We did the half day Chinon wine tour and the full day Chateau tour with Daphne. Both tours were…read moreamazing! Daphne did such an amazing job not only with her knowledge and information, but the way she set the scene for each stop. Whether it was coffee and croissants in the morning, wine and cheese tastings by candlelight, lunch by a fire in a beautiful private Chateau or wine and food pairings overlooking a beautiful chateaus, Daphne always had a delightful surprise waiting for us. Amazing. Stongly recommend. Daphne was also quick to respond to emails with questions and helped me with the planning of my time,

We did the full day chateau tour to Villandry, Azay le Rideau, and L'Islette and loved it! Daphne…read morewas a great guide!!

Just about the best winery experience you can have - 3 hours of touring vineyards, caves, and…read moretasting Vouvray wines from Vignoble Alain Robert while learning about the grape growing process as well as wine making, cave storage, sparkling wine finishing, etc. Myriam is amazing and not only knows the winery (her husband runs it) but also speaks perfect English and used to be a teacher. Especially if the weather is good, you really can't beat this tour - it may be a bit less personal on weekends when there can be up to 10 people on the tour during high season but for our Tuesday visit it was just two of us and Myriam was as gracious and informative as can be. After finishing up the tour you'll taste a number of Alain Robert wines and also taste through about 10 local specialty foods from cheese to pate to even a cake with preserved fruit. The only thing you'll need to worry about is how many bottles of this excellent wine you'll want to take home and whether you can fit it into your luggage! You'll need a car to get there, but this tour is highly recommended. Just about perfect!

From the owner: Prestations oenotouristiques dans les vignobles de Vouvray et de Touraine : balades commentées dans…read moreles vignes, visites de cave, dégustations-découvertes des vins de Loire. Wine tours in the Vouvray and Touraine vineyards including guided walks in the vines, tours of rock-hewn cellars, Loire wine tastings.

There's the Maison de Tourisme, sort of down the street, where you mostly book tours and whatnot…read more Then there's this, the Centre de Tourisme, which is much bigger and hidden away (even though it's in pain view and well marked). I came in looking for bus schedules (check) but no gain schedules or maps that I could find (boo). Lots of mini booklets suggesting where to visit. They're great, if you know the area names (which I don't). Most things are closed this time of year anyway, it seems (February). There's a bathroom to use, they'll let you store your stuff, and will book a room for you if need be. They also pointed me to the Mediathèque sort of behind them for power and free Wi-Fi. Score! Great service, just not a lot going on when I visited.

From the owner: la plus petite des grandes villes Située dans un environnement géographique enviable, la ville est…read morefacile d'accès, à mi-chemin sur l'axe Paris -Bordeaux. Caractérisée par la jeunesse de sa population (environ un habitant sur trois a moins de trente ans) et par la densité du nombre d'étudiants (près d'un poitevin sur quatre), Poitiers est dotée de tous les équipements et services inhérents à sa fonction de métropole régionale : importantes infrastructures de transport, Université pluridisciplinaire et autres établissements d'enseignement supérieur, grandes administrations, services aux entreprises, pôle de recherche scientifique, hôpitaux, équipements culturels et sportifs de qualité, animations, festivals... L'un des atouts majeurs de Poitiers c'est bien d'offrir tous les avantages d'une grande cité sans en subir les inconvénients : ville verte, ses dimensions sont humaines et sa qualité de vi(ll)e préservée.

