France · LOIRE VALLEY TOURS
Chenonceau spans the river, Chambord has the double staircase and Amboise has the view. These 9 sort the day trips from Paris and the local admissions by price, château count and whether a tasting is included.
Enter Château de Chambord with a one-day ticket and skip the ticket-counter line. Explore more than 60 rooms, temporary exhibitions, the double-helix staircase, formal gardens, and a vast 5,000-hectare park. A 20-minute multilingual film and free guide help explain the castle’s unusual design.
“Beautiful, big castle with lots to see. I took the I-pad guide, that is a nice addition.”
Explore Chenonceau Castle and its flower-filled gardens at your own pace with a one-day admission ticket. Walk through the château built over the Cher River, visit the Dômes and Carriage galleries, and use an audio guide available in 16 languages. Allow at least half a day.
“The château and grounds are gorgeous, and the history is clear and fascinating. There are, for good reason, crowds. Be patient and pleasant, and it's fun to be with them.”
Visit Château du Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci’s last home, then wander its interactive park filled with life-size machines, audio stations, and translucent panels. Explore his workshops, inventions, painting and architecture exhibits, plus a digital show. Allow at least half a day for the full experience.
“It was very interesting and I immensely enjoyed it!”
At Caves Ambacia in Amboise, a guide such as Yanis or Tomas leads you through 15th-century troglodyte caves, a five-senses wine lesson, and a vintage collection before a sommelier tasting of six Loire wines with cheese and charcuterie.
“Excellent guide and whine tasting! Had the opportunity to fill up up wine cellar as well!”
At Caves Ambacia in Amboise, you’ll explore 16th-century wine cellars, awaken your senses, and taste six Loire wines with a sommelier such as Thomas, François, or Louan. Cheese and charcuterie accompany the tasting, with an on-site deli and bistro available afterward.
“This was one of the more educational wine tastings we’ve ever been on, and we’ve been on MANY! The pairings were sublime. A highly recommended experience.”
Meet at 9 a.m. in Tours for a small-group morning with guides such as Alycea, Pierre, Simon, or Vincent. Visit a vineyard, limestone cellar, and larger wine operation, tasting sparkling and still Vouvray, Loire reds, cheese, and charcuterie.
“Nice tasting of Chenin blanc wines and great explanation on how they are made. Would recommend this tour”
Spend a full day with an English-speaking guide such as Roxanne, Christian, or Ingrid, visiting Chenonceau and Chambord, tasting Loire wines at Les Caves Ambacia, and eating lunch in Amboise. The eight-seat van keeps the day personal, but castle visits are tightly timed.
“We were a group of 4 ladies (aged 14 to 72). We only had 1 day in the area and wanted to maximize our time. Going with a guide was our best bet. Audrey met us in Amboise, we climbed into her van, and we were off. At the two chateaux she delivered her wealth of information and guided us through some highlights and then gave us a short amount of free time to explore. I wish we had more time, but the agenda was jam packed. Between the two chateaux we went to the Caves winery where we learned about aromas of the local wines and watched a very…”
Travel by minivan from Tours with up to eight people, visiting Azay-le-Rideau’s Renaissance château and Villandry’s formal gardens. Guides such as Chloe, Dimitri, Agatha, and Elodie lead the morning in clear English, with time for photos and independent wandering before returning around 1:30 PM.
“Dimitri was a gracious, interesting guide who I enjoyed very much. The two castle are smaller and easy to navigate. A really nice day and so close to Tours!”
Join pilot Kevin and the Amboise Montgolfière team for a one-hour sunrise or sunset balloon flight over the Loire Valley. Watch the balloon inflate, float above vineyards and castles, then celebrate with Champagne or grape juice and a visit to Caves Plou & Fils.
“Our Hot-air Balloon sunrise experience was terrific from start to finish. Our pilot (Kevin) and his crew were very professional and made us all feel at ease ... even the nervous passenger who burst into tears on take off was relaxed and happy at the end of the ride. The scenery was breathtaking and the feeling of floating just above the trees, over the corn fields and over the river was amazing. Our touch down was perfect, although the horse in the paddock we landed in looked a little surprised. I would recommend this experience to anyone wanting to see the Loire Valley from a different perspective.”
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