See the bottom of this page to hear what our clients said about our previous Loire Valley tours

DATES: 2023 March 31st- April 6th (7 days/ 6 nights )

COSTS PER PERSON

A. 2 PEOPLE IN A CAR SHARING A HOTEL ROOM £1,950 per person

Due to the uncertainty of predicting future sterling to euros conversion rates the above prices are based on £1 =1.15€

At the time of paying your fees, there may be a currency premium to pay based on prevailing conversion rates.

SUMMARY

A 7-day car tour to the beautiful Loire Valley with 5 nights accommodation in a sumptuous 4-star Chateau hotel. Our Loire valley car tour starts with an afternoon ferry from Portsmouth to Ouistreham/Caen. We arrive in Ouistreham at 9.30 pm and our hotel is a mile from the ferry port. The next morning take a scenic route south to the Loire valley via Pegasus Bridge, Sees and Le Mans where we visit the Le Mans 24 hours museum. Our hotel for the next 5 nights is a stunning four-star chateau hotel, formerly the home of Prince Talleyrand, and is based, less than a mile from the river Loire itself. Over the next 4 days, we visit impressive chateaux, fascinating museums, beautiful gardens, atmospheric wine caves and other places of interest driving on scenic backroads in this beautiful region. Places we visit on our Loire Valley car tour include Chinon, Fontevraud Abbey, Saumur, Chateau Usse, Langeais, Azay le Rideau, Amboise, Chenonceaux, Bourgueil, Chateau Villandry and its gardens, the Maurice Dufresne museum and many more. Our return afternoon ferry is via Caen to Portsmouth.

DRAFT ITINERARY

Day 1  Friday 31st March

Afternoon ferry from Portsmouth to Ouistreham/Caen

The ferry leaves Portsmouth at 14.45 and arrives at Ouistreham at 21.30. Our hotel is less than a mile from the ferry terminal, see the photo below:

Day 2 Saturday 1st April

Ouistreham to St Patrice, Loire Valley (approx 220 miles )

After breakfast we drive for 5 miles to Pegasus bridge where we visit the bridge and famous cafe, the first house to be liberated during World War 2, see photos below:

Pegasus Bridge

 

Cafe Gondree, Pegasus Bridge

We then continue to Sees, our morning coffee stop which is famous for its twin-spired cathedral, see the photo below:

Sees Cathedral

Our lunch stop is Arnage, near Le Mans and after lunch, we visit the famous 24 hours Auto Museum next to the main entrance of the Le Mans 24 hours circuit, Musée des 24 Heures, see photos below:

 

We then leave Le Mans and head south on scenic backroads and great driving roads to our sumptuous chateau hotel, in the Loire Valley, our base for the next 5 nights Chateau de Rochecotte  (click on the name for a direct link to their website) in St. Patrice in the Loire valley, (see photos below).

 

Dinner, tonight, is in the hotel's restaurant.

Click here to see a video of a Morgan arriving at Chateau Rochecotte

Click here to see a video of the ground floor of Chateau Rochecotte

Day 3 Sunday, 2nd April 

St. Patrice/Candes St Martin/Fontevraud Abbey/Saumur/St. Patrice

Our car tour of the Loire valley commences with a drive west along the banks of the Loire which we then cross over onto a charming minor road to one of France's prettiest villages, Candes St Martin, (see photo below). Here we walk along the narrow streets to visit the wonderful 13th-century church and then we drive up to the amazing panoramic viewpoint on a hill overlooking the village and the confluence of the rivers Loire and Indre.

 

We then drive to nearby Fontevraud Abbey, the largest and most remarkably intact medieval abbey in France.

 

 

 

Founded in the 12th century by a visionary itinerant preacher who established a community of Benedictine monks, nuns, nobles, lepers, repentant prostitutes and vagabonds the eclectic mix of residents must have worked, as, under the rule of an abbess, female aristocrats came to live in Fontevraud to escape or to reject a life of materialism. Eleanor de Aquitaine, queen of Henry 11 of England, was one famous female who sought sanctuary here and her remains and those of her son, Richard the Lionheart, rest here, (see photos below).

 

We then visit Saumur our lunch stop, see photos below, where we can enjoy a stroll around the medieval streets.

After coffee, we visit the wine caves of Gratien et Meyer, a local wine producer.

There is then an option to visit a fascinating "tank museum" housing the world's greatest collection of military tanks.

After this, we return to our hotel in time to relax by the pool.

