Vineyard Trails of the Loire Valley, 8 days

The Loire is one of the major wine producing areas of France, and it also has the advantage of being a great centre for cuisine and historical monuments. The walking is hilly at times, but generally the mix of old pathways, farm and forest trails make for fairly gentle walking.

This self-guided hike links the great chateaux at Amboise, Chenonceau, Azay le Rideau, Villandry and Chinon with the great vineyards of Vouvray, Chinon, Saumur, and Anjou. The combination of walking, spectacular historical sites, the food and wines of the Loire, makes this walk full of interest and pleasure. An ideal place to start for those with a love of France or setting out on a walking holiday for the first time.

The Loire is France’s valley of the kings, where you will find much of its history and see the great palaces and castles. It is the countryside that inspired Balzac, where Leonardo Da Vinci spent his retirement and where Joan of Arc fought some of the battles of the 100 years war.

The region is hilly but there are no prolonged ascents or descents and few steep gradients. Several of the days are however fairly long. This walk should present no difficulties for anyone in reasonable condition and accustomed to walking around 20 KM on generally good trails.

Duration: 8 days

You need to have a spirit for adventure, independence and self-management on this self-guided trip.

Activity	Hiking, Self-Guided
Country	France
Hiking Grade	Grade 2+ – Beginner Plus, Grade 3 – Intermediate
Season	04 – April, 05 – May, 06 – June, 07 – July, 08 – August, 09 – September, 10 – October

Itinerary

Highlights

~ Walk through history and the French Valley of the Kings!

~ Rolling French walking through famous Loire wine estates.

~ Contrasting ambiance of the Loire, Vienne, Cher and Indre Rivers and their Chateaux.

Day 01 Arrive Amboise

The old town of Amboise on the south bank of the Loire, still boasts the impressive remnants of what was a magnificent chateau as well as Le Clos Luce, a redbrick manor house that was the home of the great inventor Leonardo da Vinci for 3 years until his death in 1519. Chateau and Le Clos Luce (which incorporates a museum of models based on da Vinci’s designs) are both open to the public, each visit requiring approx. 1 hour.

Meal: nil

Stay: hotel

Day 02 Amboise – Chenonceau

Walking through the Foret d’Amboise to Chenonceau where you can have lunch and then spend the rest of the day visiting one of the very finest of the Loire chateaux, the ‘chateau shaped by women’ which ‘stretches across River Cher in a perfect harmony of water, greenery, gardens and trees in a fine natural setting’. A visit takes up to 2 hours.

Meal: Breakfast

Stay: hotel

Hiking Duration: 5 hours approx. Hiking Distance: 15.5 KM approx.

Day 03 Chenonceau – Montbazon

From Chenonceau, start with a short drive (included) through farmland from the valley of the Cher to that of the Indre and the village of Reignac. The route then follows the GR46 along the valley, through fields of sunflowers to the village of Montbazon on the edge of the city of Tours.

A highlight of the day is the ancient Gallo-Roman bridge, which carries the GR41 across a tributary of the Indre. The last part of the day from Veigne to Montbazon is rather suburbanised and can be avoided by taking a short taxi ride from Veigne to shorten the day to 20.5 KM, 5 hours approx.

Tonight’s accommodation which is situated on a bluff with a fine view over the River Indre.

Meal: Breakfast

Stay: chateau

Hiking Duration: up to 6.5 hours approx. Hiking Distance: up to 27 KM approx.

Day 04 Montbazon – Azay-le Rideau

Today there are 2 alternatives to choose from.

Option 1:
Follow the GR3 (long-distance trail extending the entire length of the Loire valley) from Montbazon along the banks of the Indre to the next night’s stop at the evocatively named Azay-le-Rideau. Along the way, there is time to visit the former home of the novelist Balzac (own expense) in the small chateau at Sache.

Option 2:
Hire a taxi (own expense, approx. EUR 45-55) to take you from Montbazon to the celebrated gardens at Villandry, one of the wonders of France. From Villandry, walk past the confluence of River Cher and River Loire and along picturesque woodland paths and quiet roads to Azay le Rideau.

Both Villandry and Azay are awarded the highest accolade of ‘worth a journey’ by the Michelin Guide. The son et lumiere display at the Chateau is highly recommended for a delightful and memorable, if relatively expensive, stroll after dinner.

The hotel in Azay-le Rideau is set in a semi pedestrian street in the heart of this charming village and just 50 metres from the elegant chateau. You will find here, the charm of the past combined with the comfort of today. The 18th century house was built in a style typical of the Tours area. One of the features of the hotel is the 19th century school, situated across the flower decked patio and which, like the rest of the hotel, has been tastefully transformed into delightful accommodation.

Meal: Breakfast

Stay: hotel

Hiking Duration: 6 hours OR 3.5 hours approx. Hiking Distance: 26.5 KM OR 14.5 KM approx.

Day 05 Azay-le Rideau – Chinon

There is time for a brief visit to the chateau of Azay (own expense), one of the gems of the Renaissance, before continuing your walk by way of the tiny village of St Benoit-la-Foret set in the midst of the vast forest of Chinon. A mediaeval town, Chinon is dominated by the walls of its ruined castle and the centre of a well-known wine-growing region.

