This region is best known for wine & castles!! Everyone just goes to France for Paris, but I like things more off the beaten path so I decided to do a whole roadtrip of it.
✨Before Paris, you’ll make your way through the Loire Valley where it’s known for some of the most unique castles & where A LOT of wine in the world is made!
I stayed near Tours in an air bnb & I felt like that was a good home base. Around there is where the most castles / vineyards are. If you want to go inside of the castles you need to pay, but otherwise just visiting the outside is free & wine tasting at the vineyards are free too! I love this area in particular because it’s very local, not as touristy, & you’ll get an authentic experience.
Some things you can do are:
— Visit Chateau Chenonceau – one of the most stunning castles in the Loire valley because it sits over the water.
— Rent e-bikes & bike to different vineyards & wineries. This was SO fun & could not recommend enough! You can find different e-bike routes online depending on what you want to see
— Visit the Gardens of Villandry – these gardens are stunning & it’s honestly insane how well kept they are
✨Next stop on the way to Champagne, you’ll go to
— Amboise which is the town where Leonardo da Vinci retired . It’s really fun to walk the streets & watch the sunset! Go earlier in the day fo shop & if you want to go inside the castle. This area is super popular so make dinner reservations also
✨Next you’ll go to
— Epernay in the region of Champagne to drink champagne!! That’s officially where champagne comes from & it’s my favorite. It’s a more expensive region & you do need to make sure to book wine tasting tours in advance. They range in price, but are so worth it if you want to go down in to the cellars. The Moet & Chandon house was my favorite & it was so interesting seeing how all the wine was made & how huge the cellar is underground
✨Lastly you’ll stop in Paris! You’ll definitely want to see the Eiffel Tower, catacombs (make reservations), & see a show at Moulin Rouge (rated R)
Have you done any of these?
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