Château Tours

Many châteaux insist that you follow one of their tours; try to get a booklet in English before joining, as most are in French. Bus tours of the main châteaux leave daily in summer from Tours, Blois, Angers, Orléans, and Saumur: ask at the relevant tourist office for latest times and prices. If you want to do the top châteaux with the convenience of a van tour, readers rave about Acco-Dispo—usually three are included on the tour (for example, Chambord, Cheverny, and Chaumont). The half-day trips cost around EUR 32 a person and leave from Tours.

Contacts

Acco-Dispo Tours (18 rue des Vallées, Amboise. 06-82-00-64-51. www.accodispo-tours.com).

Helicopters & Balloons

Jet Systems makes breathtaking helicopter trips over the Loire Valley on Tuesday, Thursday, and weekends from the aerodrome at Dierre, just south of Amboise; cost ranges from EUR 65 (10 mins, flying over Chenonceau) to EUR 275 (50 mins, covering Chenonceau, Amboise, Tours, Villandry, Langeais, Ussé, Azay-le-Rideau and Saché) per person.

For a more leisurely airborne visit, contact France Montgolfières for details of their balloon trips over the Loire; prices run EUR 180-EUR 225.

Fees & Schedules

France Montgolfières (02-54-32-20-48. www.franceballoons.com). Jet Systems (02-47-30-20-21. www.jet-systems.fr).

Walking Tours

Two-hour walking tours of Tours set out from the tourist office every morning at 10 AM or 2:30 PM in July and August, weekends only April-June, September, and October (EUR 6). English-speaking guides show you around Blois on a tour that starts from the château at 4 (EUR 5.50).