Riverloire

The ultimate travel agency in the Loire Valley

Testimonials

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Another great experience with Thierry and team!
I had an exceptional experience with Thierry and his expert and professional team throughout my stay with a group of friends in the Loire valley. They could not have done more to make us feel welcome. Their organizational skills and attention to detail were first class. I'm looking forward to coming back again!

Francis (UK) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - July 2023

Sublime
Coming to the Loire valley is a special event, and this group elevated the experience to sublime. We had a fantastic combination of daily excursions, food, and wine, but with times to just rest and take in the experience. Our guide Tiffany was knowledgeable and eager to ensure we had the best time.

Jonathan (USA) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - July 2023

Excellent experience in the Loire
Very professional and informative. Could not have been more helpful or friendly. Excellent experience

Paolo (Italy) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - July 2023

Phenomenal! Third time's a charm...
This was our third trip to the Loire using this company as local organisers, and once again, we were blown away by their attention to detail on every aspect of the trip…No request was too much trouble for Thierry and his team, who, from coach driver to tour guide to the fantastic chef (and everyone in between!), were just delightful. Their local knowledge and great recommendations were hugely valuable. While this was our third time with River Loire Tours, it certainly will not be our last. During this trip, the time spent meeting local organic farmers with our chef, and immersing ourselves in the history of Chenonceau and Amboise among other adventures with friends were some stand-out memories - as well as the glorious meals!

Jenny (Ireland) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - July 2023

Fairy tale vacation
We were taking care of like Royalty. All arrangements were spot on, the guide (Tiffany) assigned to us was most friendly, knowledgeable and fund to be around, the accomodations were fabulous and overall organization impeccable.

Happy (USA), a review from Tripadvisor (5 stars) - July 2023

Exceptional experience with Riverloire - Loire Valley Day Tours
The organisation of the Thierry Macalat and his colleagues were excellent. We were very well looked after and they went out of their way to understand what we were interested in and then to add value to the experience.

Carel (Ireland), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - July 2023

Amazing trip to Loire Valley with River Loire
We just returned from a 9 day tour of the Loire Valley with River Loire. Claire planned our itinerary. we were so pleased with all the activities planned for us. Our primary tour guide Tiffany was professional, knowledgeable and so thoughtful. She definitely made our trip most enjoyable. We were also fortunate to have a private wine tasting with Master Somilier , Kapil that we throughly enjoyed. Auzelle was so enlightening with her knowledge of for all historical periods.
We are so appreciative of our well planned and executed experience. Everyone we met in the company was so friendly and sincerely wanting to make our vacation a special one

Liz (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - May 2023

Delightful Trip to Normandy with RiverLoire!
We just returned from a delightful trip to Normandy with RiverLoire!! Vincent, our guide, was fantastic - he took such good care of us and is so knowledgeable. We spent eleven days in Normandy and felt like we really saw the country. We could have spent longer! It is ideal for us to have a guide take us around so we could experience so much without the trials of being on our own. Normandy has so much to offer, from gorgeous scenery to art, architecture and history, not to mention the cuisine of the region. This was an important trip for us and we were very happy with every aspect of RiverLoire's expertise in travel.

Katharine (USA), a TripAdvisor review (5 stars) - October 2022

10/10 experience
From start to finish just an overall excellent experience. Claire was incredibly helpful in coordinating our 3 day trip according to the schedule we requested and Flore and Claire were excellent guides! If you are visiting the Loire Valley for chateaus or wine tastings, you can’t do better than working with Riverloire.

Christopher (USA) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - September 2022

We had three tours with River Loire during our recent stay in Amboise. Flore gave us a wonderful walking tour of Amboise on our first afternoon . We saw the Chateau Amboise and the the Chateau de Clos Luce. She was knowledgeable and informative and made the tour enjoyable. We did a cooking class with a Michelin chef and wine tasting on the second day led by Claire. On the third day Flore toured with us again we we saw the beautiful gardens at Villandry and the Chateau Chambord. Amazing three days. Flore especially went out of her way to make sure we had an enjoyable time.

Ernest (USA), a Tripadvisor comment (5 stars) - September 2022

First class Loire valley private wine tour!
We enjoyed the variety of vineyards, caves, and wines we tasted. The locations and settings were all unique. The establishments and hosts were all excellent, as was our tour guide. We were fortunate to have the company owner, Thierry host our group of 4 for a day and a half of touring. He was friendly, professional, knowledgeable of the wines and the area, and extremely hospitable. We would have never been able to plan this quality of an excursion on our own. Thank you!

Amy G (USA) a review from Tripadvisor (5 stars) - August 2022

3-Day Wine and Chateau Excursion
Claire at RiverLoire created a wonderful 3-day itinerary for the two of us. We definitely received our money's worth: chateaux, a bike ride, unique wine tastings, excellent lodging, superb restaurants (including one relaxing picnic and one extraordinary country house), and excellent guides. We had two different guides, depending on the activity. Both were punctual, knowledgeable, friendly, and flexible (and they each went out of their way to provide extra service). We completely trusted RiverLoire with their selections, and they did not disappoint. We would use them again, and we highly recommend them. If you are thinking about a private guide, RiverLoire can provide you with options you may never have otherwise.

Allen (USA) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - June 2022

My Mom and I participated in the cooking class/wine pairing day. David picked us up at our hotel and brought us to the cooking class. The chef and his wife were so great, fun to talk with and we made some delish beef dishes. While the food was cooking we did a quick wine tasting in a cave down the street before returning back to finish cooking and eat our meal. It was a great way to spend day in the Loire Valley!

Amy (USA) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - June 2022

Amazing tour
I am so glad I hired river loire for my day trip to Loire Valley
My only regret is that I didn’t stay longer than one day. Next time I will plan to stay for at least 2-3 days
Claire was instrumental in getting our trip personalized for two adults and two kids
She adapted the trip so that our kids wouldn’t be bored just going to castle after castle. Our guide Nicolas was really good as well. He said he hadn’t given tours to young families before but I wouldn’t have known at all as he was so good with the kids. He recommended a canal ride which was wonderful and the girls loved it. We also visited a goat farm and saw many animals . The lunch that Claire arranged was the best meal we had thus far on our trip
The backdrop was a view of Chambord castle !! Merci beaucoup à Nicolas and Claire from River Loire. Don’t hesitate to book their services !!

Elizabeth (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - June 2022

Amazing and Beautiful Experience
A group of four of us scheduled a day trip out of Paris with Riverloire and we all agreed it was a wonderful experience.
The instructions to travel to St. Pierre Des Corps were very clear and we made it without any trouble at all. We were greeted by our guide, Flor, right at the train platform and she led us to the private van that would chauffeur us around for the day. I really appreciated how easy the company and Flor in particular made everything. No surprises, no complications, just straightforward and easy.
We went on our way to see Chenonceau and Flor gave us a fascinating history lesson about Henry II, Diane de Poitiers, and Catherine de Medici. I teach European history for a living so I ate up every word. Flor was knowledgable and funny. I learned a lot from her! We arrived at the Chateau which was a dream. I'd always wanted to visit so I was like a kid in a candy store. If I annoyed Flor by lingering in each room, she never showed it. She was patient and seemed to know everything about the castle.
We eventually left and went for a tasty lunch in Amboise and then traveled to another Chateau. This one was less impressive and really could've been left off the itinerary. We then went to a winery outside of Tours and walked through the troglodytes (wine caves). We finished with a tasting of Vouvray and bought some very delicious wine to ship back to the states. Flor was kind enough to drop us off in the Tours city center where we had dinner plans. All in all Riverloire provided and unforgettable experience for us and I am so glad we booked through them. I intend to book a longer experience with Riverloire the next time we're in France. A two or three day Loire tour would be incredible.
If I had one issue it was that the itinerary said we we would walk Chablis vineyards and we never did. Also, I wish the wine tasting had been more extensive. But these are small quibbles on an otherwise lovely trip. I would definitely recommend this company and I would book with them again without hesitation.

Scott (USA), a tripadvisor review (4 stars) - March 2022

Superb itinerary, friendly team, very well organized by professionals and great connoisseurs of the region. We will be back!

Jean (USA) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - August 2021

What an AMAZING EXPERIENCE!! Many thanks to Claire from Riverloire for organizing our trip! Our itinerary was so detailed and organized. Claire made sure she covered what we wanted to see in Loire Valley including the amazing restaurants (Michelin). Claire, Klara and Aurezelle were our guides during our stay in Loire. They were the best, knowledgeable, professional, informative, humorous, and passionate guides of the area. They definitely are the EXPERTS of the history, wines and gastronomy of Loire Valley.
Riverloire definitely did not disappoint and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND them.

Alla (USA) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - August 2021

Truly excellent !
When I realised that the strikes would make our planned arrival by train and original itinerary impossible, I at first thought I would have to cancel our day tour of the Loire Valley. However, as soon as I had contacted Thierry by telephone, he tentatively proposed a practical alternative, which was refined and confirmed in a very short time. The end result was that we were able to have a tour that was only a little shorter than originally planned, and which cost me only a few euros more. Considering the short notice, this was a very good result.

