8 days/7 nights
Self Guided Walking Tour
Guide Price €1,359 per person (based on 2 adults sharing)
Visit some of the region’s most romantic châteaux as you set out on relaxed, self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking with your luggage transported. On your picturesque and leisurely walks you may also appreciate pauses for wine-tastings!
- Tastings in one of France’s most celebrated wine regions
- Journey from fairytale Ussé to elegant Azay-le-Rideau
- Visit the Fortress of Chinon
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Itinerary
Day 1 Azay-le-Rideau
Arrive in Azay-le-Rideau at any time.
Day 2 Azay-le-Rideau
Spend your day in Azay-le-Rideau visiting the splendid 16th-century château, one of the most important Renaissance buildings in France, and exploring the streets of this charming town. In the afternoon, stroll across farmland and through woodland to Goupillières, where a series of cave dwellings have been set up as they would have been when they were inhabited in the Middle Ages.
Day 3 Azay-le-Rideau to Ussé
From Azay you are taken by taxi to the Maurice Dufresne Museum. This traces the riverside as it heads through floodplains and along levées, offering good bird-watching opportunities along the way. As you approach your destination –you are rewarded with lovely views of Ussé's fairy-tale château.
Day 4 Ussé to Chinon
Start the day by visiting Ussé’s beautifully furnished and very romantic château, thought to have been the inspiration for Perrault’s tale of Sleeping Beauty. Your walk begins with a gentle ascent away from the River Indre on which Ussé is located, after which you follow good tracks through a centuries-old hunting forest towards Chinon.
Day 5 Chinon
Surrounded by high walls, Chinon's Old Town contains winding streets of half-timbered medieval houses that lead down to river. You can while away your time in the picturesque main square; visit museums dedicated to Joan of Arc and Richard I; explore the vast 12th-century fortress, or enjoy a wander round the wine museum.
Day 6 Chinon to Fontevraud
From Chinon, you walk along the willow-lined banks of the River Vienne, before crossing rolling pastureland and woodland to historic Fontevraud, and La Croix Blanche for two nights.
Days 7-8 Fontevraud
Spend your last day as you wish. The village is famed for its magnificent abbey which houses the tombs of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard, ‘coeur de lion’, and is well worth a leisurely visit. Alternatively, you could opt for one of the two suggested walks into the surrounding countryside. Head through woodland and farmland to the historic villages of Candes-St-Martin and Montsoreau beside the Loire. After lunch overlooking the river, you pass the vineyards that produce the refreshing and delicious wines of Touraine and Anjou. The shorter route is a gentle stroll through the woodland around Fontevraud. On day 8 your tour comes to an end.
Departs: Frequent departures, Apr - Oct
Price & Inclusions
- 7 nights hotel accommodation
- Luggage transfers between overnight stays
- 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 3 dinners
- International flights
We negotiate new offers daily from discounted flights, tours and vehicle hire to free upgrades, added value and unique inclusions. Please call for our latest offers.
The tour itinerary, inclusions and departures are based on travel from 01/10/2024 to 31/12/2025. Guide prices are based on twn/dbl share, are subject to availability and may vary by departure date. For travel outside of these dates, the itinerary and inclusions may vary to that shown above - please ask for details.Offers are subject to availability and restrictions may apply.
Flights
As we can offer you such a flexible choice of flights, we don't include international airfares with our tour prices. The price you pay will be determined by the time of year you travel, your departure airport, airline and availability.
Your Trailfinders Travel Consultant will be able to find the best flights to suit you and your choice of tour. Contact us for our latest flight offers or take a look at our flights pages for a general idea of prices.
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