Loire Castles & Normandy Journey

Paris – Chambord – Blois – Loire Valley. We collect you from your hotel in Paris at 07:30 and set off for the Loire Valley, covering 180 km on the motorway in a comfortable, air conditioned Mercedes minivan – about 2.5 hours. En route, your guide shares background on French history linked to the region’s châteaux.

From 10:00–12:00 you visit the Château de Chambord. Celebrated for its French Renaissance architecture, it was built between 1519 and 1547 under King Francis I and is the largest château, with 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces and 84 staircases. Its open double spiral staircase rises three floors without the two spirals meeting – a design often attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. You then continue to Blois – around 20 minutes by road (17 km). From 12:30–14:00 you have lunch at leisure.

From 14:00–15:30 you tour the Royal Château of Blois in the heart of the city. Once home to several French kings, it brings together four distinct architectural styles and is associated with Joan of Arc, who came in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing to fight the English. The château comprises 564 rooms, including 100 bedrooms each with a fireplace, and 75 staircases.

At 15:30 you drive to the Plou et Fils winery – about 30 minutes (30 km). From 16:00 you visit this long established family estate to learn about traditional winemaking, followed by a guided tasting of local red, rosé and white wines – at least seven in total. At 16:45 you depart for Domaine de la Tortinière, Château Hôtel Val de Loire – around 45 minutes (40 km) – arriving at approximately 17:30 for accommodation at the hotel. You then have free time.

Loire Valley – Chenonceau – Amboise – Loire Valley. At 09:00 you depart Château Hôtel Domaine de la Tortinière for Château de Chenonceau – a scenic drive of around 30 minutes (40 km). From 09:30–11:30 you tour the Ladies’ Castle with our guide, known for its links to figures including Catherine de’ Medici, its elegant arches spanning the River Cher, and Renaissance gardens with more than 130,000 flowering plants. You provide a brochure explaining each room, and you have a little free time to wander the gardens.

You leave at 11:30 for Amboise – about 20 minutes away (14 km) – with a lunch break from 12:00–14:00. You can choose from the many cafés and restaurants along the main pedestrian street near the castle.

From 14:00–15:30 you visit the Royal Château of Amboise with a Histopad to guide us through the rooms and their history. Once the 15th century residence of King Charles VIII and a showcase of the shift from Gothic to Renaissance architecture, it is also where you can see Leonardo da Vinci’s grave in the chapel.

At 15:30 you walk about 400 metres to the nearby Château du Clos Lucé to explore Clos Lucé and the Parc Leonardo da Vinci, where the artist spent the last three years of his life and which featured in Time magazine’s 2021 list of 100 extraordinary destinations. You then have a little free time in Amboise.

At 17:30 you return to Domaine de la Tortinière – around 40 minutes by road (36 km). You have the rest of the day at leisure.

Loire Valley – Chaumont-sur-Loire – Amboise – Villandry – Loire Valley. You depart the château hotel at 09:00 for Chaumont–sur–Loire – about 1 hour on the road (55 km). From 10:00–12:00 you visit the Château de Chaumont–sur–Loire, founded in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 15th century under Charles I d’Amboise. Classified as a Monument historique since 1840, it later became state owned and opened to the public. In 1559, Catherine de Medici compelled Diane de Poitiers to exchange Chenonceau for Chaumont, where Diane spent the final three years of her life.

You have time for lunch in Amboise from 12:30–14:00.

After lunch you continue to Villandry – around 45 minutes (40 km). From 14:45–16:15 you visit the Château de Villandry. At 16:15 you return to Domaine de la Tortinière – about 25 minutes (28 km) – and you have the rest of the day free.

Loire Valley – Mont Saint-Michel. You depart your hotel at 09:00 for Mont–Saint–Michel – a 300 km drive of around 3.5 hours – with one comfort stop en route. On arrival, you have free time for lunch in the village until 14:30.

In the afternoon you explore UNESCO listed Mont–Saint–Michel and visit the Benedictine Abbey. Your guide leads you through the narrow medieval streets to panoramic viewpoints over the bay before you enter the Abbey – admission includes audio guides in several languages. The island and its bay are a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised for their preservation and long history as a place of pilgrimage. You then have some free time to wander the village and shoreline.

At 18:30 you check in to a hotel near Mont–Saint–Michel, and you have the evening at leisure.

Mont Saint-Michel – Omaha Beach – Colleville-sur-Mer – Caen – Normandy (Calvados area) – Paris. You depart Mont–Saint–Michel at 08:00 for Omaha Beach – about two hours by road (147 km). On arrival you visit the Omaha Beach Signal Monument and reflect on the sacrifice of the 34,000 men who landed here on D–Day.

A short drive then brings us to the Normandy American Cemetery and Visitor Centre in Colleville‑sur‑Mer, overlooking the beach. You pay our respects at the graves of 9,387 US soldiers and the Wall of the Missing with 1,557 names, and see remnants of the German defences in the cliffs, along with the memorial colonnade featuring the sculpture Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves and large maps of the operations.

At 12:00 you continue to the Caen Memorial and Museum – about 40 minutes (45 km) – in the British Sword Beach sector. You have time for lunch from 12:40 to 15:00 before you visit the museum, which provides an overview of the Battle of Normandy and personal stories from those involved, including a 19 minute film using original footage.

You then continue for a Calvados tasting – around 30 minutes (50 km). From 15:30 to 17:00 you stop for a tasting accompanied by an animated presentation on Normandy’s history and the craft of Calvados production. At 17:00 you return to Paris, arriving at around 19:30 with drop off at your hotel.