Your first stop on the edge of Fontainebleau Forest is the village of Barbizon, whose forest landscapes inspired a group of 19th-century landscape artists known as the Barbizon school (1830-70). The group of artists influenced the Impressionists and included famous painters such as Corot, Millet, Daubigny and Rousseau.

Your tour continues into the Fontainebleau Forest to reach the Castle of Fontainebleau, a favored residence of French kings for eight centuries. The audio-guided tour inside the castle is followed by free time in the castle's gardens.

Then it's off to Vaux le Vicomte, Nicolas Fouquet's masterpiece which inspired Louis 14th to build the Palace of Versailles and launched the careers of landscape gardener Andre le Notre and decorator Charles le Brun. After lunch at Vaux le Vicomte you'll take an audio-guided tour of the chateau's main rooms. Your small group full-day trip from Paris by minivan ends with time to stroll through the castle's gardens and visit the carriage museum.