The travel company Travel Plan "DSBW Travel Collection" as a specialist in France offers in 2020 not only Paris tours for a week or a weekend, with a different set of excursions and without. Our main difference is that we specialize in excursion tours by French provinces for mini-groups of up to 12 people, which provide the highest level of comfort on a sightseeing trip.

We have a wonderful program on a regular basis "Paris - Normandy - Brittany"(held once every two weeks) "Exclusive trip to Normandy - Brittany"(several a year), great tour (quite rare), and "Colors of Provence" and others interesting tours in the South of France. In our tours you are waiting for the Provinces of France: Normandy, Brittany, Provence, Cote d'Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon, Aquitaine, Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace.

In the South of France, we offer the "Colors of Provence" tour - a region that we know and love well, there is a wonderful exclusive program "Journey through the Southern Provinces of France" for 8 days and its older brother " big Adventure in the Southern Provinces of France + Colors of Provence" for 12 days. This is really a great journey, full of impressions, but not tiring, despite the duration and abundance of visited cities and attractions. Of course, all tours can be combined with extending your stay in Nice or relaxing in other resort towns Cote d'Azur France.

Perhaps it is worth mentioning another program "Spain - France - Catalonia". It is good to combine it with a holiday on the Spanish Costa Brava.

Programs are carried out on our comfortable buses with experienced drivers and guides. Our own transport allows us not only to provide a high class of service, but also to guarantee all the declared dates of the tours. We wish you bright impressions from your travels in France.

The Loire River crosses France from the southeast to the northwest, in its valley in the Middle Ages European rulers and influential nobles began to build castles. Now this area is called the Valley of Castles because of several dozen chateaus, which were built in different styles. The concentration of attractions here is so great that the entire valley has been listed world heritage UNESCO.

This is where destinies were made European states, intrigues were woven and the future rulers of France were brought up. Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Honore de Balzac, Stendhal and other writers drew inspiration from here.

Each of the castles occupies a strategically advantageous position and is an amazing architectural ensemble, successfully integrated into the landscape. It is almost impossible to see all the castles at once. Travelers admit that after seeing several chateaus, they will definitely want to come back here and visit the rest. It is advisable to purchase a Passeport Val de Loire subscription, which costs approximately 25 euros. It entitles you to visit 10 attractions during the year. If you visit castles in the summer, there is a guarantee to see many colorful shows, performances and exhibitions that are held in each chateau. When planning a trip for autumn, you can be sure that there will be no heat and many tourists.

Castles of the Loire Valley

One of the most recognizable chateaus - Chambord - was built in the 16th century by order of the King of France Francis I. He wished to settle here in order to be closer to his lady of the heart - Countess Turi. The coat of arms of this noble lady adorns the walls of the castle to this day. The name of the architect has not survived to this day, but numerous studies show that Leonardo da Vinci, who worked at the court of Francis I, took part in the design. During the construction, it was even planned to change the course of the Loire so that it flowed right in front of the castle, but this idea was later abandoned .

The Palace of Blois was the favorite residence of Kings Francis I and Louis XII, now it is the largest castle in the Loire Valley. In the 16th century, truly dramatic events took place here. King Henry III lured his enemy Henry of Guise and his brother the cardinal here and ordered them to be killed. A few weeks later, the mother of the king, Catherine de Medici, died here.

The castle of Amboise in his modern form was built in the 15th century, then it was owned by the powerful Amboise family. Later, the owner of the castle was accused of plotting against the king, and the estate was confiscated in favor of the treasury. Amboise was connected by an underground passage to the Cloux estate, where the house-museum of Leonardo da Vinci is now located. It is believed that he worked on the Gioconda here and died here in 1519. This artist, scientist and inventor is buried in the castle chapel of St. Hubert.

Not far from the ancient Chenonceau is the castle of the same name, which was nicknamed "ladies'". This chateau is one of the most visited in France, although it is privately owned. The construction began to be erected at the beginning of the 16th century, almost completely destroying the ancient fortress that was located on this site. In 1580, a wing was completed on the bridge over the river. At different times, Francis I, Henry II, Catherine de Medici, Francis II and Mary Stuart, Henry III and Louis XIV lived here. Later, the castle was abandoned for some time, and subsequently given over to the Capuchin monastery. During the First World War, there was a hospital here, and after the occupation of the north of France by Nazi Germany, the castle served as a contact point for local partisans.

