The tours departs from the front of the Tourist office 200 yards across the railroad station for your Sightseeing tour of Chenonceau, Amboise OR Clos Luce visiting the best of sights in one single day. A knowledgeable bilingual guide (English and French) will give you company to provide useful anecdotes as you travel.
Kick start your day with a drive to the “Chateau of the Ladies” in Chenoceau, so named for the succession of royal women who owned and embellished the place over the course of history.
Spend more than an hour at the Chateau, the most visited private monument in France which boasts a 60-meter long ballroom, a Louis XIV sitting room, a Francois I bedroom, and an elegant arched bridge that spans the Cher River.
The next destination will be determined by the group, and with two amazing choices, any decision will be the right one. Spend an hour at the royal castle of Amboise, a 15th century marvel that surges from a rock headland overlooking this small market town. An imposing fortress encircles a Gothic castle, which is wondrous inside and out. The ornamental flourishes on its stone exterior are fine as lace, and its interior is decorated with Flemish tapestries, Damask curtains and Turkish carpets.
As an alternative, you can also spend an hour at the Chateau of Clos-Luce, where Leonardo da Vinci was invited by the King of France to live out his last years. The chateau offers beautiful views of the Loire River, and is connected to the Royal Castle by an underground passage, which gave the King direct access to da Vinci’s towering genius.
There is no hotel drop-off. Your minivan will return you to the Office de Tourisme de Tours at 78-82 rue Bernard Palissy at tour’s end.