May 13, 2026
During our first five days of GR3 trekking in the Loire Valley we walked through a variety of villages and towns and spent the night inside a historic abbey complex. We hiked along acres of vineyards and in dense forests filled with birds. And we encountered numerous medieval chateaux, taking the opportunity to tour one in detail.
Even though we only had two days and 21.2 miles of trekking left, we still had three more Loire Valley chateau visits planned. Each one would provide us with a unique glimpse into the culture and history of the region.
Map showing Loire Valley Chateaux (click above to show an enlargement in a new tab)
Credit: Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa), CC BY-SA 2.5 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
A Visit to the “Ladies Chateau” – Chenonceau
During a rest day in the city of Tours we took a 25-minute train ride to the Chateau de Chenonceau. What makes this castle unique is the bridge across the Cher River, a tributary of the Loire. Known as “The Ladies Chateau,” eight women historically put their imprint on the castle, beginning in the 16th century.
Most notable was the rivalry between Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici. King Henry II’s mistress Diane de Poitiers was the woman who added the bridge across the river to access the hunting grounds. However, when King Henry died suddenly in 1559, his wife, Catherine de Medici, claimed Chenonceau and sent mistress Diane to exile at the Chateau de Chaumont.
Catherine in turn then added new gardens and rooms to the palace, including a three-story structure atop Diane’s bridge.
Walking through the gallery atop the bridge; Door at the end of the bridge to access the forest (and former hunting grounds)
The 19 rooms we toured in the castle also featured areas influenced by several of the women. Many of the rooms’ ceilings, furniture, and art were as old as the 16th century.
Some of the rooms, hallways, and furniture from inside the chateau
One interesting bedroom covered in black walls came from the next generation of women influencers. It was installed by Louise of Lorraine, who was the wife of King Henry III. After he was assassinated in 1589, she lived in mourning at Chenonceau for the next 11 years until her death in 1601.
Outside, we loved exploring both sides of the river and taking many photos of the iconic castle.
After leaving the chateau we wandered through the two large gardens created by rivals Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici.
Left to right: Diane’s garden; Catherine’s garden
Touring the castle interior, walking through the gardens, and viewing the chateau’s unique architecture made for a worthwhile visit.
Crossing the Loire River to a Remote Cottage Stay
Back on the trail the next day, we left Tours on a 12.6-mile stage. After not seeing the Loire for several stages, we followed it almost the entire day. The trail immediately took us north on a bridge over the river.
Our route led us on a bike path close to the water. We passed several bikepackers and hikers, but also had moments of peaceful solitude as we hiked.
After about four miles we turned inland to the village of Rochecorbon. Soon after, we climbed through a vast vineyard.
Climbing through the vineyard
At the top of the ascent we reached a panoramic viewpoint of the Loire River below us.
Walking high above the river; Looking down at the Loire River
In Vouvray we stopped to buy some groceries for lunch. We also loaded up our packs with food and drinks for dinner and breakfast the next morning, as we were staying in a small cottage in a remote area.
Waiting with our packs in front of the grocery store while Darren shops; Carrying bread and champagne for later
We continued along the north side of the river before ascending up a steep dirt path. This took us to a rail bridge back to the opposite side of the Loire.
After another 3.5 miles of trekking we reached our cottage accommodation. There, we ate the food we bought at the grocery store for dinner, accompanied by our half bottle of champagne.
A Short Final Stage to Leonardo Da Vinci’s Chateau Home
Beginning our final 8.6 miles on the GR3, we left our overnight cottage at about 8:00 am. The first two miles were flat and easy to walk. Then the path climbed up some steep muddy sections as it meandered through village neighborhoods. It was slippery in places, and we slowed down.
There was a chance of rain in the forecast, and we had sightseeing plans in our destination city of Amboise. So we decided to divert to the bike path to finish the stage a little quicker.
Not only did we lower our risk from slipping on the mud trail, but we were able to walk past a beautiful lake on the bike path.
Before we knew it we were on the outskirts of Amboise.
We ended our 88-mile 7-stage Loire Valley trek in front of the Chateau d’Amboise, the residence of French kings from the 15th to the 19th century.
After exploring the chateau’s exterior, we walked a short distance to the Chateau du Clos Luce to begin our sightseeing there in earnest.
A summer residence of the kings of France, Clos Luce is best known for being the home of Leonardo da Vinci from 1516 to his death in 1519. He was invited by the French King Francis I to take up residence and appointed “First Painter, Engineer and Architect to the King.” When da Vinci arrived in France he brought with him several paintings in progress, including the Mona Lisa.
While touring the interior of Clos Luce, we saw reproductions of da Vinci’s bedroom and his workshops.
Reproductions of da Vinci’s bedroom and workshops
Perhaps the most interesting part of the visit was the model room, where models of 40 of da Vinci’s designs were built by IBM with materials of the time.
The extensive gardens contained life-size interactive versions of some of his major inventions. These included bridges, tanks, and flying machines.
Several of the interactive versions of da Vinci’s inventions
Our visit was an interesting way to learn more about the genius of da Vinci and to appreciate his beautiful French chateau residence.
Before leaving Clos Luce, we ate lunch at the on-site cafe. There, we had a salad with Rillons de Touraine and warm goat cheese. Rillons are a regional specialty consisting of cubes of streaky pork belly, which are caramelized by slow cooking. It was very tasty.
After leaving the chateau, we crossed the Loire River one last time, leaving Amboise behind us. A 20-minute train ride took us to the city of Blois, where we had one last chateau visit planned.
Exploring the Magnificent Chateau de Chambord
Before leaving the Loire Valley, we saved the largest castle for our last chateau visit. Chateau de Chambord was built as a hunting lodge between 1519 and 1547 for French King Francis I (who also had royal residences at the Chateau de Blois and Chateau d’Amboise). About 1,800 people were employed at the height of the castle’s construction.
Everything about Chateau de Chambord is monumental: The structure has 440 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 84 staircases. There are 11 types of towers, including a 100-foot-tall lantern tower supported by flying buttresses, and three varieties of chimneys. It is also famous for its double-helix staircase, rumored to have been designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
Our first view of the castle took our breath away. It was just magnificent.
We took a different approach to visiting Chambord with a focus on viewing and appreciating the colossal structure. After arriving via public bus, we began a beautiful 2.5-mile walk around the grounds. The chateau is surrounded by Europe’s largest enclosed forest park, totaling 13,000 acres with 19 miles of walls.
We were able to view the chateau from all sides as we hiked around it. There were many intricate details to see on the towers and chimneys, including a pilgrim’s scallop.
Views of the towers and chimneys, including a pilgrim’s scallop (bottom right)
The path took us along the bank of the Cosson River canal. We had the trail almost entirely to ourselves.
Every so often we would encounter an intersecting path that led to an observation tower. The forest is home to both deer and boar. We spent some time at a couple of the towers, but did not spy any animals.
At the conclusion of our hike, we enjoyed a picnic lunch we brought with us, accompanied by a glass of local wine that we purchased on-site.
Our time in the Loire Valley was over, and we loved learning more about French history and architecture while trekking here. We had the opportunity to spend a night in an abbey, walk through a chateau’s famous garden, explore a castle spanning a river, and discover an immense palace. Along with the other chateaus we viewed from the trail, we felt satisfied with the breath of our experiences over just a few days.
From top left, clockwise: Royal Abbey of Our Lady of Fontevraud, Chateau de Villandry, Chateau de Chambord, Chateau de Chenonceau
Next, we will take three connecting trains to the town of Saint-Malo in the northwest of France, where we will begin our next trek along the Brittany coast.