The taxi driver, Jerome, who took us from Paris to Chambord, was punctual, pleasant and a very good driver.

The tour itself was excellent. The passion and knowledge of our guide, Marine, made every moment interesting. She was unfailingly friendly and helpful, right to the last minute (when she escorted us in the rain to ensure that we would be on the correct platform for our train).

I have been to the Loire valley several times before, and had visited two of the three sites we went to, but I felt I learned new things on this tour. The other members of my party had not visited this area and my hope in organising this tour was that they might come to understand why I love it so much. I think that objective was achieved.

I plan to use the services of Riverloire again,and would recommend it to others, whether they are first time visitors or not.

Christina (USA) a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - December 2019

We had such a wonderful day today with Tiffany! She was absolutely perfect! Thank you for arranging such a great start to our time in the Loire Valley!

Nicole (USA) - May 2019

Our private guide Tiffany was excellent and very knowledgeable! The correspondence, organization and the tour absolutely met our expectations. We were very satisfied with our hotel and everything was great!

Mary Anne (USA) - May 2019

Absolutely Fabulous! Do not hesitate to book RiverLoire!
My husband and I were celebrating our 10th anniversary with a trip to France. We spent three days in the Loire Valley with RiverLoire. It was absolutely fabulous from start to finish. They were punctual, professional, service oriented, knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Both of our tour guides were wonderful, it was great getting to know them. We spent three days enjoying castles, small towns, wine tastings and an unforgettable trip to Thierry’s cave with a personal wine and cheese tasting. We were not an easy couple to please as we often changed plans the night before as to what we wanted to do the next day. They not only accommodated all of our requests and short notice itinerary changes, they constantly amazed us and provided us with a 5 star experience. They were so flexible and willing to please our every request. Their restaurant choices were superb and they went out of their way to make sure that we did and saw all that we wanted to. It was an absolutely top notch experience and I would highly recommend them.

Nicole (USA) a review from Tripadvisor (5 stars) - May 2019

While well versed in what to do in Paris, we also wanted to experience the French country side and the beautiful historic Châteaux. Riverloire tours provided the perfect 3 days with a personal guide. Claire our planner asked detail questions and curated and booked the right combinations of visiting Chateaux, wine tours, and food. Our personal guide Tiffany drove us everywhere and made everything easy. Her knowledge of the region and history added to our enjoyment while still feeling like we were on our own leisure time. They took care of all the details. All we did was show up ready to go. Worth the little bit extra given it was all inclusive except for meals.

Deborah (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - May 2019

We did a full day private tour to a chateau, local restaurant, goat farm with cheese tasting, and a local winery. Our guide was amazing, very friendly and great information. I would recommend using them for a private guide.

Keith (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - May 2019

Tiffany was our guide and she was punctual, personable, fluent in English and knowledgeable. She was an excellent driver, very organized and kept us on schedule. It was also very easy to work with Arthur and Claire via email to customize our itinerary. They were very responsive and all correspondence was professional. The schedule was timed very well. Our hotel had good central location and good breakfast. We had three wonderful days touring seeing Loire Valley, chateaux and towns. The restaurant that we ate at during our stay and Relais d’Artemis had nice atmosphere and good three course lunch.

Pamela and John (USA) - April 2019

I just want to extend a sincere thank you and offer compliments to your company and our tour guide, Tiffany. Our tour of Chambord and Chenonceau, our lunch in Chenonceaux and the wine tasting were wonderful. Tiffany was very friendly and patiently answered all of our questions about the castles, France, and the Loire river valley. All aspects of the tour were magnificent and it will surely be one of the best memories of our time in France. We will definitely recommend your tour company to others and will certainly consider another tour if we return to France in the future. Best regards to you and your staff.

Brad (USA) - April 2019

A group of us spent 6 days in the Loire on a tour organized and conducted by RiverLoire. From my first interaction with them through the website to the last day of the tour they were very professional. They arranged a great itinerary and we were guided by Tiffany for the 6 full days. The hotels, meals and itinerary were perfect. They were always on time, responsive to our needs and very helpful. I would highly recommend them to anyone who wants a great luxury tour of the Loire region.

Christine (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - April 2019

Though we were visiting in the low season and it was cold and windy, we were treated to a very fun day by our guide Hélène. We got to see two chateaux and visit a goat farm as well as enjoy a pretty good lunch at a local restaurant.

Courtney (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - November 2018

More Than a Tour — an Experience!
This was the perfect way to spend a day in the Loire Valley. Thierry picked us up, whisked us away for day focused on local wines, and quickly immersed us in the local culture. We walked in vineyards, through caves, and tasted wines; we ate lunch at a delightful restaurant that had each of the four of us smiling with satisfaction, we visited a lesser known and out of the way castle, and finally visited a community wine co-op where we tasted the local wines, filled a small cask from the tank, travelled to a private cave where each of bottled our own as a souvenir, followed by yet another tasting with cheese. Not only was the day and our host a total joy, we finished the excursion feeling like we had truly experienced the culture and the area.

Tim (Italy), a tripadvisor review (5stars) - October 2018

Spent a wonderful morning making four “finger foods” with one star Michelin Chef Maignant. He and his wife had everything organized so the preparation went very smoothly. We were able to get hands on experience and even learned some knife skills. The recipes are things I will definitely make at home. Several can be made ahead and frozen to allow for last minute entertaining. When the two hour class was finished Thierry gave us a tour, tasting and talk about the Loire wine region. A perfectly planned morning from the moment we were picked up to drop off at our apartment in Amboise.

Tenna (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - September 2018

We were thrilled with our tour of Chambord and Chenonceau with RiverLoire. Our guide, Mathieu, was engaging, knowledgeable, entertaining and willing to accommodate our specific requests. He picked us up at our cottage and delivered us back, tired but content. The lunch was perhaps our best meal in our two-week trip to France. We would recommend RiverLoire to make your visit to the Loire even more memorable.

Phillip (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - September 2018

My husband and I took the train to the Loire Valley for the tour. Our guide Morgan was fun, very knowledgeable and pleasant to have as our guide. The variety of the day makes it a great all inclusive tour. I highly recommend even just a day trip from Paris as it is so close via train. Worth the trip, time and $.

Lindsay (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - September 2018

Tiffany was our guide and she was full of enthusiasm. She added fun and excitement to the whole trip. We were very satisfied with the hotel because it was a good mix of traditional and contemporary style with convenient location. This was our second time traveling with Riverloire and our high standards are maintained.

Francis (Singapore) - July 2018

I couldn’t resist booking 2 days with RiverLoire after reading all the glowing reviews from others on TripAdvisor. Claire and Thierry put together a lovely tour for us to learn and see as much about this region’s rich culture! Nothing disappointed! Our first day was a giant history lesson with our guide, Audrey! She was enthusiastic and fun! Our Michelin lunch was in a beautiful setting in Chenonceaux. It was too hot for us to paddle on the Cher but a fabulous day over all!

Our 2nd day was everything about food and wine! As we toured, we learned about the delicious Vouvrays of the region. We toured a private troglodyte wine cellar with wine tasting of course and enjoyed a delicious lunch in Rochecorbon. We also took advantage learning Apéro à la Françoise with a private chef! So fun!

Kathy (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - June 2018

My wife and I booked a 10-day tour with Riverloire, and it was fantastic from start to finish. The staff was very accommodating in working with us to create the kind of private, personalised tour at the pace we wanted. Perfection personified. We elected to take advantage of the opportunity to stay in one of the apartments they offer, in lieu of staying in a hotel. Besides being in the heart of the city of Amboise, the apartment was a real gem, comfortable, warm, and it has a washing machine. Audrey, our primary tour guide, was very informative and kept us on schedule. And she was a good companion to boot. All in all, two thumbs up, way up.

Stephen (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - May 2018

Audrey, and the team behind her, made certain that our three days exploring the Loire Valley was far more than a tour...it was an EXPERIENCE! Audrey's knowledge was amazing and she brought to life the history behind the amazing places we visited. Selecting a private tour of the region was the absolute right choice. In the two days that we had set aside in the region, we experienced what would have taken at least five days... and learned so much more than if we had been on our own, or on a large bus tour. We look forward to using Riverloire again on our next trip to France

Trish and Joshua (USA) - November 2017

We booked a private tour with RiverLoire only a week before we arrived, based on their amazing website. They offered multiple 1-day or 2-day tours of the Loire Valley. We chose a 1-day tour which included the Chateau de Villandry, the Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau, and the Chateau of Langeais. Audrey was our tour guide and she picked us up at our hotel. Audrey was an excellent guide! Very friendly! Great personality! She shared her knowledge of the 3 chateaus - their history, their architecture, their furnishings.
We wish we could have spent more time in the Loire Valley. We highly recommend RiverLoire! We hope to visit the Loire Valley again and we'll definitely book another tour with RiverLoire!

