Book a Loire Valley tour to enjoy Loire Valley wine and castles. Your tour will go to Chateaux Blois, Chambord, and Cheverny. The Loire Valley tour begins at the Amboise or Tours tourist office in the Loire Valley and is available Tuesday and Friday year round.
- Loire Valley Tour days: Tuesday and Friday year round
- Loire Valley Tour Duration: 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
- Included: Stops at Blois, wine-tasting, Cheverny and Chambord; and lunch
- Vehicle: Minibus that holds a maximum of 8 passengers
You will take the TGV train from Paris (we can help you get the tickets). If you'll already be staying in the Loire Valley, you can meet the group.
First stop is the town of Blois. Blois Castle is a blend of Flamboyant, Classical, Gothic, and Renaissance architecture and was constructed in the middle of the town from the 13th to the 17th century. Each castle in the Loire Valley holds special tidbits of French history.
It's interesting to note that when King Francois I became king in 1515, his wife Queen Claude encouraged him to spruce up Blois since she hoped that they would move there from the Château d'Amboise. Francois built a new wing and started one of the most noteworthy libraries in the castle. However, Queen Claude died in 1524 and Francois didn't stay at Blois very long and eventually the huge library was moved to the after the death of royal Château de Fontainebleau where it formed the base of what today is the National Library of France.
Next stop in your Loire Valley tour is Cheverny for wine-tasting. The Cheverny & Cour Cheverny appellation is in a region Northeast of Tours. The appellation is a young one from 1993 and interests wine enthusiasts since only white wine is produced from the Romorantin grape, a grape which has grown in the Loire Valley since the 16th century when King Francois I imported it into the Loire Valley.
Also, the “Cheverny” appellation produces elegant red wines from pinot noir and gamay as well as fruity white wines from chardonnay and sauvignon.
You will have lunch in a restaurant in Cheverny and enjoy wines and food of the region.
Following lunch, you will have a tour of Cheverny castle. Cheverny castle was built early in the 17th century and has a collection of furniture, tapestries, and treasured objects. The land for the castle was originally purchased by Henri Hurault, Count de Cheverny. He was a lieutenant-general and military treasurer for Louis XI. The Marquis de Vibraye who is the present owner is actually a descendant of Henri Hurault! In 1914, the owner opened the chateau to the public and the family still operates it.
Cheverny's symmetrical style was from Louis XIII. Louis' mother was Marie de Medici and she brought with her from her native Italy this style of classicism and symmetry which were seen throughout France for several decades. (This style can also be seen in the Palace of Luxembourg in Paris.)
The last stop in the Loire Valley tour is Chambord Castle, built between 1519 and 1547. This castle is a masterpiece with some four hundred rooms (it was never actually completed!). It is a combination of French medieval architecture and classical Italian structures. Chambord is situated in a park covering more than 13,000 acres, making it the largest forested park in Europe.
Originally built as a hunting lodge for King Francois I, the king wished to be near his mistress, the Comtesse de Thoury, a member of a very noble family. Coincidentally enough, her domaine was closeby Chambord. Francois I still kept his royal castles of Blois and Amboise.
Your Loire Valley tour to Blois, Chambord, and Cheverny ends with a return to the Tours or Amboise tourist office.
