Your final day in the Loire is yours to explore Tours. Wander the town’s picturesque Old Quarter, set around Place Plumereau with its medieval alleys and side streets shooting off at every angle.
History and Culture from Paris to the Loire
9 nights from $5,312pp
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This 10-day French experience starts in the vibrant city of Paris. Explore the capital of France with private guided experiences to discover some of Paris’ most famous sites such as the Louvre, Paris Catacombs and the Eiffel Tower. Rest assured your guide will also be taking you off the beaten track to discover the real Paris. After this buzzing city, venture from Paris to the Loire Valley, an area which boasts many historical monuments. This 10-day trip is perfect for a lover of history and culture!
Highlights of our Paris to Loire Valley Tour
- Stay nine nights in four-star hotels in Paris city centre and the Loire Valley, with breakfasts included.
- Enjoy a stunning luxury four-course dinner cruise experience on the Seine River, with a wine pairing.
- Private cultural and historical experiences in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, including seeing the famous Mona Lisa portrait and the Paris Catacombs
- Michelin starred lunch experience in the heart of Paris with wines included
- Full-day chauffeured experiences in the Loire Valley, discovering historical monuments such as the Castle of Chambord, Château Chenonceau and the world-famous Gardens of Villandry
- A truly memorable hot air balloon experience where you will slowly drift over the architectural masterpieces of the Loire Valley
Day 1: Arrival in Paris
Arrive in Paris and make your way to your four-star hotel in the city’s lively Latin Quarter. The Latin Quarter takes you back to the Roman times, with highlights such as the Shakespeare & co Library, the Gallo-roman baths, and Place St Michel and Fountain St Michel all within walking distance.
This evening you can relax on your luxury dinner cruise.
Day 2: Private Chauffeured Tour exploring the Sights of Paris
Today enjoy a full-day private chauffeured tour of Paris with an English-speaking driver/guide. You will explore the diverse streets of Paris going off the beaten track; your private guide will take you to see some of the main sites such as the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, Le Louvre, to name but a few. You will also get the chance to visit and go up the famous Eiffel Tower a truly unique experience and a wonderful way to see the Paris skyline.
This evening you will have dinner in a lovely local restaurant with regional classics.
Day 3: Your Private Tour of Le Louvre
This morning is yours to relax, maybe you will find one of the many coffee shops to sit and watch the world go by with an espresso before starting your private Parisian chocolate experience. You will stop to try some of the sweetest treats in Paris working your palate to detect new flavours while you get to know a little history of the cocoa.
After your private chocolate experience, you will start your private tour of Le Louvre where your guide will not only show you the art, but bring it to life for you. Le Louvre is also home to the famous Mona Lisa portrait as well as many other historical masterpieces.
Day 4: Explore Montmartre Ahead of a Michelin Star Lunch
You will start your day with a private tour of Montmartre, the only hill in Paris (so make sure you have a hearty breakfast). Your private guide will meet you at the base of the hill and you will walk together up the stairs towards the beautiful Basilica of Sacred Heart. After taking in the spectacular views you will have the opportunity to go inside and see the famous mosaic. Once back in the city you will sit down for a gastronomic Michelin-star lunch. The afternoon is yours to explore the rest of this truly amazing city.
Day 5: Your Private French Pastry Cooking Class
Today you will start the day with a private tour of the Paris Catacombs, the haunting resting place of more than six million French citizens. You will explore the extraordinary history of the burial grounds while your private guide tells you the chilling stories of this gallery of skeletons.
Back on the streets of Paris, lunch today will be at a local rustic restaurant before you start your private French pastry cooking class. It is your chance to learn some new culinary skills so you can make your favourite Parisian treats when back home. The chef will welcome you in a cosy apartment where you will make your dessert and of course enjoy the result of your work with a glass of champagne with the chef after.
The evening is yours, we will provide you with our recommended restaurant list and we can happily book restaurants in advance.
Day 6: From Paris to the Loire Valley
Take the morning to relax before checking out and wave goodbye to Paris with private transfers.
Arrive in the Loire Valley, an enormous UNESCO World Heritage site with a history as grand at the châteaux where kings and queens came to establish feudal castles and later on, sumptuous pleasure palaces. This evening you will enjoy a gastronomic local dinner to start off your Loire experience.
Day 7: Tour Château Chenonceau Before a Tasting
Your day in the Loire Valley starts with a visit to Château Chenonceau and its resplendent Renaissance gardens. Later in the morning you’ll get to explore the cellars and caves of a Loire Valley wine specialist and taste vintage drops of Vouvray, Montlouis, Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil. Then follows a wine tasting lunch with cheeses selected by a champion cheese refiner, before your final tour of the Castle of Chambord, the first Loire Valley château listed in the World Heritage by UNESCO.
Day 8: Visit the World-Famous Gardens of Villandry
This morning you will visit the world-famous Gardens of Villandry. The Château of Villandry, in the Centre Val de Loire region, is a Renaissance château located at the heart of three levels of terraced gardens. It is the last of the great Renaissance châteaux to have been built on the banks of the Loire River. Although the estate is renowned for the harmony of its architecture, it is especially well-known for its gardens that combine aesthetics, diversity, and harmony.
Day 9: Hot-Air Balloon Experience over the Loire Valley
Take this morning to relax before embarking on a truly unforgettable hot-air balloon experience over the Loire Valley. There really is no better way to see a birds eye view. This afternoon you will have lunch in the royal city of Loches before a private tour of the Château. Private transfers will take you back to your accommodation.
Day 10: Explore Tours on your Final Day in France
Where You Could Stay in France
Fleur de Loire Hotel & Spa
Occupying a stunning location on the banks of the Loire River, Fleur de Loire Hotel and Spa opened to great excitement in spring 2022.
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Domaine de la Tortinière
Set in the heart of the Loire Valley and surrounded by 15 hectares of serene parkland, Domaine de la Tortinière is an imposing 19th century chateau with lofty turrets and sweeping staircases.
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Hôtel Monge
Perfectly placed between the Jardin des Plantes and the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Hotel Monge is a romantic boutique property on Paris’s Left Bank.
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