Great Châteaux & Gardens of the Loire Valley
Plus Monet’s Giverny & Paris
September 29 to October 6, 2012

Hosted by:
Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz, French Affaires,
& Jane Holahan, Loire Gardens Specialist

Great Châteaux & Gardens of the Loire Valley
Trip Overview

Join us for this spectacular trip to France featuring great châteaux and gardens of the Loire Valley. We’ll take in the beautiful architecture of châteaux such as Chenonceau known for its soaring arches over the Indre River. We also will be treated to guided visits of well-known gardens such as Villandry—notably the most magnificent and inventive garden in all of France—and lesser known private gardens not usually accessible to the public. Our stay in the Loire Valley will be made all the more special by our lovely accommodations in château hotels in the region. Other trip highlights include two days based in Paris. From there, we’ll enjoy guided visits to Monet’s gardens and manor house at Giverny in Normandy—if you’ve never seen them in the fall, they are a must at this time of year! We’ll also have a walking tour of Paris’s amazing Luxembourg Gardens in the heart of the Left Bank. Not to miss as well are Paris’s finest garden stores and garden bookstores. Our group size is limited to 12 for a very special and intimate travel experience. Don’t miss this insiders’ trip to the Loire Valley and Paris seen through fabulous French gardens, châteaux and manor houses!

Loire Valley Trip Highlights

Four nights in château hotels in the Loire Valley
Château & Gardens of Villandry
Château & Gardens of Le Rivau
Elsie de Raedt’s Rose Garden at Chinon
Gardens of La Chatonnière
Gardens of Château Valmer
Château & Gardens of Chenonceau
Garden Festival of Chaumont-sur-Loire
Two nights in the lovely Hôtel Sainte Beuve in Paris
House & Gardens of Claude Monet at Giverny in Normandy
Luxembourg Gardens in Paris

Day 1: Saturday, September 29
Depart your home city and fly to Paris. Dinner en route.

Day 2: Sunday, September 30
Arrival in Paris, transfer to the Loire Valley.
Morning arrival in Paris! Gather your bags and meet our group around 10:30am at the Charles de Gaulle airport Sheraton Hotel lobby in Terminal 2 (Terminal 2 is the arrival terminal for American Airlines’ flights at CDG). Pre-arranged transport to the lovely Château de Beaulieu hotel near Tours in the Loire Valley. Picnic lunch en route. Arrival mid-afternoon at our hotel. Settle in and unpack in the relaxed yet elegant surroundings. Time to explore the gardens and grounds. We’ll enjoy a welcome aperitif before sitting down to our gourmet three-course dinner with wine. Turn in and get a good night’s sleep! (Picnic L,D)

Day 3: Monday, October 1
The Breathtaking gardens of Villandry, La Chatonnière & Elsie De Raedt
After breakfast, we head to spectacular Villandry for a tour of its 16th century gardens, château and terraces. Famous for its ornamental "potager" (French vegetable garden) as well as its plant and flower gardens, Villandry is constantly being enhanced. Recently, a new "Jardin du soleil" (Garden of the Sun) was added to the highest terrace. Our next garden is La Chatonnière where we will enjoy a guided tour of the gardens followed by an elegant picnic lunch with wine under the chestnut trees. In the afternoon, we will drive through the forest of Chinon to visit the special gardens of Elsie de Raedt, writer and expert on old roses We’ll then enjoy “afternoon tea” of a rose kir and local “tarte aux vignerons” before returning to our hotel for a wonderful gourmet dinner with wine. (B, L, afternoon tea, D)

