Chambord and Chenonceau Loire Castles Day Trip from Paris

Château de Chambord, the jewel of the Loire

Château de Chambord was begun in 1519 as a royal hunting retreat and is the largest castle in the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. Its white limestone facade, round towers and a roofline crowded with chimneys, lanterns and turrets make it look like a city in the sky. Inside, the famous double-helix staircase lets two people climb at the same time without ever meeting, a design long linked to the great Italian minds of the Renaissance.

With skip-the-line entry you have about 75 minutes to explore the royal apartments, the hunting rooms and the rooftop terraces, where the view stretches over the largest enclosed forest park in Europe. Your tour leader shares the castle's history on the way, so you can visit at your own pace once inside. A Chambord day trip from Paris is usually hard without a car, which is why this coach tour is so popular.

Blois, a royal town on the Loire

Between the two castles you have about two hours of free time in Blois, a historic town climbing the banks of the Loire. Its streets of half-timbered and stone houses lead up to the Royal Château of Blois, which several French kings used as a residence, and to the Cathedral of Saint-Louis with its views over the river.

Lunch is not included, which gives you the freedom to choose. The cafés and restaurants around Place Louis XII, at the foot of the château, serve everything from quick sandwiches and crêpes to full French menus. Many travellers also take a walk across the old stone bridge over the Loire for a classic view of the town's rooftops and spires.

Château de Chenonceau across the River Cher

Château de Chenonceau is the most photographed castle in the Loire Valley, built in the 16th century on the foundations of an old mill and extended across the River Cher by a graceful gallery on arches. It is known as the Ladies' Castle because a succession of remarkable women built, enlarged and protected it over four centuries.

During about two hours with skip-the-line entry, you visit the richly decorated bedrooms, the chapel, the gallery over the river and the vaulted kitchens built into the piers of the bridge. During the First World War the gallery served as a hospital, and in the Second World War the river marked a dividing line across France. Outside, the formal gardens, the maze and the farm make Chenonceau worth visiting in every season.

The Loire Valley countryside

The drive from Paris takes about two hours and 45 minutes, crossing the wheat fields of the Beauce before reaching the forests and river landscapes of the Loire. The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated for its castles, historic towns and gentle scenery that earned it the name of the Garden of France.

Your tour leader uses the journey to tell the stories of French royalty, noble families and the Renaissance, so you arrive at each castle knowing what to look for. The best time to visit the Loire castles is from April to October, when the gardens are in bloom, though the crisp light of late autumn and the quiet of winter have their own charm.