Welcome to Noël aux Châteaux — An Exclusive Holiday Journey Through the Heart of the Loire Valley

Trip description 

Noël aux Châteaux – A Christmas Journey Through the Loire Valley

Join Coral Miles, Oxford‑educated historian, and Shelley Wiseman for a carefully curated Christmas journey through the Loire Valley. This small‑group itinerary combines the region’s most important châteaux with seasonal experiences, local gastronomy, and comfortable accommodation at the family‑run Les Jardins Haute Couture.

The programme balances guided visits, hands‑on experiences, and free time in historic towns and Christmas markets. Highlights include decorated châteaux, truffle hunting, festive cooking workshops, wine and spirits tastings, concerts, and regional dining. Travel is fully escorted, with private transfers throughout.

Designed for travellers who value history, food, and a relaxed but well‑organised pace, Noël aux Châteaux offers a clear, immersive introduction to the Loire Valley during the Christmas season.

Arrival in the Loire Valley

Guests will be met by Coral at Paris X Airport. The group will then travel together by high-speed TGV to St‑Pierre‑des‑Corps (near Tours).

On arrival, a private minibus will transfer the group through the Loire countryside to Les Jardins Haute Couture, the family-run guesthouse that will be your base for the week.

After settling in, we’ll enjoy a light lunch and welcome aperitif while Coral presents the week’s programme and practical details. The remainder of the early afternoon is deliberately kept free, allowing time to rest, unpack, or recover from jet lag.

At around 4:00 p.m., you’re invited to take part in a guided Christmas wreath and floral workshop. Using seasonal greenery and flowers, each guest creates a wreath or table arrangement to decorate their room or the house during the stay.

In the evening, we will gather for a welcome dinner at Les Jardins Haute Couture.

Meals: Lunch, dinner
Experience: Christmas wreath and floral workshop (from 4:00 p.m.)

Day 2 – Thursday 10 December

Festive cooking lesson & Château de Langeais

After breakfast, the morning will be devoted to a festive cooking lesson with Shelley and Coral, focused on a traditional French Christmas menu. You will participate in preparing several dishes while learning techniques and seasonal variations commonly used for Réveillon meals.

Festive menu:

• Canapés: foie gras and salmon gravlax

• Starter: scallop vol-au-vent

• Main: guinea fowl or pheasant with seasonal vegetables

• Dessert: chocolate bûche de Noël

The festive menu will be enjoyed together over lunch, with remaining dishes reserved for later meals.

Mid-afternoon, we’ll travel to Château de Langeais, one of the Loire Valley’s most important medieval sites. The château combines a fortified exterior with richly furnished interiors and is decorated for the Christmas season, offering insight into royal life at the end of the Middle Ages. It is also known as the site of the marriage of Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany.

We’ll return to Les Jardins Haute Couture for a relaxed evening featuring board games, informal live music, and a tasting of handcrafted spirits from the family-owned Maison Miles distillery, accompanied by savoury and sweet canapés.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, light dinner
Experiences: Cooking lesson; visit to Château de Langeais; spirits tasting

Day 3 – Friday 11 December

Amboise, Clos Lucé & Christmas market

After breakfast, we’ll depart for Amboise, a former royal capital of the French Renaissance. The morning will begin with a guided visit to Clos Lucé, the residence where Leonardo da Vinci spent the final years of his life under the patronage of King Francis I. The house and gardens present models of Leonardo’s inventions alongside exhibitions on his artistic and scientific work.

Late morning and lunchtime will be free to explore Amboise’s Christmas market and town centre. You may browse food stalls and artisan stands or choose from a range of cafés and restaurants for lunch.

In the afternoon, we’ll meet up to visit the Royal Château of Amboise, a major royal residence overlooking the Loire River. The visit includes the chapel of Saint-Hubert, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried. Seasonal decorations provide context for how the château was used during winter court life.

