The Loire, France’s longest river, glides peacefully between the grand chateaux and vineyards that line its banks. This is the historic heart of France, its Valley of the Kings. There are many chateaux and historic sites to visit on your active holiday and many wines and fine meals to enjoy on our walking and cycling trips.

Of necessity, we’ve made the pace of our walks and rides leisurely, like the gentle undulating terrain that is as easy on the legs as on the eyes. The novelist Balzac said he loved Touraine as an artist loves art, and we are sure that you’ll adore it too.

As a break from visiting Chateaux you can pass troglodyte caves, explore the vineyards and taste the wines of Touraine, Chinon and Saumur or visit the Gardens of Love at Villandry. Walking along the river banks, you’ll find water meadows shaded with willows and poplars, while away from the rivers glorious old forests abound.

Our fully supported, self-guided holidays are designed to bring you the highlights and hidden gems of this spectacular region. Join us as we discover Loire Valley!

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Find your Loire Valley trip

Loire Valley highlights

 

Why travel with us

Great Value & Quality Holidays in Loire Valley

Our active holidays in the Loire region are well priced offering great value for money. Included in your package are comprehensive route notes, maps & guide books along with bag transfers and independent accommodation. When you book, your trip will be fully organised by a dedicated member of our in-house team, so you will always know who you are dealing with. We take the stress out of organising your trip in France's Loire Valley.

Personal Experience in the Loire region

Our team have been walking and cycling in the Loire Valley for over 5 decades. We are passionate about France, active holidays and delivering exceptional service. Combined, we’ve travelled to virtually every corner of the UK & Europe and bring a multi-disciplined, multicultural and whole-hearted love of all things travel.

Local Connections in the Loire Valley

We place great emphasis on researching, planning and crafting innovative itineraries to ensure you get the very best experience out of your trip in France's Loire Valley. We believe relationships are important and have been working with many of our hoteliers and local suppliers for years. This means that they know exactly what our travellers expect.

Accommodation

Chateau hotels

Set on large grounds, these large French country houses or castles are often family run and named after the local wine. The building and rooms are often decorated to match the history of the building, complimenting the local food and wine experiences.

Charming local hotels

In the Loire region, we use a range of 2-3 star hotels, often family run. These charming hotels provide access to local living thanks to your hosts. The hospitality is generous and their local knowledge is invaluable. Where possible, we choose hotel locations that add to your experience.

Trip reviews

Essential information

Currency

Euro

International Dialing Code

+33

Electricity
Type C plug

Electricity in France is 230 Volts, at 50 hertz. The most common pin type is C. (2 round prong).

Visas

Visas not required for citizens of Australia, Canada, USA and New Zealand for up to 90 days in a period of 180 days for all Schengen countries (see www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/ for countries part of the Schengen). Please ensure your passport is stamped on arrival in the Schengen area. For all other nationalities and for longer stays in countries covered by the Schengen Agreement (Australian New Zealand, Canadian and US passport holders), please contact the relevant embassy. Stays of longer than 90 days in the Schengen area require a long stay visa for the country you are spending most time in. However long stay visas are unlikely to be issued unless there is a valid reason (eg. studying in country). Unfortunately we cannot assist in obtaining visas for long stays due to individual country visa requirements.

Safety

Your safety is our number one concern. Our safety track record is exemplary thanks to careful management and thorough consultation with local partners. Our industry leading risk management procedures have become a skill that we continue to refine. Our leaders in the field are highly trained and have safety as their number one priority. Expert leaders, risk assessments, quality inclusions and your financial security all come standard when you travel with us.

Please refer to our Travel Advisory page for updates on recent events, travel warnings and advice.

We strongly recommend that all clients take out travel insurance at the time of booking to cover against sickness, accident, loss of baggage, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption, emergency evacuation, cancellations, etc. Insurance information is enclosed with your pre-departure information. Please contact us if you would like to obtain a quote for your trip duration.

We suggest that you consult your doctor, local government inoculation centre or a travel medical specialist in order to get the most current advice regarding vaccination requirements.

Money and valuables should always be stored safely when travelling. Keep your passport with you at all times and do not leave it in your main luggage. You will need it to change money and check into hotels. Where safety deposit boxes are available, we recommend that you use them. Keep jewellery and valuables to a minimum.