france rein tours

The Adventure of a Lifetime

Summer Travel, Adventure, and Community Service Programs for Teenagers

Browse By Unique Trip Types & Interest...

Summer Teen Tours and Teen Travel Programs. Choose from 2 to 6 weeks of adventure throughout the world including the United States, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand and Costa Rica!

Community Service + Cultural Exploration

Authentic and meaningful volunteer opportunities abound! Whether you travel with us to Ecuador, Hawaii, California, or Costa Rica, each program is designed to be a rich, fulfilling experience!

For Younger, Local Travelers...

Tour weekdays & spend weekends at home..

The perfect summer for students in the New York/New Jersey Metro area and the Philadelphia/Cherry Hill area completing 6th, 7th and 8th grades! Choose from 2, 3 or 5 weeks of adventure.

Rein Programs

All teen travel and community service programs:.

• Project Hawaii 20-Day Community Service & Cultural Immersion Program On The Big Island of Hawaii
• Eastern Adventure 24 or 14-Day Tour of the Eastern United States
• Project California 14, 21 & 28-Day Community Service Program With Participants Living @ UC Santa Barbara
• Headin’ West 12-Day Tour of the Western United States
• Project Costa Rica 14 & 20-Day Volunteer Programs In Costa Rica
• Western Skies 14-Day Tour of The Southwestern United States and California
• Project Ecuador, The Amazon & Galapagos Islands 22-Day Community Service & Cultural Immersion Program In Quito, the Amazon Jungle & the Galapagos Islands
• California Cruisin’ 14-Day Tour of California
• California Caper 21-Day Tour of California and the Southwestern United States
• Western Adventure 28-Day Tour of the Western United States
• Crossroads 40-Day East to West tour of the United States
• Grand Adventure 40-Day Tour of the Western United States and Pacific Northwest
• Hawaiian / Alaskan Adventure 32-Day Fire & Ice Tour of Alaska, Hawaii, & the Pacific Coast
• Hawaiian Caper 21-Day Tour of Hawaii & The Pacific Coast
• Costa Rica Adventure 20 Day Adventure Program in Costa Rica
• Eastern Europe Adventure 20-Day Tour of Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia
• European Adventure 28-Day Tour of Iceland, France, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco and Spain
• Tour & Service 26-Day Program of the Western US + Community Service Program
• Mini Tours Tour Weekdays and Spend the Weekends at Home (2, 3, or 5 Week Options)

Not sure where to start? try the Rein program finder .

Que recherchez vous ?

• La Semaine Nationale du Rein
• Nos actions

Les principales missions de France Rein sont d’informer, soutenir et défendre les patients insuffisants rénaux. Information de prévention, information sur les traitements, sur la prise en charge, l’état sanitaire du pays et l’impact sur la vie des patients. Les sujets sont multiples et les canaux très variés.

La Semaine Nationale du Rein de FRANCE REIN Campagne nationale de prévention des maladies rénales

Merci à nos partenaires nationaux qui nous soutiennent et nous accompagnent durant la Semaine Nationale du Rein :

6 millions de personnes ont les reins malades et l’ignorent

Lorsqu’elles s’en rendent compte, il est souvent trop tard. Pourtant, en s’informant sur ces pathologies et les risques associés et en se faisant dépister, il est possible de retarder, voire d’éviter ces maladies très lourdes (l’insuffisance rénale est souvent synonyme de dialyse et/ou de greffes). Tous les ans depuis 2003, France Rein organise au mois de mars, la SEMAINE NATIONALE DU REIN . A cette occasion nous souhaitons vous informer et vous sensibiliser à ménager vos reins.

Partout en France, des stands d’informations et des lieux de dépistage gratuit vous sont ouverts (voir la carte interactive ci-après).

N’hésitez pas à en parler avec votre médecin et à vous faire dépister.

La Semaine Nationale du Rein du 9 au 16 mars 2024

Vers un accès aux soins équitable et une prise en charge optimale de votre santé rénale

En 2024 le thème de la Semaine Nationale du Rein suit le thème mondial proposé par la Word Kidney Fondation , " Vers un accès aux soins équitable et une prise en charge optimale de votre santé rénale

Si l'objectif de l'événement reste la sensibilisation et le dépistage grâce aux stands d'informations partout en France, le format de la semaine s'adaptera en fonction des conditions sanitaires régionales en cette période de crise. Vous pouvez vous renseigner auprès de votre association régionale afin de savoir quelles sont les dispositions prises près de chez vous.

Carte des lieux d'information et de dépistage gratuit durant la Semaine Nationale du Rein 2024

Cette carte est mise à jour régulièrement.

Dépliant prévention "Protégeons nos reins, c'est vital !"

1 personne sur 10, en France, est concernée par les maladies rénales.

Un fléau qui ne cesse de progresser puisque plus de 10 000 personnes chaque année apprennent qu’elles souffrent d’une insuffisance rénale chronique terminale nécessitant un traitement de suppléance (dialyse ou greffe). 41 000 personnes sont porteuses d’un greffon rénal et 14 000 patients sont en attente d’une greffe de rein tandis que 51 000 patients dialysent. Un constat alarmant qui pourrait être amélioré par un dépistage précoce.

témoignages - Semaine Nationale du Rein de France Rein

En France 6 millions de personnes ont les reins malades et l’ignorent !

Campagne nationale de dépistage et d'information des maladies rénales

Cela peut aussi vous intéresser

Maladies et traitements

Au quotidien

Protégeons nos reins, c'est vital !

Deals of the Week   All of Europe's finest   Up to 50% OFF

Rhine River Cruises

The Rhine starts its journey in Switzerland's Alps and passes through iconic cities in France (including Strasbourg), Germany (Dusseldorf and Cologne) and the Netherlands . A European river cruise along the Rhine will reveal the best of Western Europe , from its unique scenery, to the exquisite cuisine on offer.

250+ Rhine river cruises with 1,104 reviews

• River Cruise

Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2024

It was our first river cruise and we loved it! The food and service was amazing. We definitely recommend this type of travel!

Romantic Rhine (Northbound) 2024

Outstanding service in every respect

Classic Rhine cruise (Amsterdam-Basel) MS Crucevita

The overall experience was good! Very friendly staff, good care, good food, Nice music program in the bar and on deck!

Classic Rhine cruise (Basel-Amsterdam) MS Crucevita

The management and staff went over and above to accommodate passengers. Accommodations, food, excursions above our expectations. Will cruise with them again.

Captivating Rhine 2024 Start Amsterdam, End Basel

Rhine Experience Amsterdam & Rotterdam 2024

Helpful responsive staff

4 Rivers: The Moselle, Sarre, Romantic Rhine, and Neckar Valleys (port-to-port cruise)

Destinations were good. Staff were very nice and helpful. Cabins clean and tidy. Showers only for the slim and agile. Wifi was OK. Food was OK, with no choices. Wine etc was plentiful. English definitely at a disadvantage with some guides and only two TV channels.

• Coach / Bus

European Whirl (Summer, End London, 13 Days)

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Classical Rhine Cruise (Amsterdam - Basel) (10 destinations)

We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise. It was well organized and the food was superb.

The Valley of the romantic Rhine, the Moselle and the Main (port-to-port cruise)

Guila of Croisieurope’s Leonardo da Vinci is wonderful! All crew were very nice. Great value!

Castles along the Rhine (2024) (Basel to Amsterdam, 2024)

Very nice trip. Your were OK with a few standouts like the vinegar tasting. Wish there had been more lectures and cultures talks. The one about modern German attitudes was particularly fascinating.

Splendours of Europe (Start Amsterdam, End Budapest)

The program in the Emerald ship was magnificently planned and discussed. The local music during the cruise was so informative. Long live the music from the Netherlands and Germany through Austria and Slovakya to Hungary! Just for the music, dances and songs I will do the cruise again!

• Christmas & New Year

Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps 2024 Start Amsterdam, End Basel

Castles along the Rhine (2024) (Amsterdam to Basel River Queen, 2024)

Romantic Rhine & Moselle - Rüdesheim > Rhine Gorge (Start Basel, End Amsterdam)

Reviews of rhine cruises.

It was a great cruise. The food was amazing, the crew was really helpful, and the tours and tour guides were great. The only thing to imporve on if the WiFi which only worked half the time.

The Wi-Fi didn’t work as expected and it caused quite an inconvenience. The excursion plan is not as clear either. Overall it’s still a good tour but I think my last Danube river with Avalon is better than this rhino river cruise.

Great company to cruise with. Ship carries 110 passengers. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner each day. Plenty of stops to sightsee. The castles along the Rhine make trip a very enjoyable cruise. All staff were great.

