The WineGeese Society – Loire Valley, France 2023

The Ireland Funds WineGeese Society – Loire Valley, France

Join The Ireland Funds WineGeese Society as we explore the Loire Valley. Just a short trip from Paris, the Loire Valley is known as the Garden of France. The area is France’s most diverse wine region, producing exemplary wines in every style. Our itinerary will highlight magnificent chateaux, rich history, and some of France’s most exquisite wines.

ARRIVE JUNE 15 – PARIS

• There will be two nights, Thursday, June 15 and Tuesday, June 20, for which you will need to arrange hotel accommodations in Paris.
• Please arrive in Paris by Thursday, June 15, 2023. We encourage guests to book Hotel Napoleon, but you may book any Paris hotel of your choosing.
• Please ensure you are at Hotel Napoleon to catch the private coach at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 16 to travel to the Loire Valley.
• If you would like to book yourself at Hotel Napoleon, contact information is below:
  Hotel Napoleon
  napoleon@hotelnapoleon.com
  40, Avenue de Friedland, 75008 Paris, France
  33(0)1 56 68 43 21
  For information about other hotels, please see the Paris Hotel Information in the PDF documentation.

DAY ONE
FRIDAY, JUNE 16 – TRAVEL TO THE LOIRE VALLEY / VILLANDRY / WINE TASTING IN BOURGUEIL

8:30am
A private coach will depart from Hotel Napoleon and take the group to the Loire Valley.

1:00/1:30pm
A traditional French 4-course lunch will be served at a private wine estate. Lunch will be followed by a wine tasting in Chateau de Miniere where for the last two centuries the vineyard has been run by women.

Afternoon
We will take a half-hour journey to Chateau of Villandry with its gorgeous gardens for a privately guided tour. After the visit, the group will be driven to their luxurious 5* Le Manoir des Minimes Hotel for check in.

7:45pm
Dinner will be served in Les Arpents in the town of Amboise. The restaurant serves refined cuisine relying on regional goods from Touraine and wines from the Loire.

DAY TWO
SATURDAY, JUNE 17 – CASTLE OF CHAMBORD / PRIVATE WINE ESTATE AT CHEVERNY

Morning option: After breakfast, you may choose to ride in the hot air balloon over the Loire Valley. Participate in the “unpacking” of the balloon and the ride preparation. Then enjoy a beautiful ride over some of the finest castles. Balloon rides are subject to the weather conditions and can be cancelled at any time (in which case it will be rescheduled).

9:45am
We depart the hotel by private coach and go to Chambord for a private guided visit of the most impressive Loire Valley Chateaux: The Château of Chambord. You will go through the park and enjoy the setting of this masterpiece. With its 128 meters of façade, 440 rooms and 365 fireplaces, Chambord is the largest of the Loire Valley castles, and was used by the gentry of the period for hunting.

12:45pm
Lunch will be served in the beautiful Au relais d’Artémis restaurant in Bracieux near Chambord. Then, a very short drive will lead us to a private estate part of the Cheverny wine appellation. To finish on a high note, we enjoy a wine tasting.

7:45pm
Dinner at L’Ecluse, Amboise, a typical French restaurant of the city center.

DAY THREE
SUNDAY, JUNE 18 – LOIRE VALLEY RIVER CRUISE / CHENONCEAU CASTLE

9:15am
After breakfast, we start our day with a beautiful experience: a private river cruise on the Cher River aboard a traditional boat. You will admire typical houses, mills, manor houses and castles nestled on the shores. We will have the opportunity to pass under the arcs of the superb Castle of Chenonceau. On board, we will organize a wine tasting of exquisite wines of the Touraine Chenonceaux appellation.

12:30pm
Lunch will be served at the Restaurant Fleur de Sel, which has a Michelin “biberon gourmand”, located near the village of Chenonceaux, with drinks included.

Afternoon
After lunch, we will go to the Castle of Chenonceau nearby for the privately guided visit of the Castle of Chenonceau. Considered the icon of the Loire Valley, the Chateau de Chenonceau is a supreme example of Renaissance architecture.

7:45pm
Dinner will be at Le Choiseul, a highly regarded gastronomic restaurant, located on the banks of the Loire River.

DAY FOUR
MONDAY, JUNE 19 – LEONARDO DA VINCI / LOCAL WINE EXPERIENCE / CULINARY EXPERIENCE

9:45am
After breakfast, a private guide will walk with us through the city of Amboise. We will visit the famous Clos Lucé, the last residence of Leonardo da Vinci.

Lunch
Lunch will be of your choosing in the charming little town of Amboise. Our guide will
recommend some great restaurants.

2:00pm
The group will then visit the troglodyte winery and Vouvray wine appellation, the most famous appellation in the region where we will enjoy a private tasting. We will then go the town of Saint-Martin-le-Beau, in an elegant private property where a Michelin Chef will offer a participative cooking demonstration around the highly French tradition of the aperitif. We will visit the owner’s private cellar and learn of the “troglodyte” concept of the region.

DAY FIVE
TUESDAY, JUNE 20 – RETURN TO PARIS / AMBASSADOR’S DINNER

9:00am
After breakfast at the Manoir des Minimes Hotel, the group will return to Paris by private coach, dropping off at Hotel Napoleon.

6:00pm
(Black tie optional) You are cordially invited to a private dinner at the Embassy of Ireland hosted by Ireland’s Ambassador to France, Niall Burgess. This final evening will be an elegant dinner marking the conclusion of our very special trip through the Loire Valley.

2023 Loire Valley tour and hotel info