We are veteran Rick Steves travelers (9 tours) and want to select a France itinerary next year. The 2 tours we are most interested in are Loire to the South of France and Best of Eastern France. Our plan is to spend 4-5 days in Paris prior to joining one of these tours.
I was curious if there are any Forum readers who have taken both of these tours, and, if so, if you had any highlights or preferences that you could share? My wife and I have already taken the Paris and the Heart of France RS tour so there will be a little overlap on the Loire to the South of France from that tour. That said, we really enjoyed the Loire Valley and would not have an issue with re-visiting the area as a small part of the other tours.
We enjoy wine, some hiking/nature walks, good cheese, villages and medieval history. Beaches are OK, but not a priority (we live in coastal Florida).
Any input would be appreciated!