Rhine Tours starting in:

• Amsterdam (154)
• Strasbourg (93)
• Cologne (63)
• Zurich (24)
• Frankfurt-am-Main (22)
• Budapest (21)
• Prague (14)
• Lucerne (13)
• 3 Day Tours (15)
• 7 Day Tours (124)
• 10 Day Tours (218)
• 2 Week Tours (77)
• 3 Week Tours (94)
• 4 Week Tours (29)
• 1 Month+ Tours (4)
• Spring 2024 (33)
• Summer 2024 (190)
• Fall / Autumn 2024 (191)
• Winter 2024 / 2025 (115)
• Spring 2025 (149)
• Summer 2025 (155)
• Fall / Autumn 2025 (169)
• Winter 2025 / 2026 (102)
• May 2024 (70)
• June 2024 (119)
• July 2024 (127)
• August 2024 (137)
• September 2024 (124)
• October 2024 (130)
• November 2024 (68)
• December 2024 (109)
• January 2025 (5)
• February 2025 (7)
• March 2025 (36)
• April 2025 (93)
• May 2025 (134)
• June 2025 (129)
• July 2025 (120)
• August 2025 (127)
• September 2025 (123)
• October 2025 (128)
• November 2025 (73)
• December 2025 (102)

Popular Cruise Ships

• Scenic Opal from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
• Scenic Crystal from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
• Avalon Tranquility II from Avalon Waterways
• Avalon Imagery II from Avalon Waterways
• Emerald Sky from Emerald Cruises
• Scenic Jasper from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
• Emerald Sun from Emerald Cruises
• Scenic Pearl from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
• AmaPrima from AmaWaterways
• Avalon Panorama from Avalon Waterways
• Scenic Jewel from Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
• AmaCerto from AmaWaterways

Travel Styles

• Budget (14)
• Luxury (203)
• Singles and Solo (384)
• For Couples (528)
• Seniors (473)

Discover TourRadar

• See All Tour Operators in Rhine
• South Korea Tours
• Canada Tours
• South Central Coast Vietnam June 2024 tours
• Trekking in Ha Giang 5 days 4 nights
• 10 Best South America Backpacking Tours & Trips
• The Sustainable Adventure with G Adventures
• Scottish Highlands insurance, vaccinations, visa and permits

Touraine Val de Loire – ADT de la Touraine EN

Close the menu

I'm looking for

Visit Tours, the gateway city of the Loire Valley

Home › Discover › Tours and the finest cities in Touraine › Visit Tours, the gateway city of the Loire Valley

Beautiful, vibrant and lively, Tours is a pretty stopping point during a couple of days in the middle of the Loire Valley Chateaux . Tour its historic quarters with their half-timbered houses, the bustling Place Plumereau and Saint-Gatien Cathedral, as well as the new Olivier Debré Contemporary Art Centre.

On sunny days, the star of Tours is the River Loire! The now famous ‘Tours-sur-Loire’ guinguette  and the Tours beach extend the city limits to the banks of the river. Numerous activities are offered.

Tours is packed with gourmet bistros featuring fresh, locally sourced produce on their menus. You should taste the nougat of Tours , the potted rillettes of Tours, the saffron , or the "poires tapées" (dried pears). Genuinely unique!

Tours – A tale of two cities

In a perfect location, Tours is the great capital of the Loire Valley, a Unesco world heritage site, but it is far more than just a gateway to the Loire Chateaux. Indeed, Tours delights in being charming and doesn’t think twice about playing a double game in order to do so.

Visit Tours and its architecture full of history

First of all, there is its historical heritage. The birthplace of  Balzac   (more than fifty books to read) is proud of its old quarters , which take visitors on a wonderful journey back in time in France. Explore the narrow cobbled streets,  half-timbered french houses and the stone façade of the monumental  Saint-Gatien Cathedral , which give the city a charming medieval air.

The architecture of the Fine Arts Museum , the Hotel Gouïn  (Renaissance architecture),  Tours castle , the ‘la Psalette’ cloister and the Saint Martin Basilica (near the “tour Charlemagne” and the “tour de l’horloge”) is of great interest! You will enjoy those monuments through a illuminated walking experience , and of course with a guided tour proposed by the tourist office.

Tours - Saint-Gatien Cathedral

Château de Tours - Illuminated walking experience

Tours, a beautiful city in France

In addition to the built heritage, large green spaces perfectly enhance the french city. Designed in the 19th century and classified as a remarkable garden, the Prebendes d’Oe garden is a perfect example, as is the botanic garden and the Gloriette park . Attached to the latter, the practice of La Gloriette Golf may allow you to make your first swing!

You have a few days ahead of you?   Renting a bike , you will cycle from Tours to :

• the St Cosme priory (4km / 14 min),
• the Montbazon fortress (15km / 56 min),
• Vouvray wineries ( Château Gaudrelle , Vigneau-Chevreau …).
• the gardens of Villandry (19km / 1h03),
• the Valmer gardens (19km / 1h06).

The gardens of Villandry castle. France

It is also very pleasant to go shopping, to have a look at the exhibitions at the new  Olivier Debré Contemporary Creation Centre and at the Arts district , to relax at the summer ‘guinguette’, situated along the banks of the Loire River from which you can see the traditional boats (belonging to the Boutavant association ). You may also like to go on board for a fifty minute cruise on the river !

Tours - Boutavant boat on the River Loire

Visit Tours - Olivier Debré Contemporary Creation Centre

For night owls , a stopover in Tours also gives them an opportunity to treat themselves to a show, an evening in one of the many bars and cafés in the Old Town or a front seat at the free sound and light show  projected onto the Fine Art Museum façade every evening in the summer.

Some more pictures of Tours:

The Plumereau square

The Art Deco American Memorial

The Monster of Xavier Veilhan

The Jean Jaurès Square, with the Tours City Hall.

Visit Tours in video

Tours is the ideal place to spend a night as it is situated close to the main Loire Valley chateaux, along the Loire by bike trail , along the GR3 pedestrian route and on the way to Santiago de Compostela !

Practical: Tours Val de Loire Tourist Office

Book tickets, guided tour, day trip, activities for groups: www.tours-tourisme.fr/en +033 (0)2 47 70 37 37

Visit Amboise and Chenonceau, jewels of the Renaissance

Find your accommodation, visit loches, town of art and history., visit chinon and azay-le-rideau, lands of sharing, discover beautiful villages, "the mag': inspirations and magical experiences", tree house: experience an unusual night.

Published on 24 April 2024

Electric Quad: explore the vineyards!

Published on 22 April 2024

The castle of Rivau…

Published on 20 April 2024

Cancel search

Back to top

Home » Travel Guides » France » 15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France)

15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France)

It’s no mystery that Tours is a favourite base for people discovering the Loire Valley’s exalted châteaux.

Villandry, Chenonceau and Amboise are moments by car, and with the help of the Loire à Vélo network you can visit them on two wheels with ease.

But you may find that if you delve a little more into Tours’ history and attractions, it could be difficult to leave the city at all.

In the centre are timber houses and renaissance mansions on car-free streets, and museums that draw you into the city’s medieval past.

There are vineyards welcoming inquisitive oenophiles in the countryside and both the waters and banks of the Loire invite you to go wherever your sense of curiosity leads.

Lets explore the best things to do in Tours :

1. Tours Cathedral

Even by the glacial speed of construction in the middle ages, Tours Cathedral took a long time to be completed.

Building began in 1170 and wouldn’t be finished until 1547, but this means we’re met with a perfect summary of the evolution of gothic art.

The ensemble of original 13th-century stained glass windows in the ambulatory chapels and above the choir is one of the finest in France, and seems to generate its own light.

The cathedral has information panels giving you the meaning behind each image.

The marble renaissance tombs of King Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany’s children are also moving, as both died in infancy.

2. Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours

The riches from Cardinal Richelieu’s 17th-century campaign against the Huguenots and the art seized from abbeys during the Revolution all ended up at Tours’ stellar museum of fine art.

Because of their religious source there’s a good body of Italian gothic primitives from the 14th and 15th centuries, while the two renaissance paintings by Andrea Mentegna are regarded as masterpieces.

You’ve got over a thousand artworks to get through, with sculpture by Rodin, Flemish and Dutch painting by Rembrandt and Rubens, and Impressionism by Monet and Degas.

3. Tours Botanical Garden

The city’s municipal garden has a bit of a troublesome setting, between the Loire and Cher, which made it susceptible to flooding in the past, with two devastating inundations in the mid-19th century that filled the greenhouses with two metres of water.

Even after being hit by bombs in the Second World War there isn’t the slightest hint of a troubled past at these serene gardens.