One of the most prominent representatives of the Renaissance is Villandry Palace. It differs from all the others with magnificent multi-level gardens, the most famous of which - the Gardens of Love - is a real work of art. At the beginning of the 20th century, this castle was acquired by a married couple - Dr. Joaquim Carvalho and Anna Coleman, now the estate belongs to their great-grandson.

Langeai Castle is considered the oldest surviving stone fortress in France. It was founded in the 10th century by order of Fulk the Black, the founder of the ruling Plantagenet dynasty, and was later expanded by Richard the Lionheart. During the Hundred Years' War with the British, the castle was partially destroyed, leaving only the main tower, which can be seen now. The rest of the castle was built later - in the 15th century.

Each of the dozens of castles in the Loire Valley has its own amazing history, in which intrigue, war, love and the lust for power are intertwined. Palaces built in the Baroque, Renaissance and Gothic styles have kept the secrets of their owners for several centuries, but they are ready to open this veil to travelers interested in the rich heritage of France.

Holidays in the Loire Valley

There are many ways to get around the French Valley of Castles, the choice depends on the individual preferences of the traveler. Someone likes to ride as part of an excursion group on a tourist bus, someone prefers to use the services public transport. It is most convenient to rent a car, in which case you should stock up on maps or a reliable navigator in advance - it is not so easy to figure out the intricacies of rural roads. Some people like the wind in their hair and the most environmentally friendly transport - a bicycle. Such travelers are advised to explore the paths of the Loire a Velo cycle route, however, it should be borne in mind that in order to inspect the maximum number of castles, you will have to travel more than 200 kilometers.

Rent a room in a small hotel or rent a room from local residents can be found in almost every village. Convenient starting points for trips through the valley are the cities of Tours and Blois. It is better to book accommodation in advance, especially if the trip is planned for the summer - at this time there are many who want to take a look at the wonders of French architecture with their own eyes.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Tour days: any day of the week
Start: 9:00 am
Meeting point for mini-groups: Monceau metro station, line 2 ()
Duration: 12 hours
Transport: comfortable minivans for 8 passengers
Included in the price: driver-guide services, transportation, toll roads and parking lots, wine tasting
Not included in the price: entrance fees, meals (), personal expenses.

Price in a mini group up to 8 people: 100€ per person

The cost of an individual tour:
1-4 people: 650€ per group
5-6 people: 700€ per group
7-8 people: 750€ per group

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXCURSION:

Chambord

The first stop at 11:15 am is a unique "hunting house" of truly royal size, founded in 1519 by the greatest French king Francis the First according to the project of the genius Florentine Leonardo da Vinci.
The driver-guide will tell you the history of the castle and help you buy tickets to visit Chambord.
In general, you will have about 2 hours to explore Chambord.
For a subsequent visit, all other castles of the Loire are selected as close as possible, you will spend no more than 20 minutes on the way from castle to castle.

Chenonceau

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Tour days: any day of the week
Start: 9:00 am
Meeting point for mini-groups: Monceau metro station, line 2 ()
Duration: 12 hours
Transport: comfortable minivans for 8 passengers
Included in the price: driver-guide services, transportation, toll roads and parking lots, wine tasting
Not included in the price: entrance fees, meals (), personal expenses.

Price in a mini group up to 8 people: 100€ per person

The cost of an individual tour:
1-4 people: 650€ per group
5-6 people: 700€ per group
7-8 people: 750€ per group

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXCURSION:

Chambord

The first stop at 11:15 am is a unique "hunting house" of truly royal size, founded in 1519 by the greatest French king Francis the First according to the project of the genius Florentine Leonardo da Vinci.
The driver-guide will tell you the history of the castle and help you buy tickets to visit Chambord.
In general, you will have about 2 hours to explore Chambord.
For a subsequent visit, all other castles of the Loire are selected as close as possible, you will spend no more than 20 minutes on the way from castle to castle.

Chenonceau