Playground of the Kings: Châteaux of the Loire Valley
Early Autumn, TBD
Enchanting scenery, fairytale châteaux, and royal Renaissance luxury in the Loire Valley. Experience “la douceur de vivre” – the sweet life – in the Playground of the Kings.
Journey two hours south of Paris into the lush Loire River Valley, where sunflower fields and rolling vineyards serve as the backdrop to an inspired tour. We explore the legacy left by France’s great Renaissance kings and queens. This ancient and storied region, also known as the “Playground of Kings” boasts dozens of magnificent châteaux, immaculate gardens, and a history weaved with colorful characters. Get to know the Loire Valley through intimate tales of kings, queens, mistresses, and artists. Visit castles associated with Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc, and Leonardo Da Vinci; walk where history-changing battles unfolded; and see the sites where plenty of royal scandal went down. It’s no coincidence the Renaissance royals chose their former hunting lodges in the agriculturally rich Vallée de la Loire to build their over-the-top pleasure palaces.
As an alternate nickname suggests, the ”Garden of France is a cheese and wine lovers paradise, so our meals capitalize on the bounty of the Loire with special wine tastings and sampling of seasonal, local regional cuisine. Spend a week in royal resplendence as your docent – Wanderlust Tours owner, architectural historian, and travel writer- Shawnie Kelley brings to life the pageantry of the past in the Playground of the Kings Legacy Tour.