On your walk you may notice some trees you haven’t seen before, like the Chinese empress tree, ginkgo biloba and the endangered dawn redwood.

The animal park is from 1863 and has farm animals for kids to bond with, as well as more exotic species like wallabies.

4. Le Vieux Tours

Like all the best historic city centres the historic buildings on the pedestrian streets around Place Plumereau aren’t sterile museum pieces but vibrant cornerstones of local life, used as shops, restaurants and bars.

Place de Plumereau is at the nerve centre of one of the largest conservation areas in Europe, with renaissance mansions boasting sculpted reliefs or cantilevered timber houses, going strong for hundreds of years.

If you’re OK with everybody knowing you’re a tourist, jump aboard the little train that departs every hour from Place Plumereau in summer.

5. Musée du Compagnonnage

In the 16th-century Dormitory at the former Abbey of Saint-Julien is a museum devoted to a French workers’ movement that dates back to medieval times.

Roughly, the Compagnons du Tour de France is like a guild of journeymen that preserves historic trades and educates young people about them as part of an apprenticeship.

To complete the apprenticeship and become a “companion” a craftsman had to create a masterpiece for whatever discipline he worked in.

And these dumbfounding creations are presented at the museum, in all kinds of different disciplines, like metalwork, tailoring, shoemaking and woodcarving.

6. Hôtel Goüin

What may be the most beautiful of Tours’ many old building has just come through a long restoration and is open to the public once more.

Hôtel Goüin is an early-renaissance palace on Rue du Commerce, with a balustraded porch and the sort of loggia in which you might expect to see Juliet calling for Romeo.

During the restoration they unearthed fragments of an older building from the 1100s, with four arches and a well, which are on show.

You might just want to stop for a photo of that magnificent facade, but there’s an archaeological museum inside with artefacts from Roman times up to the 1800s.

7. Halles de Tours

Billed as the “Belly of Tours” (ventre de Tours), the city’s indoor market may not be France’s largest, but it’s a gastronome’s idea of heaven.

You may even want to bring your camera or have your phone at the ready, because the cheese, charcuterie, seafood and in-season fruit and vegetable counters are presented with real flair.

If you’re stuck for gift ideas then markets like this tick the box as they’re stocked with all the best from the region.

At Tours that entails wine from the Loire Valley and luxury chocolate.

The city is one of France’s chocolate capitals, and every years holds the Salon du Chocolat de Tours at the Centre de Congrès Vinci.

Come for lunch too: The oyster bar shucks your oyster as you go.

8. Jardin des Prébendes d’Oé

During the French Second Empire from the mid-1800s English-style parks like this one popped up in provincial cities across France.

This was a spot for urban families to take promenades, kids to play and for the city to put on outdoor concerts at the park’s gazebo.

There’s less of the formality of French parterres, as paths weave through tulip flowerbeds and  copses of lime, plane, cedar, chestnut and lofty redwood trees.

So if you could do with a moment of repose take a wander by the pond and pause for a tea or coffee at the kiosk.

On warmer days you could load up on cheese and charcuterie at the market and have the perfect French picnic.

9. Église Saint-Julien de Tours

The predecessors of this  12th-century abbey were wrecked by the Normans in the 9th century and then in a war between the feudal houses of Blois and Anjou in the 10th century.

But miraculously the building that followed has survived everything from the French Revolution to the Second World War.

It was part of a long-gone abbey, and the garden next to the church is where the cloister used to be, while the Musée de Compagnonnage occupies the old dormitory.

10. “Toue” River Cruises

Commercial craft floated along the Loire and Cher since antiquity, hauling people, wine, silk, lumber, salt and all sorts of other cargo up and down these rivers.

Because the waterways can get very shallow they used flat-bottomed sailboats called “toues”, and you can too! Toues can carry between 12 and 30 passengers for hour-long trips, or even romantic dinner cruises in the evening.

Their skippers know these waters and banks like the backs of their hands: And with the deck as your balcony, they’ll shed light on the Tours’ river trade, its many colourful characters and perils.

11. Loire à Vélo

If you had to picture some quintessentially French holiday activities, a bike ride next to the Loire with a backdrop of gentle vine-striped hills and châteaux must be one of the first that comes to mind.

About 150km of the of the Loire à Vélo cycle trail’s totalling 800km are in the Touraine region.

The route is clearly-marked, easy -going because it never leaves the riverside and convenient as there are dozens of hire stations along the way.

You could give yourself set destinations like Amboise or Villandry, which are both reachable in about an hour.

Or make more of an adventure of it by going further afield and spending the night at the inns on the route that are happy to accommodate cyclists.

12. Guinguette sur Loire

On the left bank of the Loire, just by Pont Wilson, is where Tours’ “Guinguette” takes place from May to September.

It isn’t officially summer in Tours until this outdoor café by the river is bustling every evening with locals and tourists at the bar terrace, taking part in dance lessons, enjoying concerts or watching movies at the outdoor cinema.

Tours is a student city so the atmosphere is always warm and energetic.

The location is wonderful, under willow trees and string lights, with the river rolling past.

And every year there Guinguette has something new on the schedule.

13. Wine and Gastronmic Visits

If you’re a wine-lover you’ve come to the right place.

There’s an absurd amount of AOCs nearby: A dozen within an hour, and five bordering the city.

The diversity will make your head spin more than the wine itself, with the reds of Touraine-Chenonceau, the whites of Touraine Sauvignon and rosés made in Touraine noble joué.

When it comes to precious foodstuffs there’s a saffron market in Preuilly-sur-Claise and a seasonal truffle market at Marigny-Marmande.

The local cheese, Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine is known to all for its cylindrical shape and the straw that pierces it through the centre.

To know more, pay a visit to the dairy at Les Passerelles or the child-friendly goat farm, Cabri au Lait, which makes Sainte-Maure but also has a petting zoo for the little guys and girls.

14. Château de Villandry

It would be criminal to visit Tours and not call in at one of the abundant château in the region.

Tours is touted as a gateway for these sensational pieces of French royal or noble heritage.

You can reach Villandry in 20 minutes, and it’s one of the finest.

The gardens are the showstopper at this château.

They were restored at the turn of the century by the Spanish doctor Joachim Carvallo.

He conceived several terraces of renaissance gardens, all with precisely trimmed boxwood hedges in joyous geometric configurations.

There’s a water garden, labyrinth, sun garden, ornamental garden with high hedges, but the most astounding is the formal medieval kitchen garden, all in neat plots.

15. Château d’Amboise

The home of Francis I and most of the French royalty in the 16th century is a 20-minute car or train ride to the east.

The château had its heyday in the renaissance period after Charles VIII turned it from a fortress into the Loire valley’s first Italian-style palace in the late-1400s.

In 1516 Francis I invited Leonardo da Vinci to live and work in Amboise, and the polymath’s home at Clos Lucé was actually connected to the Château d’Amboise by underground passageways that you can discover today by prior arrangement.

Da Vinci died here in 1519 and is buried at the Chapel of Saint-Hubert at the Château.

The gardens are embellished with spherical topiaries and the views from this spur above the Loire are divine.

15 Best Things to Do in Tours (France):

• Tours Cathedral
• Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours
• Tours Botanical Garden
• Le Vieux Tours
• Musée du Compagnonnage
• Hôtel Goüin
• Halles de Tours
• Jardin des Prébendes d'Oé
• Église Saint-Julien de Tours
• "Toue" River Cruises
• Loire à Vélo
• Guinguette sur Loire
• Wine and Gastronmic Visits
• Château de Villandry
• Château d'Amboise

Call Us: +44 (0)20 8191 0620   |  Email Us: [email protected]

Le Grand Tour: The Finest Luxury Train Tour in France

About le grand tour luxury train.

Already hailed as one of the great rail journeys, Le Grand Tour is making serious waves in luxury train travel with its summer 2023 launch. Le Grand Tour de France offers an escorted tour of 4000km to visit the country’s top destinations. The eighteenth-century Belle Époque styled train welcomes passengers onboard the most spectacular train tour of France. The six-day journey will enable you to explore French and European history, culture, architecture, art and magnificent French cuisine. Every other luxury rail tour in France pales in comparison to the Le Grand Tour, which is making the dreams of many travellers come true for 2025 and the years to come.

View the Le Grand Tour trip we offer to get your tour going.

Cabin Classes

Full details of the cabin classes available on Le Grand Tour.

Life On Board

Learn about life on board the Le Grand Tour Luxury Train.

Frequently asked questions about the Le Grand Tour train.

Le Grand Tour Luxury Train Tour Through France

Below are the rail tours we offer that use the Le Grand Tour Train. Just click on any tour to open a PDF containing all you need to know about the trip including a detailed itinerary, dates and prices.

