Chartres Labyrinth Pilgrimage, The Loire Valley Castles

Chartres Labyrinth Pilgrimage and The Loire Valley Castles

The Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth and Castles of The Loire Valley

This 10-day tour will focus on the amazing culture, wine, and cuisine of Chartres and the Loire Valley, France.  We will spend three days in Chartres to visit the Cathedral Labyrinth and surrounding areas for walks in the countryside.  We will also spend five days visiting the castles and chateaus of the Loire Valley from our home base in the royal village of Amboise.  

And although this will not be a birding tour, all the birds we see will be identified.  There will be walks in the gardens and forests of the Loire Valley and we will see birds, for sure, but birds will not be the focus of this tour. 

Printable Bird List
(This is a checklist of birds that we have seen in northern France)

• Travel Dates: September 24 - October 3, 2026, spots left = 5
• Additional dates by request
• Group Size:  5 people
• Trip Length: 10 days
• Rates: Rate per person = $4,150 (based on double occupancy), an extra $1,050 for single occupancy
• Rates include: Transfer and travel within France, lodging, breakfast, lunch, dinner, scheduled group tours, entrance fees, and basic travel insurance.
• Not included: International airfare, customs & immigration fees and visas, alcohol, trip cancellation insurance.
• Adventure level:  Easy, please check the “Welcome” page for definition
• Reservations:  To reserve a spot on the trip, a non-refundable full payment is due.

Basic Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival day
Flights are usually overnight with early morning arrival at the Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) in Paris.  You will be met at the airport and shuttled to our airport hotel, where we will be staying for 1-night. 

Day 2: Travel to Chartres
From Chartres it takes two trains and 2.5 hours to get to the historic village of Chartres, France, where will spend 3-nights at the Hôtel des Poèmes de Chartres.  After we check into our hotel, a leisurely afternoon of getting to know the area. 

Day 3: Chartres Cathedral and the Labyrinth
In the heart of Chartres sits Our Lady of Chartres Cathedral.  The current cathedral was constructed between the years 1194 and 1220. Beneath its foundation sit several earlier cathedrals starting from the 4th century. It is considered one of the best preserved and culturally significant cathedrals in Europe and became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979.  Stained glass from the 12th century has been well preserved.  The cathedral attracts both tourists, who come to see the amazing architecture, as well as Christian pilgrims who come to view the Sancta Camisa, which is believed to have been worn by Mary at the time of Christ's birth. Many people simply come to be in awe of the original stained glass.  It really is a sight to see.  The Chartres cathedral is also famous for its labyrinth. A religious labyrinth symbolizes a path to salvation, where there is only one path to the end.  Most early gothic churches contained a labyrinth to symbolize the one path to salvation, but over time most cathedrals have removed them.  At Chartres cathedral, you can still walk the labyrinth, and many people come to just to do that.  

Day 4: Chartres Cathedral and the Labyrinth
After a day of visiting the historic sites of Chartres, we will take time on this day to visit the surrounding countryside for beautiful walks in the local nature preserves.  Chartres also has a wonderful art museum, and the Museum of Art Brut. 

Day 5: Travel Amboise
From Chartres, we will be traveling by van to our next home base in the sweet little village of Amboise for the next 4-nights where we will stay at the Hôtel Le Blason. Amboise is a picturesque village overlooking the Loire River.  It was once home to the French Royal Court.  At any time if we might get overwhelmed with French history and beauty, the village of Amboise is surrounded by gardens and small forests for lovely walks. Even Joan of Arc visited here in 1429. Just outside of town is the Chanteloup Pagoda built in 1775.  Our hotel is perfectly located in the heart of the Loire Valley.  From here, each day we can drive a short distance to visit castles and chateaus. But on our first day, we will spend time getting to know the Royal Village of Amboise.  Among the many beautiful sites to visit, we will find the Château du Clos Lucé, which was the residence of Leonardo da Vinci from 1516-1519. His former residence is an amazing museum that displays many of his inventions, and artwork as well.  Da Vinci spent the last 3-years of his life living in Amboise and is buried at the Château Royal d'Amboise.  Amboise is a small village, and many sites are walking distance from our hotel.  Close to our hotel is Château Gaillard, which was restored in 2015, along with the gardens.  The chateau is situated amongst a 37-acre forest. 

Day 6: Loire Valley
Today we head out to see some of the finest castles in France:  Chenonceaux, Chambord, and Château de Cheverny are the destinations for the day.  In between these Chateaus, we will also find gardens, forests, and lovely restaurants. If there is time, we will also visit Fougères-sur-Bièvre Castle. Please click on the links to learn more about the places we will be visiting. 

Day 7: Loire Valley
About a 45-minute drive upriver from our hotel is the city of Blois. Excavations along the Loire River in the Blois area have unearthed evidence of Stone Age settlements going back 8,000 years. In the heart of the city is the Royal Château of Blois. The Blois Castle has been around since the time of the Romans and was attacked by Vikings in the year 854. Construction of the current castle began in the 13th century. Some say the castle is haunted.  Many famous Royals have stayed here:  Anne Boleyn, Catherine de Medici, and Joan of Arc. King Louis XII loved this castle and was responsible for building many of the "newer" additions and gardens.  Other interesting things to see in Blois include the Robert-Houdin House of Magic (not to be confused with Harry Houdini), and the Château de Beauregard, which has the largest portrait gallery in Europe.  The city of Blois is located along the Loire River and has many beautiful trails for walking and nearby forest preserves. 

Day 8: Loire Valley
Our last day in Amboise and the Loire Valley, and we will make sure we didn't miss anything because there is a lot to see in this area. Across the river from Amboise are Chateau De Jallanges and Château de Valmer and Valmer Gardens. Please click on the links to learn more about the places we will be visiting. The Loire Valley produces many white wines from the Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne grapes.  There are also red wines made from Cabernet Franc grapes, as well as rosé, sparkling and dessert wines. The Chateau de Valmer has Wine Tours and Tasting. 

Day 9: Travel to Paris
We will be taking the train, 2.5 hours, back to Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) , where we will be staying at a hotel close to the airport. 

Day 10: Departure day
There will be a shuttle to the airport.