Day Trips in the Loire Valley: The 5 That Repay the Fare

1.Loire Valley Castles Day Trip from Paris with Complementary Wine

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,907 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $149Our pick

Spend a long but rewarding day visiting Château de Chambord and Château de Chenonceau from Paris. You’ll travel by air-conditioned coach, hear local history from an English-speaking guide, enjoy free time for lunch in Blois, and taste three Loire wines in Chenonceau’s vaulted cellar. Guides vary and may include Daniel, Emma, Goran, Riti, or Thelma.

“It was lovely with lots of valuable information shared by our guide, Riti. The wines were young but enjoyable.”

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2.Loire Valley Castles Day Trip With Wine Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,727 reviews · 13 hours · from $104Best value

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Paris to Chambord and Chenonceau, with self-guided castle visits, two hours for lunch in Blois, and a complimentary Loire wine tasting. Your English-speaking guide, such as Dee, Jasmina, John, or Thelma, adds stories on the long drives. Expect a packed day and plenty of walking.

“Emma was very good describing the history of the castles.”

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3.Loire Valley Wine and Castles Small-Group Day Trip from Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 613 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $296Top rated

Travel from Paris in a group of up to eight to see Chambord’s double helix staircase, Chenonceau over the Cher River, and Amboise’s royal castle and Da Vinci chapel. Guides such as Tim, Valeria, Enzo, and G have earned praise for lively history talks. Expect a 12 to 13 hour day, lots of walking, and a brief wine-shop tasting.

“It’s a long day, but very worth the time. The guide was very knowledgeable and good humored. We also had a student guide along, and he was very funny.”

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4.Tours/Amboise: Chambord, Chenonceau Day Trip & Wine Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 138 reviews · 9 hours · from $270

Spend nine hours touring Chenonceau and Chambord in an eight-seat van, with a wine tasting at Les Caves Ambacia and free time for lunch in Amboise. Guides such as Roxanne, Ingrid, Christian, and Marion have been praised for lively historical storytelling. Expect a full, well-paced day, but limited free time inside the castles.

“So glad I booked this experience for Terry and I, easy to book, good correspondence throughout. Our guide Marion was so friendly, full of information of the Chateau's we visited, which can only be described as beautiful. Enjoyed the winery tour and wine tasting. Overall a great day and met 3 lovely ladies from the States.”

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5.From Tours/Amboise: Chenonceau & Chambord Chateaux Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 44 reviews · 9 hours · from $199

Travel by eight-passenger minivan from Tours or Amboise to Chenonceau and Chambord. Guides such as Mary, Kyllian, and Marie bring the castles to life in English, while a 2.5-hour stop in Amboise gives you time for lunch and a look at Leonardo da Vinci’s final home.

“Our guide was amazing! She did an amazing job on retelling history and gave us a great suggestion on food for lunch. My 10 and 5 year old said this was their favorite activity of the week.”

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