The river Loire from the hills of Sancerre to Angers flows past an endless streamluxurious mansions, palaces and castles. excursion route through the castles of Lauracomparable to a fascinating journey through different eras of French history. Chateaude Loches and d "Angers give an idea of ​​the fortifications of the 9th century. Elegant Château deChenonceau was created in the XIII century. Cheverny Manor was built in the 15th-16th centuries. Eachthe castle is unique and worthy of the attention of the traveler. Our private tour of the Loire Castles.

The most famous castles of the Loire

In total, there are more than 300 castles on the Loire, more than 70 open to the public.which of them to go and what to see is difficult for a simple tourist. And even hardermake the right route. If you are planning a trip to the Castles of the Loire firsttime, then we have prepared a short list of the most popular and certainly the mostbeautiful castles of the Loire Valley. You can take a trip both independently and as part of an excursion group from Paris.

Chambord castle

Chenonceau castle

Cheverny Castle

The fate of the castle of Cheverny (château de Cheverny) turned out to be happy: it passed the war and civil strife, thanks to which the building has been preserved almost in its original form.The descendants of its founder, the royal chancellor Philippe Huro, still occupy todaythe upper floors, and the lower ones were kindly placed at the disposal of curious tourists.Cheverny is surrounded by a picturesque English-style park. An alternative to walkingalong the green alleys is a boat ride on the canal. localthe kennel is also considered a landmark, where hundreds of purebred hound dogs.

Blois castle

How to plan an independent trip to the Castles of the Loire?

Tourists go to the Loire Valley from Paris by train, car or sightseeing bus. From Gare Austerlitz there are daily trains to Blois and Tours.The cost of a train ticket to Blois in a class 2 carriage is about 30 €, the journey time is almost 2 hours. Fromfrom Montparnasse train station, high-speed TGVs depart, which will take you to Tours approximatelyin an hour. In Tours you can rent a car or get to the castles by local transport on one's own.

The easiest way, of course, is to travel around the castles by car. For the first time we we advise you the following route (it can be overcome even by car, even bypublic transport):

First day

Arrive in the morning in Blois. Inspect the castle, and go to Chambord. There you can visit the castle, take a walk in the park and watch a horse show.In the evening you will return to Blois, where you will spend the night. (hotels in Blois can be viewed here).

The next day go to Amboise, walk around the castle of Amboise and visit Leonardo da Vinci, and after lunch you go to Chenonceau. In the evening return to Amboise, where you spend the night. (Look for hotels in Amboise here)

An approximate budget for your trip would be as follows:

• Visiting castles: 1 ticket for an adult costs about 10-12 euros.
• Expensive by train: Paris - Blois - 30 euros
• Blois - Amboise - about 7 euros
• Amboise - Paris - about 35 euros.
• Plus the cost of buses from Blois to Chambord and from Amboise to Chenonceau.
• If you rent a car, then 2 days will cost you 60-100 euros + gasoline.
• Lunch - on average - 15 euros, dinner - 20 euros per person.
• The average cost of a hotel in Blois and Amboise is 50-70 euros per room per day.

Tours of the Loire Castles from Paris

If you don't feel confident about the plan independent travel, it is better to choose a group tour. It will also be cheaper.

Moreover, we cannot guarantee that in 2 days you will have time to see 4-5 castles, but tour guides can. But on the other hand, you relatively lose "freedom"independent trips to castles. So it's up to you, of course.Excursion groups, as a rule, leave Paris on comfortable buses.The stories of the guide and the scenery outside the window entertain tourists, so that the road seems short. ATthe itinerary includes visits to 3-4 castles, entrance tickets, lunch in a restaurant canincluded in the cost of the tour. Considering the good wine-making "glory of the Loire Valley,some guides supplement the trip with a visit to the winery with a tasting. In every castletourists have free time to buy souvenirs, take photos and take a walk.

You can book a place on a bus tour from Paris to the castles of the Loire.

Have a good trip!

