Christmas AT THE CHÂTEAUX AND THE ZOO www.noelauxchateauxvaldeloire.com Contents Val de Loire – Loir-et-Cher 3 A magical destination for your Christmas and New Year trips! Château Royal de Blois 5 Christmas sparkle! Château de Chambord 7 An outstanding château, stunningly decorated for Christmas! Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire 9 Winter at its best Château de Cheverny 11 A larger than life Christmas at Cheverny Beauval Zoo and Hotels 13 Christmas Lights at Beauval! Seasonal Events 15 Festival of Heavenly Lights at the Château of Selles-sur-Cher 15 Christmas Events in local towns : Blois, Vendôme 16 Tours & Shopping: perfect additions to your ininerary 17 Useful information 18 An invitation to discover the Chrstmas offer at the castles and zoo 19 For information only, non-binding. The rates, dates and programmes provided by tourist sites may be subject to changes. The ADT may not be held liable in the event of a complaint (regarding the cessation of a business, details or prices etc.) Come and experience all the magic of Christmas immerse yourself in the animal kingdom at at the heart of the Loire Valley, at the châteaux Beauval Zoo. You’ll see some amazing species of Blois, Chambord, Chaumont-sur-Loire and that have made their mark on the zoo’s history. Cheverny, and of course Beauval Zoo. Aglow with warm sparkling lights and Christmas With these five top attractions all within easy cheer, the châteaux and Beauval Zoo are even reach, there’s such a variety of things to see and more enchanting than ever. do. Take a trip through the history of France and especially the sumptuous Renaissance period at the Loire Valley’s most beautiful châteaux, then www.noelauxchateauxvaldeloire.com UNESCO World Heritage perimeter Orléans La Loire TRAVEL TIME BETWEEN THE CASTLES AND THE ZOO Vendôme 20 minutes 30 minutes 40 minutes Blois Chambord Angers La Loire Cheverny Tours Chaumont sur-Loire Romorantin Lanthenay Selles-sur-Cher Beauval Zoo Saumur and Hotels Saint-Aignan For full details of our Christmas off ers in Loir-et-Cher, please see www.noelauxchateauxvaldeloire.com Val de Loire - Loir-et-Cher Tourism Development Agency (ADT) Christmas AT THE CHÂTEAUX AND THE ZOO A magical destination for your Christmas and New Year trips! Our greatest châteaux and Beauval Zoo will be At Christmas, Beauval is bathed in lights. Escape beautifully decorated for the season, ready to to the zoo to explore all the fabulous seasonal welcome you this Christmas and New Year. decorations and sparkling lights. And of course, that’s not all. The region offers a plethora of other places to visit including smaller châteaux, towns and villages, chocolate factories and more. They all have some very special events in store for you this Yuletide! details or prices etc.) the cessation of a business, may not be held liable in the event of a complaint (regarding There’s so much festive cheer at Blois, Chambord, Cheverny and Chaumont-sur-Loire: dazzling decorations, twinkling Christmas trees, enchanting activities, tales by the fireside, craft workshops and Santa Claus of course! For full details of our Christmas off ers in Loir-et-Cher, please see www.noelauxchateauxvaldeloire.com Éric Sander. NGuyen, D. Vibraye, De C.A. Mir Photo, credits: Photographic The ADT by tourist sites may be subject to changes. provided dates and programmes The rates, non-binding. only, information For Val de Loire - Loir-et-Cher Tourism Development Agency (ADT) Château Royal de Blois CHRISTMAS SPARKLE! DID YOU KNOW? Amazing illuminations As night falls, enjoy a brand new, magical experience: the château’s courtyard will be lit up and the Francis I façade will be decked in lights to delight young and old alike. The Château Royal de Blois, the favourite residence of the Kings of France, will be dressed up to the nines this Christmas ready to offer an original, dazzling and sparkling programme. The monument will be bathed in a thousand colours, reminding us of the royal blue, ruby red and emerald green of the royal apartments. A profusion of colourful trees and glittering lights will transport you into the magic of Christmas. www.chateaudeblois.fr For full details of our Christmas off ers in Loir-et-Cher, please see