Feel like Queens & Kings in the Loire Valley "castles country" and discover it's amazing history, typical limestone villages and relax by the Loire river.
My husband and I have both been to Europe multiple times in our school/college days but not since we've been married- so over 19 years! We finally got it together to plan a return …
My husband and I have both been to Europe multiple times in our school/college days but not since we've been married- so over 19 years! We finally got it together to plan a return trip together. Since it had been so long we weren't confident in planning it on our own but didn't want to be hearded around like cattle. Anyway, we found Emilie and she made our trip more than amazing! Absolutely one on one attention, custom just for us and no detail overlooked. We felt everything was covered from tips on visiting France to suggestions on EVERYTHING!
We spent three weeks and drove a counter-clockwise route around the country with stops in: Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Dordogne, Carcasonne, Provence, Burgundy and Paris. From car and cell phone pick up at the airport to accomodations, drive times, suggestions on where to eat, activities, admission fees...Emilie covered it all.
In addition you get a beautiful travel size book (or two!) with pictures, tips, itinerary, contact info and anything else you might need for a successful trip.
We even contacted her because we were running late for a scheduled activity. She got in touch with the venue and gave us an alternate time to participate.
All accommodations were beautiful with friendly hosts. Car was great with full insurance. Full cell service with texting.
Can't say enough about France Just For You. An absolute gem for foreigners travelling to France.
Royal Journey in the Loire Valley
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Your accommodations
Pictures of the specially selected accommodations
#1 - A gorgeous private castle near Le MansEnjoy a luxury stay in a gorgeous mansion near Le Mans
#1 - A gorgeous private castle near Le MansRelax in a family-owned boutique-hotel
#1 - A gorgeous private castle near Le MansExperience "la vie de chateaux" !
#1 - A gorgeous private castle near Le MansHave you already tried a candle-light dinner in France ?
#1 - A gorgeous private castle near Le MansYour hosts and their staff will take a great care of you
#2 - A restored historic home in the center of a lively townA historic home, in the center of a lively wine town
#2 - A restored historic home in the center of a lively townrelax in a large room
#2 - A restored historic home in the center of a lively town...in the courtyard or the guests living room
#2 - A restored historic home in the center of a lively townShare breakfasts with other fellow travelers
#3 - A gorgeous private castle in the LoireStay in a fairytale castle in the Loire Valley
#3 - A gorgeous private castle in the Loiresettle in a very spacious room, overlooking the park
#3 - A gorgeous private castle in the LoireRelax in one of the guests' reading rooms
#3 - A gorgeous private castle in the Loireif you are not too scared, take the underground passages to the swimming pool !
Step by step
Overnight in Le Perche near Le Mans
Pick up the rental car in Paris downtown or at CDG airport (or another location) and drive about 2hr30 to 3 hours to the Perche region, which is just North of the Loire Valley.
Recover from jetlag in a luxury family-owned Boutique-Hotel...and enjoy a fantastic candle-light dinner "at home". La vraie vie de château !
From this area of France, a lot of people emigrated in the 17th century to the New World. Maybe you have some roots there?
Western Loire Valley
You will spend the following 3 nights of your journey comfortably settled in a beautiful historic home nestled in a lively town, by the river. Your host will be happy to make many recommendations about wineries, wine bars or restaurants to experience the Touraine sweet life.
Located on the banks of the Vienne River, you will jump back to the Medieval times and learn about Joan of Arc history with a private guide. At night, one of the best restaurants in the area is less than a 1-minute-walk.
You will also wander off the beaten path into tiny villages dotted along the Vienne and Loire rivers and get a taste of French gastronomy in restaurants and local markets that we have tested for you.
We also plan for you to visit a small winery where you will wander around the whole estate and taste several wines with a guide.
Eastern Loire Valley
On your way back to Paris, treat yourself with the last 3 nights in a charming and romantic Renaissance castle, near Amboise lively town.
We will craft your days for you to enjoy a bit of everything the Loire Valley has to offer: famous castles to hidden beauties, lovely towns and farmers markets, quiet strolls in unique gardens...
Included in this itinerary is a guided Segway tour of Amboise historic town. A very fun way to discover its history, architecture and wine ! If you don't feel like doing a segway tour, no problem, we can plan otherwise.
We hope you will have a very romantic week !
Activities included
A Winery Visit & Tasting in Chinon
Visit a Chinon winery run by a charming couple who come from generations of winegrowers.
Enjoy a commented tasting of the wines with some local-product snacks.
Guided Tour of Chinon
Explore Chinon medieval town with a private guide who will take you on Joan of Arc footsteps.
Guided Tour of Amboise on a Segway
Visit the historical town of Amboise a very fun way....on a Segway ! From the castle to the Loire river, from the old town to a nice wine cellar.
We did 2 weeks May to June to Normandy, Loire Valley and Paris and had a wonderful time. We gave Laura our list of must see and do items and our budget and she took care of the rest. From arranging our auto rental to providing suggestions to the French smart phones, everything was taken care of and good not have been easier. When our car got a flat …
We did 2 weeks May to June to Normandy, Loire Valley and Paris and had a wonderful time. We gave Laura our list of must see and do items and our budget and she took care of the rest. From arranging our auto rental to providing suggestions to the French smart phones, everything was taken care of and good not have been easier. When our car got a flat tire Laura was available to us every step of the way translating for us and making arrangements for a new car to be delivered. We loved her suggestion for a French cooking lesson and had a great time with our hostess making a meal in her own lovely home. The wine tasing in troglodyte cave was another wonderful suggestion of her. Wonderful memories we made!
Matt from Australia
A "Pinch Me" Tour. Expertly organised. We just spent the most wonderful month in France on our honeymoon curated by Laura and Emilie in such a way that we felt we experienced the very essence of France. From the Loire Valley, through the Biarritz area, the Basque region and finally to Provence. The itinerary gave us so many "pinch me" moments that …
A "Pinch Me" Tour. Expertly organised.
We just spent the most wonderful month in France on our honeymoon curated by Laura and Emilie in such a way that we felt we experienced the very essence of France. From the Loire Valley, through the Biarritz area, the Basque region and finally to Provence. The itinerary gave us so many "pinch me" moments that we lost count.The whole trip was just what we wanted, traveling at our own pace, selecting where we wanted to go and when, expertly guided by the FJFY personalised app which included so many fantastic day trip options from each of our accommodations, all of which have been tried and tested by Laura and Emilie. We can't think of a better way to have traveled and cannot recommend France Just For You more highly.
Debbi
We worked with Emilie to craft a 10 day trip that customized one of the trips on their website and were wonderfully pleased with our whole experience. The b&b hosts and various guided events we participated in all treated us wonderfully and were clear that Emilie had visited & vetted each property (and even rooms!) The personal tour book we …
We worked with Emilie to craft a 10 day trip that customized one of the trips on their website and were wonderfully pleased with our whole experience. The b&b hosts and various guided events we participated in all treated us wonderfully and were clear that Emilie had visited & vetted each property (and even rooms!) The personal tour book we received to follow allowed us to choose our activities in each area (Paris, Normandy & Loire Valley), but gave us Emilie's thoughts on her favorites - she has excellent taste! We highly recommend working with France Just For You and would do it again ourselves in a heartbeat!
