Loire Valley Castles Day Trip

Loire Valley Castles Day Trip Itinerary

Depart from central Paris at 7:15am on a luxury-air conditioned coach and in a little over three hours you will arive at the châteaus of the Loire Valley. The excursion includes a tour of two of the most famous Renaissance Châteaux in the Loire Valley:

• Château de Chambord: Chambord is one of the largest castles in the region and one of the most-visited due to its French Renaissance design. It was constructed for King Francis I of France in 1519. Initially, it was to be one of his hunting grounds. In 1981, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Château de Chenonceau: Chenonceau is known as the “The Ladies’ Castle”. It was established in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, remodelled by Diana de Poitiers and by Catherine de Medici and saved from the French Revolution by Madame Dupin. Throughout the centuries, women have preserved it from any conflict, making it a haven of peace.

After visiting the last palace, you’ll return on the coach and arrive in central Paris at 8 pm. On Saturdays, you’ll arrive a little later.

Tour with an audio guide

You can choose to do this day trip with an audio guide with pre-recorded commentary in English. In this case, you’ll discover the castles at your own pace. All tours with audio guide take as long as the guided tours and follow the same route.

Important information

• 1 April to 31 October (only Mondays and Saturdays): You will visit Château d'Amboise instead of Château de Chambord. This palace houses Leonardo da Vinci’s tomb, who spent the last three years of his life in a neighbouring Château. This is also the case on the 23rd and 30th March 2019.