Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Loire Valley: Châteaux, Gardens and Wine from Amboise and Saumur
7 days from Paris: the TGV to the Loire, three nights in Amboise for Chenonceau, Chambord, Cheverny and Leonardo's Clos Lucé, two in Saumur for Villandry, Azay-le-Rideau and Fontevraud, then back to Paris.
7 days · Round trip from Paris · up to 12 guests
Amboise and its royal château across the Loire Photo: Abzeronow, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Loire_River_and_%C3%8Ele_d%27Or_in_Amboise,_France,_photographed_July_27,_2026.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days, 6 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Paris
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 2 h on day 4No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Easy
Easy to moderate. Expect 5 to 8 km on foot most days, on gravel garden paths, cobbled lanes and château stairs: the double-helix staircase and roof terraces at Chambord, the ramparts at Amboise and the belvedere at Villandry. The optional bike ride on day 6 is about 12 km on a mostly flat riverside route, on a bike or e-bike, and anyone who prefers rides in the van. No stretch in the van is longer than about an hour without a stop.
- Meals included
- 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 1 dinner
- Room of your own
- + CAD 830 (estimated price)
- Season
- April to October
Highlights
Why this trip
- Chenonceau at opening, ahead of the coaches, with the story of the women who built its gallery across the Cher
- Leonardo da Vinci's tomb at the Château d'Amboise and his last home at Clos Lucé, a ten-minute walk apart
- Chambord's double-helix staircase and roof terraces at opening, then Cheverny, still a family home
- Villandry's terraced gardens from the belvedere, then Azay-le-Rideau reflected in the Indre
- The painted effigies of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II and Richard the Lionheart at Fontevraud Abbey
- Tastings in cellars cut into the tufa at Vouvray and in Saumur-Champigny
- An optional riverside bike ride from Montsoreau to Saumur, past houses carved into the cliffs
- The TGV both ways: Paris to the Loire in about an hour
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 830 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 2 h, on day 4.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Paris
Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly airport to your hotel in central Paris
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Paris
- Drive about 1 h
Fly into Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or Orly (ORY), where a driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the transfer into the city, about 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic.
Evening
We stay one night in a central hotel within easy reach of Montparnasse station, so tomorrow's train is a short ride away and nobody crosses Paris with luggage at dawn. Rooms are usually ready from mid-afternoon; if you land early, leave your bags at the hotel and walk to the Luxembourg Garden or the cafés of the Left Bank. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the week: which mornings start early to beat the crowds at the big châteaux, how the optional bike ride on day 6 works, and what to pack for cool wine cellars. Then we walk together to a neighbourhood bistro for a welcome dinner.
Included
- Pick-up at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or Orly (ORY)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner at a Paris bistro
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Activity: Plan to land by about 3 pm to reach the briefing; the latest arrival time is confirmed with your final itinerary.
TGV to the Loire, Amboise and Leonardo
Paris Montparnasse by TGV to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, then Amboise
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Amboise
- Drive about 45 min
Morning
After breakfast a short transfer takes us to Paris Montparnasse for the TGV to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, the station for Tours, about an hour away. Our van and driver meet the train, and twenty-five minutes up the Loire we reach Amboise, our base for three nights.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in the old town below the château. In the early afternoon your guide takes you through the Château Royal d'Amboise, where Charles VIII was born and died and where the young François I grew up; from its terraces you look straight down the river. In the small Chapel of Saint-Hubert on the ramparts lies the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci. From there it is a ten-minute walk along Rue Victor Hugo to Clos Lucé, the manor where Leonardo lived from 1516 until his death in 1519, with his bedroom, his workshops and a park of full-size models built from his drawings.
Evening
The evening is free in Amboise.
Included
- TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, standard class
- Sit-down lunch in Amboise
- The Château Royal d'Amboise with your guide, and Leonardo's tomb in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert
- Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci's last home, and its park of models
Easier option: Skip the walk through the Clos Lucé park and sit in its garden café, or return to the hotel, a few minutes' walk away.
Free time: Evening free in Amboise
Activity: About 5 km on foot, with the ramp up to the château and some stairs inside.