Kathy and Matt (USA), a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - October 2017

I had chosen Riverloire Tour Company because they had 32 reviews and all were 5 Star - and now I know why! They can customize anything you want in a luxury style.

We chose to do chateaux, wine tasting, and canoeing on the Cher river. We had one whole day on our own too. Riverloire provided us with maps of both cities for that day and transported us between the towns.

We did not have to think about anything (they even transported our suitcases from one hotel to the next).

We had Audrey as our guide. She was absolutely amazing - Her knowledge about French history and more is incredible- She had us all mesmerized by her story telling. Her energy is fantastic.
A highlight was when we were invited to Riverloire's owners house (Thierry) wine cellar where we got to taste some fantastic wines and even bottle our own.

Our whole itinerary was amazing - It was a Magical, Fairy tale trip! I highly recommend Riverloire and think the staff is fantastic!!

Jax (USA), a tripadvisor review (5 stars) - October 2017

Me and my girlfriends were picked up from CDG Airport in a beautiful Mercedes mini Van and escorted by Audrey to the Loire Valley.
I had chosen Riverloire Tour Company -
one because they had 32 reviews and all were 5 Star - and now I know why!
Their website is amazing. They can customize anything you want in a luxury style.
We chose to do two days of Chateaux travels - one day of wine tasting - a goat cheese farm and canoeing on the Cher river. We had one whole day on our own- split between the city of Amboise and Tours. Riverloire provided us with maps of both cities and transported us between the towns. From the get go Claire in the administrative office put together an amazing 5 day itinerary.
We did not have to think about anything (they even transported our suitcases from one hotel to the next)
We had Audrey as our guide for all the chateaux and the goat cheese farm.
She was absolutely amazing - Her knowledge about French history and more is incredible- She had us all mesmerized by her story telling. Her energy is fantastic.
She was the highlight of our touring the beautiful Chateaux of the Loire.
On our wine tour day we were greeted by Clemant - who was knowledgable (sweet & fun) about all the wines of the region- he took us to a privately owned chateau and to a fabulous winery.
A highlight was when we were invited to Riverloire's owners house (Thierry) wine cellar where we got to taste some fantastic wines and even bottle our own(and meet Thierry & Claire)
Our whole itinerary was amazing - we visited Chateaux Chambord, Cheverny, Chaumont, Villandry, Azay Le Rideau, Usse and Chenonceau!! Audrey brought these Castles/Chateaux to life with her storytelling - It was a Magical, Fairy tail trip!
I highly recommend Riverloire and think the staff is fantastic!!

Jackie (USA), a review from TripAdvisor (5 stars) - October 2017

We spent 6 days in the Loire Valley. Our guide, Audrey was excellent: She was really knowledgeable and very much enthusiastic. I already had experienced private tours in several countries, but the one with RiverLoire was definitely the best!

Francis (Singapore) - October 2017

We spent 4 fabulous days in the Loire Valley - Audrey our guide was absolutely amazing! She brought the castles to life with her story telling-her knowledge of french history and more was so entertaining - we couldn't get enough of her lively spirit an energy!
Clement our wine guide was fantastic too!
Riverloire exceeded our expectations and made our journey to this region so memorable!!
Words can't express enough how great this tour company is!!
Thank you for a magical fairytale trip to the Loire Valley!

Jack (USA) - September 2017

Our guide, Audrey was excellent, knowledgeable and very enthusiast. Clément’s knowledge allowed me to share a memorable wine experience in Sancerre. The itinerary was even better that what I was expecting, with Chateaux and gastronomy! RiverLoire is really easy to contact online and they made of our stay a great adventure.

John (Australia) - September 2017

Audrey was great! Very knowledgeable and friendly. We tend to ask questions that are not just about the chateaux and she was happy to answer anything we asked. We were very happy with her as our tour guide.As for the hotel, the room was really nice and the service was excellent. We have to say that the hotel pool was very welcome at the end of our bike tour! We really enjoyed our time with RiverLoire and would recommend it without any doubts, with a private guide!

Mary Anne (New Zealand) - September 2017

We loved our tour. Beginning with your assistance in setting up our schedule, we found your company to be professional and friendly.
Each of our guides was delightful. Clement has a passion and knowledge of wine that is inspiring. Marine is poised and professional. We thoroughly enjoyed her tour. Of course you already know how much we liked Audrey. Meeting Thiery at his home and learning about your company added to our interesting experience. Thank you for your help and . I hope we meet again.

Judy and Matthew (USA) - July 2017

Thank you Thierry for this fantastic tour! The hotels and restaurants were great, especially the one in Azay-le-Rideau: We loved it! Mustafa, our bike guide was service minded and Marine was lovely and very attentive. She’d even studied Swedish! We had a really good time with RiverLoire!

Katarina and Per (Sweden) - July 2017

RiverLoire is the absolute finest experience in the Loire Valley and a clear standout in our travels throughout Europe. Their expertise comes from living in the region and specializing in those attractions. Their service, guides and advice made our trip the best it could be. Our guides were not only good company, they filled each day with their expert knowledge of each topic and made our visit an education as well as a pleasure. This is travel the way it should be. Don't hesitate to give them a call.

Matt (USA), a review from Tripadvisor (5 stars) - June 2017

We spent 8 days with RiverLoire. The castles are mortar and stone, but Audrey our private guide made them come alive with her descriptions of their history and owners. Her presentations were spellbinding. We were enthralled, our request were “no problem” our days were full of laughter and fun, the restaurant were unique and wonderful. Her fluency in English was incredible. We were totally impressed and satisfied.
With no previous experience with River Loire, you never know whether the website is an accurate representation of reality, but from the beginning to the end you exceeded our expectations with a great planning and execution. This was definitely a wonderful way to celebrate our wedding anniversary and we would be happy to be able to do this again.

Edward & Joan (USA) - June 2017

Marine was an excellent guide and driver. Her understanding of history and architecture helped make her tours very interesting and informative, Clément our wine guide has an excellent understanding and appreciation of wine, the guides were friendly with a great knowledge of the area wine and history. Everyone was welcoming and very helpful, the apartment was beautiful. Thank you very much.

Scott, Genevieve, Katherine & Avery (USA) - June 2017

Audrey, our private guide, speaks very good English, she is extremely knowledgeable and has a great personality. Our wine guide, Clement is also very nice. Both of them were always on time.
The car, an Audi A6, was clean and new, the location of the hotel is great.
We definitively learned a lot and the cooking class was a highlight; Both the Michelin star chef and his wife were wonderful.

Nancy & Mike (USA) - June 2017

All my guides were terrific! Both Audrey and Marine were very knowledgeable about history. They were all able to discuss economics, politics, environmental and climate concern and we had excellent conversations. Clement and I focused on wines and he was very helpful. He even gave me some new ideas for Museum exhibits in California. They were the best guides I have ever had in Europe!

Libbie (USA) - June 2017

All your guides were highly informed and as professional as delightful. We were very impressed. Our trip exceeded our expectations! So professional! We will definitely recommend your organization. Thank you!

Matthew and Judy (USA) - June 2017

This was the best tour that you could ask for: the organization and planning of the tour exceeded our anticipation, the communication was great before, during and after our arrival, the hotels were wonderful and our guide was excellent;

Andrew & Mary Jo (USA) - May 2017

The RiverLoire team did an awesome job - chateaus, vineyards, food, hotel - everything was awesome. Marine did an amazing job as our tour guide.

Jason & Lorra (USA) , a review from Tripadvisor (5 stars) - May 2017

We had Audrey, Marine and Clement as our guides during our 11 day trip with RiverLoire. We loved all of them and we would highly recommend them to future travelers. By the end of our 2-3 days with Marine and Audrey we felt like they were our adopted family.
All of our hotels were wonderful. This was a wonderful experience, a nice mix of city and country spanning several centuries of history. We were exposed to several different cities and French culture. A delightful trip with extraordinary weather as well.

Lindsay, Justin, Judith & Clarence (USA) - May 2017

Our guide, Audrey, was fantastic! We couldn’t be more pleased! She was energetic, humorous, intelligent, and polite. We spoke every evening about how she brought history to life. She rapt the tour on pace, she adapted to our needs. She has been a great leader, teacher and friend throughout the entire trip. We were very pleased. Audrey is what we call a superstar.
Everything met our expectation and we will be happy to recommend RiverLoire to our friends and family. We have felt as though RiverLoire has been entertaining, informative, completely organized and stressed free during our entire stay.
We are interested in the Normandy tour with Audrey for our next trip to France!

Jason, Julie, Colton & Hailey (USA) - April 2017

We were with Audrey for three days; two visiting chateaux and a day trip to Mont St Michel. Audrey and the RiverLoire team were excellent in every respect. They tailored the visit to our likes and budget, and executed seamlessly. We did a 30 min helicopter ride which I highly recommend.
Mont St Michel was fabulous, and they made reservations for us at La Mere Poulard, which I also recommend. I have high standards for organizing trips like this and I was very happy with RiverLoire.

