Loire Valley: Walks, Wine & Chateaux

Experience Overview

Enjoy a walking escape in the Loire Valley, where lavish royal residences meet some of the best winemakers on the planet. During our adventure, we stay in a fabulous chateau near Tours and an elegant country manor in the village of Beaumont-en-Véron – both offering the perfect base for a full immersion in the Garden of France.We stop at majestic castles, including Amboise (the final resting place of Leonardo da Vinci) and Chenonceau, a Renaissance marvel spanning the Cher river. We also tour picturesque vineyards, meeting expert producers and sampling their fine wines.
Profile
— Accommodation: 6 Classic nights (hotels) — Five days with walking — Low altitude throughout — Option to travel by train to your adventure
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 6 Classic nights (hotels) — Five days with walking — Low altitude throughout — Option to travel by train to your adventure
Trip For You
This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us. The walking pace is leisurely and there is plenty of time to rest and enjoy the views. The Loire Valley is naturally hilly (making it the perfect place to cultivate grapes), so you should expect some ascents/descents during the walks. The shortest walk is 4.4mi (7km) and longest is 6.2mi (10km), with the greatest elevation gain (656ft/200m) on Day 5. The distances mentioned on the itinerary do not include walks in and around the chateaux/gardens that we visit. The terrain and type of path/track will vary from paved tracks (which are occasionally rocky) to tarmac. All walks take between three and five hours, including lunch stops, and require a moderate level of fitness and good balance. All walks are optional. If you would prefer to sit one out, our tour leader can provide suggestions for other activities.
Group Description
We are accompanied by a local tour leader, who guides all walks and joins the group for a welcome dinner at the beginning of the week.
Eating Drinking
Six breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner and three wine tastings are included. Our included lunches will be taken during the hikes, either as a picnic or in local cafés/restaurants, while the included dinner is at the château restaurant/at a traditional restaurant in Tours. For lunches not included, there will be an opportunity to visit a boulangerie (bakery) for freshly baked goods to take with you on the walks. For dinners not included, it’s possible to dine at the accommodation or venture to a restaurant in Tours or Chinon. Vegetarians can be fairly easily accommodated in this area of France (particularly in Tours); however, vegans may find the variety of dishes available is rather limited. Larger supermarkets can provide gluten-free bread and baked goods but this is less common in local bakeries.
Transportation
All transport mentioned in the itinerary is included, except for optional excursions or where you may choose to curtail a group walk. Transfers during the week are by private, air-conditioned minibus or van.
Joining Instructions
Key information Start hotel: Château de la Bourdaisière, 25 Rue de la Bourdaisière, 37270 Montlouis-sur-Loire Phone: +33 2 47 45 16 31 Recommended arrival time: We meet at 5pm for a welcome briefing and dinner Getting to the start hotel There are direct trains, which take about one hour, from Paris Montparnasse station to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps railway station, near Tours. There are also direct trains from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), but these are irregular so taking the metro to Montparnasse may be a quicker option. More detailed instructions on reaching the start hotel are provided in your Final Joining Instructions. We provide one group arrival transfer from Saint-Pierre-des-Corps railway station. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times or to arrange a private transfer. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative. Departure transfer There is one group transfer from the end hotel to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps railway station for your onward travel. Please speak to your sales representative if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your departure time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative transfer.
Weather Information
The Loire Valley experiences fairly mild temperatures between May and October. Daily temperatures in May-June and September-October rarely exceed 18C (64F); however, the summer months of July and August can experience much warmer temperatures (an average of around 26C/79F). Rainfall is common throughout the year, so be sure to pack waterproofs. While the weather is less predictable outside summer, it can be a more favourable time as you miss the crowds of July-August. Some of the gardens at the Château de Villandry are planted twice during the year so they are at their finest throughout the visitor season (March-November).
Spending Money
You need spending money for meals not included in the itinerary and all drinks. We suggest budgeting approximately €25-€35 per day to cover dinner excluding drinks. On the days where lunch is not included, we will either stop at a local bakery to have something for a picnic on the walk or go to a restaurant so expect to spend between €10-€25 per day on lunches. A glass of wine is around €7 and a coffee around €2, with a reasonable bottle of wine at dinner starting from €25. Optional activities: — Visit to Chateau do Clos Lucé: €19 per person
Tipping
Although optional, a tip for the walking leader at the end of the trip is greatly appreciated. As a guideline, we recommend a contribution starting from €20 per person. It is customary and appreciated to leave a small tip when eating/drinking in cafés and restaurants.

Highlights