● Please remember that booking as far ahead as you can in advance is essential for these trains ●

5 Nights from UK £ 6,210 / US$ 7,590 pp

Contact us for quotes in other currencies

Epernay ● Reims ● Beaune ● Annecy ● Avignon ● Les Alpilles ● Arcachon ● Saint-Emilion ● Chenonceau ● Puy Du Fou

Le Grand Tour France: Highest Standard of Luxury Available On French Railway Holidays

Le Grand Tour has set out early to embellish all Le Grand tourists with the highest standards in luxury train tours in France. A trip on this opulent train will treat guests to a range of luxurious accommodations, from a Classic Cabin, a Tour Suite, and Le Grand Tour Adjoining Suites. Touring France by train in one of these sumptuous suites, with each carrying the name of a historical personality, allows for an added touch of authentic elegance on the train trip through France.

As well as the tangible luxuries in place on this train trip around France, the crew’s comprehensive personal service that passengers are treated to means that you’ll want for nothing. With a maximum occupancy of thirty-six passengers and fifteen crew, these holidays in France by train provide a unique and intimate atmosphere that is like taking a step back in time and slowing down the pace of life. This new France train tour is unparalleled by any other escorted rail tours, and Le Grand tourists can relax for six days in nirvana.

Le Grand Tour Luxury train Gallery

A selection of photos below give a flavour of life on board the Le Grand Tour Luxury Train.

The luxury train travel company

Contact us about le grand tour train tours.

We look forward to hearing from you and are happy to answer any questions you have – just email or call us or use the form below.

[email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)20 8191 0620

Enquire Here About Le Grand Tour

Please provide as much information as possible so we can respond with the best answer and don't forget to press the submit button at the bottom. We reply to all enquiries within one working day.

How Can We Reach You?

How can we help, how did you hear about us, luxury train tour of france packed with unique cultural and culinary delights.

Le Grand tourists are treated to one of the great masterpieces of rail travel on this spectacular Belle Époque inspired luxury train. Paris provides the perfect garrison from which to begin six days of extraordinary cultural experiences and culinary delights. Among the genuinely great rail journeys in France, Le Grand Tour provides passengers with cultural highlights, including a visit to a champagne house, the Pope’s Palace in Provence, and a private tour of Château de Chenonceau, for many, a highlight of their France train trip.

Between passengers enjoying all the incredible architecture and historical elements on these France train tours, they can relax onboard Le Grand Tour and relish the great culinary adventure the two Michelin-starred chefs will take them on. As one of the best luxury trains in France, the journey takes to multiple destinations where the chefs will use the local produce to prepare a genuinely world-class menu, making it a wholly unique experience train tour in France.

6-Day Itinerary for Le Grand Tour De France Railway Holiday

Le Grand Tour France is the latest creation to emerge from the imagination of Puy du Fou, the historical theme park in Les Epesses, in the Pays de la Loire region of western France. Puy du Fou has long set the standards for immersive shows based on French and European history. Train tours in France aboard Le Grand Tour give passengers a sense of old-world charm and luxury as they take a step back through the years.

These holidays in France by train provide incredible curated itineraries that allow the perfect blend of relaxation and discovery during the 6-day, 4000km journey around the country. Onboard guests are treated to an intimate atmosphere with a maximum capacity of 36 and a complete crew of 15. New for the summer of 2025, this train tour of France is unrivalled and has everything you could want from a luxury train tour in France.

Day 1 – Paris to Champagne

Day one of Le Grand Tour train tours from Paris will see passengers depart from Paris Gare de l’Est in the morning. Heading through the stunning hillside vineyards, they’ll reach the first destination of Épernay. They’ll enjoy a private tour of a champagne house as part of the France train tour. After a refreshing lunch stop, our escorted rail tours head for the champagne-growing capital, Reims. A visit to the spectacular cathedral and city tour, and it’s back onboard Le Grand Tour for a well-earned supper to complete the second half of the first day of this train trip around France.

Day 2 – Burgundy to the French Alps

The second day of Le Grand Tour France will allow passengers to explore Burgundy’s history, culture, and art. Known for producing fabulous wine and having France’s most extensive navigable river system, a private tour is planned for passengers to savour the astonishing architecture and many colourful properties. The afternoon sees Le Grand Tour depart, and passengers enjoy a fabulous onboard lunch with incredible Alps views on the way to Annecy. Most grand tourists will opt to personalise their France train tours here with custom-made itineraries that can include sports and outdoor activities.

Day 3 – Provence

The overnight luxury rail tour in France will lead to Provence, particularly Avignon, for day three. Here there is the opportunity to visit the Pope’s Palace and indulge in plenty of wine tasting on this leg of our holidays in France by train. The afternoon can be spent taking a leisurely stroll with the scent of lavender in the air in Jul-Aug and viewing some Roman ruins while soaking up the charm and beauty of Mediterranean living. On the back of the mistral wind blowing into the Gulf of Lion, the Le Grand Tour rail holidays in France meander west towards the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 4 – Arcachon Basin to Bordeaux

Day four begins with passengers waking to the smell of the Atlantic Ocean air in Arcachon Bay and its magnificence on these train tours from Paris. Passengers board a boat to cross the bay, visit the fabulous Dubourdieu boat workshop, and enjoy an amazing seafood-tasting session. The afternoon sees the Le Grand Tour snaking its way through the region’s picturesque vineyards, where these France tours take in the finest wineries and confirm the tour’s place as the best train trip from Paris.

Day 5 – Chenonceau to Puy du Fou

Set on the river Cher, Château de Chenonceau provides a spectacular start to the fifth day of this Le Grand Tour de France. This incredible limestone masterpiece spans the river Cher and is known as the “Castle of Ladies.” Passengers on this luxury train tour in France are treated to an engaging and fascinating private tour before the head gardener at the château conducts a floral workshop. The afternoon sees the train trip around France move toward Puy du Fou, where passengers step back in time with a spectacular evening extravaganza.

Day 6 – Return to Paris

Day six will see one of the great rail journeys in France come to its conclusion. Passengers can relax onboard the Le Grand Tour and soak up the spectacular landscape of the French countryside on the way back towards Paris. Passengers can enjoy the onboard facilities as the train rewinds to Paris Gare de l’Est. Touring France by train in total luxury and receiving so much culture, history, and art as a grand tourist is magical and makes for an unforgettably wonderful holiday.

2-Day French Train Tour Itinerary – Le Grand Tour Reims & Beaune

If you’re looking for a short break away and want to experience the most luxurious way of touring France by train, this two-day and one-night holiday could provide the perfect getaway you need. As France specialists, The Luxury Train Travel Company can arrange everything you need to explore Beaune, Burgundy, and Reims. Take a look below at the basic itinerary of the trip, and you’ll see why our customers love these train holidays in France.

Day 1 – Paris to Beaune to Burgundy

The afternoon on the first day of this France train trip has the Le Grand Tour leaving Paris and winding through Burgundy as it makes its way toward Beaune. A town blessed with incredible architecture and spectacular brightly coloured buildings, the world-famous Hospices de Beaune awaits passengers, where the best train trip in France takes in history and gastronomy. The evening of this train trip through France is spent as the guest of a fabulous wine house.

Day 2 – Reims to Paris

As the sun rises on the second day of these rail holidays in France, Le Grand Tour travels east into the region packed with champagne vineyards where many grand tourists can visit a champagne house. During the afternoon of the best train trip from Paris, passengers can stroll the aisles of the Cathedral of Reims and follow many historical figures’ footsteps during an off-the-beaten-track exclusive tour before the Le Grand Tour luxury rail tour in France heads back toward Paris.

The 5-Star Accommodation On The Le Grand Tour Train Makes It The Most Luxurious Train Tour France Offers

Rail holidays aren’t simply about the destination but getting to the destination in style and on a luxury train. Paris Gare de l’Est is where passengers will first witness the true beauty of the Belle Époque inspired Le Grand Tour train. With a variety of suites available, from a 10 m² cabin perfect for single or double occupancy with a double queen-sized bed. A Le Grand Tour suite at 15 m² with a choice of bed set-ups and comfortably accommodated three people. Or a 25 m² adjoining suite that sleeps up to five guests.

All the five-star accommodation options onboard are luxuriously appointed and come with private bathrooms, heating and air-conditioning, and full butler service. As passengers relax aboard for France train tours around the country, they can do so in opulent grandeur. Whether it’s rail holidays to south of France, central France, or any region of the country, no luxury train tour in France has a more sumptuous level of onboard living than the Le Grand Tour.

