Day 1: Friday:  Château de Chenonceau and Sound and Light show:      (L)

This morning our private guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and travel by private car or luxury minibus for approximate two hours to Chenonceau Castle. A guided tour of the castle is followed by free time to stroll in the lovely gardens and surroundings. Château de Chenonceau is also known as the ‘Château des dames’ (Ladies Castle) since it was built, further embellished have been saved from the French revolution by famous French noble women. The castle was built in 1513 on the river Cher, which provides the perfect setting for water reflections of the beautiful architecture of this French Renaissance masterpiece. Chenonceau is additionally recognised for its remarkable interiors with magnificent renaissance furniture, tapestries and celebrated paintings.  Lunch is in a restaurant in the grounds of the castle and is only open from May 6^th to Nov 21^st. (Outside these dates, lunch will be in the village of Amboise.)  After lunch, you will be transferred to one of France’s leading Troglodytic hotels situated on the banks of the Loire River among the vineyards of Vouvray. You have free time to relax by the pool or enjoy an optional hour cruise along the Loire River.  Dinner at the hotel followed by a transfer to the Château de Blois for a sound and light show.  Return to your hotel after the show.

Day 2: Saturday:  Bicycling between vineyards and medieval villages:     (B/L)

The morning is dedicated to a promenade on a bicycle in the La Loire countryside with its vineyards, agricultural farms and orchards. There will be a stop en route for a visit to a wine cellar and a degustation of wine (Vouvray appellation), followed by a picnic lunch before returning to your hotel on bicycle.  Some guests may wish to travel by private car or minibus. In this case there will be visit of two vineyards of the Vouvray appellation instead of one (Additional cost of 35€ per person).  In the afternoon we visit the castle of Chambord for a guided tour of the castle for approximately 3 hours with free time to wander around taking photos and soak up the ambiance of the renaissance period.  Château de Chambord is the largest and most extravagant renaissance castle of the La Loire region. It was built on hunting grounds for King Francois I in the 16^th century. It is renowned for its coffered vaults, the spectacular views from the castles terraces and its double spiral staircases conceived by Leonardo da Vinci, where two people can climb up simultaneously without ever meeting, however can see each other via the holes in the staircases.  Return to your hotel.  If your visit falls on a day where the Chateau de Amboise is playing ‘A la cour du Roy François’; transfer to the town of Amboise where you are free to choose from a multitude of restaurants for dinner, followed by the show which transports you through scenes of the court life during the reign of François I with renaissance dances, cavalry displays, light and fountain displays and fireworks. Return to the hotel after the show.

Note: ‘A la cour du Roy François’ plays every Wednesday or Saturday from end of June to the end of August.

Day 3: Sunday:  Ballooning over castles, vineyards and forests:   (B/L)

Optional: Early morning transfer to the take off site for a magical view of the La Loire region from the sky. Drifting slowly with the wind in a hot air balloon over the majestic castles and the Loire regions vineyards; it is an unforgettable moment.  Return to the hotel. Enjoy some free time to relax by the pool before proceeding with your check-out. Early lunch is at the hotel after check-out.  After lunch we travel to the Château of Villandry, for a guided visit of one of the most beautiful gardens of France. There are four garden terraces superposed with a collection of 250000 flower and vegetable plants: Jardin du Soleil, Jardin d’eau, Jardin d’ornement and the Jardin des simples with its aromatic herbs and medicinal plants.  Later this afternoon we return to Paris and drop of at your hotel.