Dinner, tonight, is in the hotel's restaurant

Day 4 Monday, 3rd April 

St Patrice/Maurice Dufresne Museum/ Chinon/St Patrice (approx 60 miles)

We drive to Langeais and cross the River Loire and continue to the nearby Maurice Dufresne museum , our morning coffee stop, which has an amazing collection of mechanical exhibits including tractors, cars, tools, implements, guns and miscellaneous vehicles.

From here we drive to Chinon, our lunch stop.

After lunch, we can stroll around the charming streets of this medieval town

 

Continuing on scenic backroads we drive back to the river Loire via the picturesque," fairy tale" Chateau of Usse (see photos with red Porsche on the bridge below), overlooking water meadows and the river Indre. Its romantic white turrets pointed towers and chimneys were the inspiration for Charles Perrault's story Sleeping Beauty.

We then continue along the banks of the Indre on a wonderful winding quiet river road to Langeais where we cross the Loire and drive 5 miles back to our hotel Chateau de Rochecotte in St.Patrice.

Dinner, tonight, is in the hotel's restaurant

 

Day 5 Tuesday, 4th April 

St Patrice/Azay le Rideau/Chenonceaux/Amboise/St Patrice (approx 120 miles)

Today we visit the world-famous Chateau Chenonceau, approximately 50 miles to the east.

Our morning coffee stop is a chateau hotel formerly the home of the founder of the Coty perfume empire.

 

 

After coffee, we continue along quiet country roads to Chenonceaux where we visit the amazing Chateau Chenonceau which is constructed over the river,( see photos below ).

 

After our visit, we then drive a few miles north to Amboise where we visit the "royal" Chateau of Amboise, (see photo below)

We also visit the nearby Chateau du Clos Luce where Leonardo de Vinci spent the last three years of his life as the king of France's engineer and friend. The chateau houses a museum dedicated to Leonardo's life, (see plaques below) and you can also stroll around the peaceful gardens which contain examples of his work.

We then drive back to our hotel along the north bank of the river Loire through Vouvray and Tours.

Dinner, tonight, is in the hotel

Day 6  Wednesday, 5th April 

St Patrice-Langeais-Villandry-St Patrice (approx 40 miles)

Today we drive 5 miles east along the river Loire to nearby Langeais, our morning coffee stop where we can visit the chateau with its authentic contents and furniture and a world-class collection of tapestries.

 

We then leave Langeais, driving over the bridge

Our lunch stop is Azay le Rideau, where you can visit the world-famous chateau

After lunch, we drive a few miles east on quiet roads to the Chateau of Villandry, the last great Rennaissance chateau built in the Loire Valley. Here we visit the world-famous and magnificent gardens.

Upon leaving Villandry we return to St.Patrice where at Chateau de Rochecotte we can relax by the swimming pool on the final day of our tour.

Dinner tonight,, the last of the tour tonight, is in the hotel's restaurant

Day 7 Thursday, 6th April 

St Patrice- Caen Ferry, approx 200 miles

Today, on the final day of our Loire valley car tour, we say 'au revoir' to the Loire Valley and head north to Caen for the afternoon ferry. Our scenic route is via La Chartre-Sur-Le-Loir, our morning coffee stop, where we stop off at the Hotel de France the headquarters of the Aston Martin, Le Mans racing team in the 1950s and 60s, (see photos below).

Over coffee, you can browse through the nostalgic pictures of Le Mans legends that line the walls of this famous hotel. After coffee we head north to Sees our lunch stop, see photos below:

After lunch, we head to the port of Ouistreham/Caen for our 16.30 ferry to Portsmouth, (arrives Portsmouth 21.15).

HERE'S WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAID ABOUT OUR PREVIOUS LOIRE VALLEY TOURS

 

2017 LOIRE VALLEY TOUR

"We can hardly find the words to portray what a wonderful week we have had in your company. It was just brilliant in so many ways. Exceptionally well thought out, a wonderful place to stay, lovely visits and of course great company. Anyway, thank you both so much for all you did to make it such a brilliant trip. We will be sure to come with you again so will keep an eye on the things you have planned."

John and Pippa: Bledlow Buckinghamshire: Jaguar E Type: ( new clients)

"What a great Tour. The best we have been on! ( and we've done a lot)  Both of you made us very welcome and that ensured that the group gelled so well. We had a super time and your attention to detail was impressive."

Brian and Heather: Saxthorpe, Norfolk: Jaguar XK150 S:  ( new clients)

FOR MORE CLIENTS' FEEDBACK ON THIS TOUR SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE

2016 LOIRE VALLEY TOUR

"Thanks to you both for hosting another memorable tour, we had a great time."

