Day excursions

Enjoy a complete discovery of Loire Valley with the visit of must-see Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau and Château de Villandry and its remarkable gardens. Benefit from your guide's thrilling historical anecdotes and feel part of these old days. In the afternoon, learn everything about Loire Valley wines by visiting two wine estates of the Vouvray Appellation, well-known for its sparkling and white wines. A fun adventure you will always remember! Program:  9:30 am: Departure from Tours, meet your friendly guide in front of the Tourist office in Tours and get on our minivan!   Everybody's here? Off to the Loire Valley! On the road, admire the unique Loire Valley landscapes: the Cher River, the Indre river and the lovely towns situated all along. Your guide will explain you everything about the region and its history…    We will start our visit in the château of Azay-le-Rideau, a beauty of the renaissance architecture with its straight staircase (one of the first in the region in the 16th century!) and the reflection of its south facade on the Indre River. After a stroll in the park, let's head to the next château.   Welcome to the Château de Villandry, a Renaissance jewel ranking high in French heritage. This visit make your day a fun adventure that you will always remember! One of the highlights of your day will be the exploration of Villandry gorgeous formal gardens, a beautiful and delicately-manicured landscape masterpiece. Our local expert will share all his knowledge of this garden à la française, and will show you hidden corners from where you will get the best views of this remarquable site. The ornamental kitchen garden, the love garden, the Maze, the classical water garden... Don't miss any detail!   If you want to nibble on something, your tour guide will help you with recommendations of great French Boulangeries around :)   At 2:00 pm, you're off to Vouvray, a beautiful wine area full of passion-driven winegrowers!   Meet a genuine French winemaker in a charming family-run estate! Visit the traditional vat room (bring your coat, it is freezing in the vat room ;). During this visit, you will improve your knowledge regarding wine-making and of course wine-tasting! The terroir of this wine area and its main grape variety of Chenin blanc allows the production of elegant white wines, dry, sweet or sparkling!   All along the afternoon, your will get to know and understand better the diversity of Loire wines. « Intense color, fruity aromas, palate full of minerals… » Oops!! What is this all about?! Your guide will help you to learn the different steps of wine-tasting and train your nose to identify many wine aromas. Benefit from our tips and tricks and taste like a pro! 6:30 pm: Back to the Tourist Office in Tours.

We will start our day with Acco Dispo by visiting the Chateau of Langeais, the oldest forteress of the Loire Valley with its 10th century donjon (keep). Its main facade still has medieval characteristics yet, its opposite part has been renovated in the 16th century, which gives it a Renaissance charm. In 1491, Charles the 7th and Anne of Brittany’s marriage signed the annexation of the Duchy to French kingdom. A collection of tapestry, furniture and objects from the 15th century awaits you there. We will cross over the Loire river to go to the Chateau of Villandry, known for its French gardens that makes it one of the most beautiful garden in France. It is divided in 3 patios: the 1st one is a mix of vegetables, fruit trees and vines, the 2nd one is made of sculpted bushes, and the last one is a water garden. After the lunch break in Villandry, we will go towards the Chateau of Ussé - known as the "Sleeping Beauty’s Castle”, which inspired Charles Perrault. This property is a combination between Gothic and Renaissance architectures, as well as an expansion done in Classic style. We will finish our day with the visit of the Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau, its elegant facades are like a jewel trapped between sky and river. You will discover its 500 years old framework, as well as furniture and tapestries from different periods, in the living rooms.

The day will begin with a visit to Château de Chenonceau, a historic gem spanning the Cher River, surrounded by beautiful gardens designed by Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitiers. You will then have free time for lunch in Amboise (not included), before visiting the Clos Lucé, the residence of Leonardo da Vinci. Finally, you'll explore the prestigious Château Royal d'Amboise, a royal retreat and the final resting place of Leonardo da Vinci.   Our team will accompany you in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle.   After this fascinating day, Val de Loire Travel will return you to your departure point (your accomodation or the Tourist Office).

We will start our day with Acco Dispo following the Loire river to Amboise, where you will find on the top of a spur of rock, the Royal Chateau of Amboise - which was Francis the 1st’s main residence. With its Gothic and Renaissance styles, the chateau will make you fall in love with its panoramic view on the valley. you must not forget about the St. Hubert’s chapel, where Leonardo da Vinci rests in peace. After the lunch break in the old town, we will go towards the Sologne region in order to visit the Chateau of Cheverny which has been in the same family for more than 600 years. This beautiful classical edifice inspired Hergé’s Marlinspike Hall in ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ comics. We will finish our excursion with the breath taking Chateau of Chambord. Made of more than 400 rooms, 282 fireplaces, as well as more than 70 staircases, including the famous central double helical staircase, it was Francis the 1st’s hunting lodge. This architectural masterpiece is one of the largest Chateau in France, after Versailles. Thus, throughout the day, we will show you the beautiful French countryside landscapes and the Loire and Cher valleys.