Tailored to majestic standards, tantalize your senses with the very best of French gastronomy and slumber in luxury château hotels. Michelin Stars pave your path through former Royal estates and their secrets: An unparalleled adventure through time. The holiday is tailored to accommodate intermediate to experienced riders. You will spend between two and four hours in the saddle each day.
Just an hour away from the busy streets of Paris, lie exquisite treasures waiting to be discovered: The Loire Valley Castles. From François I and Leonardo da Vinci to Catherine de Médici, the French Royalty chose it for its expansive forests, abundant wildlife, and its proximity to Paris. From beginners to experienced riders, they invite you to discover this unique architectural and artistic heritage like French Royalty used to: on horseback.
This is an immersive journey that guides you through the most beautiful Renaissance castles in the world, to experience the Royal "Art de vivre à la française" for a few days. Ride from the iconic Château de Chambord to the majestic Château de Chenonceau and savor the best of French gastronomy in Michelin-starred restaurants while discovering the former Royal estates, and its secrets: a unique blend of horse-riding, gastronomy, and culture.
Daily itinerary
Day 1: Paris - Loire Valley
At 4:00 p.m., your driver and guide will pick you up at your location in or near Paris and take you to the Château des Grotteaux, your accommodation for the next few nights, located in the heart of the Loire Valley, a two-hour drive, depending on your location and traffic. Your accommodation awaits you in the 17th-century intimate Château des Grotteaux, located in a verdant setting, on the right bank of the Cosson River.
Vicomte Gaël will welcome you and give you a tour or historic introduction to his sumptuous Château. Nomad Riders invites you to take a rest before meeting your guide (and the horses in the gardens) in the evening and having dinner in a traditional restaurant in the charming village of Blois. Night in Le Château des Grotteaux.
Day 2: Riding to the Château de Chambord
After enjoying breakfast from the delicious buffet of the Château des Grotteaux, meet your horses in the gardens and begin the ride through the forest massif of Boulogne, towards the Château de Chambord, two hours riding. You will arrive on horseback at the 16th-century Château de Chambord, just in time to savor lunch in the restaurant facing the Château.
Then, a bilingual historian guide will guide you for one and a half hours through the most spectacular Château de La Loire: Chambord. A Renaissance masterpiece, nestled in its 12,000-acre domain. Transfer by car to your hotel for evening resting time and dinner in a traditional restaurant in the charming village of Blois. Night in Le Château des Grotteaux.
Day 3: Riding to the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire or Chenonceau
After enjoying breakfast from the delicious buffet of the Château des Grotteaux, transfer by car to meet your horses at the starting point and ride towards the 15th-century Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire or Chenonceau, a two-hour drive. You will arrive on horseback at the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire pr Chenonceau just in time to savor lunch in the restaurant of the royal gardens. Then, a bilingual historian guide will be guiding you for one and a half hours through the interiors of the Château. By 4:00 p.m., transfer by car to your hotel to take your luggage and transfer back to Paris with your driver.