Scott & Peter (USA) a review from Tripadvisor (5 stars) - April 2017

We had a fantastic tour with Riverloire !
Audrey was wonderful and we enjoyed each day. She was very knowledgeable and personable. We would recommend her to any friends for the same tour !

Mara and family (USA) - March 2017

The Chateaus were beautiful and the wine as good as advertised, but without the thoughtful and personal touch of RiverLoire staff, it wouldn't have been nearly as memorable a trip. The engaging French history, from royal court intrigue to near extinction of many current day wine grapes, made each new day trip more special.
Special thanks to our guide Audrey for her limitless stories, and to the remaining staff for their hospitality.
Would highly recommend the tour.

Nick (USA) a review from Tripadvisor (5 stars) - March 2017

The tour exceeded our expectations and our guide Audrey was excellent in all respects, knowledge, personality, energy, English, driving, punctuality and love of France!

Beth, Michael, Nicolas & Bethany (USA) - March 2017

Our family of five adults booked a three day private tour of the Loire Valley and it was absolutely worth the money.
Our guide, Audrey, was a font of enthusiasm and knowledge. Her love the history of the French chateaux we visited brought them to life. We also really enjoyed our cooking class (and appreciate the chef's patience with our total lack of skill) and the wine tour - it's always fun to combine food and drink with learning! We appreciated the customization of the tours and Karine and Thierry's willingness to work with us to make our trip exactly what we wanted.

Lauren and family (Canada)a review from Tripadvisor (5 stars - January 2017

My husband and I hired Riverloire to organize a ten day vacation in the Loire Valley and Brittany. They prepared a lovely itinerary with a variety of activities and charming accommodations. They picked us up in Paris and took care of us from there.
We completed the trip in mid-October and it was truly fabulous. Our guides were delightful young ladies, the hotels were very nice, the included meals delicious and generous, and the planned activities just right!
It truly was a wonderful and relaxed vacation and Riverloire's excellent service and attention to detail was responsible.
Highly recommend.

Nancy and John (USA) - October 2016

We had a great time with Florence. She is an excellent guide and good fun.
I would definetly recommend Riverloire to my friends. The luxury of being driven, tickets purchased, and the knowledgeable guide was worth the money. There was a very good mix of chateaus, castles, wine and scenery.

Maria (Australia) - October 2016

Audrey, our guide, was a complete joy. She was informal, organized and her love of France and its history was apparent. She brought the Loire Valley to life.
Thierry, your wine cellar experience was the frosting on the cake. What a treat !
Thanks to you all !

James and Susan (USA) - October 2016

Audrey has a superior knowledge of history and wine ! She made enthusiastic presentation at each site. Thank you for the excellent service and the very well planned and designed tour.

Clark and Donna - October 2016

We had a wonderful time. Everything was very smooth and we LOVED the wine tasting with Thierry !
Florence was vivacious and passionate.. She made history alive, She has deep historical knowledge but able to explain so we could understand ! She was great at providing information not only on history but on France today.

We would be happy to recommend Riverloire to any one and to travel with you again !

Maria and Frederick (USA) - September 2016

Everything was absolutely wonderful!! Audrey well exceeded our expectations, she was knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming. We learned so much about architecture, history and local customs that we began to feel like locals.

Vicky & Vincent (USA) - September 2016

The tours in the Loire Valley and Normandy were really enjoyable. Our guides Audrey and Morgane were excellent. They were very easy to have fun with and were very knowledgeable, they made the tour very enjoyable.

Patrick & Kathleen (Australia) - August 2016

Our trip was perfect in every way!! The program was varied which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was great to mix the chateaux with a variety of active things like cooking, walking, canoeing and cycling. Gavin really enjoyed the excellent wine tasting hosts and the information given. Audrey was a wonderful guide. She gives just the right balance of information and time to absorb your surroundings. We highly recommend this trip!!

Lindsy & Gavin (USA) - August 2016

Dear Claire,
It has been a month since we returned from our Loire Valley winery tour with Audrey. We are still talking about the wonderful day we had in such a beautiful setting. Audrey made our visit so special. She was friendly, informative and gave us the perfect day. We have been to Amboise a number of times but had never taken a tour. Learning about the area's wine production and taking home our own labeled bottle was so much fun. Reading about other's experiences for longer times, we will return and definitely book with you again.

Laura (USA) - August 2016

Dear Claire,
The apartment at Villaconcorde was lovely and in a great location in Amboise. Both our guides were very knowledgeable in their area of expertise and we enjoyed the information they gave and their company.

Susan (USA) - July 2016

RiverLoire exceeded all our expectations, every detail of our trip was perfect. Our guide Frederique was wonderful, she made the history come alive and was very professional. We had a wonderful holiday and we will be returning in the future.

Mary & Henry (Australia) - June 2016

RiverLoire provided a great assortment of different things in our Itinerary, it was very varied. The service was excellent, we were particularly pleased that Claire notified us of a change to our train, which could have caused problems. We would definitely recommend RiverLoire to our friends.

Ros & Christopher (UK) - June 2016

Hello Thierry,
Our tour was excellent, we had an excellent itinerary very varied, the wine tasting was fantastic. Our guides Frederique and Peter were very knowledgeable and good company.

Randall & Patricia (Honk Kong) - May 2016

Frederique was an outstanding guide in every way. She demonstrated enormous knowledge of each Chateau we visited. The two vineyards we visited were excellent. Enjoyed Peter our wine guide. The itinerary was good and the choice of restaurants for lunch were excellent. We would be pleased to recommend to all our friends.

Raymond (New Zealand) - May 2016

Dear Claire
I want to thank you for the tour of Château Chambord and Château Chenonceau. Especially I want to thank Florence. She has made the tour so enriching for me and my wife. she is knowledgable, patient, thoughtful and polite. My thanks to Florence fo being such a great tour guide for us !

Tom and Fung Fung (Singapore) - May 2016

The one day tour with Mathieu was fantastic, our children especially enjoyed the sword fighting ! Thank you !

Claire (Australia) - December 2015

HelloClaire,
To let you know that we just loved our stay in the Loire Valley. From the beginning, the communication was just perfect. We had a detailed agenda and every arrangements were well executed. Both of our guides were wonderful, very personable, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and Maryke was exceptional in her knowledge of wine. We would happily travel with River Loire again!

James & Becky (USA) - October 2015

We felt very well taking care of and we appreciated all the effort that went into preparing this trip for us, from the first communication with the company to the final day of our visit. Everyone was professional and kind and our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the region, history, art, wine, food, and more! She was very accommodating, professional and kind. We had a lovely time with her, enjoying her company and learning a great deal! Our trip was filled with a great variety of activities (canoeing, vineyards) and visits (castles) and we loved experiencing all the Loire Valley has to offer.
Merci Beaucoup!

Zach & Emily (USA) - October 2015

Dear Thierry,
Yes, River Loire exceeded our expectations ! We enjoyed both hotels we stayed at and we like all of our guides. We were particularly impressed with Maryke’s knowledge about wine and Aurzell enthusiastically brought history alive with wonderful stories about the people of the region. Thank you for everything and continue to provide the excellent services we experienced.

Tim & Sharon (USA) - September 2015

Dear Thierry,
Our stay in the Loire Valley was a lovely experience. Our guide Manon was knowledgeable, concerned, and protective. We spent a delightful time in her company. We would definitely recommend your company to our friends!

Joyce, Sherry & Betty (USA) - September 2015

Our trip to the Loire Valley was a really pleasant experience. There were a lot of beautiful places to visit, a lot of important history to learn, a lot of fine wine to taste and a lot of nice people to meet. That made up to a lot of good memories to take home ! Thank you Riverloire !

Hardy Group (Australia & Indonesia) - September 2015

We spent 9 days in the Loire Valley with River Loire and the organization was great. All of our tours were excellent with our three pleasant, caring and knowledgeable guides.

Fred & Donna (USA) - September 2015

Thank you again, Claire ! We liked the itinerary you have given us. Maryke was very knowledgeable and informative with wines and Aurzelle was excellent and passionate with history, her knowledge contributed to our enjoyment of the visits of Chambord and Chenonceau.

Ban & Patricia (Australia) - September 2015

Our guide was so great and very patient with our 'slow moving' group. She had great knowledge of all the sites, good english and even went out of her way to assist us in buying tickets to the local circus.

Ron and Family (USA) - August 2015

We spent 5 days in the Loire Valley with RiverLoire and the correspondence, organisation and accommodation couldn't be better. We had a good selection of activities and Elise did a great job guiding us through the castles and gardens of the Loire Valley. We also had a day wine tour with Maryke, we don't usually enjoy wine tours, but had an excellent day with her! Thank you for all the arrangements regarding our special diet, everything was great! Definitely a 5 star experience!

