Loire Valley Wines & Chateaux

There are easy connections from Paris to Tours train station. Your Trip Package will be waiting for you at the hotel and our Trip Manager will call you to go over the tour and answer any questions you may have. Once settled, take some time to explore this lovely small city: During the Middle Ages, Tours consisted of two juxtaposed and competing centres: The “City” in the east, successor of the late Roman ‘castrum’, and in the west, the “New City” structured around the Abbey of Saint Martin and the economic centre of Tours. The two centres were linked during the 14th century, but you still sense the two halves today. We provide a self guided walking tour to explore the Medieval centre (Vieux Tours), with the half-timbered houses, the many parks, and Place Plumereau, a lively square with many restaurants and pubs.

After a delicious breakfast, your guide will meet you at your hotel, and take you out for a first day of explorations – this one dedicated to the wines of the region. Starting across the Loire River in the town of Vouvray – where the vineyard origins are attributed to Saint Martin himself. The wines of Vouvray are made from the Chenin grape, and can be still or sparkling, off-dry or sweet, Whether still or sparkling, one of the features of Vouvray wine is its shine and glossy colour, which sets it apart from other wines produced in the Loire Valley. After a tasting and visit of incredibly troglodyte caves, head into the St Nicolas de Bourgeuil area, further to the west, but still on the northern banks of the river. Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil is a small appellation but it has a big personality! The wines here are sociable and easy drinking, earning them the nickname “la redemande”: a wine you will order again and again. After our tasting here, we leave the Loire River heading southwards, into Chinon. You’ll be ready for our winetasting lunch, at a small winemaker’s, overlooking the beautiful vineyards. A final visit and tasting in Chinon, before your guide drops you back off at your hotel at the end of the afternoon, filled with the tastes of your day.

Your guide meets you at the hotel ready for a second full day with you, and sharing the richly intense history from centuries past. Today you will visit two of the prettiest of the region’s chateaux, starting with the Chateau d’Ussé, the enchanting castle that inspired the Sleeping Beauty castle of Disney fame. Originally built as a stronghold in the Middle Ages, the chateau developed over time to become a jewel of Renaissance architecture, and later became a splendid residential home in the 17th and 18th centuries. The elegance of its architecture, its rare furnishings and the perfection of its gardens make it a true showpiece. From there, continue to the small town of Azay le Rideau, on the Indre River. After time to find lunch in one fo the many small restaurants overlooking the main square you’ll turn to the 16th century chateau for a visit. Not one of the largest of the region in size, Azay’s castle is one of the prettiest, with the mix of Italian Renaissance style, and the charm of a French castle overlooking the water, mirrored in the ripples of the Indre River. After your visit, finish your day enjoying another tasting at a local winemaker, with a visit of their property, before being brought back to your hotel in Tours at the end of the afternoon.