Loire Valley Castles from Paris: Chenonceau, Amboise & Da Vinci

Three Châteaux in One Day: Chenonceau, Amboise & Leonardo's House

You're picked up from your Paris hotel at 7:30 and driven in a Mercedes to three Loire Valley châteaux: Chenonceau with its gardens and riverside arches, Amboise with Leonardo da Vinci's tomb, and Clos Lucé where he lived his final years. A professional guide explains the history at each stop, you taste seven wines at a local producer, lunch is on your own in Amboise, and all entry tickets are included. You're back at your hotel by 9 p.m.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Château de Chenonceau1h 30m · entry included
2. Château d’Amboise1h 30m · entry included
3. Château du Clos Lucé1h 30m · entry included

Loire Valley Castles and Wine Tasting

• 07:30 Hotel pick-up in Paris
• Drive 3 hours to Château de Chenonceau
• Stop at rest area
• Visit Château de Chenonceau and gardens
• Drive 20 minutes to Amboise
• Lunch break in Amboise city
• Visit Château Royal d'Amboise with guide
• Wine tasting at local family winery
• Visit Château du Clos Lucé with guide
• Drive 3 hours back to Paris
• 21:00 Drop off at hotel in Paris

The experience

The Mercedes pulls up at 7:30 in the morning, and you're already three hours into the drive before you see the first castle. That's the thing about this tour. It doesn't mess around. You get picked up from your Paris hotel, settle into the air-conditioned minivan, and your guide starts talking about the Loire Valley while the highway rolls past. One rest stop on the way, then suddenly you're standing in front of Château de Chenonceau at 11 o'clock, and it's exactly as wide and strange as the photos promised: that bridge of a castle stretching across the River Cher like it's defying gravity. The guide walks you through the rooms, hands you a brochure with floor plans, and explains why they call it the "ladies' castle": Catherine de Medici, all those women who shaped it. The Renaissance gardens have over 130,000 flowering plants, which sounds like a number someone made up, but when you're standing there it feels true.

Lunch happens in Amboise town, which gives you an hour to find a café or sit down somewhere proper. The tour operator can make a reservation if you ask. Then it's the Château Royal d'Amboise at 2 p.m., a 15th-century fortress that looks like what you imagined when you were ten and read about kings. They give you a Histopad, this interactive video guide that walks you through each room, and you learn that Leonardo da Vinci is actually buried here, in the Saint Hubert Chapel, which is the kind of detail that makes you stop and think for a second. After that, around 3:40, you drive to a local family winery that's been making wine for centuries and taste seven different wines while someone explains how they do it. It's not a rushed thing. They give you time to actually taste, not just sip and move on.

The last stop is Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo actually lived from 1516 until he died in 1519. Francis I invited him there, and now it's a museum about his life and work: sketches, inventions, the whole thing. The castle's connected to Amboise by an underground passageway, which is the kind of detail that makes you want to explore every corner. You leave there around 6 p.m., and then it's three hours back to Paris, arriving at your hotel around 9 p.m. The whole day is 13 and a half hours, which sounds long until you realize you've seen three major castles, tasted wine, and learned actual history without once having to figure out a train schedule or rent a car.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup at 7:30 a.m. and return drop-off around 9 p.m.
• Mercedes minivan with air conditioning.
• professional guide-driver for the full day.
• entrance tickets to Château de Chenonceau, Château Royal d'Amboise, and Château du Clos Lucé.
• guided tours at each castle with brochure and Histopad interactive guide at Amboise.
• wine tasting of 7 wines at a local family winery.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to18h before

AgesAdult (18 to 89 years) · Youth (10 to 17 years) · Child (6 to 9 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Clewel Travel

Is this one for you?This works well if you want to see three major Loire Valley castles in a single day without arranging transport, tickets, or timing yourself: the fixed schedule and private Mercedes mean you skip the logistics and spend the day actually looking at the castles instead.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (10 to 17 years); Child (6 to 9 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What time does the tour start and end?

Pickup is at 7:30 a.m. from your Paris hotel. You return around 9 p.m. The full day is 13 and a half hours.

Are entrance tickets included?

Yes. Entry to all three castles (Chenonceau, Amboise, and Clos Lucé) is included in the price.

What's included in the wine tasting?

You taste seven wines at a local family winery near Amboise, with explanations of how they're made.

Is lunch included?

No, lunch is on your own in Amboise (1 hour break at 1 p.m.). The tour operator can make a restaurant reservation if you request it.

How far is it from Paris to the castles?

About 240 km (150 miles) to Chenonceau. The drive takes roughly 3 hours each way on the highway.

What type of vehicle is used?

A Mercedes E220 or Mercedes minivan, air-conditioned and comfortable for the long drive.

Is a guide provided at each castle?

Yes. A professional guide-driver accompanies you throughout and explains the history at each stop. At Amboise, you also receive a Histopad interactive video guide.

How many people can go on this tour?

This is a private tour. It accommodates a maximum of 2 children and 2 youths.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, Mercedes transport, professional guide, all three castle entrance tickets, wine tasting, bottled water, and all fees and taxes.