Châteaux and Gardens of the Loire Valley

We depart from London St Pancras International on the morning Eurostar service to Paris Gare du Nord. From here, we transfer to Gare Montparnasse for the TGV to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, then continue to our hotel in Tours, our base for the week.  

This morning, we visit Jardin du Puygirault for a guided tour of this fascinating garden of plants and rural life. With more than 1,000 species arranged across a series of themed plots, it offers a wonderful insight into traditional growing methods, heritage varieties, and the close relationship between people, plants, and the seasons. Later, we continue to Château de Villandry, one of the Loire Valley’s most celebrated garden estates, admired for its elegant Renaissance château and beautifully restored formal gardens.  

After breakfast, we head to Château du Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci’s final home. Here, the château, park, and galleries bring his extraordinary imagination to life, offering a rewarding blend of art, science, nature, and design. Later, we visit the Royal Château of Amboise, dramatically positioned above the Loire. One of the great royal residences of the French Renaissance, it combines sweeping views, rich history, and the chapel traditionally associated with Leonardo da Vinci.  

Today is devoted to Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, home to the renowned International Garden Festival. Since 1992, the festival has been a showcase for contemporary garden and landscape design, with imaginative displays that surprise and inspire at every turn. We’ll also have time to enjoy the estate’s permanent gardens at Prés du Goualoup, where creative planting and wide-ranging influences make this one of the Loire’s most distinctive garden visits. 

This morning, we visit the iconic Château de Chenonceau, admired as much for its elegant gardens as for its remarkable setting across the River Cher. From formal planting and floral displays to peaceful pathways and beautifully kept grounds, it is one of the Loire’s most memorable estates. Later, we travel to Chédigny, the only village in France to have been awarded the Remarkable Garden label. Accompanied by a local guide, we explore its flower-filled streets and visit the peaceful Presbytery Garden, known for its decorative, aromatic, medicinal, and kitchen garden planting. 

This morning is free to relax or explore Tours at your own pace. In the early afternoon, we head to Château de Valmer, an elegant estate where Italian Renaissance-inspired terraced gardens, vineyards, and a rare troglodytic chapel come together in one remarkable setting. Our visit includes a guided tour of the gardens and chapel, followed by a guided tour of the caves and a wine tasting — a fitting finale to our Loire Valley garden journey. 

We transfer to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps station for our return rail journey via Paris to London, arriving later this afternoon