Our Freedom of Choice program offers flexibility, by allowing you to choose from different options on pre-selected days.
Our per person price includes one tour on each Freedom of Choice day, as follows:
- One "Freedom of Choice" tour on day 8
Expand the itinerary below for more details.
Please note, if more than one room is selected during the booking process, our team will contact you afterwards to discuss options.
Itinerary
Welcome to Paris! Take the TGV train from Paris-Gare Montparnasse to Tours. A private transfer will take you from the train station in Tours to the Hotel Le Choiseul in Amboise. Rest of the day is at leisure.
Overnight stay in Amboise at Le Choiseul Hotel.
Today, you will enjoy a small guided tour of three Chateaux of the Loire Valley. First stop is the Chateau of Blois, unique by its combination of 4 styles: medieval, gothic, renaissance and classical. Then, proceed to a tasting at an organic local winery, where you'll enjoy an exclusive and convivial tasting of Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny wines, King François the 1st 's favourite wines. Lunch is at leisure.
After lunch, take a guided tour of the Chateau of Cheverny, owned by the same family since the XIII Century. The Marquis Hurault de Vibraye, has succeeded in giving warmth and life to his chateau with its sumptuously furnished interiors. The Chateau, which led to the creation of Moulinsart, it’s comic book equivalent in Tintin, is also famous for the tradition of the horse-back hunt and its impressive pack of 100 dogs. You may have a chance to witness the spectacular daily dog feeding frenzy, known as the “La Soupe aux Chiens” (Dog’s soup).
Continue to the Estate of Chambord, a national game reserve at 5440 hectares, is the largest enclosed park in Europe. Take a guided visit of the Chateau de Chambord, a unique monument by its architecture and proportions. Leonardo da Vinci probably took part in the conception of the project. With more than 400 rooms and its double spiral staircase, Chambord is a highlight of the Loire Valley.
At the end of the tour, your guide will drop you off at your hotel.
Overnight stay in Amboise at Le Choiseul Hotel.
In the morning, start your day with a stunning tour of the Château de Chenonceau. Also known as the “Chateau des Dames”, it is famous for the great feminine figures who lived in it like Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medicis and for the beauty of its Renaissance gardens. You will be welcomed by Pascal and his team to his caves, the ancient tuff-stone quarries, for a tour followed by a tasting of 3 local wines. Then, it’s free time for lunch.
After lunch, you will tour the Royal Castle of Amboise, residence of Charles VIII and young François d’Angoulème, future Francois I. You will discover in this wonderful castle, a perfect example of transition from Gothic to Renaissance, the Saint Hubert Chapel which contains the grave of Leonardo Da Vinci. The tour would not be complete without taking you to meet The Genius in his Chateau du Clos Lucé, only a few short steps away from the Royal Castle. This is where Da Vinci spent the last three years of his life and passed away there in 1519. After touring his bedroom, office, reception room and kitchen, stand in awe at the Invention Room, where models of Leonardo's most spectacular machines are on display.
At the end of the tour, your guide will drop you off at your hotel.
Overnight stay in Amboise at Le Choiseul Hotel.
The Chateau of Azay le Rideau is one of the purest gems of Renaissance Architecture in the Loire Valley. Financier Gilles Berthelot’s Chateau, delicately placed on an island on the Indre River, still shines today thanks to the lightness and balance of its mullions, pepper pots, dormers and above all, its graceful staircase. We will be sure to let you admire the Chateau from every angle with a stroll around the English-style garden, a jewel-case of greenness for what is now considered one of the most beautiful “stone diamonds” in the Touraine.
Then, take part in a Wine tasting at an organic local domain. The wines of this estate are ideally spread out over the entire "terroir" covered by the appellation, from the gravel shores along the Loire River to the clay, limestone and sandy soils of the hills overlooking the valley. The red and rosé wines produced in the domain are presented under the appellation "Bourgueil" AOC. They stem 100% from the " Cabernet Franc" grape introduced by the monks of the Abbey in the 11th century. Lunch at your leisure.
Visit the best representation of everyday life in the Middle Ages, the Royal Castle of Langeais, built under King Louis the 11th, was the scene of the marriage of King Charles the 8th and Ann of Brittany. Discover amazing original sets of furniture and tapestries here in the spectacular Banquet and Wedding Halls.
The tour will bring you to most spectacular gardens of the Touraine: Villandry, with its diversity and originality such as Love Garden, Kitchen Garden, Aromatic and Medicine Plant Garden, Water Garden and the brand new Sun Garden and by its sheer size from15 acres to 1150 linden trees. Your guide will explain to you the ancient language of the Medieval and Renaissance garden, deepening you understanding of the healing powers of thyme and basil.
At the end of the tour, your guide will drop you off at your hotel.
Overnight stay in Amboise at Le Choiseul Hotel.
After breakfast, take a private transfer to the train station and board your TGV to Bordeaux, described as “an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble” and well-known to be the wine capital of the world!
Overnight stay in Bordeaux at Hotel De Seze.
