Loire Valley Day Tour: Castles & Private Lunch Experience

Two of France's grandest châteaux and a private lunch where the kings once dined.

This Loire Valley day tour visits Château de Chambord and Château de Chenonceau with a passionate local guide, then serves a traditional French lunch inside a lesser-known family-owned château. The tour runs 9.5 hours and departs from either Amboise or Tours, with transport by air-conditioned minivan and an English-speaking guide included. You'll walk the gardens and rooms of both famous castles and hear the stories behind them before sitting down to eat away from the crowds.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Château de Chenonceau2h · entry included
2. Chambord Castle2h · entry included

Visit Loire Valley châteaux and lunch

• Guided visit of Château de Chenonceau
• Visit family-owned château and lunch
• Guided visit of Château de Chambord

The experience

The day starts with a guided visit to Château de Chenonceau, where you walk through the rooms and gardens with a local guide who knows the place beyond what a placard says. Chenonceau sits on the River Cher and has belonged to a string of remarkable women over the centuries. The guide will tell you who they were and why they mattered. After the château, you move to a family-owned private castle for a traditional French lunch served inside the building itself, not in a separate café or courtyard. This is where the tour splits from the standard circuit: you're eating in the actual château, and the groups are smaller.

The afternoon takes you to Chambord, the largest of the Loire Valley châteaux, built by Francis I and famous for its double-helix staircase and the sheer scale of the place. Your guide walks you through the rooms and explains the details: the architecture, the history of the kings who lived here, the small stories that make the building feel less like a museum and more like a place where people actually lived. The minivan is air-conditioned, which matters on a 9.5-hour day in summer, and the driver handles all the stops so you're not navigating between sites.

You'll need to be at your meeting point 5 to 10 minutes before departure. The tour departs from either Amboise or Tours depending on which option you choose at checkout. If you have dietary requirements, let the operator know when you book so the lunch can be arranged. Children from age 4 are welcome, and specialized infant seats are available if you're traveling with younger children.

What’s included

• Transport by air-conditioned minivan.
• guided visits to both Chambord and Chenonceau with a local English-speaking guide.
• traditional French lunch served inside a private family-owned château.
• all château entries and access to the gardens.

Options for this experience

2 options

Departure from ToursGuide in English · 09:00Pickup point in Tours: Your guide will collect you at 9:00 AM outside the Tours Tourist Office. Meeting point: Tourist Office Tours Loire Valley, 78 Rue Bernard Palissy, 37000 Tours, France

Departure from AmboiseGuide in English · 09:30Pickup point in Amboise: Your guide will collect you at 9:30 AM outside the Amboise Tourist Office. Meeting point: Office de Tourisme Amboise Val de Loire, Quai du Général de Gaulle, 37400 Amboise, France

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and SundayDepartures at 09:00 and 09:30Last departure this season: 31 Oct

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Youth (4 to 11 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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 yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by à la française

Is this one for you?Choose the Amboise departure if you're staying in the eastern Loire Valley. Pick Tours if you're based further west. Either way, the guide and transport are arranged, so you move between three châteaux without navigating roads or timing your own stops.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (4 to 11 years). Under 4: they can't be included in the booking.

What's the difference between Chambord and Chenonceau that makes them both worth visiting?

Chambord is the largest château in the Loire Valley, built by Francis I with a famous double-helix staircase and massive rooms designed to show royal power. Chenonceau is smaller and more intimate, built across the River Cher, and has a different architectural style and history tied to the women who owned it.

Where does the lunch happen on this tour?

Lunch is served inside a family-owned private château, not in a restaurant or separate building. This keeps the meal away from tour groups and lets you eat in an actual château rather than a tourist facility.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the meeting point?

Yes, you'll meet the guide at either Amboise or Tours depending on which option you select. Public transportation options are available near both towns if you don't have a car.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not in great physical condition?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, though it does involve walking through châteaux and gardens over a 9.5-hour day. It's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

Can I choose between an English-speaking guide and a French-speaking guide?

The tour includes an English-speaking guide as standard. A French-speaking guide is available as an option at checkout if you prefer.