Loire Valley 5-day Itinerary
France
Where to go and what to see in the Loire Valley to get the most from your trip – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Anna Brooke.
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Overview >Bucket list experience:
Gardens of Chateau Bourdaisiere
Last updated: 10 May, 2022
The 55-hectare grounds at this lovely 16th-century chateau contain a selection of horticultural delights. Cooks and gardeners will be fascinated by the kitchen garden, which includes 150 vegetables and a remarkable ‘conservatoire’ of almost 630 varieties of tomato collected by ‘gardener prince’, Prince Louis Albert de Broglie.
There’s also ‘Dahliacour’, a contemporary garden filled with a hundred varieties of dahlias, a medicinal plant garden, an orchard with 76 fruit trees, and collections of cedar, redwood, chestnut, and oak trees.
Stay and cook
La Bourdaisiere is a hotel with 29 romantic rooms spread over the chateau and its dependencies. You can also book in (well in advance) for cookery courses at La Bourdaisiere, using the garden produce. Available whether or not you’re staying at the hotel.
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Price from: £6
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
Take the train to Tours (about 10km) or St Pierre des Corps (about 7km).
You are free to wander around. The pathways are lined with educational boards. Guided tours with the gardeners run twice a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, 5 days a week.
When to do it
The chateau is open daily from April to mid-November. The hotel is open from March to November.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Les Hautes Roches
Rochecorbon, Centre-Val de Loire, France[6.6 miles]
A cosy hotel just outside of Tours, with luxurious ‘troglodyte’ rooms carved into the neighbouring cliff.
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Le Clos d’Amboise
Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire, France[11.9 miles]
An attractive family-friendly hotel, with great staff and a perfect small-town location for exploring the Loire.
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Domaine de la Tortiniere
Veigne, Centre-Val de Loire, France[11.9 miles]
Relaxed, stylish family-run chateau hotel, well located in the heart of the Loire Valley.
Official star rating:
Chateau de Beauvois
Saint-Etienne-de-Chigny, Centre-Val de Loire, France[23.9 miles]
Stately chateau hotel in a magical woodland setting where Louis XIII once came hunting.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Loire Valley
Loire Valley, France
Extraordinary historic chateaux, authentic village life, and superb wine blend in this beautiful UNESCO-listed valley.
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Overview >Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Hot-air balloon flights over the Loire Valley
Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire, France[11.8 miles]
Hot air balloon flights offer a serene, crowd-free way to appreciate the Loire’s spectacular landscapes and chateaux, as you drift silently above treetops and turrets.
Best for ages: 6+ | £180 | 3 hours
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Leonardo da Vinci Park
Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire, France[12.4 miles]
Leonardo da Vinci’s final residence reveals fascinating insights into the enigmatic painter, engineer and inventor.
Best for ages: 13+ | £3
‘La Loire a Velo’ cycle route
Loire Valley, France[17.1 miles]
An 900km waymarked cycle route through the Loire’s beautiful countryside, stopping off at fantastical chateaux, vineyards, and picturesque villages.
Best for ages: 4+ | Free | 1 day-2 weeks
Gardens of Chateau Villandry
Villandry, Centre-Val de Loire, France[24.7 miles]
One of the world’s most beautiful gardens, including a truly remarkable vegetable garden, in the grounds of a UNESCO-listed chateau.
Best for ages: 18+ | £6
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Experience
Vitiloire
Tours, Centre-Val de Loire, France[11.2 miles]
This annual wine fair in Tours, held at the start of June, celebrates local wines with wine workshops, music, fireworks and countless opportunities to taste and buy direct from producers.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free | One weekend
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