Chris and Dorothy : Doncaster: Fiat Barchetta: ( repeat clients )

"I just wanted to thank you both for organizing a great week.  We came with some reservations, worried that it would be a little “thin” after our regularity rallies.  But we thoroughly enjoyed it and it was good to spend more time seeing the sights.  And the conversation in the evening was more wide-ranging than the usual rally post-mortem about navigational mistakes etc.I hope we get the chance to do another of your tours."

Alan and Helen: Sunbeam Alpine : ( new clients)

"Hi, Brian, just a quick note to say a big thanks for an excellent tour. Given the number of ice cream stops we will be back for more! "

John and Maureen: Porsche 911 Targa:  (repeat clients )

LOIRE VALLEY TOUR 2012

"Thanks for another great holiday, great organization, great routes, and great people! We're looking at next year's tours already !"

Derek and Jude: Warwickshire: Morgan +4 ( repeat clients)

"Just a short note to thank you for our brilliant holiday! It was well organized and we met some really interesting people. Everyone was friendly and the hotel was great and the food was lovely. We are sure to come on another of your holidays in the future !"

Dick and Heather: Porsche 911 Turbo: Harrow Weald, Middlesex ( new clients)

"Thank you for organizing such a brilliant tour, we both thoroughly enjoyed it and will look at next year's events with interest! "

David and Margaret: Mercedes SLK 320: Chester le Street:

LOIRE VALLEY TOUR 2011

"We had a really great time thanks to your arrangements and hospitality. Fantastic week, with lots of great people and a great location. We will look forward to seeing you on another tour". 
Simon and Elizabeth, Bentley 3 Litre

"Rosemary and I would like to thank you for a superb holiday. Everything was wonderful, it was a pleasure to be in such delightful company and it was really no hardship being with so many
foreign cars. The brief interludes at your property were especially enjoyable and made the whole event quite unique. Thank you for all your care and attention to detail and your consequent hard work.
We trust we behaved well enough to be allowed to attend on a future occasion."
John and Rosemary, Jaguar XK150S

"Many thanks for a lovely time and for your efforts in organizing a memorable tour."
Raad and Nada, Mercedes SL55 AMG

"Gillian and I had a really great time, thanks to your excellent organization, enthusiasm, and general bonhomie. The 'drinks at home' were an added bonus, and supplemented the outstanding facilities at Rochecotte. This was a really good tour for us to choose as an introduction, and we are sure we shall repeat the idea sometime in the future. The balance of chateaux, fabulous gardens, some great drives (particularly the one on Saturday to the coffee break at La Chartre Sur Le Loir), and interesting landmarks were just perfect. We enjoyed everyone's company, and look forward to seeing you all on another venture sometime." 
Peter and Gillian, Jaguar XK8

"Gladys and I had a great time due to your excellent planning of the tour, the enjoyable company of all participants, the generously offered "drinks at your home" and, last but not least, the facilities at Chateau de Rochecotte. For sure you can count us in for some future Classic Car Tour and we look forward to meeting some of the participants once again."
Peter and Gladys, Mercedes SL 350 (Luxembourg)

"I won't repeat that which everyone else has written, but I would certainly like to second their enthusiasm for the holiday. It was great to have the itinerary so well organized, enabling us to relax and enjoy, rather than worry and plan. We also really appreciated the effort behind the final product, such as the general literature/brochures, the pace notes nicely bound in a file and the commemorative plaque that now sits in front of me in my study. Many thanks, Brian and I am confident that we shall meet again on another tour." 
Roger and Janine, Mercedes SL 350

"After this superb week in the Loire with such a pleasant party and under a friendly but always on-the-ball organization you have assured us all, we will not add but confirm all the good marks the participants have unanimously expressed. We hope to meet up again soon with you on the Italian lakes tour and we hope to participate in some other event you will organize, sure to find friends we had the pleasure to make in this Loire Tour."

Giancarlo and Sandy, Porsche 911 Carrera (Switzerland)

"Fabulous trip"
Alec and Sonia, Porsche 996 C4S

"Thank you once again for a lovely tour we both enjoyed it immensely. Looking forward to the next tour !"
Gavin and Sally, JBA Falcon

"Maurice and I would like to thank you for such a well-organized Tour, we really did enjoy it. The Hotel was lovely, the food was excellent, and all the lovely places we visited were beautiful.
A holiday is not a holiday without the lovely company and people you share it with, everybody was so friendly and fun to be with, also it was so nice of you to invite us all to your lovely home we had such good evenings there. Thanks once again and we hope to meet up again on another Tour in the future."

Maurice and Sheila MG TF