Tours, France

Tours

Enjoy access to Chenonceau site and its wonderful gardens. This unusual castle was built on a bridge across the Cher River. To learn more about castle history, audio guides are available in 16 languages. The castle is located near the small village of Chenonceaux in the Indre-et-Loire department. Chenonceau castle, also known as the Chateau des Dames, is famous for the great heroines who lived there, such as Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medicis, and for the beauty of its Renaissance gardens. Chenonceau castle was also used as a military hospital during the First World War. Discover the rich history of this incredible fortress.

Benefit from pick-up by air-conditioned, 8-seater van and head to the picturesque Château de Chenonceau with magnificent Renaissance gardens. Then, go to Amboise for a wine tour with tastings. Visit Les Caves Ambacia for a wine experience and sample some of the wines of the Loire Valley at a tasting with a sommelier. Lunch at leisure in Amboise. Continue to Chambord for a guided tour of the chateau. Admire the fine details of the largest chateau in the Loire Valley, including a double helix staircase by Da Vinci. Get dropped off in Tours at 6 PM or Amboise at 6:45 PM.

Come to the tourist office and meet your guide. Then, hop into a van for a drive through the countryside. After that, arrive at Château de Chambord, which is the largest castle in the Loire Valley. Marvel at the famous French Renaissance architecture and the moat which surrounds it. Enter the castle for a guided tour and admire the double helix staircase and ornate roof. Afterward, drive to Château de Chenonceau, a castle that forms a unique bridge over the River Cher. See the river water flowing under the arches of this castle, which was built on an old mill. Go on a guided tour of this castle, which is situated in the village of Chenonceaux. Learn fascinating stories about the history of this castle and its magnificent gardens. Finally, sit back and relax on a journey back to Tours. Get out of the van at the starting point to finish the tour.

Travel back to the days of the French Renaissance on a full-day tour of the châteaux of the Loire Valley. Enjoy a lunch in a privately owned and still-occupied castle. Start with a visit to Chenonceau, and pass the must-see castles of the French “Valley of the Kings,” including Chaumont, Amboise, and Blois. Upon arrival at the Château de Chenonceau, admire the unusual castle built on a bridge across the Cher River.  Stroll through the manicured gardens, named after Catherine de Médicis and Diane de Poitiers, the famous women who once lived there. Take time to appreciate the refined architecture, beautiful antiques, and lovely arrangements of fresh flowers. Discover glorious works of art and architecture as your guide selects the most emblematic rooms to visit. On your way to lunch at the Chateau of Villesavin, admire authentic French villages and the countryside. Eat a traditional French lunch with local products and local wine. Arrive at Chambord and discover the apartments of Francis I. View the double helix staircase, an emblem of Chambord. Hear memorable anecdotes and see hidden details. Get breathtaking views of the castle during a coffee break in Chambord Park. Enjoy the most striking view of Château de Chambord, before ending your tour in the evening.

Meet your guide in front of the Tourist Office of Tours at 9:30 AM and board the minivan for an amazing day in the Loire Valley. You will start with a visit to the Château d'Azay le Rideau, absolute prowess of Renaissance architecture. The perfection of the facade and its reflect on the Indre finish setting one of the most beautiful chateau of the Loire Valley. Your passionate guide will accompany you on all the visits and will share with you the stories of the estate. Then, arrival at the Château de Villandry to visit the gardens, a jewel of French heritage built during the Renaissance, by Jean Le Breton and inhabitated by the familly Carvallo for over a century. They put a true amount of work to give us the gardens of Villandry, a perfect replica of what the gardens looked like in the 16th century. An experience you will never forget. Arrive back in Tours around 1:30 PM.

Meet your guide at the tourist office in Tours and drive in a minivan to Vouvray. Discover this beautiful wine area full of passionate winegrowers. Meet a French winemaker in a local winery . See the vines and visit the traditional vat room and the cellars. During this visit, you will improve your knowledge regarding wine-making and of course wine tasting. Elegant sparkling wines and white wines are produced in this area. During this visit, explore the famous underground cave that were dug during the 10th century in order to extract stones and today used by a famous Loire Valley wine house for producing and storing wines. Throughout the afternoon, your guide will share his knowledge with you, to help you understand the diversity of Loire wines and their specific terroir. You will learn the different steps of wine tasting and train your nose to identify many wine aromas. Benefit from your guide's tips and tricks and learn to taste like a professional. Afterward, you will be driven back to Tours, where your tour will end. 