Interested in the Le Grand Tour Luxury Train Holidays in France? Speak To Our Travel Experts Today!

If you’re interested in luxury rail holidays in France as a surprise for a wedding anniversary or retirement surprise, or you’ve always dreamt of taking off on a train tour of France. Please speak to a travel expert at The Luxury Train Travel Company today, and let us help you organise the train tour in France of a lifetime! Train holidays in France are truly spectacular, and with the Le Grand Tour, you get the absolute height of luxury combined with world-class destinations and experiences.

THE MOST POPULAR QUESTIONS

Le grand tour luxury french rail holidays faqs, what is le grand tour.

Le Grand Tour is an eighteenth-century Belle Époque styled train that operates great train journeys in France with a regional departure from Paris. The train trip through France is a 6-day, 4000km holiday that takes passengers around the country in the height of luxury.

Why is the Le Grand Tour one of the best train trips in France?

As great train journeys in France go, Le Grand Tour is out in front of others for several reasons. During the 4000km Le Grand Tour de France, passengers enjoy the highest standards of onboard amenities. From the beautifully appointed cabins and suites, butter service, and culinary wonders prepared by the two-starred Michelin chefs to the spectacular curated itinerary and choice of historical destinations, this is without question the finest luxury rail tour in France.

Does the Le Grand Tour offer train tours from Paris?

Yes, the Le Grand Tour offers holidays in France by train that departs from Paris Gare de l’Est. Whether you enjoy the whole 6-day train trip around France or the shorter 2-day and 1-night France train tours, embark and disembark in Paris.

Is the Le Grand Tour the most luxurious train in France?

Le Grand Tour is new for the summer of 2025 and is already widely recognised as the best luxury rail tour in France. The Le Grand Tour de France offers the best available accommodations, butler service, and onboard Michelin-starred chefs prepare a variety of regional cuisines.

How much does a Le Grand Tour French railway holiday cost?

Luxury train trips in France can vary depending on whether you take a shorter 2-day trip or immerse yourself fully in a 6-day train tour in France onboard the Le Grand Tour. If you’d like to gather more information and specific prices for the summer of 2025 and beyond, contact the team at The Luxury Train Travel Company. An expert on luxury trains in France will gladly help you curate the holiday of a lifetime.

explore the world of luxury trains

Explore the luxury train travel company.

Explore Our Range of Luxury Rail Tours Across the Globe. Learn About The Different Luxury Trains We Can Offer. View Our Tours by Region & Destinations. View our train departure Calendar.

• Share full article

For more audio journalism and storytelling, download New York Times Audio , a new iOS app available for news subscribers.

Stormy Daniels Takes the Stand

The porn star testified for eight hours at donald trump’s hush-money trial. this is how it went..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

It’s 6:41 AM. I’m feeling a little stressed because I’m running late. It’s the fourth week of Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial. It’s a white collar trial. Most of the witnesses we’ve heard from have been, I think, typical white collar witnesses in terms of their professions.

We’ve got a former publisher, a lawyer, accountants. The witness today, a little less typical, Stormy Daniels, porn star in a New York criminal courtroom in front of a jury more accustomed to the types of witnesses they’ve already seen. There’s a lot that could go wrong.

From “The New York Times,” I’m Michael Barbaro. This is “The Daily.”

Today, what happened when Stormy Daniels took the stand for eight hours in the first criminal trial of Donald J. Trump. As before, my colleague Jonah Bromwich was inside the courtroom.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

It’s Friday, May 10th.

So it’s now day 14 of this trial. And I think it’s worth having you briefly, and in broad strokes, catch listeners up on the biggest developments that have occurred since you were last on, which was the day that opening arguments were made by both the defense and the prosecution. So just give us that brief recap.

Sure. It’s all been the prosecution’s case so far. And prosecutors have a saying, which is that the evidence is coming in great. And I think for this prosecution, which is trying to show that Trump falsified business records to cover up a sex scandal, to ease his way into the White House in 2016, the evidence has been coming in pretty well. It’s come in well through David Pecker, former publisher of The National Enquirer, who testified that he entered into a secret plot with Trump and Michael Cohen, his fixer at the time, to suppress negative stories about Trump, the candidate.

It came in pretty well through Keith Davidson, who was a lawyer to Stormy Daniels in 2016 and negotiated the hush money payment. And we’ve seen all these little bits and pieces of evidence that tell the story that prosecutors want to tell. And the case makes sense so far. We can’t tell what the jury is thinking, as we always say.

But we can tell that there’s a narrative that’s coherent and that matches up with the prosecution’s opening statement. Then we come to Tuesday. And that day really marks the first time that the prosecution’s strategy seems a little bit risky because that’s the day that Stormy Daniels gets called to the witness stand.

OK, well, just explain why the prosecution putting Stormy Daniels on the stand would be so risky. And I guess it makes sense to answer that in the context of why the prosecution is calling her as a witness at all.

Well, you can see why it makes sense to have her. The hush money payment was to her. The cover-up of the hush money payment, in some ways, concerns her. And so she’s this character who’s very much at the center of this story. But according to prosecutors, she’s not at the center of the crime. The prosecution is telling a story, and they hope a compelling one. And arguably, that story starts with Stormy Daniels. It starts in 2006, when Stormy Daniels says that she and Trump had sex, which is something that Trump has always denied.

So if prosecutors were to not call Stormy Daniels to the stand, you would have this big hole in the case. It would be like, effect, effect, effect. But where is the cause? Where is the person who set off this chain reaction? But Stormy Daniels is a porn star. She’s there to testify about sex. Sex and pornography are things that the jurors were not asked about during jury selection. And those are subjects that bring up all kinds of different complex reactions in people.

And so, when the prosecutors bring Stormy Daniels to the courtroom, it’s very difficult to know how the jurors will take it, particularly given that she’s about to describe a sexual episode that she says she had with the former president. Will the jurors think that makes sense, as they sit here and try to decide a falsifying business records case, or will they ask themselves, why are we hearing this?

So the reason why this is the first time that the prosecution’s strategy is, for journalists like you, a little bit confusing, is because it’s the first time that the prosecution seems to be taking a genuine risk in what they’re putting before these jurors. Everything else has been kind of cut and dry and a little bit more mechanical. This is just a wild card.

This is like live ammunition, to some extent. Everything else is settled and controlled. And they know what’s going to happen. With Stormy Daniels, that’s not the case.

OK, so walk us through the testimony. When the prosecution brings her to the stand, what actually happens?

It starts, as every witness does, with what’s called direct examination, which is a fancy word for saying prosecutors question Stormy Daniels. And they have her tell her story. First, they have her tell the jury about her education and where she grew up and her professional experience. And because of Stormy Daniels’s biography, that quickly goes into stripping, and then goes into making adult films.

And I thought the prosecutor who questioned her, Susan Hoffinger, had this nice touch in talking about that, because not only did she ask Daniels about acting in adult films. But she asked her about writing and directing them, too, emphasizing the more professional aspects of that work and giving a little more credit to the witness, as if to say, well, you may think this or you may think that. But this is a person with dignity who took what she did seriously. Got it.

What’s your first impression of Daniels as a witness?

It’s very clear that she’s nervous. She’s speaking fast. She’s laughing to herself and making small jokes. But the tension in the room is so serious from the beginning, from the moment she enters, that those jokes aren’t landing. So it just feels, like, really heavy and still and almost oppressive in there. So Daniels talking quickly, seeming nervous, giving more answers than are being asked of her by the prosecution, even before we get to the sexual encounter that she’s about to describe, all of that presents a really discomfiting impression, I would say.

And how does this move towards the encounter that Daniels ultimately has?

It starts at a golf tournament in 2006, in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Daniels meets Trump there. There are other celebrities there, too. They chatted very briefly. And then she received a dinner invitation from him. She thought it over, she says. And she goes to have dinner with Trump, not at a restaurant, by the way. But she’s invited to join him in the hotel suite.

So she gets to the hotel suite. And his bodyguard is there. And the hotel door is cracked open. And the bodyguard greets her and says she looks nice, this and that. And she goes in. And there’s Donald Trump, just as expected. But what’s not expected, she says, is that he’s not wearing what you would wear to a dinner with a stranger, but instead, she says, silk or satin pajamas. She asked him to change, she says. And he obliges.

He goes, and he puts on a dress shirt and dress pants. And they sit down at the hotel suite’s dining room table. And they have a kind of bizarre dinner. Trump is asking her very personal questions about pornography and safe sex. And she testifies that she teased him about vain and pompous he is. And then at some point, she goes to the bathroom. And she sees that he has got his toiletries in there, his Old Spice, his gold tweezers.

Very specific details.

