Tour Overview
This easy-paced walk starts out along the banks of the majestic Loire, lined with the great royal châteaux. It also follows the leafy val ley of the Cher, littered with private châteaux, no less impressive, and charming in their intimate opulence. There’s no tough climbing - the high est you reach is l50m - but you still get enchanting views along the valleys.
Highlights include quite a few of the Loire’s most famous châteaux, some with Son et Lumière displays of their turbulent history. There’s the Renaissance splendour of Chenonceaux, straddling the Cher like the Ponte Vecchio in Florence (which gave Catherine de Medici the idea). Amboise has another wonderful château, and a great deal to see besides, including Leonardo da Vinci’s manor house. Nearby, Tours has a clutch of fine museums, the Cathedral of St Gatien with its fabu lous patchwork of architectural styles, and a charming old quarter.
The Loire vineyards produce a wider variety of wines than any wine region in the world, with plenty of opportunities to taste them in labyrinthine cellars dug into the val ley sides. Vouvray is probably the best known wine village here, however Montlouis and St Martin produce some wonderful wines - and a fraction of the cost! Not a bit overshadowed by the wines, you can enjoy the great gastronomic speciali ties of the Loire, for centuries the “garden of France”.
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Amboise
We collect you at Tours station and take you to Amboise (30 mins) where our hotel enjoys a super location next to the lively old quarter.
Day 2 Amboise/ Thesée to Chissay 20km/12mi/5hr
Today starts with a transfer (40 mins) to Thesée where you’ll have time to explore the Gallo-Roman ruins (July-mid Sept only) before heading off through the vineyards towards Monthou-sur-Cher. Lots of tasting opportunities all along your route this morning and gorgeous open valley views. Picnic by the lake at Vigneau then a gentle stroll to the huddled troglodyte village of Bourré. A short detour gets you to the underground Mushroom Caves then on along the River Cher to Chissay. Our hotel here is a fabulous ssss château, steeped in history, set in 25 hectares of private parkland overlooking the Loire.
Day 3 At Chissay
Either relax by the hotel’s lovely open-air swimming pool, or follow the river bank (45 mins) to Montrichard. This small town has a definite mediaeval feel to it – visit the C11 castle (Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned here!), the Church of Sainte Croix (C11-C15) and the Museum of History & Folklore. There’s a beach with river swimming and the labyrinthine Monmousseaux wine caves dug into the valley sides. If you want to explore further afield, the railway station is just 10 min away.
Day 4 Chissay to Chisseaux/Chenonceaux 13km/8mi/3.5hr
You follow the Cher to the sleepy riverside village of St Georges-sur-Cher. Then through tiny farming villages, passing the C16 Château des Coudraies, a hunting lodge once used by Henri II – call in for a spot of wine tasting. Continue through vineyards to Franceuil (C16 church) and on via Chenonceaux to Chisseaux where you’ll have time to relax in the hotel’s outdoor pool before dinner.
Day 5 At Chisseaux/Chenonceaux
Explore the superb Château de Chenonceau today with its famous arches spanning the river. It’s the most romantic and beautiful of all the Renaissance châteaux - Flaubert said it “floated on air and water”. Women associated with this royal palace include love rivals Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici (mistress and widow of Henri II respectively), as well as Mary Queen of Scots who stayed here as the child bride of Francois II. For a full and longer day out, you might want to take the train to cosmopolitan Tours: lively university town with cathedral, museums and charming old quarter.
Day 6 Chisseaux/Chenonceaux to Azay-sur-Cher/ Amboise 18km/11mi/4.5hr
From Chisseaux, your path follows the river, with lots of swimming places, as you head towards the small Renaissance town of Bléré (great restaurants for lunch) and its C15 church built by joining two ancient chapels. Passing more splendid châteaux, you come to Nitray (2.5km detour), and an attractive C16 château where Balzac and Chopin stayed. It has a huge park and you can taste the wines produced on the estate. From here, it’s a delightful stroll along the banks of the Cher to Azay where we pick you up for the transfer (30 mins) back to Amboise.
Day 7 Leave Amboise