Chenonceau at opening and a Vouvray cellar
Amboise to Chenonceau, then Vouvray and back to Amboise
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Amboise
- Drive about 1.5 h
We leave Amboise early to be at the gates of the Château de Chenonceau, twenty minutes south, when it opens (around 9 am for most of the season), ahead of the tour coaches. The château spans the River Cher on a row of arches, and the long gallery Catherine de' Medici added in the 1570s runs right across the water. Your guide tells the story of the women who shaped it, Diane de Poitiers and Catherine, as you walk through the bedrooms, down to the kitchens built into the bridge piers, and out to the two formal gardens named after them.
Afternoon
After a sit-down lunch nearby we drive about forty minutes to Vouvray, where Chenin Blanc vines grow on the slopes above the Loire and the cellars are cut deep into the soft white tufa stone. A family producer walks us through the galleries and pours its still and sparkling wines.
Evening
We are back in Amboise by late afternoon, with the evening free.
Included
- Château de Chenonceau at opening with your guide: the gallery over the Cher, the kitchens and the gardens of Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de' Medici
- Sit-down lunch near Chenonceau
- Cellar visit and tasting with a Vouvray wine producer
Optional experiences
- Hot-air balloon flight over the Loire at dawn or dusk, weather permitting, booked ahead with the price shown at booking
More active option: After the château, walk the Chenonceau park and the path along the Cher while the group has coffee.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Amboise
Activity: About 5 km on foot on garden gravel. The tufa cellars stay cool all year, so bring a layer.
Chambord and Cheverny
Amboise to Chambord, then Cheverny and back to Amboise
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Amboise
- Drive about 2 h
Chambord is the biggest of the Loire châteaux and the one that fills fastest, so we drive about fifty minutes from Amboise to be there at opening. François I began it in 1519 as a hunting palace inside a walled forest park, and its double-helix staircase, where two people can climb without meeting, is often linked to Leonardo's ideas. Your guide takes you up through the state rooms to the roof terraces, a skyline of chimneys, lanterns and turrets with views over the forest.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal near the château. In the afternoon we drive twenty minutes to Cheverny, a classical château finished in the 1630s and still lived in by descendants of the family who built it. Its furnished rooms feel used rather than staged, its kennels hold a pack of hunting hounds, and Tintin readers will know its facade as the model for Marlinspike Hall.
Evening
We are back in Amboise by about 5 pm, with the evening free.
Included
- Château de Chambord at opening with your guide: the double-helix staircase and the roof terraces
- Sit-down lunch near Chambord
- Château de Cheverny, its furnished rooms, gardens and kennels
Easier option: Stay on Chambord's lower floors and gardens instead of climbing to the roof, and rest at a café while the group tours Cheverny.
More active option: Hire a bike at Chambord for an hour on the estate's forest tracks before lunch.
Free time: Evening free in Amboise
Activity: The busiest walking day: about 7 km on foot, with Chambord's stairs to the roof terraces.
Villandry, Azay-le-Rideau and Chinon to Saumur
Amboise to Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau, then Chinon and Saumur
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Saumur
- Drive about 2 h
We pack up and head west along the Loire. First stop, about 45 minutes away, is Villandry, the last of the great Renaissance châteaux built on the Loire and now best known for its gardens. Joachim Carvallo, a Spanish-born doctor, bought the estate in 1906 and recreated terraced Renaissance gardens: box-hedged ornamental parterres, a water garden and a kitchen garden of vegetables and flowers in geometric beds. We arrive close to opening, climb to the belvedere for the view over the patterns, then walk them at ground level.
Afternoon
Ten minutes south, Azay-le-Rideau stands on an island in the Indre, its white facade reflected in the water around it; we visit inside, then have lunch in the village. In the afternoon we walk the half-timbered lanes of Chinon below the royal fortress where Joan of Arc met the future Charles VII in 1429, then drive thirty minutes to Saumur, our base for two nights. The rest of the day is free.
Included
- Château de Villandry and its gardens, close to opening
- Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
- Sit-down lunch in Azay-le-Rideau
- Walk through Chinon's old town with your guide
Easier option: Skip the Chinon walk and wait at a riverside café on the Vienne.
