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All listed activities Tourist taxes

Transport

All transport mentioned in the itinerary is included, except for optional excursions or where a client may choose to curtail a group walk. Airport transfers and transfers during the week will be by private, air-conditioned minibus or van.

Guide

We are accompanied by a local tour leader, who will coordinate the airport transfers, guide all walks and join the group for a welcome dinner at the beginning of the week.

Meals

Six breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner and three wine tastings are included. Our included lunches will be taken during the hikes, either as a picnic or in local cafés/restaurants, while the included dinner is at the château restaurant/at a traditional restaurant in Tours. For lunches not included, there will be an opportunity to visit a boulangerie (bakery) for freshly baked goods to take with you on the walks. For dinners not included, it’s possible to dine at the accommodation or venture to a restaurant in Tours or Chinon. Vegetarians can be fairly easily accommodated in this area of France (particularly in Tours); however, vegans may find the variety of dishes available is rather limited. Larger supermarkets can provide gluten-free bread and baked goods but this is less common in local bakeries.

Accommodation

Immerse yourself in the history and regal character of the Loire Valley with the accommodation on this trip, which is split between a historic château and a manor house. Tours: Château de la Bourdaisière (nights 1-3) This Renaissance-style château outside the city has extensive grounds comprising landscaped gardens, a large orchard with more than 100 fruit tree varieties, and a dahlia garden created by renowned landscape architect Louis Benech. The 26 stately rooms and apartments were renovated by owner Prince Louis Albert de Broglie (aka the Prince Gardener), while other hotel amenities include a large, heated swimming pool and tennis courts. Beaumont-en-Véron: Manoir de la Giraudière (nights 4-6) Stay in a 17th-century manor house just 3.7mi (6km) from Chinon and its medieval fortress. Situated within a Regional Nature Park (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and overlooking a vineyard, the hotel has 24 rooms with period furniture plus an outside seating space where the group can gather. It‘s also about a five-minute walk along country lanes to the Vienne River, where bird life flourishes and a peaceful moment or two can be enjoyed.

Not included:

Flights

Flights are not included

Others

— Travel Insurance — Single accommodation (available on request) — Visas or vaccinations

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included

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Day 1 Day 1: Start At Our Accommodation Near Tours (Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Start At Our Accommodation Near Tours (Dinner)

We start at our chateau just outside Tours. This characterful university town is the gateway to the Loire Valley and the perfect starting point for our adventure. Before the welcome dinner, our guide will hold a meeting to discuss the week ahead, give advice on the local area and answer any questions. Accommodation: Château de la Bourdaisière (or similar)
Day 2 Day 2: Walk And Wine Tasting Along The Loire To Vouvray (Breakfast,Lunch)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Walk And Wine Tasting Along The Loire To Vouvray (Breakfast,Lunch)

This morning we set off for our hike direct from our chateau heading towards Vouvray. The route meanders through medieval villages, including Montlouis, renowned for its exceptional AOP (Appellation d’Origine Protégée) wine, and through vineyards that line the Loire River. Upon arrival in Vouvray, we visit wine cellars forged from local tufa stone and meet members of the Loire wine brotherhoods – communities of wine enthusiasts, who will generously share the history and cultural importance of wine in the region. Accommodation: Château de la Bourdaisière (or similar)
Day 3 Day 3: Château De Chenonceau And Walk Along The Cher River (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Château De Chenonceau And Walk Along The Cher River (Breakfast)

We start our day with a 25-minute transfer to the magnificent Château de Chenonceau. Known as the Ladies’ Castle since the 16th century, Chenonceau is the most visited private monument in France. This Renaissance masterpiece comprises a long, covered gallery that rests on the arches of a bridge and contains a large collection of tapestries and paintings by European masters from the 16th to 18th centuries, including Tintoretto, Rubens and Clouet. After exploring the chateau, we take a circular walk along the river Cher, leaving the crowds as we pass through meadows and forests. Accommodation: Château de la Bourdaisière (or similar)
Day 4 Day 4: Château Royal D’Amboise And Transfer To Beaumont-En-Véron (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Château Royal D’Amboise And Transfer To Beaumont-En-Véron (Breakfast)

After a 25 minute transfer we visit the impressive Château Royal d’Amboise this morning, sure to be one of the highlights of our trip. A former palace to the kings of France and the resting place of Leonardo da Vinci, this Unesco-protected castle is testament to European history and represents the French ’art of living’ as well as having spectacular views of the Loire Valley. There is then free time to either explore the town of Amboise or have the option to visit Chateau du Clos Lucé, the impressive home of Leonardo da Vinci, for the last three years of his life. After lunch, we take an afternoon hike through the Amboise Forest and along the Loire River, before transferring one hour, to our second accommodation in Beaumont-en-Véron. On our way, we stop in the village of Bourgueil to see the vineyards and sample the local produce. Accommodation: Manoir de la Giraudière (or similar)
Day 5 Day 5: The Saumur-Champigny Vineyards (Breakfast,Lunch)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: The Saumur-Champigny Vineyards (Breakfast,Lunch)

Today will be devoted to the discovery of the wonderful Saumur-Champigny vineyards. In the morning, we take a 30-minute transfer to the Unesco town of Saumur, surrounded by the Anjou vineyards. We embark on a guided walk of the town, marvelling at medieval architecture and discovering the royal history of the area. After, we transfer to the starting point for our hike through the vineyards and countryside near Souzay-Champigny. We visit a wine producer during the hike and sample their AOP Saumur-Champigny wine, before returning to Souzay-Champigny, where we have time to visit ancient troglodyte dwellings and a local mushroom producer. Accommodation: Manoir de la Giraudière (or similar)
Day 6 Day 6: Gardens Of Villandry (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Gardens Of Villandry (Breakfast)

On our final full day in the Loire Valley, we take a 30-minute transfer to Château de Villandry, whose gardens have dazzled visitors since the 1920s. With a history stretching to the 11th century, the gardens have undergone many transformations but acquired their current Renaissance form in the early 1900s, replacing the English garden style employed in the mid-1800s. We have free time to explore the extensive estate and castle independently, before coming together for our last hike of the week, this time along the banks of the Cher. After lunch we take a short transfer towards the village of Azay le Rideau where we also have time to explore the castle. We return to Beaumont-en-Véron, stopping on our way in the historic city of Chinon. Accommodation: Manoir de la Giraudière (or similar)
Day 7 Day 7: End In Beaumont-En-Véron (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: End In Beaumont-En-Véron (Breakfast)

After breakfast, we say our goodbyes and begin our return journey home. If you’d like to explore more of the Loire Valley, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Beaumont-en-Véron.

7 days tour

Loire Valley: Walks, Wine & Chateaux

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Loire Valley: Walks, Wine & Chateaux

Day 1: Start At Our Accommodation Near Tours (Dinner)

Day 2: Walk And Wine Tasting Along The Loire To Vouvray (Breakfast,Lunch)

Day 3: Château De Chenonceau And Walk Along The Cher River (Breakfast)

Day 4: Château Royal D’Amboise And Transfer To Beaumont-En-Véron (Breakfast)

Day 5: The Saumur-Champigny Vineyards (Breakfast,Lunch)

Day 6: Gardens Of Villandry (Breakfast)

Day 7: End In Beaumont-En-Véron (Breakfast)

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