The tours departs from the front of the Tourist office 200 yards across the railroad station for Treasures of the Loire tour that allows you to see all the sights in one memorable excursion. If your hotel is not a pick-up location, please make your own way to the Office du Tourisme de Tours. You will be accompanied with a knowledgeable bilingual guide who speaks English and French.
Drive to the fairy-tale Château d’Azay-le-Rideau , which rises straight from the water on a small island in the Indre River. The pointed cones on the château bastions look like illustrations from a Hans Christian Andersen yarn, and the medieval towers lend the edifice an air of traditional French nobility.
Glide through the French countryside in your comfortable minivan to the magnificent gardens of Villandry.
Villandry was the last of the large chateaus built in the Loire Valley during the French renaissance, and this flight of regal fancy is powerful testament to an era of indulgent aristocrats and artistic innovation. Its famous grounds are patterned with a water garden, ornamental flower gardens, and vegetable gardens, all governed by the entrancing geometry of hedge boxes.
After visiting the beautiful gardens head 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.
The Chateau 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.
Continue to Amboise, where a 15th century castle surging from a rock headland holds dominion over this small market town. An imposing fortress encircles this 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.
Down the hill from the castle is 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. The tour will break for a one-hour stop for lunch in Tours. (payable direct).
Conclude the tour by sampling a selection of wines for half an hour from the celebrated vines of the Loire Valley.
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.