Stay in an accommodation with the charm of an authentic dwelling-place built in the fifteenth century and modified in the eighteenth century. It is just a few hundred metres from the town centre, the medieval quarter and the chateau.

Meal: Breakfast

Stay: hotel

Hiking Duration: 7 hours approx. Hiking Distance: 27 KM approx.

Day 06 Chinon – Fontevraud

Allow yourself at least one to two hours to visit the chateau and its Jeanne d’Arc museum (own expense). Then continue your walk by crossing River Vienne and follow its left bank downstream for a few kilometres before striking off across the Foret de Fontevraud to the celebrated abbey of that name, the most extensive set of monastic buildings in France. The 12th Century abbey church houses the tombs of several Plantagenet royals.

A charming country house built with luminous limestone of the Loire Valley. The oldest part as well as the tithe barn dates to the 13th century. This agricultural estate was owned by the same family from the beginning of the 18th century. After being entirely renovated, they now receive guests in a fine, elegant and comfortable atmosphere.

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Stay: hotel

Hiking Duration: 4 hours approx. Hiking Distance: 16 KM approx.

Day 07 Fontevraud – Saumur

Continue your walk to Montsoreau, at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire, where the caves in the river cliffs are used for mushroom cultivation. From Montsoreau, continue through vineyards along the steep south bank of the Loire to Saumur, famous for its wines, cavalry school, and its chateau overlooking the Loire.

Meal: Breakfast

Stay: hotel

Hiking Duration: 5 hours approx. Hiking Distance: 20.5 KM approx.

Day 08 Depart Samur

Simply rest and relax until it’s time for your onward journey or check out (1100 hours) and the tour concludes.

Meal: Breakfast

Inclusions

~ 7 nights accommodation with ensuite facilities

~ 7 Breakfasts, 1 Dinner;

~ luggage transfer where necessary, 1 piece per person not exceeding 20 KG;

~ digital route notes & maps;

~ emergency hotline.

Exclusions

~ air travel to France;

~ travel within France;

~ visa arrangement (if required);

~ comprehensive personal travel insurance;

~ expenditure of personal effects;

~ meals not mentioned in the itinerary;

~ anything not specified in the itinerary and inclusion.

Important Notes

~ Non – refundable deposit, 30% of total tour price is required at the time of booking. Full or balance payment is 60 days prior to departure.

~ This self-guided trip is good for 1 hiker to go.

~ Should you require a visa to enter France, it is your responsibility to obtain such a document before departure.

~ Our utmost priority is always the safety of the hikers. Therefore inclusion of the itinerary may be altered due (not limited) to bad weather, local conditions, accommodation book out, the skill levels of the hikers and/or other unexpected circumstances beyond our control. We reserve the right to make changes necessary and there will be no refund should you decide to discontinue with the trip.

~ Because hiking requires a certain level of cardio and stamina exertion, it is not suitable for participants with chronic and/or acute disease. Please consider your physical condition before booking. Hikers must ensure they are medically and physically able to hike/walk.

~ Trip grading is an indication on the difficulty of the activities included. Preparation and engaging in regular exercise to maintain good physical condition and active lifestyle prior to the trip will be most beneficial in ensuring you have full enjoyment of the trip. We are glad to discuss your concerns and answer your queries.

~ All hikers are strongly encouraged to be appropriately dressed in the right footwear (covered hiking shoes) and attire suitable for hiking.

~ Every effort is made to ensure the trip and included experiences take place during the ideal time or period of the year, however certain sights are subject to weather conditions and seasonal variations that are not within the control of Travel Wander. Although you may get to see and/or experience, we cannot guarantee the sightings.

~ Provision of meals during the trip showcases local authenticity, cuisine and food culture of the places we are visiting. All food allergies and dietary restrictions must be disclosed to Travel Wander at the time of booking. We will use reasonable efforts to accommodate special requirements or requests but this is not always possible given the nature of the destinations visited and availability of options. We cannot guarantee that dietary needs or restrictions can be accommodated. Travel Wander is not liable for failure to accommodate or fulfil such requests. Meal supplementary charges may be imposed to meet your dietary needs.

~ If hiker presents difficulty in completing the hike of the day, we strongly discourage the hiker from continuing for the day with top priority on the safety of the hiker (and travel companions) in mind. The hiker can fast track to the next accommodation making use of public transportation (where available) or booking private transfer at hiker’s own expense. Hikers can use mobile applications such as Google Search, Google Map, etc. to source for fast-track options.

~ Hiker may choose to terminate the hike early during any time of the planned hiking day or make it a rest day, and fast track to the next accommodation by making use of public transportation (where available) or booking private transfer at hiker’s own expense. Should the hiker wish to partake in other activities or sightseeing on the rest day, it will be at the hiker’s own expense. Hikers can use mobile applications such as Google Search, Google Map, etc. to source for fast-track options.

~ There is no refund for uncompleted hiking distances or missed inclusions.

~ Purchasing comprehensive travel insurance is strongly recommended. See HERE for details.

~ By making a payment to Travel Wander LLP, you (and on behalf of the rest of travelling companions) acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to Travel Wander’s Booking Conditions and Other Important Information: Cancellation and Amendment, Modes of Payment, Privacy Policy, Indemnity Policy, and Terms & Conditions.

Vineyard Trails of the Loire Valley, 8 days