Get picked up in the morning before driving to the Loire Valley and start your day touring the Château de Chenonceau. The Chateau des Dames bridge built across the Cher is famous for the great heroines who lived there (Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medicis) and for the beauty of its Renaissance gardens. Next, head to the Royal City of Amboise for a lunch in the city center. Discover this charming town, built along the River Loire, considered as the Old Capital of the Loire Vally and where Da Vinci spent his last three years. Continue to Chambord for a guided tour of the chateau built by François 1st. Admire the fine details of the largest chateau in the Loire Valley, including a double helix staircase by Da Vinci. End your day by being dropped off in Tours at 6 PM or in Amboise at 6:30 PM.

Explore the Bourgueil wine region famous for its Renaissance castles and wines. Tour around local wineries, and savor regional wines on this day trip from Tours. Begin by traveling to a traditional winery with your guide and learn about wine production from the grape to the bottle. See the vineyards and learn about the area's soil diversity that gives the wine a delicate and fruity taste. After that, arrive in Chinon, a charming small town surrounded by vineyards. Explore the picturesque town featuring preserved medieval half-timbered and Renaissance townhouses. Have time to stroll the streets, do a spot of shopping, or try some local Chinon specialties such as pork rillettes. After a break, enjoy a wine-tasting session in the famous Chinon wine region. Entice your palate with fine red wines produced in the area and hear how to detect different notes in the wine

Drive through the beautiful French countryside to discover Middle Age and Gothic-inspired architecture, and learn the intriguing history of Normandy and France from an expert guide. Cross to the tidal island of Mont Saint-Michel, and soak up the refinement of prestigious Loire Valley castles, such as the vast royal Château de Chambord. Day 1 (Friday): Traveling by luxury air-conditioned coach, depart Paris via the western districts and take the Normandy motorway as far as Mont Saint-Michel. Arriving at approximately midday, stop for lunch at the 4-star Relais Saint Michel, offering fantastic views across to the island. After lunch, ascend to the Abbey on the summit of the mount for a guided visit of its Gothic and Romanesque interior. Enjoy some time at leisure exploring the narrow, hilly streets before your departure for Angers, cradle of the Plantagenet dynasty, where you will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at the Hotel Mercure Lac de Maine (or similar accommodation). Day 2 (Saturday): After a hearty breakfast, drive to Langeais, passing Cunault and Saumur en route. Driving by vineyards, enjoy views of romantic castles on the horizon. Arrive at Château de Langeais to explore one of the best-known examples of late medieval architecture. Continue with a guided visit of Clos-Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci's last dwelling place. Stroll through the stunnning gardens of Villandry, and visit the old historic district of Tours on the lower reaches of the Loire. An evening meal will be served at your overnight stop in Tours at the Hotel Mercure. Day 3 (Sunday): Take a guide tour of the Château de Chenonceau, built on the site of an old mill across the River Cher. Continue to the decorative Château de Cheverny, used by Tintin creator, Hergé as the inspiration for his fictional Château de Moulinsart. After lunch at the Hotel Saint-Hubert, go to the Château de Chambord to explore the largest and most imposing castle in the Loire Valley. Admire the distinctive French Renaissance architecture, which blends impressively with traditional medieval forms.

Travel back to the days of the French Renaissance on a full-day tour of the châteaux of the Loire Valley, and enjoy a relaxing lunch. Meet your guide at the Tourist Office of the city of Tours at 09:30 and transfer by minivan to Chenonceau. At the castle, passing through lovely typical villages and admiring the landscapes of the area. Upon arrival at the Château de Chenonceau (the most visited private historical monument in France), admire the unusual castle built on a bridge across the Cher River. Stroll through the manicured gardens named after Catherine de Médicis and Diane de Poitiers, the famous ladies who lived there. Take time to appreciate the refined architecture and feminine influence that prevails in each room and see beautiful antiques and divine arrangements of fresh flowers. After this first visit, you will need a small break. Your guide will drive you to Château de Chambord and you will have free time to enjoy your lunch. You can bring your own food or buy a sandwich or a salad at a French Boulangerie on the road or around the Château de Chenonceau or Chambord. After your lunch, discover glorious works of art and architecture as your guide selects the most emblematic rooms to visit. Hear memorable anecdotes and discover hidden details. Get breathtaking views of the castle from Chambord Park. Your guide will then take you back to Tours for at 5.30pm arrival.