Hello, can anyone recommend a tour guide who could take 11 people from Paris for a day trip to the Loire Valley? It would be ideal to all go in one van, but perhaps we will need to book two vans through the same company? Thanks very much for any recommendations.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
3150 posts
lindparker,
Do you have any particular chateaux you wish to see in the Loire Valley? The stretch which covers the most visited and chateaux-dense part of the valley is about 120 miles long. With a long, full day you might visit 3 chateaux that are a reasonable distance from each other. Do you know which city in the valley you might wish to see.....Tours, Amboise, Orleans, Angers, or another?
The drive from Paris to, say, Tours (in the "middle"of the valley) takes about 3 hours, same for return. A train from Paris to Tours takes from just over 1 hour to about 1 1/2 hours. A day trip will be a long day. If you are being driven, I would guess 2 chateaux would be the most you could see, fitting in about 6 hours drive time, plus time for lunch. Most chateaux will be a god walk from the parking lot and ticket booth to the chateaux and gardens. Allow time for that. Remember, the time it takes to move a group of people along is often at the speed of the slowest person.
Perhaps you might consider taking the train (early) from Paris to Tours (a good starting point) and arranging a tour of chateaux that departs and returns to Tours. You could take a train back to Paris. Travel time from/to Paris would then by 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, max.
Just some things to consider........
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
3150 posts
Check Trip Advisor to get an idea of Loire Valley tours on offer.
Typo...a "good" walk, not a "god" walk.