The Loire is famous for its chateaux with over 300 in total to discover. This easy paced, gentle walking holiday balances peaceful, off-the-beaten-track discoveries, with the splendour and opulence of some of the finest Renaissance chateaux in France. There's no tough climbing but you're still rewarded with beautifully unspoilt landscapes and enchanting views at every turn.
You follow a linear route from Blois, passing quiet hamlets and wine villages, before continuing alongside the River Cher through Montrichard, Chenonceaux and Montlouis. Then, you'll enjoy wonderful walks through open fields and sprawling vineyards - with opportunities for wine-tasting - and on to Leonardo da Vinci's bustling town of Amboise. Along the way you'll take in some of France's most impressive chateaux: Chenonceau mesmerises with its iconic arches over the River Cher (be sure to taste the chateau's wine and enjoy a scenic riverside walk); the majestic Chateau d'Amboise is a former royal residence and also houses the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci; while Chateau de Chambord is set in a majestic nature reserve.
The places you'll stay in have been hand-picked for their superb locations, atmospheric charm, excellent cuisine and warm, friendly owners. As well as chateaux, the Loire prides itself on its delicious local cuisine and wine and we've included 2 evening meals - given the fantastic variety of restaurants on your doorstep, we thought you'd appreciate us leaving the choice to you.
Experience the allure of France in comfort on the 'Enchanted France' trip. This 11-day guided group tour starts and ends in Paris, taking you through the city’s famed sights and hidden gems. With hotel stays, transportation, and meals seamlessly arranged, senior travelers can enjoy every moment. The highlight of this tour is its in-depth focus on Paris, offering an intimate look at the city’s artistic and historic treasures.
Picture yourself wandering through the medieval alleys of Carcassonne, the sunny streets of Barcelona, and the vibrant markets of Marseille—all in just four days. The 'Catalonia, South of France and Provence' walking tour provides a relaxed yet memorable experience, specially curated for seniors. With hotel accommodation, transport, and meals included, this group trip is as worry-free as it is diverse. Its unique edge is the seamless combination of Catalan and Provençal cultures, offering a compact yet rich exploration of both France and Spain.
Explore France’s vibrant heart and the legendary Black Forest over 15 days with the 'French Passion and the Black Forest' tour. This easy-paced group sightseeing journey, starting and ending in Paris, includes all the comforts seniors seek: hotels, meals, and transportation. The tour’s unique appeal is its extended duration, allowing for a deeper, more leisurely immersion into French and German culture.
Overall the trip was wonderful, and the itinerary and the places we visited were excellent. The included castles, boat, waterfalls and other activities were also great. Logistics was arranged perfectly. Some things for Europamundo to consider:
1. Your Spanish guide speaks for 40 minutes, but leaving the English speaking guide only 5 minutes before arriving to a place. This happened more than once, and specifically with Jonatas Chavery. Overall Spanish speaking passengers were a clear priority over English speaking passengers throughout the trip. We are grateful for the English speaking guides that EuropaMundo provided. Please tell the Spanish speaking guides to give EQUAL time in explaining on the bus. Alberto was excellent and translated immediately to English, so that everyone was engaged, and equal time was spent English/Spanish.
2. We are disappointed the EuropaMundo allows babies on the bus, and that babies are allowed to sit at the front instead of at the last seat in the back of the bus. They are annoying to everyone.
3. We had so many tour guides changes and buses that we did not even have a chance to appreciate them with a tip. Some drivers like Lyon – Tournus were very rude to us and complaint about having to lift the suitcases.
4. All buses should have charging capabilities and wifi. Only one bus had wifi
5. Guides should be instructed to have a comfort stop after each 1 ½ hours of travel. It is unreasonable to expect humans to travel 3 plus hours without a comfort stop.
6. The hotels this time were not as good as usually like is Spain. They were all very clean but IBIS was a disappointment and APPARTCITY was just ok. Breakfast was always excellent.
7. To the smoking guides, they should not smoke while they are talking to us and walking with us drop us. As soon as they drop us, they can smoke as much as they want. We do not need or want to inhale their smelly cigarettes. They also come on the bus smelling like an ashtray.
8. Comments concerning special locations: It was not enough al all 1 hour at Savigny Castle. We were not able to see the magnificent collections. Would be better to allow 1 ½ hours and remove that time from Beaune. You can also remove completely Freiburg and allow more time in Strasbourg or in Triberg. We never got to see Baden Baden or Marseille, we only slept there. Marseille hotel was excellent.
Overall this is my third trip with EuropaMundo and I hope to travel again without babies.