Description
You will be chauffeured by our driver-guide to a wonderful day in the Loire Valley. Discover famous castles and gardens of the Renaissance:
Chambord
This marvelous chateau began its construction under Francois I in 1519 and was completed much later by Henri II, Charles IX and Henri III. 1800-2000 men worked on the construction during Francois I. Though this castle went through many owners, nobody actually made this place a permanent residence. Francois I himself lived in this place for 6 months. It was mainly used by the kings as a retreat or as a hunting lodge. There are no official records as to who the architect was. Legend has it that Leonardo da Vinci, then living at the Clos Luce in nearby Amboise, made several plans and models used for the construction of the chateau. It also has an extremely close tie to some of the projects by Domenico da Cortona, an Italian architect. During the reign of Louis XIV, the famous plays by Moliere, Monsieur de Pourceaugnac and Le bourgouis Gentilhomme were first produced here.
Amboise - the cradle of the Renaissance
One of the first truly "royal" residences of its kind, chateau Amboise was built during the 15th and 16th centuries on the orders of Charles VIII, Louis XII and Francois I. Following in the footsteps of the great kings of France, you will discover a magnificent example of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Today, the Chateau still houses an exceptional collection of furniture which has been admirably preserved.
Chenonceau - The ladies' castle
By building chateau Chenonceau on the Cher river in 1513, Thomas Bohier razed the castle keep and the fortified mill of the Marques family, keeping only the dungeon. It is sad that he never managed to see the finished castle, which was completed by his wife and son. Later, it became crown property. Henri II offered this castle to his favorite, Diane de Poitiers. She then decided to have a bridge built, linking the castle to the right bank of the river. This was done by Phillibert de l'Orne, the resident architect.
Following the death of Henri II, Catherine de Medicis took over the ruling and forced Diane de Poitiers to return the chateau Chenonceau to the crown.During her reign and as the Queen Mother, Catherine commissioned a great gallery to be built on the bridge.

Notes
Operates Tuesdays and Sundays year round
Departs at 6:30am; duration: approximately 12 hours.
Pick-up and return point is your central Paris hotel lobby.
Admissions and lunch with wine included.
Child discount applies to children 4-10. Children under 4 are free
Note: Tour guides are multi-lingual and the tour may be conducted in other languages as well as in English.

Restrictions
Pre-reserved tour; non-changeable and non-refundable once paid in full.