Loire Valley Weekend Itinerary: Chambord and Blois
From Renaissance castles to renowned wine selections, the Loire Valley is a treat. From Bordeaux to Annecy, Paris to Marseille, I’ve discovered plenty of corners of France during my time as an expat. But I finally crossed off a major destination on my France bucket list: the Loire Valley. And it was just as magical as I’d hoped. This region known for its castles and wine genuinely feels like walking in a fairytale. The Loire Valley’s intrinsic charm just made my heart light up. Many recommend renting a car to see the Loire Valley, but Robin and I succeeded on public transportation. Castle visits, wine tastings, dining — we made the most of our weekend. From where we stayed to what we visited, here’s my Loire Valley weekend itinerary, featuring Chambord and Blois.
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Where we stayed
Neither Robin or I was comfortable renting a car. And much of the blog posts about the Loire Valley involve driving. We were worried that our lack of wheels would hinder the trip. But thanks to our smart planning, we were able to make the most of our time in the Loire. Our home base was in the town of Blois. We stayed in the simple yet cute Hôtel de France et de Guise. On Saturday morning, we took the train from Paris to Blois, plopped off our belongings and then headed towards Chambord. We returned to Blois on Saturday evening and explored the town that night and on Sunday morning.
Chambord
How we got to Chambord from Blois
No car, no problem. We headed to the Blois train station where we caught the shuttle that dropped us off right in front of the Château de Chambord. You can check the time table here, and a one-way ticket is 3.30 euros (prices may change, so double check their site). We purchased the tickets directly on the bus, and the ride takes around 30 minutes. We left Blois around 1 p.m., and our bus back from Chambord departed around 5 p.m. I was worried that it would be too short, but it was the perfect amount of time to explore, eat, taste wine and find souvenirs.
What we did in Chambord
Along with its enthralling history, the Château of Chambord is an architectural masterpiece. Before we started exploring, we enjoyed a meal on the lovely patio of la Cave des Rois, just steps away from the castle. Once we fueled up, we made our way to the castle to explore the many different rooms, floors and staircases.
Labeled a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Château de Chambord dates back to the 16th century. Hundreds of years later, it remains a gem marked by its history and beauty. I love imagining what it was like for royals to live here. But I think what I find most fascinating was the castle’s multi-purpose use during World War II. To avoid the Nazis stealing or destroying the Louvre’s artwork, museum director Jacques Jaujard evacuated many masterpieces and had them hid in castles throughout France, per the château website. Yup, even Mona Lisa has been to Chambord!
Keep your eyes peeled for the Leonardo da Vinci-inspired double-helix staircases, one of the main architectural marvels of the castle.
After our visit to the many rooms of the castle, we stopped at la Maison des Vins, where we did wine tastings. Red to white, sparkling to sweet, this wine cellar’s variety of wines allows you to discover the local region’s fruit of the vine. The different wines are lined up along the wall in glass cases. For each bottle, you have a handful of information: percentage of grape varieties, how long its been aged, how long it can be kept for, etc… You can add money to your swipe card and then taste various wines from the area. A fun and inexpensive way to taste different wines from the region!
Blois
After our lovely afternoon in Chambord, we returned to Blois to stroll this charming town. We dined at La Trouvaille for dinner and, along with our glasses of Vouvray, enjoyed the views of the Loire River. No Loire Valley weekend (or vacation for that matter) is complete without dessert. We might have made several trips to Pino Gelato during our weekend…
After a full night’s rest, we got back to castle exploring the next morning. Our day began at the Royal Château of Blois. We purchased our tickets on the spot and then meandered about with our trusty Histopads, a tablet that allows guests to experience the castle in an interactive manner. Some artifacts of the castle date back to the 13th century, which makes this castle a fabulous time capsule of France’s different periods. From François I to Catherine de Medici, the Royal Château de Blois does a great job at making history come alive.
We spent about an hour and a half meandering through the castle’s different rooms and its courtyard. After exploring the castle, we wandered up to its overlook promising epic views of the city and river.
We then dined just steps from the castle at an Italian restaurant called Le Marignan. The food was good, but the views and location were the real showstoppers.
After lunch, we visited the Center of the Resistance, Deportation and Memory. This small but meaningful museum recounts World War II history and the bravery of the Resistance fighters in the region. Important: at the time of publication, this museum is only available for French speakers and is not translated into English.
Our weekend in the Loire Valley was short but oh-so sweet. Astounding architecture, exquisite gardens, fascinating history, delish restaurants, wine tasting and — more importantly — ice cream opportunities. Both Château de Chambord and the Royal Château de Blois were just as fabulous as I had hoped. And these two castles only scratch the surface of the Loire Valley!