Day 4: Tuesday, October 2
Château du Rivau & the International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire
After breakfast, we check out from our hotel. This morning, we’ll visit the 15th century Château du Rivau in its extraordinary setting. In the past 20 years, the château has been completely restored and its gardens recreated in the spirit of the Middle Ages. The collection of over 400 scented roses mingle with fruit trees, iris, lavender and lilies. Our visit will include a tour led by the owners and a lunch of regional specialties and local wine. Following lunch, we will drive along the Loire river to our next garden, the International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire. In its 21st year, this International Garden Festival celebrates a different theme annually. This year’s festival theme is “Gardens of Delight, Gardens of Delirium.” Then, we’ll make the short drive to our next hotel, the Château d’Artigny, the sumptuous château built by the famous perfumer François Coty in 18th century style. Gourmet dinner with wine at our hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Wednesday, October 3
Fairytale Chenonceau, the gardens of Château de Valmer & Amboise
After breakfast, it is only a short drive to the magnificent Château de Chenonceau on the River Indre and the fabulous gardens of Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitiers. After a guided tour of the château and grounds, we’ll buy a picnic lunch and enjoy it outside in the gardens. That afternoon, we continue to Chançay, northeast of Tours, to visit the gardens at Château de Valmer. The gardens were created by French Countess Alix de Saint Venant, an acclaimed landscape designer. We'll also sample wines from the caves of Valmer. Next, we head to the lovely town of Amboise where you can visit Leonardo da Vinci’s former home, Le Clos Lucé, or have free time to shop and explore the town. Gourmet dinner with wine and overnight at the Château d’Artigny. (B,D)

Day 6: Thursday, October 4
Paris & the Luxembourg Gardens
After breakfast and hotel checkout, we will depart for Paris and the last two days of our France adventure. Check in at the Hôtel Sainte Beuve near the Luxembourg Gardens on the Left Bank. Casual lunch on your own followed by an afternoon walking tour of the magnificent Luxembourg Gardens. Dating from the 17th century, the Gardens are the second largest park in Paris and a magnet for Parisians of all walks of life. Beautiful flowers, plants and trees are accented by fountains and elegant statuary. There is even an Orangerie designed to house delicate plants in winter. Optional visits to wonderful Paris gardening stores and gardening bookstores following our garden tour. Late afternoon free. That evening, we’ll gather for dinner at an authentic French bistrot. (B, D)

Day 7: Friday, October 5
Monet’s Gardens at Giverny & Final Celebration Dinner
This morning, we’ll travel by pre-arranged transport to visit the inspiring and intimate gardens of Claude Monet at Giverny in Normandy outside Paris. The Impressionist painter lived at Giverny for half his life and produced some of his best works based on his gardens including the unforgettable water lilies. The two parts to Monet's garden—the flower garden called Clos Normand in front of the house and the Japanese-inspired water garden nearby—complement and contrast one another making for a stunning garden experience. Purchase lunch on site at Giverny and enjoy in the gardens. Early afternoon return to Paris. Rest of the afternoon free to shop or sightsee as desired. This evening, our group will gather for a farewell celebration dinner with wine at a local Paris restaurant. (B, D)

Day 8: Saturday, October 6
Departure for the U.S.
After breakfast, check out of our hotel. Pre-arranged transport to Charles de Gaulle airport for flights back to the U.S. Lunch en route.

Magnificent Gardens at the Château de Villandry

Great Chateaux & Gardens of the Loire Valley
Trip Hosts

Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz, French Affaires
A native Texan, Dr. Elizabeth New Seitz is a specialist in French and founder of French Affaires, a creative company celebrating French travel, culture, language, and l'art de vivre. She received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in French from Vanderbilt University and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She has lived, worked and traveled extensively in France since 1983. Her specialty is making France personal and special to everyone through her trips, classes and lectures. She still loves to teach the French language and is currently writing a travel book on France. www.frenchaffaires.com

Jane Holahan, Loire Valley Gardens Specialist
Drawing from her experience of living for three years in the Loire Valley, Jane creates and leads  garden-inspired trips to France. Since 2001 she has led numerous tours all over France. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (B.A. History and English, M.S. in Library Science) and was head of the Fine Arts Division of the Dallas Public Library and development director for PBS producers in Dallas and Connecticut. Jane is an active cyclist and an avid gardener of native plants and wildflowers. She is currently a graduate student of French Literature at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Trip Registration & Cost:

For the "Great Châteaux and Gardens of the Loire Valley, plus Paris" registration form and further trip details, please email us at . Trip cost is $3950 per person double occupancy and includes our hotels, all breakfasts, most lunches and dinners with wine, cultural excursions, airport transfers, guides and transport. Single supplement additional. A deposit of $1000 is required to confirm the trip reservation. An additional $1000 deposit is due by April 1, 2012. The trip balance of $1950 is due by June 1, 2012. For those paying in full by Feb 3, 2012, please take $200 off the trip price. Please call us with questions at 214-232-5344 214-232-5344 . We'd be happy to discuss the trip details with you!