John & Deborah (USA) - July 2015

RiverLoire provided an intimate and personalized experience with special attention to detail and helpful friendly staff! The hotel was beautiful - all lodging and provided meals were beyond our expectations and a true pleasure.
Our itinerary provided a thorough glance of the culture and heritage of the Loire Valley, made so much more enjoyable by our guide, Manon! She was excellent, had great knowledge and was very attentive to our requests and our well being! We also enjoyed a great picnic and delightful wine tasting. We look forward to using RiverLoire again in the future!

Daniel & Nathalie (USA) - July 2015

We had a lovely time in the Loire, both guides Manon and Maryke were very knowledagble and passionate about their work and fields of interest. Most of our time was with Manon, she is warm and accommodating and we very much enjoyed spending our time with her. We had a great vacation in the Loire Valley, everything was very well organized and all planning exceeded our epectations, overall we were very happy and satisfied!

Rudy & Marci (USA) - July 2015

My husband and I booked a private day tour that allowed us to explore the Chateaux of Chambord and Chenonceau. From the time I contacted Claire at Riverloire to inquire about our day trip to the very end of our day tour when Manon ensured we got to the correct train, our experience with Riverloire was first class.

On the planning end we received the best customer service from Claire who was friendly, prompt in responding to our emails and was more than accommodating in booking our lunch reservations at Domaine des Hautes de Loire as my husband and I are big foodies and wanted to experience this Michelin 2 Star restaurant during our brief time in the Loire Valley.

The day of our tour Manon met us at the door step of our train cart and from there the day was just perfect. Manon was friendly, professional and extremely knowledgeable about the region as she is a resident of Amboise. She is a true educator as she provided my husband and I an extensive history of what the era was like as well as interesting facts about the owners of each of the châteaux’s we visited. Manon was also kind enough to take photos of my husband at each of the chateaux which was greatly appreciated.

Another thing worth mentioning is we were not chauffeured around in minivan or bus but rather a stylish Audi allroad. My husband and I will not think twice about booking tours with Riverloire in the future as they know how to provide a first class experience from beginning to end and all for a reasonable cost.

Brandie (USA) - July 2015

Dear Maryke and Karine,
Thank you for the most amazing two day wine experience full of education and surprises. You gave Chris and I wine tastings and vineyard visits that will stay in our memories for a very long time. Maryke's knowledge was deep and yet we could still absorb a great deal of information. We have come home with a love for wines and a region we knew little about. It was just amazing and I'm happy to report all the wines we bought taste just as wonderful at home!

Lisianne & Chris (UK) - July 2015

Our RiverLoire experience was excellent! The organisation and attention to detail were great!The main component of this tour was a photo tour, we were accompanied by a professional photographer - his instructions were very clear with good guidlines, allowing us to take the best possible pictures. Our guide Manon was also very good,knowledgable and patient! The accommodation was absolutely lovely and the hot air ballon ride a fantastic experience. A truly memorable and enjoyable experience! Great service and great place!

Kathryn (UK) - July 2015

I am the father of a 13 year old daughter and wanted to take her on a bike trip of the Loire that was well thought out and executed but relatively independent. I emailed Tifany with that request and boy did she deliver.

We were met at the train by the wonderful guide Manon who got us situated and took us on a great tour of Amboise as only a local can (she actually lives there!) After a half day of touring Amboise with Manon, we were off on two days on "independent biking." The quotes are because Tifany had taken care of all of the details. We had step by step directions, reservations at a fabulous chateau and of course the beautiful scenery.

Did I mention my daughter is 13? I also did not tell her in advance we would be biking! She loved it and we had an experience I will never forget. Thank you Riverloire.

Andrew (USA) - June 2015

Dear Thierry,

We enjoyed the most delightful day with Maryke in Reims on June 9. Maryke met at the train station with a beautiful smile and ready for a long and very fun day.

Maryke was a perfect guide and wine expert. She is very familiar with the Reims Cathedral as well as the three champagne houses we visited. She is a wealth of information and is quite willing to share her knowledge at the same time not over power the conversation. We all were very impressed with her gift of ease in making us all comfortable and happy.

We were very much looking forward to our day in Champagne and Maryke did not disappoint us in the least. Her comfort in adding information before and after each champagne house visit was timely and delicately added.

Our youngest son is taking his second level exam for Sommelier, a wine expert in the USA. He was especially interested in Maryke's thoughts and ideas.

Maryke was simply the best ~ we had a fantastic time and it was a pleasure to meet her as well as spend the entire day together.

I've attached to photo's, you can tell by the smiles on our faces, Maryke made us happy!

We hope to return to Champagne country in the future and rely on Riverloire again!

Our very best,

Bob, Sherrie, Bob and Jameson (USA) - June 2015

It was a delight to spend 4 days touring the Loire Valley with RiverLoire, from the time we made contact to meeting our guide, our expectations were exceeded- for both the planning and the experience! Manon was a great guide, very punctual and organized, her knowledge and expertise was exemplary.

Sandra & Ron (Australia) - June 2015

It was great having a personal guide, both guides were very knowledgable and friendly and made us feel comfortable. We were very happy with the selection of places chosen for us to visit and the hotel and restaurants booked were outstanding. A wonderful time spent in the Loire Valley!

Jim (Alaska) - June 2015

We were referred to Thierry and his company through friends. From the time we made first contact with the company to the time we were farewelled at the train station, the experience was flawless and first class. We had high expectations and Thierry delivered! The tour was personal, friendly and informative. We were privileged to visit all that this region had to offer and more.

John and Jo (Australia) - June 2015

We enjoyed our 12 day tour with Luxury Tours France travelling through Normandy and countryside. Our guide, Manon was very knowledgable and professional. She also offered great assistance with our luggage and check-ins. The tour was very well organised. Thank you !

Jim & Jenny (Australia) - June 2015

The tour and accommodation was just like it was described to us with a smooth flow of all arrangements. Elise, our guide was very knowledgable, friendly and enthusiastic. An all together very enjoyable experience.

Krishna & Rakhee's family (Singapore) - June 2015

Thank you for making our trip so memorable! You provided the personal touch. It was very well organized, Manon did an exceptional job with Abigail, made it very interesting!

Rudd, Kris and Abigail (USA) - May 2015

This was a fabulous, well-organized tour. We are a family of 6. We biked, toured, biked again, ate a 4 star lunch, toured, then had a wine/cheese experience. We got a little behind on the schedule but Tiffany and her team handled it all very well and never made us feel rushed. We would definitely recommend Riverloire for a private tour.

Ingrid (USA) - May 2015

Hi Tifany,
Thank you for organizing our vacation for me, Phyllis and Barbara. We all had a wonderful time. The program you planned was really ideal and exactly what we all wanted.
We loved the chateaus, and especially cooking classes and wine tastings. Both cooking classes had very special menus.
Again thank you so much. It was a memorable vacation.

Margie (USA) - April 2015

We did a one day wine tour with Thierry and had an unforgettable day touring, lunching and drinking some spectacular wines in the loire valley.
Our train tickets from Paris were organised for us and it was only an hour train trip with beautiful scenery to get there.
The highlight was a magnificent three course lunch which was as good as any Michelin star restaurant. Lots of surprises along the way.
We felt like we had met up with relatives that had the pleasure of showing us their region. Amazing !

Brett & Amanda (USA) - November 2014

My friend and I handed ourselves over completely to RiverLoire for a three night stay in the Loire Valley.
Our tour was vey well-organized and included their help buying our TGV tickets from Paris, finding us excellent accommodations, retaining high quality guides who transported us to the chateaux and wineries, entrance tickets to all venues, and meal reservations.
RiverLoire is a top drawer organization, and I would recommend it highly for getting the most out of a short stay in the area!

Kirsten (USA) - October 2014

This was by far the highlight of our 3 day visit to the Loire Valley area.
Our tour guide (Manon) was smart, informative, and a pleasure to spend time with. We had a great time talking with her about wine, details of the area, and travel in general.
We learned a good bit about the wine making process and tasted some really nice wines and cheeses. Lunch was great. We are foodies and were impressed with their choice. Bottling our own wine with the addition of personalized labels was a nice touch.
I would recommend using Riverloire for anyone interested in a private wine tour. We thoroughly enjoyed our day.

Katie - October 2014

Hello Claire,
I am sorry it has taken me a little while to write this email but I would be remiss if I did not tell you how happy we were with our Wine and Chateau Tour.
It was the highlight of your trip. Everything was handled professionally and efficiently and once we arrived at the train station it was great not to have to worry about another thing but enjoying the day.
The tour was perfect. Both chateau were exceptional and the lunch at L'Orangerie was our best meal of the trip!
Now to talk about Matilda. She was superb. She is a lovely, sweet, knowledgeable professional and made our day. She is also a very good driver. What we experienced in the Loire Valley was wonderful but made so much better by this personable young woman. Kudos to her and to your company for hiring her!
Thank you again for the wonderful service and the wonderful tour and tell Matilda I said hello. Remind her that we are the group that gave her the Tootsie Roll Pops !

