Escape no. 03 · Loire Valley

Chenonceau
& the Loire Valley

Duration2 Days · 1 Night
Flight1h from Paris
Travellers1 to 3

A château that bridges a river. A royal town where Leonardo drew his final sketches. The Loire Valley in two days — the way it was always meant to be seen, from above and from within.

Three names that shaped France — a château, a king's town, and the workshop where Leonardo spent his last years.

The Château de Chenonceau is the most visited château in France after Versailles — and the only one to span an entire river. Six arches over the Cher, a gallery 60 metres long, gardens that haven't changed since Catherine de Médicis walked them. It is a place that earns its reputation.

Ten kilometres north, Amboise sits above the Loire on its rocky promontory, the royal residence where French kings grew up and Italian artists came to die. Among them: Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his final three years at the Clos Lucé, a manor house at the end of a tunnel that connected to the king's château. His last notebooks are here. So are his machines, built to scale.

Two days is exactly enough to do all of it properly — and fly home before Sunday evening.

Itinerary · Forty-Eight Hours

From Paris to the Loire, and back again.

A draft itinerary, shaped around your interests and the season.

Day One

Paris to the Loire Valley

Flight · Chenonceau · Amboise · Dinner
08:00

Pick-up · Central Paris

A private car collects you and drives you to our airfield. Coffee, the flight plan, and a clear morning over the Île-de-France.

09:00

Wheels up, southwest

We follow the Loire westward from altitude — the river silvering through the valley, châteaux appearing below like scattered chess pieces. Chenonceau is recognisable from 1,500 feet: nothing else bridges a river quite like it.

10:00

Landing · Loire Valley airfield

A short transfer straight to Amboise — the royal town that sits above the Loire on its rocky promontory, fifteen minutes from the airfield.

10:30

Amboise · arrival

A walk through the old town — the royal château on the rock above, the Loire below. Your guide sets the scene: Amboise was where the French kings grew up, and where Leonardo came to die.

12:30

Lunch · Amboise

A table in the old town overlooking the Loire. Rillettes, goat's cheese, a Vouvray white from three kilometres away.

14:00

The Clos Lucé

Leonardo da Vinci's home for the last three years of his life, connected by underground tunnel to the royal château. His studio, his bedroom, his notebooks — and in the garden, his flying machines built to scale. One of the most quietly extraordinary places in France.

16:30

Amboise old town

A walk through the troglodyte streets, past the royal château and its chapel where Leonardo is buried. Your guide knows which viewpoint the guidebooks miss.

19:00

Dinner

A Michelin-listed table in Amboise or the surrounding valley — Loire pike-perch, Touraine lamb, and a wine list that barely needs to travel.

22:00

The night is yours

Your five-star property awaits. The Loire at night is very quiet.

Day Two

The valley, and home

Morning · Châteaux · Flight to Paris
08:30

Breakfast

Slow and unhurried. Warm brioche, local butter, strawberry jam from the château garden.

09:30

The other châteaux

A morning drive through the valley — Chaumont, Cheverny, or Villandry depending on your interests. The Loire has 42 châteaux classified as World Heritage. We will not try to see them all. We will try to see the right one.

12:30

Lunch · Vineyard table

A final meal at a domaine — Chinon, Bourgueil, or Sancerre if you want to push east. The winemaker joins us for a glass.

15:00

Back to Loire Valley airfield

We pre-flight while your luggage is loaded. The Loire fades behind us as we climb northeast toward Paris.

16:00

Our airfield · Paris

Your car is on the apron. You are back in central Paris before the end of the afternoon.

Good to Know

A few practical notes.

The weather

In the rare event we cannot fly safely on your chosen date, we will offer you a free date change or a full cancellation at no charge — whichever you prefer.

Your luggage

One soft cabin bag per traveller (up to 10 kg). Large suitcases stay in Paris. There is always room for a bottle of Vouvray in the hold.

Best season

April through October. June for the roses at Chenonceau, September for the vendange, October for the light over the valley. All four seasons have their argument.

Children & comfort

We welcome travellers aged 5 and older. Noise-cancelling headsets provided for all passengers. The Loire Valley is one of the most child-friendly regions in France.

Booking & payment

No deposit required. Payment is made on-site at departure — once skies are clear and your flight is confirmed. We believe flexibility is part of the service.

What's included

Round-trip private flight, five-star accommodation, one Michelin dinner, all château admissions and guided visits, private transfers throughout, and all meals listed in the itinerary.

Pricing

From €2,325 per traveller.

Inaugural pricing · All-inclusive · Available through December 2026

Reserve This Escape
The other escapes

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If châteaux and vineyards are not your weather, our first escape ventures west — to the granite ramparts of Saint-Malo and the medieval abbey of the Mont-Saint-Michel.

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Saint-Malo