A word of warning to anyone considering an Acco Dispo tour…read more Acco Dispo shares on their own website "The first reservation of two-people minimum can choose the tour itinerary." Since our tour, they have added the clause "Some programs will require a minimum of 4 people." None of this is true. We were visiting the Loire Valley for only 1 full day, and were very intentional about the sights we wanted to see. After doing our research, we decided to book an Acco Dispo tour. We attempted to book on March 23, only to be told that they schedule their tours 1 month out. To be sure that we could choose the itinerary for our given date, July 16, we submitted our reservation at midnight on June 16. Acco Dispo responded, confirming our reservation for the desired itinerary. In the month leading up to our trip, other guests expressed interest in an alternate itinerary on July 16. So as to not lose this additional business, Acco Dispo changed the itinerary (despite guaranteeing that we would be able to choose the itinerary) and then poorly communicated the change in schedule. It wasn't until we had already departed for the day's activities and had left the pick-up point that we learned we would be visiting other sites. Our carefully planned and intentional holiday was ruined. We were entitled to a full refund as we didn't receive the experience that we paid for. Still, I attempted to compromise, and only requested a partial refund, as we did ultimately visit chateaux that day, just not the ones we had intended to see. Acco Dispo refused to refund any of our payment, and has kept the full amount for themself. Unfortunately, there seems to be few tour agencies in the Loire Valley offering a similar service to Acco Dispo, and thus they can run their business in such a dishonest, disingenuous manner. I encourage other tour operators to consider establishing a competing business and operate with honesty and principles. I also encourage anyone considering booking with Acco Dispo to use caution. While they say you can choose the day's itinerary, they may change it unexpectedly, thus ruining your carefully planned holiday. Acco Dispo will likely respond to this review, disputing these claims. I'm happy to provide our email correspondence as proof of everything I've shared here.

We had a wonderful time with Pascal of Acco-Dispo's mini van tour company we found through our Rick…read moreSteve's guide to France book. Pascal was very knowledgeable, not only about the chateaus in the area, but off the surrounding area past and present. We had a lot of good advice and special group rates to get tickets to each château. I can't say enough about the ease and enjoyment we found on this adventure through Amboise and the Loire valley.

Chateau and garden is one of my favorite. This chateau is famous on the very well maintained…read moregarden. The chateau was built 1536. This is the actual chateau without castle. It listed as UNESCO world heritage site for their landscape. The chateau has 14 rooms to visit. I like the drawing and study room. It has a grand piano in that room. The office of Joachim Carvallo is the location he plans his vegetable garden. The dining room has a checker board marble floor. The Prince Jerome's bedroom is Napoleons youngest brother. The red silk reflects military lance. There table in front of the bed has decorative surface. The garden is huge. There are total 7 sections. This includes Ornamental, Wood, Water, Sun, Maze, Herb and Vegetable Garden. The ornamental garden is my favorite. This garden has multiple colors. The edge of each tree or bush corner was perfectly trim. Picture perfect. I wish my lawn care company can do this.

Surprisingly this ended up being my favorite chateau out of our 2 day visit in loire valley. We…read moreonly toured the Jardin but that alone was still quite lovely. Villandry boasts some of the best, if not the best Jardins in the region. Signage is well posted so you can understand what is being grown and the trimming is immaculate! The castle itself is beautiful, complete with running water in front outside. Definitely worth the visit even though it's in the other direction as compared to the other chateaus. This was also the only chateau we found with free parking, which we appreciated!

The Château de Chenonceau is a historic French castle known as the "Château of the Ladies" due to…read moreits influential female owners throughout its years. Located in the Loire Valley, it is famous for its elegant architecture, which includes a gallery built over the River Cher. The château features rich Renaissance furniture, tapestries, and master paintings. This Château also paved a pivotal roll during g WWII as its walls helped move Jews out of occupied France to free France during the war. It also has a unique connection to the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence, Italy. You'll have to visit to find out more. Additionally, the château's iconic gallery was built across the River Cher as an add on to the existing Château. Its interiors are richly decorated with works by artists such as Tintoretto, Rubens, and Van Dyck. Notable rooms include the bedchambers of Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de' Medici, and Louise de Lorraine. The gardens are exquisitely decorated and it's worth spending some time in them. You will need to book your tickets in advance as this Château is one of the most visited and they need it to control the flow of visitors. Be aware it also takes some time to travel, and once parked, to get to the Château (about a 20 minute walk). Enjoy this visit. I have seen it three or four times and always enjoy it!

This French castle spanning the River Cher is an opulent chateau in the Loire Valley of France…read more Built in 1513 to 1517 by Thomas Bohier for his wife Catherine Biconnet. This stunning Renaissance and Gothic architecture is the style of the women who owned and shaped it. The formal gardens are exquisite. The powerful ladies of the Chateau also included Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici. The present day owners are the Menier family, famous for their chocolate. In 1539, King Francis the 1st acquired the estate. Later, King Henry the 2nd decided to offer it to the Queen. Our tour started with a wine tasting of three different wines actually grown on the estate. The fairytale like castle and the story of Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty may have been the inspiration. The rooms and the kitchen in the basement are well preserved. It was a lovely experience.