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Pre-Tour
Day:
Optional arrival in Saumur, settle
into hotel and stroll along the lovely banks of the Loire.
Day
1: (Hotel in Saumur)
Morning:
Walk through Saumur with tour of its fairy-tale château,
then explore the rest of this lovely town. Afternoon:
Discover some "maisons troglodytes" carved into the chalky
white tufa cliffs, among them the unique Trogo Tap Museum,
where a local family has revived the ancient art of preserving
apples by "tapping" them. Finally, tour the gracious medieval
village and Château of Montreuil-Bellay, established in
1025, or the lovely wine village of Montsoreau.
Day 2: (Hotel in Saumur)
Morning: Visit Angers, historic capital of
Anjou, home of the Plantagenets. In its formidable 13th-century
Château you will see one of France's finest medieval works, a
series of immense tapestries woven between 1375 and 1378 and depicting
in exquisite colors the story of the Apocalypse. Your visit will
include the beautiful rose garden next to the château and a scenic
stroll along the river. Afternoon: Visit the Jean
Lurçat Museum to see some of Anger's modern treasures. Optional
short bike ride or walk in the area.
Day 3: (Hotel
in Saumur)
 Morning:
Visit of the 12th-century royal Abbey of Fontevraud where
you will see the tombs of Eleanor of Aquitaine and her
son Richard the Lion-Hearted and explore the grounds of
this immense monastic site to see how it has evolved over centuries.
Afternoon: Time for exercise, optional visits of
wine cellars or one of the lovely private châteaux in the area,
possibly 11th-century Brézé, with its unique moat and underground
passages, its pigeon house and orangery. Time permitting, you
could see the famous trained horses or performances of Saumur's
cavalry school.
Day 4: (Hotel in Tours)
Morning and Early Afternoon: You will enjoy three
very different château experiences: first Villandry and
its unique Renaissance gardens, then the severe feudal fortress
of Langeais, with its imposing drawbridge and towers, and
finally the elegant 16th century Azay-le-Rideau, which
Balzac called "a multifaceted diamond set in the Indre (River)."
Day 5: (Hotel in Tours)
Morning: Walking tour of Tours. Discover
the elegant Renaissance and neo-classic mansions of the old town
and learn about the fascinating history of the city, which has
been an important metropolis since early Roman times. Afternoon:
Lunch and wine-tasting in the famous village of Vouvray.
Later visit the romantic château and gardens of Chenonceaux.
Day 6: (Hotel in Tours)
Morning: Brief visit to picturesque Amboise,
once home of King François I, followed by a tour of the Clos
Lucé nearby, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years
under the king's patronage. Here you will see working models of
Leonardo's inventions constructed by IBM from his mechanical sketches.
After lunch, you can tour the not-to-be missed and most extravagant
Château de Chambord, used by the kings of France as a hunting
lodge. Free time for walking or biking in this beautiful area.
Day 7:
Tour ends after breakfast.
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