Leave Paris for the day and take a small group day tour by minivan to visit the celebrated artists' village of Barbizon and two magnificent chateaux: Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte. You'll be picked up and dropped off at your centrally located Paris hotel by air-conditioned minivan, which holds a maximum of only eight passengers and ensures you'll receive individual attention from your expert tour guide.

The day starts with a visit to the Amboise Castle, symbol of a new style of architecture: the French Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci gave life to the castle. You will see all his inventions when you visit the Clos Luce, his residence. At the end of the morning , you leave for Chenonceau where lunch (included) is served in the castle's Orangerie (summer) or in the village (winter).

Take a day tour from Paris to visit the three most famous chateaux of the Loire Valley: beautiful Chenonceau Castle, privately owned Chateau de Cheverny and, perhaps most magnificent of them all, the Chateau de Chambord. You'll witness the glamour and grandeur of French royalty and aristocracy, and gain insights into "castle life" in these Renaissance riverside castles.