Amboise

Castle & Palace Tours

Travel back to the days of the French Renaissance on a full-day tour of the châteaux of the Loire Valley. Enjoy a relaxing lunch in a family-owned, and still occupied, chateau. Meet your guide in Amboise and travel to Chateau Chenonceau. Stroll through the manicured gardens named after Catherine de Médicis and Diane de Poitiers, the chateau's former residents. Appreciate the refined architecture and feminine influence in each room and see precious antiques and flower arrangements. For lunch, enjoy a meal served at an off-the-beaten-path location, hosted by the French Countess who lives there. Taste local food in one of the smallest of all the Loire Valley castles. Then, continue to Chateau Chambord. Discover a glorious work of art and architecture as your guide selects the most emblematic rooms to visit. Hear memorable anecdotes as they point out hidden details. Get breathtaking views of the castle during a coffee break in Chambord Park before returning to Amboise in the evening.

Benefit from pick-up by air-conditioned, 8-seater van and head to the picturesque Château de Chenonceau with magnificent Renaissance gardens. Then, go to Amboise for a wine tour with tastings. Visit Les Caves Ambacia for a wine experience and sample some of the wines of the Loire Valley at a tasting with a sommelier. Lunch at leisure in Amboise. Continue to Chambord for a guided tour of the chateau. Admire the fine details of the largest chateau in the Loire Valley, including a double helix staircase by Da Vinci. Get dropped off in Tours at 5.30 PM or Amboise at 6:00 PM. Admire the fine details of the largest chateau in the Loire Valley, including a double helix staircase by Da Vinci. Get dropped off in Tours at 6 PM or Amboise at 6:45 PM.

Depart Tours or Amboise to journey into the Loire Valley and discover some of its famous châteaux. Stop at the Château de Blois, notable for its unique mix of Medieval, Gothic, Renaissance and Classical architecture. The former home of kings Louis XII and François I, its history is steeped in tragedy and is notable as the place where Joan of Arc went to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her army to drive the English from Orléans. Pause for a wine tasting and sample some of the organic wines of Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny. The Cheverny appellation produces elegant reds from the pinot noir and gamay grapes, as well as fruity whites from the chardonnay and sauvignon grapes. Sample a stunning organic white wine made from the romorantin grape, imported into the Loire Valley by King François I. Take a guided tour of the Château de Cheverny, owned by the same family since the days of Louis XIII. See some of the most beautiful furniture in the Loire Valley, and learn the château's rich history, such as its connection to Tintin comic books and the impressive hunts on horseback that used to take place with a pack of 100 dogs. You may even get to see the spectacular daily event of “the dogs’ soup!” Move on to the Château de Chambord, one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world for its distinctive French Renaissance architecture. Discover the vast national game reserve of the largest château in the Loire Valley, and learn the monument's fascinating history, including the unverified tale of Leonardo da Vinci's involvement in its construction. Return to your original departure town, with drop off in Tours at 18:00 or Amboise at 18:45.

Get picked up in the morning before driving to the Loire Valley and start your day touring the Château de Chenonceau. The Chateau des Dames bridge built across the Cher is famous for the great heroines who lived there (Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medicis) and for the beauty of its Renaissance gardens. Next, head to a wine tasting with a wine specialist at Caves Ambacia in Amboise. An oenologist will welcome you into the caves, former tuff stone quarries, for a tour. This will be followed by a wine tasting of Vouvray wines.  After this, tour the Royal Castle of Amboise, residence of Charles VIII and the young François d’Angoulème, future Francois I. Discover a perfect example of the transition from Gothic to Renaissance architecture and the Saint Hubert Chapel, which today houses the grave of Leonardo da Vinci. Finally, head to the Manor du Clos Lucé, a few yards away from the Royal Castle. Leonardo da Vinci spent the last 3 years of his life there and died there in 1519. See his bedroom, office, reception room and kitchen, and be awestruck by his invention room, displaying models of his most spectacular inventions. End your day by being dropped off in Amboise at 5:30 PM or in Tours at 6 PM.

Take a tour of the Chateau of Langeais which is a perfect balance between gardens, architecture, and contemporary art. You will be surprised by this 15th-century fortress, which contrasts with the quirky art exhibition. Its huge garden is inspired by fairy tales and cartoons. A confidential place for an original experience. Then, have a guided tour of one of the most spectacular gardens of Touraine, Villandry. By its diversity and originality (Love Garden, Kitchen Garden, Aromatic and Medicine Plant Garden, Water Garden and the brand new Sun Garden) and by its size (15 acres, 1150 linden trees), Villandry is the Loire Valley garden not to be missed. With your guide, learn to speak the language of a medieval and Renaissance garden while discovering the power of thyme and basil on your health. At the end of the tour, your guide will drop you off in Tours at 5:30 PM or in Amboise at 6:15 PM.