Paris/Chambord/Blois/Amboise/Clos Luce/Tours

Departure from Paris to the south, where, 180 km from the city, one of the most beautiful and monumental buildings of the Renaissance is located - Chambord castle(built between 1519 and 1547). This architectural masterpiece was conceived by the French king Francis I for official receptions and grandiose festivities. The name of the architect is not known for certain, but many researchers are sure that Leonardo da Vinci himself, who at that time was an architect at the court of the king, participated in the project.

visit castle of Blois well known to us from the novels of Alexandre Dumas. This largest architectural structure on the Loire became one of the favorite places of the French kings Louis XII and Francis I. The next place to visit on the Loire is Amboise castle, an example of Gothic architecture, located on the high bank of the Loire, offering a beautiful view of the city of Amboise and the entire Loire Valley. Built in the Middle Ages, the castle was rebuilt several times and witnessed many historical events. Nearby is another interesting architectural monument - a medieval Clos Luce castle. The castle is famous for having spent last years the life of the famous Italian painter, sculptor and scientist Leonardo da Vinci. Today you can visit the Genius Museum here, which displays a collection of models of cars built according to the drawings of the great artist. Moving to the main city of the Loire Valley - Tour, which in the past was temporarily the residence for a number of French kings: Charles VII, Louis XI, Francis I.

Check in hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Tours.

2 day

Tour/Chenonceau/Loches/Chinon/Tour

Breakfast in the hotel.

visit castle of chenonceau, popularly known as the Ladies' Castle, since the fates of several French queens and famous court ladies are connected with this place. Moving to Loches castle, the oldest architectural monument in the Loire Valley of the early 9th century.

Next destination - Chinon castle. The castle is located in the town of the same name, 48 km from Tours. The castle is notable for the fact that it was here in 1429 that the future King of France, Charles VII, met Joan of Arc.

Return to Tours. Overnight at the hotel.

3 day

Tour/Usse/Azey-le-Rideau/Villandry/Paris

Breakfast in the hotel.

Medieval visit Usse castle(15th–16th centuries). It houses a fine collection of weapons and Flemish tapestries, and among the numerous works of art, one can single out the 15th-century Italian triptych by Luca de la Robia.

Next stop - Azay-le-Rideau castle, which marks the transition from the Gothic to the Renaissance and is the epitome of sophistication characteristic of the buildings of the early Renaissance.

Moving towards Castle of Villandry. This early Renaissance castle is famous for its unique three-level ornamental gardens.

Optional: winery visit with tasting - +20€ per person.

Return to Paris.

Excursion to the Castles of the Loire

With a visit to five castles (Chambord, Cheverny, Chenonceau, Amboise and Blois)

general information

Description of the excursion to the Castles of the Loire

with a visit to 5 castles (Chambord, Cheverny, Chenonceau, Amboise and Blois)

Excursion through the most beautiful royal residences of the 10th-15th centuries in the Loire Valley. To the Gothic castle of Blois and medieval castle Amboise. To the elegant castle of Chambord, the private castle of Cheverny and the main pearl of the Loire - the castle of Chenonceau with a wonderful park and a unique yew labyrinth, decorated with sculptures of caryatids.

1 - First stop atexcursion in one of the most beautiful Renaissance castles of the Loire - Chambord, which overtook all other castles with its splendor, symbolizes the heyday of the Italian Renaissance in France under King Francis l. The appearance of Chambord combined elements of Italian and French architecture of the Renaissance. The decision of the roof is interesting: it is a whole city of various turrets, stairs and passages, it was once called "the outlines of Constantinople in one building." The central staircase of the castle with a double helix rises to all floors up to the roof, built according to the drawings of the great Leonardo da Vinci,

2 - After visiting the royal castle of Chambord, we move to the private castle of Cheverny, one of the most famous castles of the Loire, boasts not only its exquisite decoration, but also an enviable constancy - for almost eight centuries, though with some interruptions, the same family lived here - Yuro de Vibro.
Cheverny is very well preserved rich furnishings, including furniture, tapestries, a collection of weapons and armor and many paintings, including the great masters - François Clouet and Raphael and his school. There is a beautifully furnished nursery, and several bedrooms, and a living room, and an office, and a dining room. Everywhere there are beautiful household items, antiques, but they are not dead, and it seems that all this is still being used. In a word, the castle is alive, it breathes and lives a completely modern life, carefully preserving its history.

