Grand Tour of France — Self-Launched
14 days · France
Cosmos charges £2,900
No-markup version: ~£1,345 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 14-day independent loop of France following the same route as Cosmos' coach tour: Paris, Normandy's D-Day beaches and Mont St Michel, the Loire châteaux, Bordeaux, Rocamadour, Carcassonne, Avignon and the Pont du Gard, the French Riviera, Lyon and Beaune. You'll travel by TGV, regional TER trains and budget flixbus/blablacar lines instead of a motorcoach, and stay in hostels, guesthouses and budget hotels. Highlights like Mont St Michel Abbey, the Loire castles and the Arles amphitheatre are booked directly or via GetYourGuide. Costs are realistic backpacker/budget estimates for peak-ish season — your mileage will vary.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Paris
Paris
Land at CDG or Orly and take the RER B (€11.80) or Orlybus into town. Settle into a hostel in the 10th/11th arrondissement, then do a free self-guided wander: Canal Saint-Martin, Île de la Cité at dusk, and a cheap crêpe dinner in the Marais. Grab a Navigo Easy card (€2 card + €2.50 single tickets or a weekly Navigo Semaine if you're doing more Paris days later).
🚌RER B or Orlybus from airport, ~£10-12
🛏Hostel dorm in central Paris (e.g. St Christopher's Canal, Generator Paris)
- →Self-guided Île de la Cité and Marais walk
- →Canal Saint-Martin stroll
Paris → Rouen → Honfleur → Caen
Caen
Take the 8:00ish Intercités/TER train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Rouen Rive-Droite (~1h20, €25-35 booked ahead). Walk the old centre: the Gros-Horloge, Joan of Arc square and the cathedral (free to enter). Afternoon bus (Line 20 / BlaBlaCar Bus) to Honfleur (~1h, €5-8) for the Vieux Bassin and Sainte-Catherine church, then a TER train Honfleur–Lisieux–Caen or direct coach to Caen (~1h15, €8-12). Overnight in a Caen hostel or budget ibis near the centre.
🚌Train Paris–Rouen ~£25, bus Rouen–Honfleur ~£6, bus/train Honfleur–Caen ~£10
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Caen centre
- →Rouen old town and cathedral
- →Honfleur Vieux Bassin
- →Sainte-Catherine wooden church
Normandy D-Day Beaches, Omaha Cemetery & Mont St Michel
Saint-Malo
This is the day a coach really helps — so book a small-group day tour from Caen/Bayeux via GetYourGuide or Normandy Sightseeing (~€120-150) covering Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery and Mont St Michel, ending at Saint-Malo or dropping you at a train station. Cheaper DIY alternative: TER Caen–Bayeux (€7) + local shuttle/bike to the beaches, then train Bayeux–Pontorson and the Keolis Mont St Michel shuttle (€5) — slower and needs an early start. Book Mont St Michel Abbey entry online in advance (€13) to skip the ticket queue. Finish with a TER train Pontorson–Dol–Saint-Malo (€12-15).
🚌Small-group tour or TER + shuttle, ~£30-40 DIY / ~£120 guided
🛏Hostel inside the walls or budget hotel in Saint-Malo
- →Omaha Beach and American Cemetery
- →Mont St Michel Abbey (pre-booked slot)
- →Saint-Malo ramparts at sunset
Saint-Malo → Angers → Loire Châteaux Country
Amboise
Morning walk on Saint-Malo's ramparts and a dip at Bon-Secours beach. Mid-morning TER train to Rennes then Angers (~2h, €20-28). Lunch, then visit Angers Cathedral and the Château d'Angers with the Apocalypse Tapestry (€9). Late afternoon TER Angers–Tours–Amboise (~1h30, €15), checking into a guesthouse or backpackers in Amboise.
🚌TER trains Saint-Malo–Rennes–Angers ~£20, Angers–Amboise ~£13
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Amboise
- →Saint-Malo ramparts
- →Angers Cathedral
- →Château d'Angers tapestry
Loire Valley Châteaux Day
Amboise
Hire a bike in Amboise (~€15/day) or use the seasonal Fil Bleu shuttle to cycle the châteaux loop: Château d'Amboise (€12.50), Clos Lucé where Leonardo lived (€19), and Chenonceau (€16) or Chambord. Pack a picnic from the Sunday/Tuesday market — Loire goat cheese, rillettes and a bottle of Vouvray. Evening back in Amboise for a cheap plat du jour.
🚌Bike hire ~£13
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Amboise
- →Château d'Amboise
- →Clos Lucé (Leonardo da Vinci's home)
- →Chenonceau or Chambord
- →Loire riverside cycling
Amboise → Bordeaux
Bordeaux
TER/TGV from Amboise via Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to Bordeaux (~2h15, €35-50 booked ahead). Check into a hostel in the Chartrons or Saint-Michel area. Afternoon self-guided walk: Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d'Eau, Saint-André Cathedral, the Grosse Cloche and the Cité du Vin exterior. Join a free walking tour (tip-based, ~€5-10) or a €15-20 wine bar tasting in the evening.
🚌TGV/TER Amboise–Bordeaux ~£35
🛏Hostel dorm in Bordeaux (e.g. Hostel 20, Auberge de Jeunesse)
- →Miroir d'Eau and Place de la Bourse
- →Bordeaux free walking tour
- →Wine bar tasting
Bordeaux → Rocamadour → Toulouse
Toulouse
Early TER Bordeaux–Brive-la-Gaillarde (~2h, €25), then the scenic TER Brive–Rocamadour-Padirac (~50min, €10). Climb the Grand Escalier to the cliffside sanctuaries and the Château (€4). Blablacar Bus or TER back via Brive to Toulouse (~2h45, €25-30). Evening in Toulouse's Capitole square with cheap cassoulet or a market sandwich.