Joelle (USA) - October 2014

Dear Claire,
Our stay in the Loire Valley was a remarkable experience. We had heard of it often, but the reality was far more wonderful than the stories and myths. Everywhere we went it was a beautiful sight. Everything looked well cared for and tidy. Everything was clean and prosperous looking. We encountered lovely, friendly, helpful people.
We think the Loire Valley is one of France's jewels and should be at the top with Paris, Lyon.

Oh, yes, the food was astounding and the beautiful presentations of it were remarkable. We never saw such exquisite looking food, ever. (The only poor meal we had in the Loire Valley was the one we selected on our own. Shame on us!) We enjoyed very much the cooking class with Valerie that you arranged. It was a very nice learning experience, but also seemed like we were enjoying being in someone's home with a friend, or family member.

We enjoyed going in the cave in Thierry's home. We enjoyed the initial chateaux especially well. They are spectacular. We enjoyed all the restaurants you selected for us. We especially enjoyed the lunch on Sunday, as it seemed we were in a place frequented, and enjoyed, by French citizens. That made it seem like we were having a very "real" French experience. We enjoyed it all, truly.

Stephen (Australia) - September 2014

Bonjour Thierry:
We have just returned home after a wonderful holiday in France. Our guides were terrific, and the hotel was fit for a king. All of the selected restaurants were ideal.
Thank you for making this a terrific vacation, and please thank our guides Delphine and Mathilde for their special attention.

Sandy (USA) - September 2014

From a global point of view and considering that in the last 12 months we have taken tours in China, Turkey, Croatia, France, Hong Kong, Dubai, London, New York and Venice we very much enjoyed our Loire Valley stay and wished we had another couple of days !
The lunches and dinner organized through RiverLoire were absolutely beyond our expectations and better than we had enjoyed on any of our tours and during our visit to Paris and Provence immediately before the Loire Valley.
Chenonceau, Amboise, Villandry, Cheverny and Chambord were absolutely wonderful and the wine tasting experience in the troglodyte tunnels was fantastic.
RiverLoire's organization was exceptional and we would definitely use them again and recommend them to the most discriminating holiday maker.

Jane (USA) - August 2014

Dear Delphine and Thierry,
Thank you so much for our incredible visit to the Loire Valley! Our stay was wonderful -- the itinerary, the apartment, the location in Amboise -- we loved all of it and were sad to be leaving so soon.
Thanks to both of you for everything you did to make sure we were comfortable and taken care of. The trip was truly not lacking in any way! Laurent was also lovely and brought us to the train station, making sure we knew where to go and what to do at the station. Thanks again for everything!

Bernadine and family - August 2014

Dear Thierry ,
We just arrived home and I wanted to take a moment to thank-you for the wonderful time we had in Amboise.
We loved the hotel, everyone there was so welcoming and nice and the rooms were beautiful!
The plans that you made for our days there were perfect. It was a good balance of time on our own in closer locations and travelling further with a guide. The girls did a great job and were lots of fun!
All in all I cannot think of anything that we would change. You are in a beautiful area and we are so happy that we got to know it better.
We cannot thank-you enough for the wonderful vacation you planned for us !

Debbie (USA) - August 2014

Dear Manon,
Thanks so much for a very nice trip. Our wine tasting day with Thierry was great. We've done many tasting days around the world, but this one was really unique with a local touch! You put together a great tour. Thank you !

Melissa (USA) - August 2014

I have to say, my highlight of the trip was, now I'll probably have to rephrase that, because there were so many highlights from the week.
Clos Luce for me, really stood out, not from being more beautiful or anything like that, the whole day actually. I had in my mind that it was a low key day, nothing too exciting and the whole day just blew me away. Then, we had an incredible lunch in one of the restaurants in the main street in Amboise,

Villandry was spectacular and loved every inch of it. But knew it would be. The other really pleasant surprise was Chateau du Rivau... And it was such a pleasure learning from you that day...
But that would not have been possible had we just gone to visit ourselves. And that was probably one of the things that would have me book with you again, the information that we learned from you, from Thierry and Karine and also from Brian... I love learning and to actually be learning from locals was just so incredible to me...

Robyn (Australia) - August 2014

I did want to take the time to sincerely thank you once again for ALL of your kindness to us during our tour last week. On our first night back in Paris, Jaxon & I kept looking at each other across the dinner table and said, Gee we really miss Delphine -- she was FUN! You, Thierry and Karine put a lot of thought and planning into our trip to make it very memorable. Jaxon & I will treasure the memories of the lovely chateaux, the fantastic cuisine and all of the sights from our trip. We learned a lot, laughed a lot and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We were also so impressed with the hotel you recommended...

Dana and Jaxon (USA) - August 2014

Hi Thierry
Our tour was exceptionally well organized by Claire. The quality & the location of the hotel was awesome. Our guide was superb. She was very pleasant, knowledgeable & spoke very good English.
Thank you again.

Jim (USA) - July 2014

Bonjour Claire,
The whole experience was excellent from the responses to my initial inquiries, to the organization and professional presentation of our itinerary and then the actual visit.
All of the staff were helpful and friendly. We always knew what was happening, when and with whom. I really couldn't fault anything.
I would happily recommend RiverLoire to any of my friends planning a trip To France.

Peter (Australia) - July 2014

I had one and a half days to visit the castles in the Loire Valley. I took the train from Paris on Friday night and returned on Sunday afternoon. I arranged a private car and driver through Riverloire agency.
All the arrangements were handled very efficiently and smoothly.
We visited Chambord the oldest of the castles. Menon had lots of interesting information to share about the history of the castle. We also went to Chevrny. Probably the best preserved castle. Chenonceau was of course the highlight of the tour. It is a beautiful castle than spans the River Cher.
Menon again had lots of interesting information that you might not otherwise have learned including the role Chenonceau played during World War II helping refugees escape the Nazis. As a side note, I asked Menon to join me for lunch both days. She was a great lunch companion as I was alone on this tour. We both love French food and were able to discuss the cuisine. Overall I would say hiring a private car and driver was well worth it if you have limited time.
Riverloire does an excellent job and will tailor the itinerary to your needs. I would highly recommend Amboise as your port of call. It is central in the Loire Valley. Easy to get to on a direct train from Paris. Lots of shopping, restaurants and the beautiful Amboise Castle which is worth seeing along with Leonardo da Vinci's home.

Claire (USA) - July 2014

Hi Thierry
Mathilde was superb, and we couldn't have asked for a better guide.
She was always friendly and warm. She spoke English excellently. She was very accommodating and knowledgeable. She told us much to educate us, but never too much. If we were curious for more information, we asked and she responded.
She was very attentive to our comfort, well-being and satisfaction. She was fun to be with, and we felt as if we were with a "friend," although she was performing her job.
We have complimented her, and RiverLoire, to everyone with whom we have spoken about our trip.

Jackie (New Zealand) - July 2014

Dear Sophie,
The highest praise must go to our guide Manon. She had a difficult job to do including driving in Paris and long distances (in bad weather at times) as well as providing very knowledgeable background information on the places we visited and dealing with our last-minute changes to the plans for the day. She did this while being always pleasant and helpful yet discreet.

The program you designed certainly included some of the most well known and spectacular of the chateaux in the area. Because of the distance and expense involved in travelling from Australia we tend to try to cram in too much while in Europe. The difficulty is to pace ourselves so we see a lot but without getting physically and mentally exhausted!

I would definitively recommend Riverloire to other people, particularly if Manon was to be the guide or if your other guides are of the same high standard.
Yours Faithfully.

Hannibal (Australia) - July 2014

Dear Thierry and Karine
The Château Hotel and their outdoor restaurant were magnificent & a highlight of our trip to the Loire Valley!!! We would stay there again.
The tour and tasting at the winery and lunch at L'Orangerie, Chenonceaux were also highlights. Everything was incredible overall though!!! We had a wonderful time!

Donna (USA) - June 2014

Dear Thierry ,
Having heard how wonderful my parents thought the trip you put together for them was, I would like to share my thanks and appreciation for such a fabulous Loire experience, they thought it was such an enjoyable few days, and created some lovely memories. Thank you very much indeed, much appreciated.

Dougal (UK) - June 2014

The Loire Valley is beautiful and RiverLoire's organizing perfect. We couldn't have had a better stay !

Anne (Australia) - May 2014

Thank you Thierry for the wonderful tour and the cycling experience, a first time for all the family and a memorable one.
We had such a great time that I have taken the liberty of giving your Loire Valley cycling tour to a few of my keen cyclist friends !
Thank you once again , will be in touch to organise one more!