Return to Les Jardins Haute Couture in the early evening for a relaxed dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, dinner

Day 4 – Saturday 12 December

Chinon: truffle hunt & Christmas market

After breakfast, we’ll head into the surrounding countryside for a private truffle hunt led by a local specialist and a trained truffle dog. You will learn all about truffle cultivation, identification, and harvesting techniques used in the region.

Following the hunt, we’ll enjoy a wine tasting featuring local Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, paired with a charcuterie lunch from a local butcher. Truffles collected during the hunt will be used later in the week during a cooking workshop.

In the afternoon, we’ll travel to Chinon, a historic town dominated by its medieval fortress. The Christmas market fills the old town with food stalls, crafts, music, and seasonal entertainment. You will be free to explore at their own pace or take the lift or steps up to the Royal Fortress of Chinon, associated with the Plantagenet dynasty and Joan of Arc.

Dinner will be enjoyed together in the town centre.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Experiences: Private truffle hunt and tasting; Chinon Christmas market

Day 5 – Sunday 13 December

Montsoreau, Saumur & Fontevraud Abbey concert

After a late breakfast, we’ll depart for Montsoreau, one of the Loire Valley’s most picturesque riverside villages. Visit the Puces de Montsoreau, a well-known antique and brocante market held along the Loire, alongside a lively food market.

Lunch will be taken in a local crêperie, specialising in traditional savoury galettes and sweet crêpes.

In the afternoon, we’ll continue to Saumur, where the historic centre hosts a Christmas market with regional food, crafts, and seasonal treats. Guests will have free time to explore the town and market.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll attend a Christmas concert at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, one of France’s most important monastic complexes and burial place of the Plantagenet dynasty. Following the concert, we’ll enjoy a rare evening visit of the abbey.

Return to Les Jardins Haute Couture for a wine and cheese pairing evening.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Experiences: Fontevraud concert and evening access; wine and cheese pairing

Day 6 – Monday 14 December

Château de Chambord

After breakfast, we’ll travel through the forests of Sologne to Château de Chambord, the largest château in the Loire Valley and a landmark of French Renaissance architecture.

Commissioned by King François I, the château is renowned for its distinctive rooftop skyline and double-helix staircase.

The visit includes the main apartments, rooftop and terraces, with Christmas decorations highlighting the scale and ceremonial nature of the building. Due to the size of the site, the visit is unhurried and includes time to explore independently.

Lunch will be enjoyed at Le Grand Saint-Michel, the fine-dining restaurant at Relais de Chambord, overlooking the château grounds.

Return to Les Jardins Haute Couture in the evening for dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7 – Tuesday 15 December

Truffle cooking workshop & artisan visit

After breakfast, take part in a second hands-on cooking workshop with Coral & Shelley focused on truffles, using those collected earlier in the week.

The session will explore practical ways to use truffles in everyday and festive cooking.

Menu:

• Truffle butter

• Egg cocotte with truffle

• Homemade tagliolini with brown butter, parmesan, and black truffle

• Truffle-infused dessert

We’ll tuck into the dishes we prepared over lunch.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit Martin de Candre, an award-winning artisanal soap factory in Montsoreau, known for its traditional production methods and shaving soaps. The visit offers time for shopping and visiting the estate’s park and soap museum.

Dinner will be enjoyed at La Table de Mestré, the estate’s gourmet restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Experience: Truffle cooking workshop

Day 8 – Wednesday 16 December

Chenonceau & farewell dinner

After a late breakfast, we’ll depart for Château de Chenonceau, crossing the River Cher via its famous gallery. Before the visit, we’ll enjoy lunch at Auberge du Bon Laboureur, a well-regarded gastronomic restaurant near the château.

The afternoon visit to Chenonceau will explore the château’s history as a residence shaped by influential women such as Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de’ Medici. In December, the château is known for its annual Christmas floral installations created by professional florists. The park will also be decorated and lit for Christmas

We’ll return to Les Jardins Haute Couture in the evening for a farewell raclette dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9 – Thursday 17 December

Departure

Transfer to the station or airport for departure.