Day 1-2: Amboise
Arrival in the royal town on the Loire. The château at opening time, before the crowds, then Leonardo da Vinci’s Clos Lucé and an evening walk along the river.
Day 3: Chenonceau
The château of the ladies, spanning the Cher — visited early, interpreted by a local historian. Afternoon among the gardens and the quiet backwaters.
Day 4-5: Vouvray & Chinon
Lunch with a winemaker in his troglodyte cellars carved into the tuffeau stone. Cycling between vineyards, tastings at the source, and Chinon’s medieval fortress above the Vienne.
Day 6: A Château That’s Still a Home
A final morning in a family-owned château — breakfast with the owners, their stories, and the Loire as an art of living rather than a checklist.
Bonus: Private early-access visits at two châteaux — the rooms to yourselves.