🚌TER Bordeaux–Brive ~£22, Brive–Rocamadour ~£9, return to Toulouse ~£27
🛏Hostel or budget hotel near Toulouse Capitole
- →Rocamadour sanctuaries and Grand Escalier
- →Alzou Canyon viewpoint
- →Toulouse Capitole and Garonne riverside
Toulouse → Carcassonne → Pont du Gard → Avignon
Avignon
This is a long transit day — start early. TER Toulouse–Carcassonne (~45min, €11), drop bags and walk the Cité Médiévale ramparts and Château Comtal (€9.50). Then TER Carcassonne–Nîmes (~1h45, €20) and bus/train to Remoulins for Pont du Gard (€8.50 site entry, €6.50 bus), then TER to Avignon (~30min, €7). Alternatively skip Pont du Gard and visit it as a half-day from Avignon on Day 9. Overnight inside or just outside Avignon's walls.
🚌TER trains ~£55 total
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Avignon intra-muros
- →Carcassonne Cité and ramparts
- →Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct
Avignon → Arles → Aix-en-Provence → Nice
Nice
Morning in Avignon: Palais des Papes (€12) and the St Bénézet bridge, or catch the Pont du Gard if you skipped it. TER to Arles (~20min, €7) for the Roman amphitheatre (€11) and Van Gogh's haunts. Then TER Arles–Marseille–Aix-en-Provence (~1h30) for a walk down the Cours Mirabeau, and finally a TER/TGV Aix or Marseille–Nice (~2h30, €30-40). Check into a hostel in Nice's old town.
🚌TER sequence Avignon–Arles–Aix–Nice ~£45
🛏Hostel dorm in Nice Vieux-Port or Old Town
- →Palais des Papes, Avignon
- →Arles Roman amphitheatre
- →Cours Mirabeau, Aix-en-Provence
French Riviera Free Day
Nice
Pick your own Riviera: swim at Castel Plage or Villefranche-sur-Mer (TER €2.50), climb Colline du Château for the view, and eat socca at Chez Pipo (€4). Optional add-ons: a bus 400 to Saint-Paul-de-Vence (~€1.50 with the Zou! card) for the Matisse/Chagall galleries, or an evening TER to Monaco (€4.50) to see Monte Carlo lit up — the casino foyer is free to walk through.
🚌Local TER/bus ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm in Nice
- →Villefranche-sur-Mer swim
- →Colline du Château viewpoint
- →Optional Saint-Paul-de-Vence or Monaco by night
Nice → Orange → Lyon
Lyon
TER Nice–Marseille (~2h45, €27), then TER Marseille–Avignon–Orange (~1h45) to see the Roman theatre (€9.50) and Arc de Triomphe d'Orange — or, if short on time, break the journey just in Avignon. Then TGV/TER Orange–Lyon (~1h45, €25). Evening: self-guided walk of Vieux Lyon's traboules and a bouchon dinner (fixed menu €22-28).
🚌TER + TGV ~£48
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Presqu'île/Vieux Lyon
- →Orange Roman theatre and arch
- →Vieux Lyon traboules walk
- →Bouchon dinner
Lyon → Beaune → Paris
Paris
Morning TER Lyon–Beaune (~1h45, €22). Visit the Hôtel-Dieu with its famous tiled roof (€10 with audioguide) and the Hospices de Beaune, then browse the Saturday market or do a €15 cellar tasting at Patriarche. Afternoon TGV Beaune–Paris Gare de Lyon (~2h, €40-60 booked ahead). Back into a Paris hostel for the last two nights.
🚌TER Lyon–Beaune ~£20, TGV Beaune–Paris ~£42
🛏Hostel dorm in central Paris
- →Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices de Beaune
- →Burgundy cellar tasting
Paris Deep Dive
Paris
Book a GetYourGuide skip-the-line Louvre or Orsay ticket (€22) and a Montmartre or Latin Quarter free walking tour. Climb the Arc de Triomphe (€16) or the Notre-Dame towers (€16, book ahead). Sunset picnic by the Seine with a baguette, cheese and wine from a Franprix, or a €15-20 dinner in Belleville.
🚌Métro day pass ~£7
🛏Hostel dorm in central Paris
- →Louvre or Musée d'Orsay
- →Montmartre walking tour
- →Arc de Triomphe roof
- →Seine sunset picnic
Depart from Paris
Paris
A final bakery breakfast, maybe a last wander along the Canal or a cheap museum (Musée Carnavalet is free), then RER B or Orlybus to the airport for your flight home. If you have a late flight, the €12 left-luggage lockers at Gare du Nord make the day easy.
🚌RER B/Orlybus to airport ~£11
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Free museum (Carnavalet or Petit Palais)
- →Last-minute souvenir shopping
Self-launched vs. Cosmos
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Cosmos | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,345 | £2,900 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,555 per person (54%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Cosmos-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,345
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Grand Tour of France — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,345 per person for 14 days in France. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Cosmos?+
Yes — Cosmos charges around £2,900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,345 — a saving of roughly £1,555 (54%) per person.
How long is the France trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through France.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, budget trip through France, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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