Loire Valley Castles: Guided Visits and Sightseeing Tours

If there is one visit not to be missed during a visit to Paris, it is the Loire Valley castles. Only a few hours away from the French capital are these prestigious buildings of the French Renaissance, vestiges of an era when aristocrats showed off their wealth and a desire for architectural innovation of the Kings of France. Paris City Vision offers you passes and tickets for numerous guided tours and sightseeing tours of these Loire castles, to be done in one day from the city of Paris or in the form of tours lasting several days in the Loire Valley to admire the most beautiful historical buildings and discover with your family the magnificent landscape of an area listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Dive into the heart of a royal era, and make your stay an unforgettable moment of discovery of each castle and each fortress which draw the landscape of the Loire Valley.

Discover the most beautiful castles in France

Paris City Vision tours allow you, from your hotel or place of residence in Paris, to leave by bus with a guide interpreter to discover the most beautiful castles. Children and adults will be seduced among other treasures by the famous castles of Amboise, Chenonceau and Chambord or the castle of Tour, Cheverny, the gardens of Villandry, the Clos Lucé, the last home of Leonardo da Vinci, the estate of Chaumont, a jewel of the Renaissance, or that of Fougères-sur-Bièvre.

Monuments with unique architecture

The castles of the Loire Valley each have their own history and are distinguished above all by the uniqueness of their architecture. Chambord Castle, fashioned according to the wishes of Francis I between the 16th and 17th centuries, has an admirable geometric architecture mixing French and Italian influences. Francis I did not have the opportunity to enjoy the completed Chambord Castle, as its construction was not completed until several years after the date of his death. But his involvement made him the emblematic figure of the castle, in which we find many tributes to the king. However, the latter will see the castle of Azay-le-Rideau built under his reign, a true masterpiece of 16th century architecture. As for the Chaumont-sur-Loire castle, it received the first prize in the lighting competition awarded by the SERCE for the specificities of its architectural lighting. Its lighting allows for a precise vision of its details seen up close, while a more powerful cold light highlights the building and makes it easy to discern in the distance.

A family visit to the Loire castles

These extraordinary buildings lend themselves perfectly to family tourism: children and adults alike appreciate the beauty and enchantment of the places, but also the secrets they hold and the history they tell. Everyone takes as much pleasure in admiring the different exterior facades as in discovering the different details inside each room. Summer, spring, autumn or winter, each period has its advantages: the forests of Sologne or Loir-et-Cher are for example magnificent in autumn and highlight the parks and residences. The tours we offer are also an opportunity to get a breath of fresh air, each park offering a real green setting.

Your tickets will allow you to access the different sites freely and to visit the castles with priority access, without having to face the inevitable queues of these tourist sites which welcome more than five million visitors each year.

Discover our multi-day tour offerings

Multi-day tours will allow you to visit a wider variety of sites south of Paris and appreciate the specificities of each castle, both architecturally and in terms of context: hunting park, landscaped gardens, banks of the Cher River... A Loire Valley sightseeing tour is also the ideal way to optimize your travels, while ensuring a restful night in a comfortable 3-star hotel. This type of tour is especially recommended if you are traveling with your children. To taste all the aspects of the region, why not take advantage of your visit to do a Loire wine tasting? Play the card of originality! You can even book your tickets at the best rate on the dates of your choice, for small groups or privatize the tour combining the wine discovery and the guided tours of the castles of Chenonceau and Chambord.

Find all our excursions from Paris

Finally, if the length of your stay allows it, don't hesitate to check out the Paris City Vision offers to take a 2, 3 or 4-day tour from Paris, and go on a discovery of both the most beautiful Loire Castles, but also of Normandy, the cities of Rouen, Saint Malo and Honfleur, the D-Day landing beaches and the Mont-Saint-Michel, another curiosity accessible in a short time from Paris, famous for its green coast and its abbey. Book your dates now and get the best price for your ticket!

Sightseeing tour in the Loire: visiting the must-see

Find a list of some of the most beautiful castles in the Loire Valley and enjoy an exceptional stay that promises a real trip back in time to the era of the French royal court. We particularly recommend the following visits:

• Chambord Castle
• Cheverny Castle
• Chenonceau Castle
• Castle of Villandry
• Clos Lucé
• Amboise Castle