Kevin (Singapore) - May 2014

I would like to say visiting your beautiful Loire Valley was the high-light of our trip.
We have never taken a private tour and very excited to experience a first class tour with a knowledgeable guide and without the stress of driving and line-ups.
Manon, our guide, was a lovely girl who made our day interesting and most enjoyable. She was passionate about the history and when she realized we wanted to know everything, she was willing and eager to share her detailed knowledge. We loved to listen to her stories, we loved to imagine what it was like to live back in those days. I appreciated her genuine interest and the passion she displayed during our tour.

Sarah (USA) - May 2014

Bonjour Tifany!
I just want to personally say what a wonderful time we had in the Loire Valley and look forward to working with RiverLoire again and/or Luxury Tours France. It was such a magical and special time that it’s difficult to capture into words.
Our accommodations were so comfortable and luxurious. The restaurant choices were amazing! Manon was delightful. We especially loved the very personal tour of Thierry’s troglodyte wine cellar, bottling our own wine, his explanation of the history of the cave and the wine region, the wine/cheese tasting. What a terrific surprise. It was the absolute highlight of a first-class four nights in the Loire Valley.

Dorothy (USA) - May 2014

Dear Thierry , Karine and Delphine,
Thank you for the wonderful time that we had in the Loire Valley. Our stay is one of the highlights of our 6 weeks in France. In fact when friends ask what the highlights were, our stay in Amboise is nearly always mentioned first.
Delphine, you were a great guide. We liked the fact that we weren't in a bus with many other people as we were later in our trip. We enjoyed those parts of France as well & we paid less per day & as the saying goes, we got what we paid for. Ron & I hope that your business continues to do very well as you are offering a very good quality service.
We will be recommending your company to friends as we know that they would not be disappointed. Thank you all very much.
Kind regards.

Pam and Ron (Australia) - April 2014

We are back home now and sadly our French holiday is over. We thought it was fab! All our guides (Mathilde, Manon and Agathe) were charming. We enjoyed being in our small group with the guide. The bike ride was fun. Meeting Thierry and bottling our own wine was a treat ! Cheers.

Dawn (New Zealand) - April 2014

Riverloire agency organized an excellent semi-guided tour of some of the highlights of the area. This included beautiful historical sites and castles, exceptional choice of restaurants and wine tasting.
Everything was taken care of: lodging, tickets, vouchers, dedicated guides/ drivers. We enjoyed staying in a chateau for the peace, serene atmosphere and infinite green scenery. Our hosts were caring and accommodating.
The pace of the trip was just right, and we sure left something for "the next time". Truly enjoyed! Merci!

Elena (USA) - April 2014

Dear Thierry,
The Loire Valley is beautiful and RiverLoire's Team ensured that all planned events were on time and handled everything professionally. Agathe was well informed, professional and patient ! The hotel was wonderful. Clean, roomy & gracious service.
Thank you all very much!

Pamela (USA) - March 2014

Hi Thierry,
I want to thank you again for the incredible week we had in the Loire Valley. The trip was very well organized, restaurant suggestions were excellent and it was very thorough. We loved all the hotels and the cooking class and really enjoyed bottling our own wine. It was awesome and a lot of fun!

Lynette (Canada) - March 2014

I would recommend this to anyone seeking a highly personalised trip to this magnificent wine region... It would be difficult to pinpoint one highlight of this magnificent trip... but ... the trip to Sancerre was excellent and the Sancerre museum was extremely informative!
Thank you Thierry !

Allison (USA) - March 2014

Absolutely loved my weekend and when my family visits this Spring I will encourage them to plan a few days in the Loire and contact Riverloire.
I really like how the trip was tailored to what I wanted to do, the hotel and restaurant were fantastic, and Delphine was fantastic. I especially Sunday, thank you for opening your home to me - loved meeting the kids!Any yes, the wine is already handed out! Thank you!
Best Regards.

Cason (USA) - November 2013

I just wanted to send you a note of sincere thanks. Miranda had a lovely birthday weekend thanks to your organization and the care of all the RiverLoire team. We will pass on the good word to our friends and colleagues and hope that we see you again sometime in the future.

Colm (UK) - August 2013

We had an excellent, privately developed biking tour with Riverloire Sept 2013.
I found Riverloire on the internet and starting communicating with Thierry the manager a year before our tour. He was always prompt in replying to my emails. I brought 21 people on the bike tour and Riverloire arranged the hotels , chateau visits and bike rentals. The hotels far exceeded our expectations. We even stayed in a beautiful chateau near Amboise.

Thierry arranged private dinners for us at restaurants that were marvelous! I have never had better French food than on our tour! He arranged for our group to do a balloon ride over the Loire Valley. We loved the experience and will go back again. Next time we will do some van touring of Champagne and kayaking on the river.
We received the best service and made friends with the Riverloire team. I especially enjoyed going to Thierry's private wine cellar and bottling our own wine.

Eileen (USA) - August 2013

Dear Claire,
We spent five lovely days in the Loire Valley. RiverLoire was very organized from the start, answering our questions promptly and accommodating requests to suit our personal preferences.
Because of your experienced planning, we didn't have to worry about figuring out where to buy tickets or how much time to allot for each sightseeing stop. We showed up and Manon, our knowledgeable, English-speaking guide drove us to castles and wineries and explained the history, trivia and quirks of each sight.

Tanaka (USA) - August 2013

Bonjour ,
Deux mots pour vous dire que le bivouac a été parfaitement réussi avec une météo formidable et une bonne ambiance. Très bien accueillis et reçus par Jean, les guides du Chateau de Chaumont et Acram qui nous a mitonné un délicieux repas qui fût apprécié par tous .En résumé que du bonheur !!!
Bien cordialement à vous tous et félicitations pour cette remarquable organisation!

Alain & Marie Claude (France) - July 2013

Ce WE a été "GENIAL", merci beaucoup pour cette organisation qui a été très réussie. Nous avons vraiment tout apprécié et fait des rencontres avec des gens extraordinaires!

Sylvie (France) - July 2013

Bonjour Thierry ,
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you again.
Our stay was wonderful and to taste your wine and cheese and experience your cellar was truly enjoyable and much appreciated ! Could you also please pass on our heartfelt gratitude to Stephanie who was the most wonderful guide.
Our entire experience was incredibly memorable and has made us vow to return and spend some more time with you exploring your beautiful region !
Many thanks again Thierry.

Sandra and Mario (Italy) - July 2013

I just came back last week from France and the last part of our trip was a personalised guided tour for 2.
This was with Riverloire.com Thierry was a great person to deal with and the tour is adapted to your needs. Everything is paid for in advance so no extra expenses (only your own personal expenses).
The whole tour, we did 4 nights 5 days was first class accommodation just around corner from main street and an amazing view if the Chateau d' Amboise from our window.
The breakfasts were amazing and staff very friendly and helpful.
We visited Chateau Chenoneau doing a boat trip under Chateau ,an amazing lunch at a first class restaurant and a visit inside Chateau and finished off that evening with a Hot air balloon ride over Chateaus. Fantastic.
We also visited Chaumont Sur Loire,Chateau Villandry Chateau d' Amboise and Chateau du Clos Luce where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last 3 years. He is buried in Chateau.We also did a wine tasting.
Our guide was just wonderful and the whole trip a joy. First class the whole way !

Ann (Australia) - July 2013

Dear Thierry & Karine:
We enjoyed the trip very much - a very full week of cycling/visits/chateaus/wine tasting/dinners that we would not have sampled without your guidance. Our favorite places to visit were Chateau de Valmer, Chateau de Montpoupon, the city of Loches, Chateau d'Azay le Rideau and wine tasting at Chateau de Miniere. As far as places to stay, Chateau de Reignac and Chateau de Gizeux were great.
We definitely recommend this trip to others - it was very seamless ... you all did a great job! Thank you again!

Randy and Leslie (USA) - June 2013

Thank you Delphine! I am hoping to get back to Europe next summer. I will definitely get you all to plan our trip for us. We had a great time with all of you and remember our trip to the Loire as one of our best!

Lorri (USA) - June 2013

Dear Thierry ,
A brief note to say we made it back to Aus and had a wonderful time on our tour of the Loire with you and our wonderful guide Audrey ! ) .
We enjoyed every aspect of the personalised tour which was balanced as to Chateaus , history , wine tasting etc and both Lee Anna and I loved Amboise.
My daughter and I , back in London , carefully wrapped the 2 bottles of wine in plastic bubble wrap and plastic bags , positioned the bottles in our suitcases , with padding top & bottom and happily both bottles made the trip in tact and are now in my caver a vin . We have vowed only to open and drink them on a special occasion !!
I would also like to praise Audrey - Her maturity & knowledge and the professional and friendly manner in which she dealt with us was fantastic - it was a very nice gesture on the last day that she not only took us to the train , but came onto the platform & saw us safely onto the train .
Best regards to you all.