You will start your day with a winery located along the Chateau Road. Enjoy a visit of the property and discover the technical installations so that you may understand the whole wine making process. After the visit, it will be time to experience your first commented wine tasting session. This will be a chance to gain an excellent understanding of the wines produced here, whether as an introduction to wines or to expand on your existing knowledge. Free time for lunch.
After lunch, we will return to Bordeaux. Along the way, we will stop in two different carefully selected wineries so that your full day wine tour from Bordeaux to the Medoc is complete. We will include different appellations. Left Bank Bordeaux wines include most renowned Châteaux like Châteaux Margaux, Palmer. As time allows, we will stop in front of renowned wineries such as Palmer, Margaux, Rauzan Segla, Cantenac Brown.
At 6.00pm, your guide will drop you off at 12 cours du 30 Juillet, (Bordeaux) which is just at 3 minutes walking from your hotel.
Overnight stay in Bordeaux at Hotel De Seze.
Enjoy a visit and wine tasting in a famous classified Growth Château of the Pomerol or Saint Emilion appellation. You'll start with the best of what Saint-Émilion and Pomerol region wines have to offer! Most of the great Saint-Emilion and Pomerol wine comes from the chateaux located on the côtes and the plateau. The côtes are the rich limestone hillsides that surround the picturesque village of St. Emilion, and the plateau has soils with limestone, clay, gravel, sand and iron deposits. The majority of the best Saint Emilion wine comes from the estates located on the plateau and the côtes right here and is why St. Emilion produces wines of richness, exotic textures and minerality.
Time to continue to the next winery Classified Growth Chateau in the Village. The visit will be followed by a commented tasting that will take place in the village and that will include wines from the surrounding appellations such as Pomerol, Cotes de Castillon, Lussac, Montagne or Saint Georges Saint Emilion. You will enjoy a guided tour of the village of St. Emilion, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, and then you'll enjoy some free time for personal exploration before we go to lunch. The village takes its name from a Benedictine Monk who went by the name of Emilian. He lived in the area and is responsible for commencing the creation of the uniquely designed, limestone church at the heart of the village. Today, Saint-Emilion is also famous for its fascinating romanesque churches and the ruins which stretch all along the steep and narrow streets, all punctuated with cafés and boutiques of the terroir.
In the afternoon, continuing with your discovery and experience, a third visit and wine tasting session takes place in a local winery of the Pomerol or Saint Emilion wine producing region. Here you'll encounter independent and passionate wine makers, with some hands-on learning about the living cultural heritage of Bordeaux’s wine: from grape varieties of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, to geology of the soil, the climate, and most importantly, the art of the wine making itself in this unique appellation. The tour will finish around 5:30pm at 12 cours du 30 Juillet, just 3 minutes walking distance from your hotel.
Overnight stay in Bordeaux at Hotel De Seze.
After breakfast, enjoy your pre-selected tour from our Freedom of Choice options below.
After, we suggest for you to discover the highlights of Bordeaux such as Place de la Bourse, Cathédrale Saint-André, Museum of Aquitaine.
Overnight stay in Bordeaux at Hotel De Seze.
Freedom of Choice Options
- Cité du Vin - Open ticket:
La Cité du Vin is a unique cultural centre dedicated to the universal, living heritage of wine. It offers a spectacular journey around the world, throughout the ages, across countless cultures and civilisations.
OR
- Boat Cruise (with aperitif and wine tasting):
Enjoy a river cruise to discover Bordeaux differently. With family, friends or colleagues, spend a convivial, relaxing moment aboard our boat. You will taste different, and carefully selected wines, going with fresh and regional products: tapas, breads and cheeses
Your package ends this morning after breakfast at the hotel.
Hotel options
Bordeaux
Located in the heart of Bordeaux, the Hôtel de Sèze is part of the great French hotel tradition with 55 rooms (including 3 suites) and plays the card of the cozy spirit with its services: the Comptoir De Seze Restaurant and its bistronomic cuisine, the Bar and its lounges , smoking room, and cigar cellar, the Spa , a true temple of well-being exclusively for customers. This elegant hotel proposes rooms that blend harmoniously decorated in the sprit of the 18th century with exclusive furnitures. The color and decoration of bold wallpaper deliver an intimate and cozy ambiance.
Amboise
Located at the edge of the Loire and at the foot of the Royal Castle of Amboise, homeland of Leonardo da Vinci, the hotel Le Choiseul is a charming house typically from Tours built in 18th century. The hotel enjoys an exceptional location in the heart of the Valley of Loire castles. Le Choiseul has 30 rooms of 5 different categories, from the most elegant apartment to the most delightful room. They offer pleasant views over the Italian garden, the Loire and the Château d'Amboise.
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Start your holiday when and with who you want! Our Independent Holiday Packages are NOT group tours with set departure dates. Available daily, they are pre-designed, purpose built, packaged itineraries full of memorable experiences delivered by our hand-picked local partners.
Our Freedom of Choice program offers complete flexibility allowing you to choose from a menu of different sightseeing options. The experiences offered are included in the package price, so all that’s left for you to do is choose and personalise your package!
Our Exclusive Packages have been carefully created with our preferred overseas travel partners with package inclusions on offer exclusively to Entire Travel Customers.
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