Vineyards and Châteaux of the Loire Valley

Meeting at London St Pancras, we travel on the Eurostar to Paris. Crossing the city by coach, we take the train to St Pierre des Corps, where we make our final transfer to the village of Chenonceaux - our base for the next six nights.

• Dinner
• Eurostar Meal

We begin our exploration of the Loire Valley with a guided visit to Château de Chambord. With its elegant Renaissance architecture, turreted towers and glorious gardens, we're immersed in a world of French aristocracy as we tour this 16th-century masterpiece. Afterwards, we head to a private area of the château for an exclusive wine tasting amid regal surroundings. Another impressive stately home awaits us this afternoon as we continue to Château de Chenonceau. On arrival, you're free to wander the grounds, admiring the arches of the manor house which span the pretty River Cher, and wandering the recreated state rooms inside.

• Breakfast

We enjoy an exclusive excursion to Château du Petit Thouars, where we're met by the owners of this fairytale château - the Count and Countess du Petit Thouars. With the house having been in the family for nearly 500 years, they're expertly placed to give us a private tour of the rooms and gardens while entertaining us with family stories that have been passed through the generations. Afterwards, they take us to their vineyard, home to Cabernet Franc and Chenin blanc vines, before a visit the historic cellar, where the wines are aged, for a tasting. This is followed by a delightful picnic lunch. On our way back to Chenonceaux, we enjoy some free time Chinon, once a popular resort for the French royal family.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Your day is free to explore Chenonceaux further. A small village, with a permanent population of just 370 people, here you'll find an authentic slice of French life. You may like to take it easy and, after a stroll through the historic streets, filled with colourful, ivy-strewn houses, you could take a set at one of the family-run pavement cafés. A quaint destination that often feels like you've taken a step back in time, you may also like to stop by the charming town hall and Romanesque Church of St John the Baptist. If you'd like to go further afield, why not visit one of the surrounding wineries for a tasting and to stock up on gifts to take home?

• Breakfast

Our first stop today is Château de Villandry, a picturesque castle-palace set amongst some of the country's finest Renaissance gardens - made up of a variety of intricate water gardens and ornamental flowerbeds nestled amidst a myriad of maze-like hedgerows. We take a tour of the château and the world-famous grounds before transferring to the city of Tours. A World Heritage Site, Tours is home to an Old Quarter filled with half-timbered French townhouses and charming cobbled passageways, and also boasts a medieval cathedral - Saint-Gatien. With free time, you might like to explore Tours castle, the 'la Psalette' cloister or Saint Martin's Basilica.

• Breakfast

Transferring to the town of Amboise, we make the most of market day with a visit to the tempting stalls, filled with fresh local produce, followed by a tasting of the Loire Valley's famous meats and cheeses, which are paired with regional wines, as we admire the views over the Loire River. Afterwards, there's some time to look around independently. As the former home of Leonardo da Vinci, who died here in 1519, you may like to visit his former manor house, Clos Lucé, which is filled with some of his fascinating inventions, to walk in the footsteps of the master himself, who was so inspired by his scenic surroundings.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our Loire Valley holiday draws to a close and, after a final breakfast, we make the return journey by rail to London St Pancras.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Meal