Yeah, we’re getting a ton of detail in this scene. And the reason we’re getting those is because prosecutors are trying to elicit those details to establish that this is a credible person, that this thing did happen, despite what Donald Trump and his lawyers say. And the reason you can know it happened, prosecutors seem to be saying, is because, look at all these details she can still summon up.

She comes out of the bathroom. And she says that Donald Trump is on the hotel bed. And what stands out to me there is what she describes as a very intense physical reaction. She says that she blacked out. And she quickly clarifies, she doesn’t mean from drugs or alcohol. She means that, she says, that the intensity of this experience was such that, suddenly, she can’t remember every detail. The prosecution asks a question that cuts directly to the sex. Essentially, did you start having sex with him? And Daniels says that she did. And she continues to provide more details than even, I think, the prosecution wanted.

And I think we don’t want to go chapter and verse through this claimed sexual encounter. But I wonder what details stand out and which details feel important, given the prosecution’s strategy here.

All the details stand out because it’s a story about having had sex with a former president. And the more salacious and more private the details feel, the more you’re going to remember them. So we’ll remember that Stormy Daniels said what position they had sex in. We’ll remember that she said he didn’t use a condom. Whether that’s important to the prosecution’s case, now, that’s a much harder question to answer, as we’ve been saying.

But what I can tell you is, as she’s describing having had sex with Donald Trump, and Donald Trump is sitting right there, and Eric Trump, his son, is sitting behind him, seeming to turn a different color as he hears this embarrassment of his father being described to a courtroom full of reporters at this trial, it’s hard to even describe the energy in that room. It was like nothing I had ever experienced. And it was just Daniels’s testimony and, seemingly, the former President’s emotions. And you almost felt like you were trapped in there with both of them as this description was happening.

Well, I think it’s important to try to understand why the prosecution is getting these details, these salacious, carnal, pick your word, graphic details about sex with Donald Trump. What is the value, if other details are clearly making the point that she’s recollecting something?

Well, I think, at this point, we can only speculate. But one thing we can say is, this was uncomfortable. This felt bad. And remember, prosecutor’s story is not about the sex. It’s about trying to hide the sex. So if you’re trying to show a jury why it might be worthwhile to hide a story, it might be worth —

Providing lots of salacious details that a person would want to hide.

— exposing them to how bad that story feels and reminding them that if they had been voters and they had heard that story, and, in fact, they asked Daniels this very question, if you hadn’t accepted hush money, if you hadn’t signed that NDA, is this the story you would have told? And she said, yes. And so where I think they’re going with this, but we can’t really be sure yet, is that they’re going to tell the jurors, hey, that story, you can see why he wanted to cover that up, can’t you?

You mentioned the hush money payments. What testimony does Daniels offer about that? And how does it advance the prosecution’s case of business fraud related to the hush money payments?

So little evidence that it’s almost laughable. She says that she received the hush money. But we actually already heard another witness, her lawyer at the time, Keith Davidson, testify that he had received the hush money payment on her behalf. And she testified about feeling as if she had to sell this story because the election was fast approaching, almost as if her leverage was slipping away because she knew this would be bad for Trump.

That feels important. But just help me understand why it’s important.

Well, what the prosecution has been arguing is that Trump covered up this hush money payment in order to conceal a different crime. And that crime, they say, was to promote his election to the presidency by illegal means.

Right, we’ve talked about this in the past.

So when Daniels ties her side of the payment into the election, it just reminds the jurors maybe, oh, right, this is what they’re arguing.

So how does the prosecution end this very dramatic, and from everything you’re saying, very tense questioning of Stormy Daniels about this encounter?

Well, before they can even end, the defense lawyers go and they consult among themselves. And then, with the jury out of the room, one of them stands up. And he says that the defense is moving for a mistrial.

On what terms?

He says that the testimony offered by Daniels that morning is so prejudicial, so damning to Trump in the eyes of the jury, that the trial can no longer be fair. Like, how could these jurors have heard these details and still be fair when they render their verdict? And he says a memorable expression. He says, you can’t un-ring that bell, meaning they heard it. They can’t un-hear it. It’s over. Throw out this trial. It should be done.

Wow. And what is the response from the judge?

So the judge, Juan Merchan, he hears them out. And he really hears them out. But at the end of their arguments, he says, I do think she went a little too far. He says that. He said, there were things that were better left unsaid.

By Stormy Daniels?

By Stormy Daniels. And he acknowledges that she is a difficult witness. But, he says, the remedy for that is not a mistrial, is not stopping the whole thing right now. The remedy for that is cross-examination. If the defense feels that there are issues with her story, issues with her credibility, they can ask her whatever they want. They can try to win the jury back over. If they think this jury has been poisoned by this witness, well, this is their time to provide the antidote. The antidote is cross-examination. And soon enough, cross-examination starts. And it is exactly as intense and combative as we expected.

We’ll be right back.

So, Jonah, how would you characterize the defense’s overall strategy in this intense cross-examination of Stormy Daniels?

People know the word impeach from presidential impeachments. But it has a meaning in law, too. You impeach a witness, and, specifically, their credibility. And that’s what the defense is going for here. They are going to try to make Stormy Daniels look like a liar, a fraud, an extortionist, a money-grubbing opportunist who wanted to take advantage of Trump and sought to do so by any means necessary.

And what did that impeachment strategy look like in the courtroom?

The defense lawyer who questions Stormy Daniels is a woman named Susan Necheles. She’s defended Trump before. And she’s a bit of a cross-examination specialist. We even saw her during jury selection bring up these past details to confront jurors who had said nasty things about Trump on social media with. And she wants to do the same thing with Daniels. She wants to bring up old interviews and old tweets and things that Daniels has said in the past that don’t match what Daniels is saying from the stand.

What’s a specific example? And do they land?

Some of them land. And some of them don’t. One specific example is that Necheles confronts Daniels with this old tweet, where Daniels says that she’s going to dance down the street if Trump goes to jail. And what she’s trying to show there is that Daniels is out for revenge, that she hates Trump, and that she wants to see him go to jail. And that’s why she’s testifying against him.

And Daniels is very interesting during the cross-examination. It’s almost as if she’s a different person. She kind of squares her shoulders. And she sits up a little straighter. And she leans forward. Daniels is ready to fight. But it doesn’t quite land. The tweet actually says, I’ll dance down the street when he’s selected to go to jail.

And Daniels goes off on this digression about how she knows that people don’t get selected to go to jail. That’s not how it works. But she can’t really unseat this argument, that she’s a political enemy of Donald Trump. So that one kind of sticks, I would say. But there are other moves that Necheles tries to pull that don’t stick.

So unlike the prosecution, which typically used words like adult, adult film, Necheles seems to be taking every chance she can get to say porn, or pornography, or porn star, to make it sound base or dirty. And so when she starts to ask Daniels about actually being in pornography, writing, acting, and directing sex films, she tries to land a punch line, Necheles does. She says, so you have a lot of experience making phony stories about sex appear to be real, right?

As if to say, perhaps this story you have told about entering Trump’s suite in Lake Tahoe and having sex with him was made up.

Just another one of your fictional stories about sex. But Daniels comes back and says, the sex in the films, it’s very much real, just like what happened to me in that room. And so, when you have this kind of combat of a lawyer cross-examining very aggressively and the witness fighting back, you can feel the energy in the room shift as one lands a blow or the other does. But here, Daniels lands one back. And the other issue that I think Susan Necheles runs into is, she tries to draw out disparities from interviews that Daniels gave, particularly to N-TOUCH, very early on once the story was out.

It’s kind of like a tabloid magazine?

But some of the disparities don’t seem to be landing quite like Necheles would want. So she tries to do this complicated thing about where the bodyguard was in the room when Daniels walked into the room, as described in an interview in a magazine. But in that magazine interview, as it turns out, Daniels mentioned that Trump was wearing pajamas. And so, if I’m a juror, I don’t care where the bodyguard is. I’m thinking about, oh, yeah, I remember that Stormy Daniels said now in 2024 that Trump was wearing pajamas.

I’m curious if, as somebody in the room, you felt that the defense was effective in undermining Stormy Daniels’s credibility? Because what I took from the earlier part of our conversation was that Stormy Daniels is in this courtroom on behalf of the prosecution to tell a story that’s uncomfortable and has the kind of details that Donald Trump would be motivated to try to hide. And therefore, this defense strategy is to say, those details about what Trump might want to hide, you can’t trust them. So does this back and forth effectively hurt Stormy Daniels’s credibility, in your estimation?

