Le 18ème Festival International des Jardins, à

Fam trip
The Saint-Jacques Cycle route
and The Loir valley by bicycle
25th – 28nd May 2016
www.marandoavelo.nl
Wednesday 25th May
Departure by train in Amsterdam 8h17 (Schiphol 8h33, Rotterdam 8h58) to Paris Nord,
arrival 11h35.
Departure train from Gare Montparnasse 1+2 at 13h06, arrival in Chartres at 14h09.
14h09
Meeting at the train station with Julie PERCHER, Loire Valley Tourist Board and Carole
ROSSI, Eure-et-Loir Tourist Board
14h30 - 15h00
Bus transfer to Maintenon (20km – 30 min)
15h00 - 16h30
Visit of the Château de Maintenon
Enter the "secret gardens" of the Sun King. Discover the furnished home of Madame de Maintenon,
whose eternal youth charmed Louis XIV the all-powerful. The 16th and 17th century château and
mediaeval tower were embellished as Madame de Maintenon grew in influence to become the
secret spouse of the King. Go for a walk among the formal gardens designed by the famous Le
Nôtre, the King's gardener. Admire the view over the Eure, spanned by the unfinished aqueduct of
Vauban built to supply water to the gardens of Versailles.
16h30 – 18h00
Maintenon  Chartres by e-bike (21km - 1h30) : part of the Saint-Jacques à Vélo Cycle route
Loc. Val de Loire, bike rental in Orléans - Mickaël TABARD - loc-valdeloire.com
18h00
Check in at Hôtel Jehan de Beauce****, Chartres. www.jehandebeauce.fr
This hotel is accredited « Accueil Vélo », a national certification that guarantees high-quality
services and facilities for cyclists along cycling trails.
20h00
Dinner with Aurélien Charpille, Chartres Tourist Office
Option :
22h00 – 23h30
Chartres en Lumières
Chartres is universally known for its cathedral listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. For several
years "Chartres en Lumières" reveals the cultural and architectural wealth of a city that brightly
shines every night from dusk until 1 am (from April to October).
Loire Valley tourist board - 37 avenue de Paris 45000 Orléans FRANCE
 : +33 (0) 2 38 79 95 00
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Thursday 26th May
9h00
Bus transfer to Bonneval (35km - 40min)
10h00 – 10h30
Electric boat tour – 30min
A peaceful trip along the Loir, to discover Bonneval, the Little Venice of Beauce and see its rich
medieval heritage from another point of view. New: history of the wash-houses along the river Loir.
10h30 – 11h00
Bus transfer to Châteaudun (15km – 20 min)
11h00 – 12h00
Visit of Châteaudun and the Castle
12h00 – 13h30
Lunch with Nathalie BEZAULT, Châteaudun Tourist office
13h30 – 14h10
Bus transfer to Vendôme (40km – 40min) - Stops at Montigny-le-Gannelon and Cloyes-sur-leLoir, small towns crossed by the Saint Jacques à Vélo route.
14h15 – 15h30
Visit of Vendôme (Vendôme Tourist Office)
15h30 – 16h30
Vendôme – Thorée-la-Rochette by e-bike (12,5km – 1h) : part of the Saint-Jacques à Vélo
Cycle route
16h30 – 17h15
Visit of Domaine Patrice Colin (wine cellar)
http://patrice-colin.fr
17h15 – 17h30
Bus transfer to Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Check-in at the hotel : Hôtel Le Cassini*** www.lecassini.com
18h00 – 18h30
Bus transfer to Sasnières (Stop at Lavardin)
18h30 – 19h30
Visit of Plessis Sasnières gardens
At the bottom of a little valley, this timeless garden is laid out around a pond with running water.
The old walled vegetable garden was transformed into a flower garden and is planted by color
theme. The roses, perennials and annuals flowers appear one after the other throughout the
season. Young apple trees give a soft light to the garden. A bucolic stroll along the grassy ways
leads to rare plants with unusual flowers, bark and leaves. At the top of the grounds, a panoramic
view of the garden appears behind the magnolias.
19h30
Dinner at the restaurant « Le Plessis », in the gardens
with Sophie DUPERRON, Loir-et-Cher Tourist Board
Night
Hôtel Le Cassini*** in Montoire-sur-le-Loir
Loire Valley tourist board - 37 avenue de Paris 45000 Orléans FRANCE
 : +33 (0) 2 38 79 95 00
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Friday 27th May
9h30
Bus transfer to Ruillé sur Loir (20km - 27min) You will be met by Véronique RICHARD, Press
Officer for l’Office de tourisme de la Vallée du Loir
10h00 – 11h00
Visit and wine-tasting at the Domain des Gauletteries where you will be welcomed by Claire
Lelais.
11h00 – 11h20
Bus transfer to La Chartre sur le Loir via the vineyard (8 km – 20 min)
11h30 – 12h30
You will then drive to Beaumont sur dême, Visit of the gardens of the Priory of Vauboin.
VAUBOUIN PRIORY HORTUS CONCLUSUS
The two gardens are set around a 14th century house, nestling at the foot of a limestone hillside.
A Hortus Conclusus, or enclosed garden, and a century old box plantation make this the perfect
place for contemplation, forming a link between earth and sky.
12h35 – 13h45
Lunch at Les mères cocottes restaurant, in Beaumont sur Dême.
In this atypical setting of a village restaurant and grocery, two mother hens » welcomes you and offers you a
tasting tour of the best local producers.
14h30 – 15h15
Bus transfer to Le Lude (36km – 45min) -Visit of the chateau du Lude
One of the finest examples of architecture of the first French Renaissance. A home both lived-in
and active.
15h15 – 15h30
Bus transfer to Luché Pringé ( 10 km-13 minutes)
15h30 – 17h00
Luché Pringé – La Flèche by bike ou e-bike (16,5km – 1h30) : part of the Loir valley by
bicycle
17h00 – 17h30
Check-in at the hotel: le vert Galant *** - www.vghotel.com
18h00 – 19h00
Visit of the théâtre de la Halle au Blé – just a few steps away from the hotel
This Italianate style theatre will amaze you with its elegant architecture and the splendor of its
setting.
19h30
Dinner at the restaurant “ La table de Laurène” by foot from the hotel
Night
Hôtel le Vert Galant, la Flèche.
Loire Valley tourist board - 37 avenue de Paris 45000 Orléans FRANCE
 : +33 (0) 2 38 79 95 00
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Saturday 28th May
9h00
Bus transfer to Paris
260 km, about 3,5 hour’s drive
Thalys departure 14h21, arrival Amsterdam 17h42 (Rotterdam 17h02 and Schiphol 17h24)
Contacts :
Loire Valley tourist board
www.marandoavelo.nl
www.valdeloire-france.com
Julie PERCHER
phone: +33 2 38 79 95 35 - cell : +33 6 45 73 60 21
[email protected]
Eure-et-Loir tourist board
www.tourisme28.com
Carole ROSSI
+33 2 37 84 01 03
[email protected]
Loir-et-Cher tourist board
www.coeur-val-de-loire.com
Sophie DUPERRON
+33 2 54 57 00 52
[email protected]
Tourist Office of the Loir
Valley
www.vallee-du-loir.com
Veronique RICHARD
+33 2 43 38 16 75 -Mob : 06 32 63 31 12
[email protected]
Loire Valley tourist board - 37 avenue de Paris 45000 Orléans FRANCE
 : +33 (0) 2 38 79 95 00
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