Free time: Early evening free in Saumur
Activity: About 6 km on foot. Four short drives, none longer than about 45 minutes.
Fontevraud Abbey and a ride along the Loire
Saumur to Fontevraud and Montsoreau, then back to Saumur by bike or van
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Saumur
- Drive about 45 min
Fontevraud Abbey, fifteen minutes from Saumur, was founded in 1101 and led for most of its history by abbesses, and we are there when it opens. In the abbey church lie the painted effigies of Henry II of England, Eleanor of Aquitaine, their son Richard the Lionheart and Isabella of Angoulême. Your guide leads you through the cloister, the chapter house and the Romanesque kitchen with its ring of stone chimneys.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Montsoreau, a riverside village below a white château, close to where the Vienne joins the Loire. In the afternoon, choose: ride about 12 km back towards Saumur on bikes or e-bikes along the signposted Loire à Vélo route, past houses and chapels cut into the cliffs at Turquant and Souzay-Champigny, or ride in the van with the guide. Both groups meet at a family cellar dug into the tufa for a Saumur-Champigny tasting, then return to Saumur.
Evening
Tonight is the farewell dinner.
Included
- Fontevraud Abbey at opening with your guide
- Sit-down lunch in Montsoreau
- Bike or e-bike for the ride along the Loire, with a helmet
- Cellar visit and Saumur-Champigny tasting
- Farewell dinner in Saumur
Easier option: Ride in the van with the guide, with a stop at a troglodyte village on the way to the cellar.
More active option: Cycle the whole way from Montsoreau to Saumur, about 12 km on a mostly flat riverside route.
Free time: Late afternoon free in Saumur before dinner
Activity: The ride is optional and gentle; e-bikes are available for anyone who wants help on the short rises.
TGV back to Paris
Saumur to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, TGV to Paris Montparnasse, then the airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 2 h
Morning
After breakfast there is time for a last walk along the Saumur riverfront under the château before our van takes us about an hour east along the Loire to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (the day's 2 hours on the road include the Paris transfer to the airport), the same station where the week began. The TGV reaches Paris Montparnasse in about an hour, and a driver meets the train to take you to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Orly (ORY) or a central Paris hotel if you are staying on.
Afternoon
We aim to reach Paris around midday or early afternoon, depending on the train times on your date. Your guide travels with you to Paris and makes sure everyone is in the right car before saying goodbye. Many guests add a few nights in Paris, or join our Normandy trip for the D-Day beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel. Ask us when you book and we will quote the extra nights or the combination.
Included
- Van from Saumur to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
- TGV from Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to Paris Montparnasse, standard class
- Drop-off at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Orly (ORY) or a central Paris hotel
Free time: Free morning in Saumur
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 5 pm from Charles de Gaulle or 4 pm from Orly; the train times for your date are confirmed with your final itinerary.
- Paris1 night
- Amboise3 nights
- Saumur2 nights
- Parisend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: April and May bring fresh green, the first plantings at Villandry and fewer visitors. July and August are warm, with the biggest crowds at Chenonceau and Chambord, which is why we go at opening. September and October bring the grape harvest around Vouvray and Saumur and cooler, clearer days. Rain is possible in any month.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want the Loire châteaux without cycling between them
- Garden lovers: Villandry, Chenonceau and Cheverny in one week
- History readers following François I, Leonardo, Catherine de' Medici and the Plantagenets
- Wine drinkers who want two cellar visits with the producers, not a shop tasting
- A short, gentle trip that adds easily to a stay in Paris or our Normandy trip
Not for you if you want
- Keen cyclists: there is one optional ride of about 12 km; choose a dedicated cycling trip instead
- Step-free access: Chambord, Amboise and Villandry have long stairs and gravel paths
- Travellers who want nights in a château hotel; we use central town hotels so evenings are walkable
- Winter travel: the trip runs April to October
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
6 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Paris1 night
- Amboise3 nights
- Saumur2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 6 nights: 1 in central Paris, 3 in Amboise's old town, 2 in central Saumur
- Central hotels of at least a good 3-star standard with air conditioning, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) or Orly (ORY), and drop-off at either airport or a central Paris hotel
- TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps and back, standard class
- A private air-conditioned minivan and driver for the group from day 2 to day 7
- Bike or e-bike and helmet for the optional ride on day 6
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, from Paris to Paris
- Local guides where sites require them
Activities
- Amboise: the Château Royal d'Amboise and Leonardo's tomb, and Clos Lucé
- Chenonceau: the château at opening and its gardens
- Vouvray: cellar visit and tasting with a wine producer
- Chambord: the château at opening, the double-helix staircase and the roof terraces
- Cheverny: the château, gardens and kennels
- Villandry: the château and its gardens
- Azay-le-Rideau: the château
- Chinon: a guided walk through the old town
- Fontevraud: the abbey and the royal effigies
- Saumur-Champigny: cellar visit and tasting
- The riverside bike ride from Montsoreau towards Saumur (optional)
Meals
- Breakfast daily (6)
- Sit-down lunches on days 2 to 6 (5)
- 2 dinners: a welcome dinner in Paris and a farewell dinner in Saumur
- 2 wine tastings, in Vouvray and Saumur-Champigny
Not included
- International flights to and from Paris
- Travel insurance
- Visas or travel authorisations, such as ETIAS when it applies
- Dinners in Amboise and Saumur other than the farewell dinner
- Drinks, except at the tastings and wine with the welcome and farewell dinners
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as a hot-air balloon flight over the Loire
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 830 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Six nights in central hotels (1 in Paris, 3 in Amboise, 2 in Saumur), breakfast daily, five sit-down lunches, welcome and farewell dinners, two cellar tastings, the TGV both ways, airport transfers, a private minivan and driver, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and entry to every château and the abbey in the day plan, plus the bike for the optional ride.
Is this a cycling trip?
No. We travel between châteaux in our own minivan with a driver. There is one optional ride on day 6, about 12 km on a mostly flat riverside route, with bikes or e-bikes provided. Anyone who prefers can ride in the van with the guide and meet the cyclists at the wine cellar.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, against 15 or 16 on most small-group Loire trips and far more on coach tours. That keeps everyone within earshot of the guide in crowded rooms like Chenonceau's gallery and lets the group share one table at lunch.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the welcome dinner in Paris to the train back, and handles tickets, timings and restaurants. Where a site requires its own guide, a local guide joins us. We name your guide when we confirm your dates.
How fit do I need to be?
Easy to moderate. Expect 5 to 8 km on foot most days on gravel paths, cobbles and château stairs; day 4 at Chambord is the busiest. Every long climb has a way to sit it out, such as staying on Chambord's lower floors, and the bike ride on day 6 is entirely optional.
I am travelling solo. What does a room of my own cost?
A room of your own is from CAD 830 more than the shared price, about 17 percent, and it is shown before you request to book, with no surprise later. Solo guests stay in the same central hotels, eat at the same table and get the same choices on every day as everyone else.
When is the best time to go?
May, June and September are the sweet spot: long days, gardens in growth and fewer crowds than midsummer. April and October are cooler and quieter. July and August are warm and busy, which is why we visit the big châteaux at opening. The trip runs from April to October.
How does booking work?
Choose a start date and request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until we do. Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes included: the small group starts from CAD 4,895 and the private trip from CAD 8,810.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the hotels, trains and visits for you.
Where do we stay, and what are the hotels like?
Central hotels of at least a good 3-star standard with air conditioning: one night near Montparnasse in Paris, three in Amboise's old town below the château and two in central Saumur near the river. Every room has a private bathroom, and we name each hotel when we confirm your dates.
Do I need a visa for France?
Canadian and US passport holders do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in the Schengen area. The EU's Entry/Exit System and the ETIAS travel authorisation change how non-EU visitors cross the border; ETIAS is not yet in force, and we confirm the current position for your dates when you book.
Can I combine this with Paris or Normandy?
Yes. The trip starts and ends in Paris, so it is easy to add nights in the city before or after. It also pairs with our Paris and Normandy trip for the D-Day beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel; ask us when you book and we quote the combination and any nights in between.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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