Chambord and Cheverny

In 1519, a letter by Francis I mentions the launch of Chambord on a former royal hunting ground by the Cosson, 17 km from Blois. The double-helix staircase—long linked to Leonardo da Vinci, who died that same year in Amboise—still sparks debate for its Italian sources and bold geometry. Cheverny, by contrast, was reshaped from 1634 by Jacques Bougier for Henri Hurault and has remained in the same family for six centuries, furniture and all. That continuity explains its immaculate interiors, a striking counterpoint to Chambord’s monumental stagecraft.

Your day begins in Tours: collected at your hotel by a dedicated Mercedes chauffeur, cold water on board and timings shaped around you. It’s roughly 55 minutes to Chambord via A10/D765 for an unhurried visit, then a 20‑minute hop to Cheverny for the kennels (feeding at 11 am or 5 pm), grand salons, and the Tintin trail. You tour and taste if we pause with a Cour‑Cheverny winemaker, while your driver handles the roads and waits. We can loop back via Blois for a coffee on Place du Château before returning to Tours late afternoon.