I don’t think that Stormy Daniels came off as perfectly credible about everything she testified about. There are incidents that were unclear or confusing. There were things she talked about that I found hard to believe, when she, for instance, denied that she had attacked Trump in a tweet or talked about her motivations. But about what prosecutors need, that central story, the story of having had sex with him, we can’t know whether it happened.

But there weren’t that many disparities in these accounts over the years. In terms of things that would make me doubt the story that Daniels was telling, details that don’t add up, those weren’t present. And you don’t have to take my word for that, nor should you. But the judge is in the room. And he says something very, very similar.

What does he say? And why does he say it?

Well, he does it when the defense, again, at the end of the day on Thursday, calls for a mistrial.

With a similar argument as before?

Not only with a similar argument as before, but, like, almost the exact same argument. And I would say that I was astonished to see them do this. But I wasn’t because I’ve covered other trials where Trump is the client. And in those trials, the lawyers, again and again, called for a mistrial.

And what does Judge Marchan say in response to this second effort to seek a mistrial?

Let me say, to this one, he seems a little less patient. He says that after the first mistrial ruling, two days before, he went into his chambers. And he read every decision he had made about the case. He took this moment to reflect on the first decision. And he found that he had, in his own estimation, which is all he has, been fair and not allowed evidence that was prejudicial to Trump into this trial. It could continue. And so he said that again. And then he really almost turned on the defense. And he said that the things that the defense was objecting to were things that the defense had made happen.

He says that in their opening statement, the defense could have taken issue with many elements of the case, about whether there were falsified business records, about any of the other things that prosecutors are saying happened. But instead, he says, they focused their energy on denying that Trump ever had sex with Daniels.

And so that was essentially an invitation to the prosecution to call Stormy Daniels as a witness and have her say from the stand, yes, I had this sexual encounter. The upshot of it is that the judge not only takes the defense to task. But he also just says that he finds Stormy Daniels’s narrative credible. He doesn’t see it as having changed so much from year to year.

Interesting. So in thinking back to our original question here, Jonah, about the idea that putting Stormy Daniels on the stand was risky, I wonder if, by the end of this entire journey, you’re reevaluating that idea because it doesn’t sound like it ended up being super risky. It sounded like it ended up working reasonably well for the prosecution.

Well, let me just assert that it doesn’t really matter what I think. The jury is going to decide this. There’s 12 people. And we can’t know what they’re thinking. But my impression was that, while she was being questioned by the prosecution for the prosecution’s case, Stormy Daniels was a real liability. She was a difficult witness for them.

And the judge said as much. But when the defense cross-examined her, Stormy Daniels became a better witness, in part because their struggles to discredit her may have actually ended up making her story look more credible and stronger. And the reason that matters is because, remember, we said that prosecutors are trying to fill this hole in their case. Well, now, they have. The jury has met Stormy Daniels. They’ve heard her account. They’ve made of it what they will. And now, the sequence of events that prosecutors are trying to line up as they seek prison time for the former President really makes a lot of sense.

It starts with what Stormy Daniels says with sex in a hotel suite in 2006. It picks up years later, as Donald Trump is trying to win an election and, prosecutors say, suppressing negative stories, including Stormy Daniels’s very negative story. And the story that prosecutors are telling ends with Donald Trump orchestrating the falsification of business records to keep that story concealed.

Well, Jonah, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

Of course, thanks for having me.

The prosecution’s next major witness will be Michael Cohen, the former Trump fixer who arranged for the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Cohen is expected to take the stand on Monday.

Here’s what else you need to know today. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a defiant response to warnings from the United States that it would stop supplying weapons to Israel if Israel invades the Southern Gaza City of Rafah. So far, Israel has carried out a limited incursion into the city where a million civilians are sheltering, but has threatened a full invasion. In a statement, Netanyahu said, quote, “if we need to stand alone, we will stand alone.”

Meanwhile, high level ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have been put on hold in part because of anger over Israel’s incursion into Rafah.

A reminder, tomorrow, we’ll be sharing the latest episode of our colleague’s new show, “The Interview” This week on “The Interview,” Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with radio host Charlamagne Tha God about his frustrations with how Americans talk about politics.

If me as a Black man, if I criticize Democrats, then I’m supporting MAGA. But if I criticize, you know, Donald Trump and Republicans, then I’m a Democratic shill. Why can’t I just be a person who deals in nuance?

Today’s episode was produced by Olivia Natt and Michael Simon Johnson. It was edited by Lexie Diao, with help from Paige Cowett, contains original music by Will Reid and Marion Lozano, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for “The Daily.” I’m Michael Barbaro. See you on Monday.

• May 14, 2024   •   35:20 Voters Want Change. In Our Poll, They See It in Trump.
• May 13, 2024   •   27:46 How Biden Adopted Trump’s Trade War With China
• May 10, 2024   •   27:42 Stormy Daniels Takes the Stand
• May 9, 2024   •   34:42 One Strongman, One Billion Voters, and the Future of India
• May 8, 2024   •   28:28 A Plan to Remake the Middle East
• May 7, 2024   •   27:43 How Changing Ocean Temperatures Could Upend Life on Earth
• May 6, 2024   •   29:23 R.F.K. Jr.’s Battle to Get on the Ballot
• May 3, 2024   •   25:33 The Protesters and the President
• May 2, 2024   •   29:13 Biden Loosens Up on Weed
• May 1, 2024   •   35:16 The New Abortion Fight Before the Supreme Court
• April 30, 2024   •   27:40 The Secret Push That Could Ban TikTok
• April 29, 2024   •   47:53 Trump 2.0: What a Second Trump Presidency Would Bring

Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Jonah E. Bromwich

Produced by Olivia Natt and Michael Simon Johnson

Edited by Lexie Diao

With Paige Cowett

Original music by Will Reid and Marion Lozano

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

This episode contains descriptions of an alleged sexual liaison.

What happened when Stormy Daniels took the stand for eight hours in the first criminal trial of former President Donald J. Trump?

Jonah Bromwich, one of the lead reporters covering the trial for The Times, was in the room.

On today’s episode

Jonah E. Bromwich , who covers criminal justice in New York for The New York Times.

Background reading

In a second day of cross-examination, Stormy Daniels resisted the implication she had tried to shake down Donald J. Trump by selling her story of a sexual liaison.

Here are six takeaways from Ms. Daniels’s earlier testimony.

There are a lot of ways to listen to The Daily. Here’s how.

We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Jonah E. Bromwich covers criminal justice in New York, with a focus on the Manhattan district attorney’s office and state criminal courts in Manhattan. More about Jonah E. Bromwich

Advertisement

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Aston Martin
• Les Marquables de Martell
• Mira Villas
• Panther National
• Reynolds Lake Oconee
• Wynn Las Vegas
• 672 Wine Club
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide
• This Tasting Cruise Lets You Experience France’s Champagne Region in More Ways Than One

Drink it all in.

Abby montanez, abby montanez's most recent stories.

• Exclusive: First Look Inside Rosewood Residences Beverly Hills  
• This Chicago Home Had a Cameo in ‘The Bear.’ Now It Can Be Yours for $2.2 Million
• Share This Article

Unlimited bubbly, waterside vineyards, and culinary delicacies: This new European river cruise is a Champagne lover’s dream.

Related Stories

How milan is cracking down on late-night noise.

• Abu Dhabi Wants to Transform Into a Serious Wellness Destination

This Luxe Train Ride Lets You Take In Vietnam’s Lush Countryside Over Afternoon Tea

“Kir Royale is all about experiencing Champagne in its home terroir and celebrating everything that its vineyards have to offer,” said James Newcombe, cofounder of French Waterways, in a statement. “Aside from enjoying the bubbles, Champagne’s countryside is magnificent, blanketed with rolling vineyards and dotted with ornate châteaux and churches.” 

The third day kicks off with an excursion to the World War l battlefield at Château-Thierry and the Belleau Wood memorial. After, you’ll enjoy lunch and dinner back onboard until Kir Royale reaches its mooring at Damery. The next morning, head off on a private Champagne tasting and tour at the boutique Grand Cru winery of Frerejean Frères, followed by lunch in the salon. When the boat arrives in Dizy, your group will visit the world-renowned Moët & Chandon. The festivities continue with guided tours of Moët & Chandon’s underground cellars and a tasting hosted by a cellar master. On the final day, you’ll pay a visit to the historic, 800-year-old Reims Cathedral. 

The week-long itinerary through France’s Champagne region starts from $8,550 per person for by-cabin bookings. Kir Royale can also be chartered with prices starting from $58,700 for up to six guests. The rate includes transfers to and from Paris, all meals and wine (onboard and ashore), daily tours, and a dedicated crew. 

Abigail Montanez is a staff writer at Robb Report. She has worked in both print and digital publishing for over half a decade, covering everything from real estate, entertainment, dining, travel to…

Read More On:

More destinations.

