Loire Valley Tours
 

Hello Everyone

Wondering if anyone might be able to recommend a company that offers tours of the Loire Valley castles? We would like to spend 2-3 days touring the region and seeing as many "Chateaux" as possible. We will be coming from Paris (via train).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I recommend that you get the Michelin Green <i>Ch&acirc;teaux of the Loire</i> and do it yourself by public transport or rental car. The area is very easy to navigate. I did it by train, bike, and bus, but going by car gives you more time and freedom.

Hi Jenpen,
My sister &amp; I did the same planned tour of the Loire Vly castles you are contemplating. Suggest you email the Tours tourist office ahead as they have day trips which cover many of the chateaux.
Unfortunately the main chateaux are often on a Tuesday or Thursday, so we ended up not seeing the major castles. We did enjoy our coach tour though as they covered three chateaux in the one day, but missing the major chateaux is a real disappointment, especially when we saw the major one some years later.
Of course, car is better still .....
Cheers, Phyljay

In 2001, I took a mini coach tour with the company Paris Vision of three chateau in the Loire Valley. The chateaus were Chambord, Cheverny, and Chenenceaou (I know I'm spelling wrong, sorry). The advertisement said a fourth one was included, but in actuality, it didn't, so I was not pleased about that. Oh well. It was a convenient way to get around the French countryside and get a sample of the beautiful chateau. The coach picked each person up at his/her hotel, very convenient!

Chambord is very interesting, both impressivce in its massiveness and in realizing that even the royalty probably weren't very comfortable hundreds of years ago. Castles at Angiers and Chenonceaux also worth a visit.

We stayed at the Grande Ste. Michel, which is right on the grounds of Chambord in the royal woods -- nothing going on in the evening other than an evening castle tour, but otherwise lovely, You have the castle to yourself for an evening stroll or an early morning jog. 'Good to daytrip during tourist hours -- it gets a little noisy, but this is a good value for spacious, clean rooms and decent solid-French fare in the dining room. You feel like you are in a hunting lodge. Blois is nearby for daytrips, and other Loire attractions are easy access.

Go to www.ligeris.com, which is the official website for the Tours Tourist Office. They list some different minivan tours of the chateaux, and you can book direct from them. Some of the companies also have their own websites, which are linked, I think. I did a couple of those tours, and enjoyed. I used the Acco-Dispo company.They are fine if you don't want to rent a car. However, I liked it better when I had my car, as you can do everything at your own pace. I stayed in the area about 10 days, but for a 2-3 day trip, I would recommend staying in Amboise. The Acco-Dispo tours leave from there and from Tours. Amboise has its own very interesting chateau, too.

We have used the Accoo-dispo tours. It's basically a &quot;shuttle&quot; service. We arrived in Tours from Paris and met them at the TI office.

They use a van and &quot;shuttle&quot; you to each chateau with a running commentary in the van. Once you're at each chateau the &quot;tour guide&quot; collects your money for each ticket and then you are on your own until you meet up with him at a certain time.

At the end of a long day he drops you off at the train station. It was great! We could never have accomplished so much in so little time! Plus, you had the feeling of being &quot;on your own&quot; --with just someone else doing the driving!

Car is really the best way to go. You can move at your own timetable - if one is boring to you just move on to the next (some people are bored by Villandry because of the focus on gardens - others adore it). You also don;t have to woryy which one is closed on which day. distances are small and driving is easy.

Also - that way you have the option of staying in one of the private chateaux - an incredible experience. (Ours was 15th centruy with a moat and arrow slits - and they served fantastic veggies and strawberries from their own gardens.) But since these are in the counryside a car is required.