Tours → France
9 Days / 8 Nights · Private · Max 30 Guests
Versailles to the Loire — where French power built its most beautiful stages.
French Castles Tour
From $4,999 per person
★★★★★ 4.9 · 272 Reviews on TripAdvisor
At a Glance
A 9-day all-inclusive private tour through the chateaux of Paris and the Loire Valley — from Versailles and Fontainebleau to Chambord, Chenonceau, and the village where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years.
Three nights in Paris and four nights in the Loire Valley — the garden of France — make this tour a masterfully paced journey through French royal history and Renaissance splendor. Your Paris experience begins with a welcome dinner in Montmartre, followed by Versailles Palace with its legendary gardens and fountains, and panoramic views from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.
The route south passes through Fontainebleau, the royal hunting lodge enlarged by Francois I, and Orleans — liberated by Joan of Arc in 1429 — before arriving at your Loire Valley base: the Chateau de Razay in Cere La Ronde, a castle built at the end of the 15th century set amid 85 acres of grounds and woodlands.
Four days in the Loire reveal France's most celebrated chateaux: Chenonceau stretching across the River Cher, the enormous Chambord with its double-helix staircase, Royal Chateau de Blois spanning the 13th to 17th centuries, and Villandry with its famous Renaissance gardens. Along the way, you'll explore Amboise and visit Manor Clos-Luce where Leonardo da Vinci lived as King Francis's honored guest.
The tour returns to Paris for Notre Dame Cathedral, the stunning 13th-century stained glass of Sainte Chapelle, and a Seine River cruise before a farewell dinner near Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Highlights
✦Versailles Palace with gardens and fountains
✦Eiffel Tower second-floor panoramic views
✦Chateau de Chenonceau stretching across the River Cher
✦Chateau de Chambord — the largest Loire chateau
✦Royal Chateau de Blois — residence of several French kings
✦Chateau de Villandry and its Renaissance gardens
✦Manor Clos-Luce — Leonardo da Vinci's final residence
✦Fontainebleau royal hunting lodge
✦Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte Chapelle stained glass
✦Seine River cruise through Paris
✦4 nights at Chateau de Razay, a 15th-century castle hotel
Your Journey
France tells its story through its châteaux. From the overwhelming scale of Versailles to the intimate elegance of Chenonceau stretching across the River Cher, every palace reveals a chapter of ambition, romance, and artistic genius. This journey moves from the grand theaters of Parisian power to the gentle Loire Valley, where Renaissance kings built their dreams among vineyards and forests.
Day 1 · Departure
Day 2
Versailles & Eiffel Tower
Versailles unfolds its impossible grandeur — the Hall of Mirrors, the gardens engineered by Le Nôtre, the fountains that once performed for kings. Later, the Eiffel Tower's second-floor panorama puts all of Paris at your feet as the light changes.
Versailles / Paris
Hotel in Paris
Breakfast
Paris → Versailles: ~45min
✦Versailles Palace & Gardens
✦Eiffel Tower Second Floor
Day 3
Fontainebleau, Orléans & Loire Valley
Fontainebleau is a different kind of royal — a hunting lodge that grew into a palace under François I. The drive south passes through Orléans, where Joan of Arc's spirit still lingers, before the Loire Valley opens wide and your château hotel welcomes you for a four-night stay.
Fontainebleau / Orléans
Château de Razay
Breakfast, Dinner
Paris → Loire Valley: ~3h
✦Fontainebleau Palace Tour
✦Orléans — Joan of Arc's City
Day 4
Chenonceau, Amboise & Clos-Lucé
Chenonceau is unlike any castle in the world — its arches reflected perfectly in the River Cher, a palace shaped by the women who loved and fought over it. The afternoon brings Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years as a guest of the king, tinkering and dreaming in the Manor of Clos-Lucé.
Chenonceau / Amboise
Château de Razay
Breakfast, Lunch
✦Chenonceau Palace Tour
✦Amboise Castle Tour
✦Clos-Lucé — Leonardo da Vinci
Day 5
Cheverny, Chambord & Blois
Three châteaux in one day, each with its own character: Cheverny's classical symmetry, Chambord's staggering scale — the largest in the Loire — and Blois, where centuries of French kings left their mark in buildings spanning four hundred years of architecture.