Who Needs Crowds? Why Off-Season Travel Is the Smartest Way to Vacation

Hawaii Is Cracking Down on Vacation Rentals Amid a Housing Crisis

Culinary Masters 2024

MAY 17 - 19 Join us for extraordinary meals from the nation’s brightest culinary minds.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Destinations

Kalmar Beyond Adventure’s Porsche Safari in Photos

Oceaya in Photos

More from our brands, the 15 best laptop bags that are equally fashionable and functional, wnba hopes stellar rookie class revives regular season attendance, upfronts 2024: full list of new series orders (updating), pro-palestine watermelon artwork removed from burning man website, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors.

Xi Jinping begins first European tour in five years in France

Chinese President Xi Jinping is on his first trip to Europe in five years, which is likely to be dominated by Russia’s war in Ukraine as well as economic strains between Beijing and Brussels.

The first stop will be France, with Xi due to hold talks in Paris on May 6 with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, before travelling south to the Pyrenees.

After that, he will travel to Serbia and Hungary, two countries that have maintained close ties with Russia despite its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

According to Matt Geracim, the assistant director of the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub, the Chinese president is travelling to Europe with three goals: “repairing relations in Europe damaged by China’s support for Russia’s war on Ukraine, blunting the EU’s economic security agenda vis-a-vis China, and showcasing Beijing’s strong ties with its stalwart partners Serbia and Hungary.”

Here is all you need to know about Xi’s European tour, which continues until Friday.

The big picture

Beijing and Paris are marking 60 years since diplomatic relations were established, with France the first Western country to formally recognise the People’s Republic of China on January 27, 2024.

But the trip also comes amid a deteriorating global security climate, with the war in Ukraine now into its third year and at least 34,683 Palestinians killed in Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza.

France has said those two conflicts, particularly Ukraine where Beijing has professed neutrality but not condemned Moscow for its full-scale invasion, will feature prominently in the talks.

“Exchanges will focus on international crises, first and foremost the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East,” the Elysee Palace said in a statement ahead of the visit last week.

Macron has recently emerged as one of the most hawkish of the EU leaders on the continent’s security, and he will be urging Xi to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. In an interview with the Economist newspaper published last week, the French president argued the war was existential for Europe.

“If Russia wins in Ukraine there will be no security in Europe,” he said. “Who can pretend that Russia will stop there?” What security would there be, he asked, for neighbouring countries: Moldova, Romania, Poland, Lithuania and others?

To underline the unity of the European position, von der Leyen will also join Monday’s discussions, which are due to get under way just after 11am (09:00 GMT).

As well as the Ukraine war, Europe is also concerned about Chinese business practices and has initiated an investigation into China’s subsidies for electric vehicle manufacturers, amid concerns such payments are undermining competition and harming European companies.

Macron told the Economist that he would also convey to Xi why Europe needs to safeguard its own manufacturers and industries.

Ahead of Xi’s departure last week, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Beijing was ready to “work with France and the EU to take this meeting as an opportunity to make the China-EU relations more strategic, stable, constructive and mutually beneficial, promote steady and sustained progress in China-EU relations, and contribute to the prosperity of both China and Europe and a peaceful world.”

Following Monday’s summit, Marcon and his wife, Brigitte, will host Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, to a state banquet.

On Tuesday, Macron will take the Chinese leader to the Pyrenees mountains, where he made regular trips to see his grandmother as a child. The two couples are also expected to take a cable car up to the summit of the 2,877-metre (9,439 ft) Pic du Midi, a dark sky reserve.

After wrapping his trip in France, Xi will head to Serbia where he will arrive in Belgrade on the 25th anniversary of the bombing of the Chinese Embassy for talks with President Aleksandar Vucic. Three people were killed when Washington said it accidentally struck the compound during the NATO air campaign against Serb forces occupying Kosovo, in an event that triggered outrage and protests in China.

China has since emerged as the biggest single source of investment in Serbia, which is not a member of the EU, and prior to the trip Lin, the MOFA spokesperson, referred to the two countries’ ties as “ironclad”.

“The bombing remains a significant topic for Chinese officials, who use it to support narratives that question the values of liberal democracies,” Stefan Vladisavljev, programme director at Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society wrote in an online analysis. “For Serbia, the visit presents an opportunity to strengthen its position as China’s main partner in the Western Balkans.”

Xi will then travel on May 8 to Budapest, the final stop on his European tour.

There he will meet Hungarian President Viktor Orban, the most Russia-friendly leader in the EU.

Hungary, whose policies have raised concern among other EU members, has become more closely aligned with Beijing and Moscow and recently signed a security cooperation agreement with China that allows Chinese police officers to work in areas where there are large populations of ethnic Chinese or which are popular with Chinese tourists, according to Zoltan Feher is a nonresident fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub.

Reports on such Chinese police stations have raised alarm in other parts of Europe, particularly among exiles and dissidents.

Hungary is also part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which it joined in 2015, and the two men are likely to discuss the ongoing construction of the high-speed rail between Budapest and Belgrade.

Ukraine war

Macron has spoken increasingly about the need to develop Europe’s own security architecture rather than rely on NATO and the US.

He has even suggested that France would be willing to send its troops to Ukraine, if Russia broke through the front lines and Kyiv asked for assistance.

China has long maintained it is neutral in the war, but Beijing and Moscow have deepened their ties since the full-scale invasion began, and Putin is expected to visit China this month.

Macron will be hoping to persuade Xi of the need for China to get more closely involved in efforts to secure peace as Switzerland organises a peace conference next month to discuss a 10-point plan put forward by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the end of 2022.

The Swiss say they have already invited more than 160 delegations, but it is not clear whether Beijing, which has also put forward a proposal for peace talks and deployed its own envoy in the region, will attend.

Russia has repeatedly dismissed the process, and insists a precursor for negotiations is that Kyiv give up the 20 percent of its territory that Russia currently occupies.

“We must continue to engage China, which is objectively the international player with the greatest leverage to change Moscow’s mind,” the French newspaper Le Monde quoted an unnamed diplomatic source as saying.

Human rights

Chinese state media have been reporting breathlessly on Xi’s arrival in Paris; the streets decorated with Chinese and French flags and groups of Chinese nationals welcoming their president.

But campaigners for Tibet and Xinjiang, where the United Nations says China may have committed crimes against humanity in holding some 1 million ethnic Uighur Muslims in re-education camps, were also out on the streets of the capital.

The EU imposed targeted sanctions on certain Chinese officials and companies over Xinjiang in March 2021, prompting anger in Beijing.

Human Rights Watch says while the French president did not raise the issue publicly on his visit to China last year, he should do so while Xi is in Paris and call for the release of those arbitrarily detained or imprisoned including Ilham Tohti, an Uighur economist who was awarded the Sakharov Prize, Europe’s most prominent human rights award in 2019.

The human rights organisation said Macron should also raise the issue of Tibet, where some 1 million Tibetan children are being placed in boarding schools and separated from their language and culture, and Hong Kong, once the most free territory in China but now subject to two draconian security laws.

“President Macron should make it clear to Xi Jinping that Beijing’s crimes against humanity come with consequences for China’s relations with France,” Maya Wang, the acting China director at Human Rights Watch said in a statement. “France’s silence and inaction on human rights would only embolden the Chinese government’s sense of impunity for its abuses, further fuelling repression at home and abroad.”

On April 30, Macron was pictured at the Elysee Palace with Penpa Tsering, the president of the Tibetan government-in-exile, on the sidelines of a ceremony to honour former Senator Andre Gattolin, a longtime supporter Tibet, who was awarded the Legion d’Honneur.

Penpa Tsering presented the French president with a signed photo of his 2016 meeting with the Dalai Lama and “urged him not to forget Tibet”, according to a report the Central Tibetan Administration.

“We understand that the agenda between the two presidents will be dense given the many international crises such as in Ukraine and in the Middle East, but this must not be done at the expense of exchanges on human rights, which are in a deplorable state throughout the country as well as in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet, where a latent conflict has been going on for over 60 years and poses a threat to regional and international security,” Vincent Metten, the EU policy director for the International Campaign for Tibet said in a statement.

In Freedom House’s 2024 report on Freedom in the World, Tibet’s overall score was zero out of 100; the lowest in at least eight years.

Maryse Artiguelong, the vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), said: “The conflict in Ukraine highlights the threat posed to international order and security by authoritarian regimes such as Russia and the People’s Republic of China. Their aggressive foreign policies and repressive domestic policies are inextricably linked: Anyone who does not oppose China’s human rights violations risks one day facing its aggressive foreign policy.”