We will be traveling from Paris to Bordeaux in the spring taking a train. Does anyone know of a one way tour of the Loire Valley we could do instead? Or a trustworthy company that would customize a guided tour to stop at some castles (Chambord, Chenonceau) and then drop us at a train station so we can continue to Bordeaux before they return to Paris? I have not been able to find any. Thank you.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7937 posts
I don’t have a tour company to recommend, and this might or might not be an option for you, but years ago we started in Paris, and took a train to Amboise for two nights. There, we rented bicycles and rode to both Chenonceau and Chambord. The Rick Steves guidebook was a source for getting around, and things to see at the chateaux. We followed up by reaching Bordeaux by train, where we rented a car. We actually stayed in once we got to the Bordeaux area.
Posted by
Loire Valley
824 posts
You might struggle to find a private tour that will pick you up in Paris and leave you at a station in the Loire Valley - but if you do find one you'll be paying taxi style rates for the day. Plus you'll be paying just for transportation, not a guide. Adding a guide will probably double the cost.
If you get yourself to the Loire Valley it will be a lot easier to find a driver/guide or driver and guide. And you'll save yourself a couple of hours looking at autoroute.
Posted by
PA, USA
82 posts
Take a look at Loire Valley Time Travel. They are based in the Loire region and know it well, not just the chateaux but the wineries, goat cheese farms, WWII and Resistance history, and hidden gems .
You'd have to take a train from Paris to Tours or Saint Pierre des Corps, just south of Tours, to meet them. This team is very flexible and can design specialist tours for small groups. Not only are they knowledgeable, they are delightful!