Cruising the Landscapes & the Châteaux of the Loire Valley
Cruising the Landscapes & the Châteaux of the Loire Valley
Cruising the Landscapes & the Châteaux of the Loire Valley
9 Days
Visiting: Honfleur, St. Malo, Nantes to St. Nazaire, St. Nazaire to Ancenis, Ancenis to Bouchemaine to Angers, Bouchemaine to Castles of the Loire to Ancenis, Paris
Tour Overview
Enjoy a relaxing river cruise along France’s Loire River, visiting picturesque destinations such and Honfleur, Nantes and St. Malo.
Itinerary
Day 1
Local departure by coach, then to the Rouen area for an overnight stay.
Day 2 Honfleur
Location: Honfleur
Explore Honfleur and Deauville, before heading to our overnight hotel, near Dinan.
Honfleur is a pretty harbour town at the mouth of the mighty Seine and is characterised by it's pretty houses with slate-covered frontages, painted frequently by artists.
Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and one of the most prestigious seaside resorts in all of France. Home to a film festival, casino and sweeping promenade.
Day 3 St. Malo
Location: St. Malo
Spend the morning in the pretty fortified town of St. Malo. The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures – making for a very colourful history! We later head to Nantes, where we board our cruise ship, the MS Loire Princesse, for five nights. Cruise along the Erdre – ‘the prettiest river in France’ according to Francis I.
Day 4 Nantes To St. Nazaire
Location: Nantes to St. Nazaire
Join our guided visit of Nantes. You will walk along the little streets in Bouffay, through to the beautiful Gothic Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul. Next you will visit Feydeau Island, a former island now joined to the rest of the town. The tour then continues to the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany. The last castle along the banks of the Loire before the river reaches the ocean, this Breton monument, is a magical and compelling part of Nantes’ history and heritage. Return on board for lunch.
This afternoon we offer an excursion by coach to St. Nazaire visiting Escal’Atlantic which retraces the story of the two great liners (the Normandie and the France) in a quite ingenious way. Continue on to the Saint Nazaire shipyard. The tour gives you an understanding on the various stages of construction of these modern floating palaces. We rejoin the ship in Saint Nazaire.
Day 5 St. Nazaire To Ancenis
Location: St. Nazaire to Ancenis
We spend the morning cruising along the Loire. We arrive in Ancenis in the early afternoon where you can join an excursion along the Muscadet Wine Route. Continue to La Chapelle Heulin and stop at a wine-producing château. You will have the opportunity to learn about and taste the white wine. Next, head for charming Clisson, whose castle ruins date back to the 13th century.
Day 6 Ancenis To Bouchemaine To Angers
Location: Ancenis to Bouchemaine to Angers
We continue our cruise to Bouchemaine, and enjoy a visit to the town of Angers. Capital of the Anjou region, Angers has many artistic and historic treasures and has become famous for its rich heritage.
It has been a centre of learning in France since the 14th century and is now home to one of the country's most prestigious universities. The city is also famous for two sets of breathtaking tapestries, one from the 14th century, the other from the 20th.
Day 7 Bouchemaine To Castles Of The Loire To Ancenis
Location: Bouchemaine to Castles of the Loire to Ancenis
Today, we offer an excursion to visit the Castles of the Loire Valley. We head first to Azayle- Rideau; built on an island, the castle at Azay-le-Rideau has preserved all the refinement, elegance and grace of a Renaissance chateau. Continue on to Villandry, where there’s time to enjoy a stroll through the famous gardens of the castle at Villandry. Our next stop is Rigny-Ussé, where we will visit Ussé Castle. Built in the 15th and 16th centuries, this quite magnificent castle looks like something out of a fairy tale with its fortified towers, turrets and steeples. We return on board at Ancenis. The ship sets sail during the evening for Nantes and continues through the night.
Day 8 Paris
Location: Paris
We disembark in Nantes and head by coach to our overnight hotel in the Paris area.
Day 9
Return home.
Accommodation
You will stay for five nights on the MS Loire Princesse, part of the CroisiEurope fleet of vessels.
The design of the MS Loire Princesse is exclusive to CroisiEurope as it is the first French ship to sail on the Loire. It is a paddle-riverboat with a burgundy interior and copper elements, giving it a stylish and prestigious décor. The welcoming public spaces have large window areas and all meals during the cruise are served in the elegant restaurant.
Overnight stays in Normandy, Brittany and Paris will be in city-style hotels.
Check out our Q&As
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How long has the tour company been trading?
40 years
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Sole use of your own room on all Single Traveller holidays: means you still get your privacy and time out from the group.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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Battlefield Tours - Will it be possible to visit a particular cemetery whilst on the tour?
Please contact us and we will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
Reviews of this Operator
Book with Confidence
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Low Deposit
Leger Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of leger holidays charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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