VIP LOIRE VALLEY CASTLES (2 Days)

During the VIP Loire Valley Castles tour, on the way to the first visit (2 hours of driving), your personal driver-guide will give you first an introduction to the history of the Loire Valley Castles. Arriving in the Loire Valley, you will begin by a private guided visit of the Chambord Castle, the immense and unique palace of Francois I, built at the turn of the Renaissance period. You will take the double-turn spiral staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci, where 2 people can go up and down without ever meeting, head to the Royal Apartments of François I and Louis XIV, immerse on the floor above in the world of royal hunts and continue to the Terraces where you will find yourself surrounded by roofing and chimneys forming a fairytale village, as suspended in the sky, that offers a magnificent panorama over the huge estate. Chambord is so much more than a castle: it is an architectural gem, a technical feat, a stone colossus, the dream of a young king. Then, your personal driver-guide will take you to the Blois Castle located in the center of the city. Built from the 13th to the 17th century (different styles and influences) around the main courtyard, the castle was the residence of several French Kings over different centuries. It was also the place where the Archbishop of Reims blessed Joan of Arc before departing with her army to deliver Orleans from the English. There, we will book lunch for you in a very nice, typical French restaurant or brasserie (not included in the price) in the old town. After this culinary break, your personnal driver-guide will lead you to Amboise a fascinating medieval town with its timbered 500 year old houses where you will enjoy a stroll, admiring the Royal Castle, built on a promontory overlooking the Loire, that became the favorite residence of the French Kings in the 16th century. During the discovery of the old town, you will make a break in a French “patisserie” enjoying one of their delicious pastries. You will finish your day with the private guided visit of the Clos Lucé Castle, the mansion where genius Leonardo da Vinci lived and worked the three last years of his life. You will visit his bedroom, his kitchen, his study, the Renaissance halls, the chapel, 40 of his lasts inventions. You will finish by the guided visit of the fantastic Park. You will spend the night in Amboise (hotel not included in the price) where, if you need, we could book your dinner in a restaurant or brasserie

On the second day, you personal driver-guide will take you to the Chenonceau Castle, an outstanding site due to its original design, the richness of its collections (Poussin, Il Correggio, Rubens…), its furniture, its splendid decorations and the French gardens. The Chenonceau Castle was loved, administrated and protected by extraordinary women who have marked history (Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Medicis…).This emblematic Castle of the Loire Valley has combined the elegance, the beauty and the imagination of the French artists. The Room of the 5 Queens, the living room of Louis XIV, the Grand Gallery overlooking the Cher River, the Green Cabinet of Catherine de Medici, the Royal chapel takes you back in time to share the dreams of Chenonceau and reveal its secrets. After this unforgettable private visit, you will continue the tour to Cheverny where we will book lunch for you in a very nice, typical French restaurant or brasserie (not included in the price). After this culinary break, you will enjoy a private guided visit of the Cheverny Castle built between 1624 and 1630 and that recalls features of the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris. It is renowned for its magnificent interior and its marvelous collection of furniture, tapestries and art. The marquis De Vibraye, the direct descendant of Henri Hurault, the military treasurer of King Louis XI that built it, owned the castle. Then, you will finish the tour by a private visit of the Cathedral of Chartres built in 1193 and that is according to many, the supreme monument of High Gothic Art and Architecture. The 176 stain glass windows that make its worldwide reputation are filled with equally dense stain glass creating with their unearthly radiance, particularly the glow of the “Chartres blue” an atmosphere of awe and holiness that impresses even the most non-religious of visitors. Chartres houses also since 876 the “Santa Camisa”, the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary on the birthday of Jesus. After this private visit, your guide will drive you back to your hotel in Paris. This tour due to the VIP treatment that we provide will leave you without doubt outstanding memories of these 2 days in Loire Valley.