From Paris hotels, airports or train stations, we will collect you for a 2-2.5 hour drive to the beautiful Normandy coast, where we begin our French immersion tour at Le Havre, near the "Parisian Riviera" of Deauville & Honfleur, the birthplace of Impressionism. From here you explore the sea-side & quaint countryside villages as you "step in-side" the masterpieces captured by famous artists - all whilst we immerse you in French cuisine & history that interests you. Whether you prefer Michelin star restaurants, port-side fishermen stalls, pre or post impressionism, following Monet to Rouen, Renoir to Chatou or hiking along the river Seine as we meander back to Paris. It's all about the journey so let's Hear French, Experience French, Speak French! (Before visiting attractions you will have coaching & audio/visual sessions to prepare you for the upcoming activities; during travel you will also debrief/prepare with your XPF coach.)

The port city of Le Havre has always been a strategic route from the English Channel, along the mighty river Seine to the Normandy capital of Rouen before continuing onto Paris. Founded in 1517 by Francois 1st, redeveloped by Napoleon 3rd in 1852 & suffering some of the worst bombing of World War II; the City of Le Havre was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as an outstanding example of architectural unity in 2005. On arrival you can enjoy lunch in a Michelin star restaurant, sample the freshest seafood at the fishermen's market or grab a quick coffee & croissant in a typical café - it's up to you! The port’s everyday bustle so fascinated Boudin, Pissarro and their contemporaries. Boudin, generally regarded as a pre-Impressionist painter, made the port semaphore his subject in his painting, "A gust of wind before Frascati", Le Havre, while Pissarro painted 20 views of the port during his stay at the Continental Hotel, opposite the pier-head.

Masterpieces without the Paris crowds! The first thing you notice about the museum, only a short walk from the marina, is its modern and innovative design. An assembly of steel and glass overlooking the sea, flooded with the natural and changing light of the Seine River estuary that inspired so many of the works in the museum. The large glass facade is a natural invitation for the eye to travel unhindered from the artworks to the landscape and back again. The museum presents a collection spanning five centuries from the 15th to the 20th. Modern painting comprises the majority of the collection, making MuMa France's leading museum in for the 1850–1920 period: Courbet and Delacroix, followed by Impressionist artists such as Monet, Sisley, Pissarro, Renoir and Degas, the largest collection of works by Eugène Boudin, some twenty paintings by Raoul Dufy, not to mention Nabis such as Vallotton and Sérusier, as well as Fauves such as Derain, Marquet, Matisse, Van Dongen and Friesz.

Honfleur dinner & overnight at typical local hotel next to the picturesque old port or nearby luxury hotel & spa depending on your budget preferences.