In addition, Cheverny is a famous hunting lodge. The team participating in the dog hunt leaves 2 times a week from October to the end of March to their nearest property for a real hunt according to all the rules of the Middle Ages! There are about a hundred tricolor French dogs in the kennel, the right side of each dog is decorated with a specially clipped emblem in the form of a victorious letter V - the first letter of the family name of the owners of the house - Vibraye. A very spectacular trophy hall has also been preserved here, where more than 2,000 deer antlers are exhibited.

3 - After visiting Cheveny, we will proceed further to the beautiful and elegant Chenonceau. Thanks to non-standard architectural solutions, a visual feeling is created that the castle is standing on the water. Today Chenonceau Castle is one of the most visited castles in France - the main pearl of the Loire Valley. It is unofficially called the "Castle of Dams" - in memory of its mistresses, who left a very significant mark not only in the history of this magnificent estate, but also in the history of the entire French state. The castle has preserved interior items, paintings, furniture of the 16th-17th centuries. The castle is surrounded by magnificent gardens of Queen Catherine de Medici and the favorite of King Henry II, Diane de Poitiers. Get lost in their plant maze, indulge yourself

4 - Further transfer to the castle of Amboise. The castle is built on the rocky banks of the Loire River and rises with its grandeur on the city of Amboise. Having ceased to be an exclusively fortified structure, the Amboise castle in the 15th century. turned into the royal residence of Charles VIII. The king orders to rebuild the residence, which has become cramped and seemed miserable, the Florentine ambassador, seeing the drawings of the future castle, exclaimed: “He wants to make a city out of his castle!” The castle has an additional charm and lives up to its name - the Garden of France. It is certainly worth visiting the Saint-Hubert Chapel, where the ashes of Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his last years of life in the Clos Luce castle, located a kilometer from Amboise, are buried. A lot of mysteries are hidden by the walls of the ancient castle, to this day, the solution to the mystery is unknown, which, before his death, Leonardo told King Francis I about the materialization formula.

5 - Last stop at royal Blois, the favorite residence of kings Louis Xll and Francis l. By the number of high-profile historical events per square meter, the castle holds one of the first places in France. The Duke of Guise was killed in the corridors of the castle, and a couple of weeks later, the mother of Queen Catherine de Medici died here. She is said to have kept her famous poisons in hiding places built in baseboards behind some of the 237 narrow carved wooden panels.

Peculiarities. The architecture of the castle of Blois is very eclectic. Somewhere there are details inherent in the architecture of the Renaissance, the interior decoration is dominated by baroque and classicism.

The main entrance of the castle is decorated with a statue of Louis XII, sitting on a horse. If you enter the archway, you will enter the courtyard. The castle buildings located in it are the architectural heritage of several historical eras.

The interior of the castle is very impressive. Pay attention to the Hall of the States General, where the king administered justice. Along the edges are antique sculptures decorating it. On the second floor, you can visit the private chambers that once belonged to Louis XII, Catherine de Medici, Mary Stuart, Francis I and Francis II. All of them are richly decorated with beautiful stained-glass windows, tapestries, luxurious furniture and fireplaces.

The beauty of the castle of Blois in France is not the main thing, although it is undoubtedly beautiful. The main thing is how the atmosphere of history is conveyed here, as if you are put in some way involved in it.

We guarantee high level the professionalism of our guide and a huge amount of interesting information that will be given to you in an easy way with a healthy dose of humor.

By seven o'clock in the evening we leave for Paris.

That's all, we wish you a pleasant stay and impressions

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Tour days: any day of the week
Start: 9:00 am
Meeting point for mini-groups: Monceau metro station, line 2 ()
Duration: 12 hours
Transport: comfortable minivans for 8 passengers
Included in the price: driver-guide services, transportation, toll roads and parking lots, wine tasting
Not included in the price: entrance fees, meals (), personal expenses.

