.

“Was a great trip! Beautiful scenery. Guide was very informative as well! Would strongly recommend!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Giverny and Versailles Small Group Day Trip from Paris with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 755 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $392

Leave central Paris for Monet’s house and water lily garden at Giverny, enjoy a three-course lunch with drinks at Moulin de Fourges, then tour Versailles and the Hall of Mirrors. The advertised group size is up to 15, though group sizes have varied. Guides have included Carmence, Carolina, Pamela, Nick, Cecilia, and Julian.

“Had an excellent day with super guide. Versailles was spectacular, and Monet’s home in Giverny oozed with calmness and beauty. Highly recommended tour 😊”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.French Riviera Cannes to Monte-Carlo Discovery Small Group Day Trip from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 662 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $151

Travel from Nice in an eight-seat Mercedes minivan with a driver-guide, stopping at Eze, Fragonard, Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo, Cannes, and Antibes. You get historic streets, perfume making, palace and casino views, the Formula One circuit, film-town glamour, and yacht-filled harbor views. Guide assignments vary, with past tours led by Tony, Noah, Stephan, David, and Adrienn.

“This tour is a great way to see the French Riviera in a short period of time. Our guide, Antonio, was super informative and a lot of fun to spend the day with.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Provence Countryside Small Group Day Trip with Grasse Perfumery Visit from Nice

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 613 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $135

Travel from Nice in a Mercedes minivan limited to eight people, stopping at Cannes, the Fragonard perfumery in Grasse, hilltop Gourdon, Tourrettes-sur-Loup, and Saint-Paul-de-Vence. English-speaking guides such as Antoine, Nora, Thierry, and Pierre have been praised for clear commentary, safe driving, and personal attention. Lunch is your own expense.

“There are a lot of interesting sites we were brought to within one day. The tour guide was very friendly and knew a lot of facts about the local region.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Loire Valley Wine and Castles Small-Group Day Trip from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 613 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $296

Leave Paris at 7 a.m. for a full day at Chambord, Chenonceau, and Amboise, with a guide such as Valeria, Tim, Enzo, or G. You’ll have free time at each château, lunch in Amboise, and a short tasting of three Loire wines. The group is capped at eight, but expect a long day and plenty of walking.

“It’s a very long day but really worthwhile! Our guide and driver, Valeria, was wonderful and provided good commentary. The chateaux are stunning and we had lots of time to look thoroughly, eat and do gift shopping.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Small-Group Champagne Day Trip with Six Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 289 reviews · 11 hours · from $271

Leave Paris at 7 AM in a minibus for Reims, Épernay, Hautvillers, and two Champagne producers. You’ll taste six Champagnes, compare a family winery with Nicolas Feuillatte, visit Dom Pérignon’s burial place, and see Reims Cathedral. English-speaking guides such as Mathieu, Valeria, John, and Thomas lead the day.

“Matthew was very knowledgeable, on this all day tour out to the champagne region. Transportation was comfortable, which is great because it’s a long drive out there and back. We stopped for some great pictures overlooking the valleys before going to the first tasting. The variety of stops was great because we got to see Vineyard operations, both small and in scale.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Small-Group Day Trip from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 275 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $344

Leave Paris at 6:50 am in an air-conditioned minivan with up to eight people and spend the day at Normandy’s D-Day sites. You’ll visit Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery, and Overlord Museum with a driver-guide such as Nicolas, Sebastian, Regis, or Fabrice. Expect a long day, strong historical moments, and weather exposed to the coast.

“Great day in Normandy yesterday. Our guide Regis was wonderful very knowledgeable of the history. We had plenty of time to see everything we wanted to see in one day from Paris.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Loire Valley Royal Castles Guided Small group Day Trip from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 129 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $331

Spend a full day exploring Loire Valley castles from Paris in a Mercedes minivan with a guide such as Olga, Valentin, or Ilya. Visit Chenonceau, Amboise, and Blois, taste seven local wines at Plou et Fils, and return to Paris after about 13 hours. Confirm the exact castle lineup before booking, as some details name Chambord instead of Blois.

“This tour was fantastic! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us some great history and details about every location we visited. He was very accommodating to the group and we had enough free time at each location to explore on our own. The wine tour was excellent as well. The wine-maker gave us details about the process and we were able to sample whatever wines we wanted. The wine was very delicious, as was the sparkling wine. Everything was great and the transportation was comfortable and cool. You do stop for a quick lunch at one of the locations and there are several different restaurants to choose from.…”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Strasbourg: Full-Day Small Group Tour to Colmar & Riquewihr

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 121 reviews · 8 hours · from $120Best value

Spend eight hours touring Alsace by air-conditioned car or van, stopping at Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, Riquewihr, and Colmar. Your English- or French-speaking driver handles the roads while you explore independently. Jimmy, Tarik, Smail, and Emir have all earned praise for safe driving and helpful local tips, though this is not a guided tour.

“Loved visiting the small, picturesque villages near Strasbourg. Our driver was very nice.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Mont Saint-Michel Small-Group Day Trip from Paris with Abbey Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 39 reviews · 14 hours · from $199

Travel from Paris to Mont Saint-Michel in a small, air-conditioned minivan with up to eight people. Your English, French, or Spanish-speaking guide introduces the bay, village, and abbey, then gives you time for ramparts, shops, local food, and photos. Jean Baptiste has earned special praise for guiding and driving.

“Our Guide Jean Batiste was a wonderful person with a cheerful attitude and full of information about the whole tour. The process was efficient and the tour was very good and lived up to our expectations in every way. JB was also an excellent driver and good company.”

Check availability →Read our full review