Day Tour of Chateaux of Chenonceau, Chambord & Caves Ambacia from Tours

This tour was one of the highlights of our vacation and I highly recommend it. From the starting location at the Tourist office, the drive through the countryside, tours of the chateaux, and probably the best, the tour and lunch at the winery. Our guide Simon used a clean and comfortable van with air conditioning, and he was busy cleaning all of the windows while we waited for the group to assemble. He was knowledgeable and though English was not his first language, he easily and fully talked with us, even picking up some of words or phrases that we will use again. We used the first part of the drive to get to know the rest of group, one from California and two couples from Australia. This was good time to set ourselves up for the rest of the day and Simon allowed us to chat back and forth before switching into guide mode and relating the history of the area. At our first stop at Chenonceau we breezed by everyone waiting to buy tickets and got right into line to enter. Simon pointed out some of the animals and sights as we walked up to the chateau. He also took us on a tour inside of the building and grounds before setting us free to explore on our own. We then took a quick drive to the wine caves near Amboise. Our guide there took us through the history of the caves and the wine process. Though they do not produce their own wines, the program was informative and put us in a comfortable state of mind. Lunch out near the river was excellent and filling. Many smiles and laughs and I felt I could have easily stayed for a couple of more hours. Off to impressive Chambord next. I found it interesting the contrast between the female-centric Chenonceau and Francois I's hunting lodge. The architecture of the building and in particular the staircase boggled the brain. Again Simon talked us through many items we may not have seen on our own. It seemed we did not have as much time there, but the setting was less idyllic than Chenonceau. We had a relaxing ride back and a quick tour of Tours before being dropped at our starting point, with still enough time to catch dinner and explore the town. There were a few improvements to the tour that could be made. It seemed everyone in our group was confused as to where to meet. An email we received said to meet at the train station, whereas the website indicated the Tourist office. It is indeed the Tourist Office, which is located across the square from the train station, but the instruction seemed confusing. Also, we felt rushed to leave Chenonceau, I think an hour should be allowed to walk around on our own. Finally, guides are half of the tour. Simon brought his humor, knowledge, and experience to make our excursion as memorable as it was. I appreciated that he had and would share his opinions, and was open to ours. He seemed to be an insider wherever we went. I sensed he could adapt to any group he lead. And as agreed, I will give him the last word not necessarily mine, he was 'Sexy.' Thanks, Simon.

Wonderful day! Our guide was informative and our lunch was weather appropriate! Definitely recommend!

Es increíble que se contrate un tour en Paris a los castillos , y la dirección del punto de encuentro quede a 2 horas desde Paris . La dirección coincide con una en Paris , tener en cuenta el código postal para saber que queda a dos horas desde parís . No me han querido hacer el reembolso del dinero

Journée avec météo radieuse; 2 très beaux châteaux avec une accompagnatrice très agréable et cultivée; belle dégustation: top!

Hicimos la visita el pasado martes 25 de junio de 2019. Todo perfecto, a las 9 en punto nos recogieron en el lugar indicado, nos tocó la guía Audrey. Hablaba perfectamente español. Compartimos viaje con 3 chicas americanas, iba explicando todo en inglés y en castellano. Pero fue muy amable ya que en los castillos nos quedamos solos con ella y fue íntegramente en castellano. Ella lo hizo perfecto, explicó todo lo relacionado con los lugares, con la historia y muchas anécdotas, siempre con una sonrisa y una amabilidad extraordinaria. Recomendamos 100% el tour.