Price in a mini group up to 8 people: 100€ per person

The cost of an individual tour:
1-4 people: 650€ per group
5-6 people: 700€ per group
7-8 people: 750€ per group

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXCURSION:

Chambord

The first stop at 11:15 am is a unique "hunting house" of truly royal size, founded in 1519 by the greatest French king Francis the First according to the project of the genius Florentine Leonardo da Vinci.
The driver-guide will tell you the history of the castle and help you buy tickets to visit Chambord.
In general, you will have about 2 hours to explore Chambord.
For a subsequent visit, all other castles of the Loire are selected as close as possible, you will spend no more than 20 minutes on the way from castle to castle.

Chenonceau

5 castles 97 euro per person tour Castles of the Loire reviews ORDER Excursion Castles of the Loire, 5 castles, comfortable, inexpensive and very interesting

The tour of the castles of the Loire includes a visit to 5 castles: Chambord, Cheverny, Chenonceau, Amboise and Blois. You will definitely go inside the first 3 castles: Chambord, stunning with its architecture, cozy Cheverny and romantic Chenonceau, in these most interesting castles of the Loire you can spend from 1 to 2 hours. Before entering these castles, your driver-guide will introduce you to their history, give you directions and explain what must-sees in each of these castles. As a source of additional information, brochures and audio guides in Russian are provided in the Loire castles you visit.
Magnificent from the outside, but not so interesting from the inside, your guide will show you the castles of Amboise and Blois from all sides, adding to your palace impressions a walk through the charming town of Amboise and the picturesque center of Blois - one of the oldest royal cities in France. On the way to the castles of the Loire Valley, your driver-guide will tell you the fascinating history of the Loire Valley and the French kings.

You will also be offered, on a purely voluntary basis, a free tasting of the wonderful wines of the Loire Valley. Buying wine after the tasting is completely optional.

The total duration of the tour: 12 hours.

The price of the tour Castles of the Loire in a microgroup: 97 euro per person
does not depend on the number of people

Price of an individual excursion
- 1-4 passengers: 550 EUR
- 5-6 passengers: 610 euros
- 7-8 passengers: 690 euros

Travel from Paris to the castles of the Loire and back on a toll highway is included in the tour price.

Entrance to the castles of the Loire are paid separately (7-15 euros, children enter for free).

With an individual excursion, you can change the route of the trip, prior agreement is required.

How to book an excursion to the castles of the Loire. Fill out this simple form. Reservations for the tour of the castles of the Loire are carried out instantly, online. Our representative will call you to discuss your wishes and finalize the tour.

Why traveling from Paris to Loire Castles is better with My Paris:
- In our groups no more than 8 people, that is, you get almost personalized service from our knowledgeable and caring guides, always ready to help you and answer your questions.
- The price of our excursion to the Loire Castles is only 97 euro. this is best price in the market of excursion services in France, even group bus tour it will cost you much more. Yes, and on your own to go from Paris to the Loire Valley and visit Chambord, Cheverny, Chenonceau, Amboise and Blois at such a price you are unlikely to succeed.
- Since the autumn of 2013, we have been sending an e-mail to all our tourists asking them to rate each tour on a six-point scale: from 1 (very bad) to 6 (excellent). At the moment, based on the results of 753 ratings, average score for an excursion to the castles of the Loire: 5.1235 = EXCELLENT+ Reviews of our tour to the castles of the Loire
- There are sites (mostly private traders) that try to copy the format of our tour of the Loire Valley, but without our experience and reputation, they cannot guarantee the fulfillment of the order, they, quite often, especially since the autumn of 2014, do not gather groups. With us, this happens very rarely.

ORDER A TOUR OF 5 CASTLES OF THE LOUARE(instant booking online).
Chambord Castle from a bird's eye view. Watch the video: The castles of the Loire Valley are a real magical world, a kind of fairy-tale kingdom, spread out on the banks of the charming Loire, sung for centuries by writers and poets of France. I would like to stay in this kingdom for at least a week, because there are hundreds of castles in it, and how beautiful the landscapes are, and what wonderful wines! But if you, this time, do not have this week, we will help you see the most interesting castles of the Loire in just one day, and not at all at a gallop or even in a bus crowd. You will have enough time to enjoy each of the five castles that we will show you from all sides and about which we will tell you a lot of interesting things. Moreover, our tour will cost you no more than an independent trip, and you will hardly be able to see so much, comfortably and slowly.