How long to drive to loire valley from paris

Evening and night at Relais de Chambord. For a memorable night in the Loire Valley, book a room at Relais de Chambord on the castle grounds. Located in the heart of the Domaine National de Chambord , where King Francois I used to hunt, get ready to experience French Art de Vivre in this boutique hotel with a restaurant and wellness area. Click here to book your night at Relais de Chambord. Morning in Chambord. After an excellent and leisurely French breakfast, take the time to explore the Domaine de Chambord.

The grounds here have an area of 5, hectares, which is equivalent to the city of Paris! With more than 20km of paths open to the public, you can also hike in the forest or explore the Cosson River that borders Chambord on a self-drive boat no boating license required. Afternoon in Blois. After exploring the Domaine de Chambord, drive to Blois, where you will spend the night. For your night in Blois, the Hotel Louise de Savoie is a good option with a central location, comfortable rooms furnished with traditional furniture, and optional private parking.

Click here to book your night at Hotel Louise de Savoie. Blois is a beautiful city with remarkable architectural and cultural heritage. Its Old Town is very compact, and you can easily explore it on foot.

The building has four wings built in four different architectural periods: Gothic, Flamboyant Gothic, Renaissance, and Classical. The small town of Amboise is compact and easy to explore on foot. Leonardo da Vinci came to live in Amboise in , invited by King Francois I, who became his patron. The house has a small museum displaying working models of his designs.

Fancy some wine tasting? With the exception of Chambord, most of the castles have free parking. Cars can be rented from almost all the major cities, Tours, Amboise, Blois, and Orleans.

Book your car rental early, especially if you are traveling during high season June-September. You can check car rental rates here. As mentioned earlier, it is possible to visit the Loire Valley by public transportation especially if you plan to see the popular castles.

This option does require some planning as you need to time your visit correctly as it may be harder to do on specific days. See visiting the Loire Valley on a day trip from Paris section for more information. Regardless of your fitness level you can bike through the Loire Valley as the terrain is mostly flat, also many bike rental companies rent out electric bikes.

Bike rental companies can be found in every town, at railway stations, hotels, and dedicated shops. The region spans miles, so figuring out the best accommodations in Loire Valley can be a daunting task. For a quieter and more charming alternative, Amboise or Blois is your place.

Blois however, is a bit less well known but perhaps the better option. For the best deals on accommodation in the Loire Valley check out Booking.

Another unique place to stay in the Loire Valley is in a troglodyte cave. A troglodyte cave is built out of limestone and was once used as a wine cellar because of its low and consistent temperature. Now, many have been transformed into private residences and hotels. Discover more troglodytes on Airbnb! Nonetheless, here are three options for seeing the Loire Valley as a day trip from Paris. Please Note: The suggested itineraries are based on the shuttle bus and train schedules, so times are subject to change.

This guided tour visits some of the best castles in the Loire Valley and comes highly recommended. From Blois there is a shuttle bus, Navette Route 41 which takes you from the train station to Chambord , Cheverny and Beauregard , and conveniently leaves you pretty much at the footsteps of all the castles.

During peak season months, mid July to September, the shuttle runs everyday, however from April to November it mostly just runs on Wednesdays, Saturday, Sundays, and holidays, so plan your trip accordingly. The shuttle corresponds with the am train from Paris Austerlitz and is designed so that you can visit Chambord in the morning and Cheverny in the evening, with plenty of time in between to explore and have lunch.

With over three hundred castles to explore in the Loire Valley, deciding which ones to visit can be a difficult task. To help you figure out which castles are worth your time, here is a list of some of the best castles in the Loire Valley and what makes them special.

You can buy your skip-the-line ticket to Chenonceau here. It is here on the rooftop, where visitors can get breath-taking panoramic views of the entire property including the gardens and park.

Speaking of Tintin, you can also visit the 3D Tintin exhibition on the grounds. With all of these fun things to do, Cheverny is definitely a great castle to explore with kids. Some pieces you might like while others you might find bizarre, nonetheless, this gives Chaumont its own charm.

The display of flowers and colors are a sight to see! Inside the castle, you can get a glimpse into the royal residence of several French Kings during the Renaissance, while on the grounds you can explore the must see Chapel of Saint-Hubert where Leonardo de Vinci is said to be buried.

Amboise can easily be visited as a day trip from Paris by train. This is one of the few times I will ever recommend taking a car to get between cities in France, but driving from Paris to the Loire is actually an easy, quick way to go. Also, having a car gives you the freedom to easily travel between castles and allows visitors the flexibility and ease of being able to see numerous castles in the same day and during the same trip.

From Paris, the drive to Tours takes about hours depending on the traffic situation in Paris. Another option is to take the train to Tours and then rent a car and see the various castles from there. If you do decide to see the main castles of the Loire in just a day or two, these guided bus tours are probably one of the easiest ways to see the most in a limited amount of time unless you prefer to rent a car and drive it yourself.

Visit the ZE Bus website for more information.