Monet’s Garden & Chateaux of the Loire by Rail

Day 1: UK/Paris
Your journey to France couldn’t be easier as you step aboard the Eurostar in London St Pancras or Ebbsfleet this morning. In little more than two hours, you’ll be in the French capital and heading to your hotel north of the city, your base for the next three nights.

Day 2: Chateau de Chantilly
Join your Tour Manager today for an included half-day excursion to the stunning Chateau de Chantilly. Renowned as one of France’s finest 18th century buildings and surrounded by forest, the Chateau houses an art collection that’s quite breathtaking. Equally magnificent are the gardens, with their mirror-like man-made geometric ponds and carefully sculpted lawns.

Day 3: Giverny
When artist Claude Monet moved to the pretty village of Giverny in 1883, he could not have predicted quite the impact his gardens would have on the art world. You’ll enjoy an included full-day excursion to Giverny, which gives you plenty of time to explore both his house, where Monet lived until his death in 1926, and the gardens, which the artist both improved and painted many times over the years. Perhaps the most famous alteration Monet made to the property was the addition of the Japanese-style water garden. Take a wander over the pretty green footbridge as you admire the water lilies floating in the still pond below you – you can almost imagine yourself in one of Monet’s paintings, as the bridge and the water lilies are arguably two of his most famous subjects.

Day 4: Orléans
Today you will leave the Chateau de Maffliers behind as you journey southwards through the French countryside to Orléans, stopping en route at the magnificent Palace of Versailles to admire the spectacular gardens. After some free time, continue to Orléans.

Famous as the home of Joan of Arc, Orléans is a historic city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – it’s also your base for the next three nights.

Day 5: Chateau of Villandry
Today join your Tour Manager on our included full-day excursion through the stunning Loire Valley to the Chateau of Villandry. From the highly manicured ornamental gardens, to the astoundingly well-stocked kitchen garden, the Chateau’s surroundings are simply incredible. The Renaissance splendour of the gardens has been restored to its original beauty, and you’ll have plenty of time to explore the grounds independently, perhaps hunting out the odd private corner, or just taking in the natural beauty all around. Return to Orléans via medieval Chinon, with its winding streets that are calling out to be explored. Discover the pointed roofs that top half-timbered houses sat in the shadow of the castle.

Day 6: Chateau Chenonceau
The Loire Valley is rightly famed for its impressive Chateaux, and today you will visit what many would claim is the most majestic and stately of all – Chateau Chenonceau. Built across the River Cher, which surrounds the Chateau like a mirror, Chenonceau has a regal past that’s fascinating to uncover. The formal gardens are elevated, which gives you an excellent view of the Chateau and the surrounding area.

If Chateau Chenonceau is the Loire’s quintessential castle, then Amboise is the must-see town. Nestled on the banks of the Loire River, Amboise was once home to artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, and his house in the town is a must-see sight.

Day 7: Orléans/UK
It’s time to leave the beautiful Loire Valley behind today as you journey by coach back to Paris, where you’ll board the Eurostar back to London St Pancras or Ebbsfleet.

Please note
To maximise your enjoyment of this holiday a certain amount of walking is essential.

Accommodation throughout is in hotels of a comfortable standard, typical of the hotels you will stay in are:

4-star Novotel Chateau de Maffliers
Just 15 miles north of Paris this pretty hotel has a restaurant, bar, sun terrace, indoor swimming pool, small gym, sauna, tennis courts and a lift. The guest rooms, located in a neighbouring building, all have en suite facilities, TV, tea and coffee-making facilities, mini-bar and telephone.

4-star Novotel Orléans Saint-Jean De-Braye in Orléans
This modern hotel, located just 4 miles from the centre of Orléans, has a bar, restaurant and outdoor swimming pool (usually open May-September). The comfortably furnished guest rooms all have en suite facilities, TV, telephone, mini-bar and tea/coffee-making facilities.

Hotels will be confirmed in your final documentation.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Included excursions and visits

Chateau de Chantilly (half day)
Monet’s Garden (full day)
Versailles Gardens
Chateau of Villandry & Chinon (full day)
Chateau Chenonceau & Amboise (full day)

Your holiday includes

Standard-class return rail travel by Eurostar
Overseas transfers and other transportation
6 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast
The services of a Travelsphere Tour Manager
Hotel porterage (one bag per person)

With 50 years’ experience in arranging escorted tours to exciting destinations across the globe, Travelsphere have built an excellent reputation founded on quality and value.

By choosing a Travelsphere escorted holiday you can travel with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your holiday has been carefully planned and arranged from start to finish. Further to this they are ATOL bonded and members of ABTA.

Travelsphere’s thorough planning of travel arrangements, itineraries and accommodation combined with the unique insight of their knowledgeable Tour Managers and Local Guides will enable you to experience the culture, traditions and hidden away places less accessible to other travellers.

Our Opinion
“Travelsphere are one of the biggest names in the Escorted Tour market. Finely tuned over the last 50 years their tours have been tried, tested and refined by thousands of customers.”