Chateaux & Vineyards of the Loire
6 Days / 5 Nights

A fairy-tale realm par excellence, the Loire Valley is studded with storybook villages, time-burnished towns and of course, the famous Chateaux de la Loire.

Suggested Holiday Hotels:

Resort Accommodation: The Au Relais Saint Eloi Hotel is situated a few steps from the historic district of Old Tours.  All guest rooms feature private bathroom with shower, hairdryer, flat screen TV and free Wi-Fi. Hotel facilities include ‘Restaurant le 8.20’. Neither hotel has tea/coffee making facilities.

Outward & Return Journey Accommodation: The Ibis Rouen Champ de Mars Hotel is located a block away from the banks of La Seine river, and is approx. 13 minutes walk from la Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen.
All guest rooms feature bathroom, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TV.  Hotel features include a casual bar with a 24-hour snack service, exercise room and a sauna.

Suggested Tour Itinerary:

Day 1
Depart during the morning and travel south, making an appropriate comfort stop en-route to Folkestone, arriving in time to check-in for a late morning Eurotunnel service to Calais. From Calais, the coach will continue to Rouen and our overnight hotel, the Ibis Rouen Champ De Mars, where accommodation is reserved for one night on a bed & continental breakfast basis. For those wishing to purchase an evening meal, you can do so at the adjacent Mercure Hotel, alternatively it’s  approx. a 15minute walk into the historic centre of Rouen. 

Day 2
After breakfast you must check out of your bedroom and leave your luggage in the hotel’s left luggage facility  You will then have the morning at leisure to explore Rouen. During the  afternoon, return to the hotel to collect your luggage and board the coach for the journey to Tours and our hotel, the Au Relais Saint Eloi, where accommodation is reserved for three nights on a bed & continental breakfast basis. Arrival is expected during the late afternoon/ early evening.

Day 3
After breakfast, a local guide will accompany the group on a combined tour of Tours, taking place both on the coach and on foot. After the guided tour, the coach will depart for the medieval town of Chinon, steeped in history and rich with culture, located in the heart of the Val de Loire by the banks of the majestic Vienne river. Here, you will have time at leisure prior to the coach departing for the Gratien & Meyer vineyard, where a guided tour and tasting are included. After the visit, the coach will return to the hotel. The evening is at leisure in Tours. 

Day 4
After breakfast, the coach will depart for Chateau Chenonceau, the history of which is defined by an almost uninterrupted succession of women who built, embellished, protected, restored and saved it. The château, in its current form, was built between 1515 and 1521 by Catherine Briconnet, the wife of Thomas Bohier. Group entrance, with audio video guide, is included   After the visit, the coach will depart for Les Caves du Père Auguste   for an included ‘Gourmand’ tasting tour.  This provides a presentation of the wine making process and tour of the cellars,  followed by tastings accompanied by  charcuterie and goats cheese from Tourraine. Following the visit, the coach will return to the hotel. 

Day 5
After breakfast we must check out of the hotel and travel to Orleans, the former medieval capital of France, where History, Joan of Arc and the River Loire occupy a central rôle.  On arrival, we will meet a local guide for a walking tour of the city, after which you will have free time. During the early afternoon, the coach will depart for Rouen, where the last night will be spent   at the Ibis Rouen Champ De Mars on a bed & continental breakfast basis. 

Day 6
After breakfast we must check out of the hotel and travel to the picturesque village of Lyons-la-Foret,  a near-fairy tale village, set in the heart of one of Europe’s most beautiful beech forests. The coach will depart during the early afternoon and return to Calais, time permitting stopping at a Hypermarket, before arriving in time to check-in for a late afternoon Eurotunnel service back to Folkestone. From Folkestone we continue our journey home, arriving during the late evening.