Nature & HeritageTHE LOIRE VALLEY IN ANJOU
5 days Day 1: YOUR REGION – LOIRE VALLEY
Arrival at NANTES or ANGERS airport or train station and pick-up by our driver. Coach transfer to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
Option: Guided tour of Cointreau Museum followed by a tasting session. Cointreau is a liqueur made by the distillation of sweet and bitter oranges. Learn about how Cointreau has become a world success brand over the last 150 years through the educational and cultural tour.
NEW: The Plant Park Terra Botanica – An experience like no other Day 2: ANGERS and its Château – TERRA BOTANICA
Breakfast. Guided tour of the city of Angers and its castle. Built by Saint Louis around 1230, this imposing fortress (2000 m2) flanked by 17 towers offers an astonishing panoramic view of the Maine and the town. Inside the ramparts, you will find the 106-meter long Apocalypse Tapestry, displayed in a specially designed museographic area. Lunch in a “crêperie” to taste local specialties. In the afternoon, visit of Terra Botanica, the first ever interactive plant adventure park. A fun and educational trip through the world of plant life. With almost 110,000 m2 of gardens, aquatic parks and greenhouses, and almost 40 attractions and activities, the park is a multidimensional showcase of flora from the 6 continents, offering a unique experience. Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay. ALTERNATIVE: To replace the visit of Terra Botanica:
Guided tour of the Mine Bleue. Close to Angers, visit of an old slate mine at 130-meter underground. Discover the work and the way of life of the pit workers with a sound and light show. On the knoll, you will learn the work of slate splitting and participate in many other animations.
Day 3: SAUMUR and its Cadre Noir – FONTEVRAUD-L’ABBAYE
 Breakfast. Departure to SAUMUR for the guided tour of the National Riding School whose teachers are none other than the famous “écuyers” of the Cadre Noir of Saumur. Only school of its kind in France with more than 400 horses, one of the largest stables in Europe… We carry on with the guided visit of the Cave aux Moines and its mushroom culture. You will discover a “troglodyte” house, a breeding of snails and several varieties of mushrooms. Lunch will be served in the galleries of the cellar where you will taste some “fouées” (regional specialty). Departure to FONTEVRAUD-L’ABBAYE for the guided tour of the Royal Abbey. Located in the heart of the Val de Loire region, royal necropolis of the Plantagenet’s family, the Abbey of Fontevraud is striking both for its size and its originality. The majestic 12th century abbey church shelters the recumbent figures of Richard the Lion Heart, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Henry 2nd Plantagenet. At the end of the day, guided visit of a sparkling wine cellar followed by a tasting session.
Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
ALTERNATIVE: To replace the visits of the Royal Abbey and the cellar:
Visit of the Doué-la-Fontaine Zoo Bioparc. Excavated out of the soft Anjou rock, this zoo offers its animals and visitors a troglodyte setting that is truly exceptional, combining luxuriant vegetation with spectacular settings. In an area of 14 hectares, more than 800 animals, bred here to preserve their species, highlight both the dangers facing the natural world and the solutions which the zoo’s team has successfully implemented on the ground.
Day 4: RETRO-TOURISM – MAULÉVRIER and its Oriental Park
Breakfast. Departure to YZERNAY, a village close to CHOLET, for an extraordinary excursion. Climb into old cars dating from 1920-1935 and a coach from 1952 with bodywork from before the war, used in a number of famous films, such as Peau d’Âne, Graine d’Ortie, Commissaire Maigret... Then set off on a magnificent tour: the Forêt de Vezins, the Château de Villefort, the Cimetière des Martyrs, Péronne Lake... After a short break, the tour will continue to the Château du Bois de Saint-Louis and the Château Colbert before heading back to the coach. Transfer for the lunch. Departure to MAULÉVRIER, guided visit of the Oriental Park, the largest Japanese garden in Europe, laid out by Alexandre Marcel between 1899 and 1910. The only one of its kind in the extraordinary richness of its vegetation, Oriental architectural setting (Khmer and Japanese), its design and symbolism, the exhibitions of bonsais and ceramics, the joys of the garden area (music, smells, etc.). Return to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
ALTERNATIVE: Gastronomic lunch in the lounges of the Château Colbert.
Day 5: LOIRE VALLEY – YOUR REGION
Breakfast then coach transfer to NANTES or ANGERS airport or train station.
End of our services.
Option: Guided tour of the Château de Brissac followed by a wine tasting of the property. Taller than the royal castles of France, Brissac, with its seven stories and 204 rooms has been nicknamed “The Giant of the Loire Valley”. The ornate golden ceilings, the Flemish and Gobelin tapestries, the furniture and paintings collected by the family all throughout the centuries, an exceptional 19th century opera house, all unite promising a fascinating visit.
INCLUDED:
- Tour in a luxury long-distance coach (package with transport).
- 3* hotel accommodation(1) in a double room.
- Full board from dinner day 1 to breakfast day 5.
- Drinks with all meals.
- Tours and visits mentioned in the program.
- One free booking for every 40 participants.
NOT INCLUDED:
- Single room supplement.
- Cancellation and assistance insurances.
(1) 2* hotel or accommodation in château available on request. Ask us for details.
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