Patrick and Lee-Anna (Australia) - May 2013

Ciao Karine,
Sono felice di inoltrarti il feedback dei signori Piana, che sono rimasti molto soddisfatti del loro viaggio in Francia.
Ti ringrazio di esserti presa cura di questi nostri importanti clienti, e spero di contattarvi presto per una nuova prenotazione.
Cordiali saluti a te e a Thierry.

Giorgio (Italy) - May 2013

We had a very good trip home, no dramas, and France is always on my mind, because I can never find food here that tastes anywhere near as good as the food I experienced whilst there. Especially the yoghurt, Thank you Delphine.
I can honestly say the food that stood out the most was the fresh figs and cheeses I had on Hannah's birthday night. I would never have experienced those had we not booked our trip with you guys and I am so glad we did.
If it sounds like I have gone overboard with my praise, it is just because I did thoroughly and genuinely enjoy every bit of it. It couldn't have been better. And it did mean that much to me.
You will definitely be hearing more from me and seeing more of me...
And finally Thank you all, for such a wonderful holiday.

Darren (Australia) - May 2013

Hi Thierry
The program was put together very well, with a perfect mix of activity and rest.
The guide was very knowledgeable and all of our requests were met. We particularly liked the accommodation which exceeded our expectations in the beautiful grounds of a private family chateau.
The day of cycling and canoeing was a highlight. So too was Jeffrey's golf day and his cooking course. The day spent visiting gardens of Loire chateau were a highlight for Laura.

Jeffrey and Laura (USA) - May 2013

RiverLoire organized an amazing four-night, five-day itinerary for our group of five, that well-represented the beautiful Loire Valley.
Our focus was on seeing the chateaux of the region, experiencing the food and wines, enjoying the beautiful countryside.
Our expectations were exceeded and I recommend this company highly. They were exceptionally responsive, highly organized and incredibly helpful, even helping us arrange our train travel to and from the region.

Debby (USA) - May 2013

We are writing to thank Lucile our tour director and her company RiverLoire for organizing our itinerary for our Loire Valley Tour.
We came from Sydney Australia, and had very limited time to spend on our Loire Valley tour. Lucile managed to give us a really enjoyable, informative, very inclusive and yet relaxing tour of the Loire Valley. She picked us up at our Amboise hotel in a modern touring van and travelling pass the elegant Castle Chaumont sur Loire, then looping around many scenic towns like Blois, Cheverny, and Montrichard to visit the selected castles.
Over 3 full days we managed to cover some of the most impressive castles of Loire Valley. Lucile has a amicable personality, she lives locally and knows Lorie Valley very well, and she is a keen photographer. Her advice was concise and to the point.
In planning the sightseeing tour, Lucile gave us options and respected our decisions. She took us to two delicious lunches, and she made sure that we understood the menu and sat us in the restaurants under the shade with a scenic outlook.
Lucile who is multi-lingual, easily delivered the entire package as stated, we are very grateful for her service.

Sakon, Suzanne and Rebecca (Australia) - April 2013

Just loved the town, and someday would like to spend a month there, and take some other tours of castles etc. We loved our tours, and all the info on the way to and from. We will pass on the word here. Feel free to use us as a reference for any Americans wishing more information from someone who has been there. I have some photo's to email you in a few days. (I (Sharon) have been keeping our Grandchildren this past week so I'm slow to respond, but LOVED EVERYTHING. Thanks to everyone and all our best.

Ron & Sharon (USA) - April 2013

Hello Thierry and Dephine,
Just wanted to say thank you so much for organizing such a wonderful stay for us in Loire Valley last week. My mother, sister and I had a fantastic time and will have memories to last a lifetime.
Thanks for all the wonderful (door to door) service, driving (because we'd have been lost immediately!!), all the time you took with us and the extras....like the yummy macaroons Delphine...delicious!!! I hope that we have the chance to get back that way.....we'd LOVE it and if we do we will definitely be calling on you!! We will recommend you guys to anyone we know that is heading to Loire Valley.
Thanks again!!! Enjoy your summer!!

Alexandra (USA) - April 2013

Hi Delphine,
Ugh trying to get back to real life ; Thank you again for being a wonderful hostess. I actually found sausison at the duty free shop at Charles DeGaulle perfectly wrapped. Brought it back and it was delicious. I managed to 'smuggle in' all the wine safely in the wine skins as well. yeah! Here's a couple of pix!! I will highly recommend RiverLoire to anyone I know traveling to France. Thanks again (and to Thierry and Karen too!!) Cheers!

Lisa (USA) - April 2013

Dear Thierry and Karine,
I have been quick to recommend Amboise and RiverLoire to all of our friends. We truly had a wonderful time! (Unfortunately, we can't seem to get the ones that go to Paris every year to get out of the city!!)
Best regards

Mary and Harry (USA) - February 2013

Hi Delphine,
To let you know that we just loved our stay in Amboise. You were absolutely right, the Loire Valley is absolutely spectacular and we will certainly be back sometime by springtime when we believe the landscape will be astonishing. Everything was beyond our best expectations and we need to thank you for putting together such a wonderful trip for us.
With your permission I’ll be giving your contacts to some friends that showed already interest in visiting the region. Do not be therefore surprised should you receive E-mails mentioning my name.
Warm regards.

Carla and Rui (Africa) - February 2013

Alo Karine et Thierry, ça va?
I want to thank both of you, once again, for the marvelous time we had at Loire Valley.
You really overcame our expectations. Every single detail was perfect.
It was our first experience on a private tour. At first I thought it would be boring not having a bus full of different people to share the impressions, but no, it was very nice to have one of you waiting to pick us up always on time.
No queues, no rush, no waiting. Everything ready on time.
The way you interact is, once again, perfect: You know exactly when to be the tourist guide and when to be the friend to share opinions and feelings. Like, when to be professional and when to be a friend.
I can tell you, you were perfect in both ways. We, now, consider you like friends.
You are the kind of person and organization that one can recommend to everybody.
For sure I will share our experience with all of our friends and relatives, hoping that one day they can meet you and have the same wonderful time we had.
Merci beaucoup!

Tania and Cezar (Brazil) - September 2012

Hi Thierry, Delphine and Karine
After almost 20 years of travel, I have used many travel agencies and guides in many countries around the world and I have only walked away on two occasions feeling that my expectations were well and truly exceeded. I recently organized a tour for my parents in the Loire Valley with RiverLoire. My parents are well into their 70’s and while they are not seasoned travellers they were determined to do as much as possible themselves. I was very concerned about them but my fears were instantly allayed after my first conversation with Delphine at Riverloire. She could not have been more helpful or understanding of what my parents wanted. A schedule was prepared very quickly which included accommodation in a Chateau and a fabulous manor house (4 star but felt like 5) with only 7 rooms. After only 3 days my parents felt that they had very full and unique experience of the area.

Indeed, true to their marketing, my parents were given access to a side of the Loire that isn’t normally available to tourists on short breaks. RiverLoire goes beyond providing accommodation and whistle stop tour of obvious attractions. They give real thought to their itineraries and manage to give tourists an authentic taste of the area. The personalized service was outstanding with every possible need anticipated. My parents couldn’t fault the fabulous accommodation and restaurants but what impressed them most was the lunch and afternoon spent at a private residence to which Riverloire has exclusive access. The lunch and visit to a wine cellar was, for them, the highlight of the trip. All the staff at RiverLoire treated my parents like royalty and they left feeling like they had passed a wonderful three days with close friends.

Moreover, there were a number of hiccups (!) along the way that were entirely our fault but Riverloire adapted the itinerary each time with impressive efficiency and without complaint. I cannot say enough about the professionalism of the team at Riverloire and the quality of the product that they are offering. Lastly the value for money is very compelling. I struggle to see that you would save much money by organizing a trip of this calibre on your own. In fact, it wouldn’t be possible to replicate given some of the experiences are inaccessible to your average tourist.
To Thierry, Karine and Delphine, I offer my deepest gratitude for taking such wonderful care of my parents and providing them with such a memorable experience!

Jenny (Australia) - August 2012

Hi Thierry and Karine,
Doug and I want to thank you so much for putting together an incredible two and a half day experience in the Loire Valley.
Where should I begin? From the moment Delphine met us at the train station we knew we made the right decision to do a private tour of the Loire Valley. Once we arrived at the Manor house she had thoroughly gone over the plans with us and answered all our questions.
We loved the Manor House. The bed was more comfortable then the bed we slept in at the 5 star hotel in Paris, the view of the castle from our room was beautiful and the breakfast and dinner Sebastian had prepared for us was amazing. His eight course desert is something we are still talking about.
We still can't believe we saw seven castles and chateaux's in two and a half days. And we couldn't have been happier with Delphine and Severina as our tour guides. They both made us feel comfortable, very welcome and their knowledge of the history and area is just amazing.
I've attached are a few pictures for you and if any prospective client should need a reference, you have our contact info. Thank you once again for making our 25th anniversary celebration so special. All our best to everyone!

Mark and Doug (USA) - May 2012