Have you ever dreamed of staying in a castle in the Loire Valley? Ever dreamed of frolicking in fields of wildflowers while horse graze in the distance next to a babbling brook filled with woodland critters? If you said yes, this blog is for you, my friend. You can make all your princess fairytale dreams become a reality in the French Countryside of the Loire Valley. And the craziest thing of all, it won’t break the bank.
Getting to the Loire Valley
First things first, lets chat about getting to the Loire Valley. It is surprising easy to get here! All you’ll need to do to fly into Paris and then take a short 1 hour, 45 minute train out to Tours. From there, I would recommend renting a car. Make sure you specify ahead of time if you would prefer an automatic, these are not the go-to option in Europe. The French drive on the right side of the road like the majority of Europe too. So, if you’re coming from the United States, this is an easy transition. I prefer getting a car in Tours versus Paris because it’s just easier to navigate driving in a small town versus a city like Paris. From Tours, set your navigation system to Amboise and you are on your way!
Amboise
Amboise is the perfect place to begin your adventure. This is a lovely town with lovely, kind French people and the most delicious food you could ever imagine. Now, you can travel all throughout the Loire Valley to view the incredible chateaus and drink the most amazing French wines, but we decided to stay right outside Amboise and just soak in every moment without the need of a constant schedule. By the way, get the potage here, it is amazing.
Château des Arpentis
This is the most magnificent castle and the one we stayed in! Not only was it shockingly affordable, but it was truly magical. Light pink roses adorn the front of the castle while weeping willows sway in the summer breeze. The ground is carpeted with tiny yellow flowers. The castle’s backdrop is rolling pastures with grazing horses. It also has a hidden wine cave that leads to the pool.
Château De La Bourdaisière
This is another lovely option in the Loire Valley. This is a 15th century castle fully equipped with a restaurant and a continental breakfast.
Le Clos d’Amboise
This historic castle is surrounded by a large, lovely garden in the heart of Amboise. Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci’s final residence, is a museum that is 0.6 mi from this hotel! You will be in the heart of everything with this one.
Château de Perreux
Another option is staying at the Château de Perreux. This castle dates back to 1701 and is surrounded by a 12 acre park. You’ll love strolling around the castle grounds with a glass of rose in hand.
If you are wanting to live out all your fairytale dreams, there is absolsutely no better place to do it than the Loire Valley. If you go, please DM me on Instagram and let me know!
Talk soon,
Rach