France Gardens Tour Announcement

You might recall how I led a tour of English gardens (plus the Chelsea Flower Show!!) in May. Well, I’m going to lead another tour next year and our destination is France! The “Loire Valley and Gardens of France” tour will take place from June 7-18, 2019. I am very excited about the itinerary.

Once again, I’m working with Val Day of International House of Travel. Val has been in the travel business for over 40 years so she really knows what she’s doing. When I led the English gardens tour this spring, Val had taken care of every last detail. All we had to do was get ourselves to the airport and enjoy the trip!

This time, we will leave from — and return to — Seattle. Do you live outside of Washington state? It’s possible to make flight arrangements so you can meet up with us in Paris. It’s also an option to extend the trip. Just contact Val by email or phone (see information at bottom of post).

The itinerary

Note that I’ve included links to the websites of the various France gardens and attractions we’ll be visiting.

General information: 12 days, 3 home bases, 10 gardens + a garden festival. All breakfasts are included, plus 3 lunches and 3 dinners. Cost includes flights from Seattle to Paris and Paris to Seattle, hotels, private coach, trip escort, entrance to gardens and other attractions.

Flight info:  June 7- Seattle to Paris
June 18 – Paris to Seattle

Note: For those traveling from Spokane, each person needs to make arrangements to get to and from Seattle. Val felt we could get a better rate than what she was being quoted.

June 7

Travel day – Seattle to Paris

June 8

Arrive Paris. Board private, head to Vernon to visit Monet’s Garden, Giverny. We’ll have 3 hours there. Then drive to our first hotel where we’ll stay for 2 nights. There will also be a welcome dinner.

Giverny info: Claude Monet’s garden. He lived here 1883-1926, painted water lilies scenes, magical garden! (photos courtesy of Giverny.org)

June 9

Visit Le Jardin Plume for 2 hours, and Jardin de Sericourt for 2 hours. 

Jardin Plume info: 7 acres, swaths of tall grasses, razor-sharp hedges! (photos below courtesy of Le Jardin Plume)

Jardin de Sericourt info: Award-winning 10-acre garden has garden rooms with clipped boxwood, rose cathedral, warrior garden. (no photos available at this time)

June 10

Head to Loire Valley. Visit Chateau de Valmer and Chateau de Rivau. Check into next hotel for 4 nights.

Chateau de Valmer info: Italian Renaissance Garden dating from 1640, terraced garden on 12 acres and 7 levels. (photo below courtesy of Chateau de Valmer)

Chateau du Rivau info: 14 different gardens including naturalistic garden, rose garden with 450+ cultivars. (photo below courtesy of Chateau du Rivau)

June 11

Visit Royal Estate of Chateau Gaillard. Located in city of Amboise, built 1500, 37 acres. Dinner included that evening. (no photos available at this time)

June 12

Chateau Villandry. Built in 1532, will include chateau and garden tour. We’ll see six formal French  gardens framed by terraces, kitchen garden is the highlight. 4 hour visit, lunch included at local restaurant. (photos below courtesy of Chateau Villandry)

June 13

Visit Chateau Chenonceau (4 hours). Dates from 1500s, chateau is built over, and adjacent to, the River Cher. Beautiful setting and formal gardens. (photo below courtesy of Chateau Chenonceau, Marc Jauneaud)

Travel to Paris, check into hotel for 4 nights.

June 14

Visit garden festival at Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire (4 hours), and Jardin Medieval de Boix Richeux.

Garden festival info: This takes place on grounds of the chateau. The festival began in 1992. It features up to 30 themed gardens created by international teams of landscape architects, designers and artists. (photo below courtesy of Pixabay)

Jardin Medieval de Bois Richeux info: Oldest farm in France dating to 1178! Current owner recreated Medieval walled garden, has medicinal plants, aromatic plants and vegetable garden. (photos below courtesy of Boixricheux.com)

June 15

Visit Roseraie de L’Hay les Roses (2-3 hours). Afternoon tour of Paris, which includes stops at Notre Dame cathedral and Monmartre. (photo below courtesy of Pexels)

Roseraie de L’Hay les Roses info: first garden devoted solely to roses, created in late 1800s, nearly 3,000 cultivars grown to make perfume. (photo below courtesy of Pixabay)

June 16

Visit Versailles (5 hours). Tour of palace and grounds. Was originally Louis XIII’s hunting lodge. Louis XIV greatly expanded it to 2,300 rooms, moved government and court here. Became Museum of the History of France in 1837. Gardens include parterres, the Orangerie, sculptures, fountains. Lunch is included. (photo below courtesy of Pixabay)

June 17

Daytime free to explore Paris. Evening dinner cruise on the River Seine! (photos courtesy of Pexels.com)

June 18

Travel day, Paris to Seattle. (make arrangements for your flight home to Spokane, being sure to allow plenty of time to get through Customs first)

If you would like additional information about the France Gardens Tour, please contact Val Day or myself:

Val Day’s contact information: email Val@internationalhouseoftravel.com or call (509) 991-8334.

Susan’s contact information: email Susan@SusansintheGarden.com.