Chambord / Blois
Château de Razay
Breakfast
✦Cheverny Castle Tour
✦Chambord — Largest Loire Château
✦Royal Château de Blois
Day 6
Villandry & Tours
Villandry's Renaissance gardens are living art — geometric patterns in box hedge and flower that shift with the seasons. The afternoon wanders through Tours, where fifteenth-century timber-framed houses line the Place Plumereau. A medieval village dinner closes the day.
Villandry / Tours
Château de Razay
Breakfast, Dinner
✦Villandry Gardens Tour
✦Tours — Place Plumereau
Day 7
Paris — Notre Dame & Seine Cruise
The return to Paris brings Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, where thirteenth-century stained glass creates walls of light. A Seine cruise at golden hour lets the city's landmarks drift past one final time. A farewell dinner near the airport carries the warmth of a week spent in the company of French genius.
Paris
Hotel near CDG
Breakfast, Dinner
Loire Valley → Paris: ~3h
✦Notre Dame Cathedral
✦Sainte-Chapelle
✦Seine River Cruise
Day 8 · Return
A last morning in the city of light. Croissants, strong coffee, and a transfer to Charles de Gaulle with the quiet satisfaction of having seen France at its most beautiful.
Paris
Breakfast
✦Airport Transfer
What's Included
✓Door-to-door transportation throughout the tour
✓7 breakfast buffets
✓Welcome dinner in Montmartre and additional dinners with beverages
✓7 nights accommodation (Paris 3 nights, Chateau de Razay 4 nights)
✓All chateau, palace, and cathedral entrance fees
✓Seine River cruise tickets
✓Inside visits at all chateaux (not drive-by tours)
✓Tour director services throughout
✓Airport transfers from/to Charles de Gaulle Airport
✓Money-back satisfaction guarantee
✓Free cancellation up to 24h before departure
✗Air fare
✗Personal expenses
✗Lunches
✗Gratuities for driver and local guides
✗Some dinners on free evenings
Love what you see? Tell us your preferred dates — we'll tailor every detail to your group.
Plan Your Journey →Our Promise
Money-Back Guarantee
Not satisfied? Full refund. We've been doing this since 2004 — it hasn't happened yet.
Flexible Booking
Change dates up to 30 days before departure. Life happens — we get it.
No Hidden Costs
The price you see includes everything. Entrance fees, transport, guide — no surprise extras.
Secure your dates with just $500 deposit per person.
Your Guide
Alessandro & Team
Born in Füssen at the foot of Neuschwanstein, Alessandro grew up with castle stories as bedtime tales. A historian by training and a storyteller by nature, he and his carefully selected team of local guides have accompanied thousands of guests through Central Europe's most remarkable places.
Per Person Pricing
2 Guests
$4,999
4 Guests
$4,299
6 Guests
$3,949
All-inclusive — accommodation, private transport, guides & entrance fees
Your Next Step
Make This the Trip You'll Talk About for Years
Tell us your preferred dates and group size. We'll craft a personalized itinerary — no payment required until you're completely satisfied.
Plan Your JourneyNo payment required. We'll design a draft itinerary — free of charge, no obligation.
Peak season (June–September) books out 4–6 months ahead.
Common Questions
Door-to-door transportation throughout the tour, 7 breakfast buffets, Welcome dinner in Montmartre and additional dinners with beverages, 7 nights accommodation (Paris 3 nights, Chateau de Razay 4 nights), All chateau, palace, and cathedral entrance fees, Seine River cruise tickets, Inside visits at all chateaux (not drive-by tours), Tour director services throughout, Airport transfers from/to Charles de Gaulle Airport, Money-back satisfaction guarantee.
The French Castles Tour is a 7-day private tour. Including arrival and departure days, plan for 9 days total.
Starting from $4999 per person (based on 2 travelers). Group discounts available for 4+ and 6+ travelers. Secure your dates with a $500 deposit per person.