www.noelauxchateauxvaldeloire.com Val de Loire - Loir-et-Cher Tourism Development Agency (ADT) Château royal de Blois GROUP DAY VISIT SUGGESTIONS Itinerary ideas Optional extras BOOKINGS Must be booked in advance: o Non-guided visit of the château in all its [email protected] Christmas finery MEALS AND TASTING +33 (0)2 54 90 33 32 o The lighting up of the Francis I façade at o Christmas afternoon tea Sales department: nightfall o Wine tasting Aurélie Foucault o Shopping - pick up some last-minute gifts at o Lunch at the château [email protected] the château boutique: perfumes, wines, Rates on request: +33(0)2 54 90 33 32 www.chateaudeblois.fr chocolates, beers and herbal teas from local VISITS brand B. Blois, created specially for you. o Experience “la vie de château”!* Adults and o The magic of Christmas continues in Blois children alike will enjoy this peek into life at the USEFUL town: with a skating rink, shows, activities, château, with a guide who will tell you INFORMATION excursions, workshops, decorations and fairy everything you ever wanted to know about the Open all year lights, Blois bustles with Yuletide cheer kings and queens who resided here (in French throughout December! “Christmas at the only). Family visit. Guided tour group rates. details or prices etc.) the cessation of a business, may not be held liable in the event of a complaint (regarding Château”: Parard. Blois - R. You can find the Lyres d’Hiver festival o NEW - Nocturnal whisperings o 1 December 2020 to 3 programme at www.blois.fr As the château closes, dive into darkness. This January 2021, every day mystery visit will take you into the deepest except 25/12 and 01/01 2020-2021 Group rates corners of the château by torchlight. o 01/12 to 03/01: Non-guided visit for groups of a minimum of 20 25 people maximum - 2 hours - €600 per group 10am to 5pm weekdays paying visitors: €8.50 per adult €4 per child ANIMATION Standard ticket price: €12 per adult €6.50 per child 10am to 6pm during o Giant escape game* NEW o Guided visit Set fee: + €90 per group (max. 25 school holidays people) in addition to the admission fee You will have just under an hour to solve enigmas, challenges, experiments, brain-teasers Further information and pranks as you replicate Queen Marie de’ Group services are available on reservation, subject Medici’s extraordinary escape from the château. to availability For groups of 8 to 15 people maximum (several groups can play at the same time) *Tours in French only Duration: 1 hour - €300/game For information only, non-binding. The rates, dates and programmes provided by tourist sites may be subject to changes. The ADT by tourist sites may be subject to changes. provided dates and programmes The rates, non-binding. only, information For For full details of our Christmas off ers in Loir-et-Cher, please see www.noelauxchateauxvaldeloire.com de Château royal Wietrich, de Blois – N. Château Royal Lépissier , de Blois – D. Château Royal Boukef, Y. credits: Photographic Val de Loire - Loir-et-Cher Tourism Development Agency (ADT) Château de Chambord AN OUTSTANDING CHÂTEAU, STUNNINGLY DECORATED FOR CHRISTMAS! Chambord will be sumptuously decked DID YOU KNOW? out for Christmas for the eighth year running, with majestic Christmas trees o A new décor and a whole host of other decorations. As Jacques Garcia has designed visitors make their way around, the sumptuous mobile décors and textiles château will sparkle with Yuletide magic, to recreate the period when the king from the ground floor right up to the and his court moved constantly second floor, including the entrance from château to château (Francis I’s porch, the famous double helix staircase apartment, the Molière theatre…). and the chapel. The outdoor paths will also be set with a Visitors feel like royal guests. hundred magnificent Christmas trees, twinkling with lights as dusk falls. o The French-style gardens and château façades are illuminated Events in the château: for Christmas From 1 December: beautiful decorations inside the château, together with traditional wooden games (including a Louis XIV pool table and trou-madame, a type of bagatelle) and board games. On 12 and 13 December and from 19 December to 3 January, there will be characters in period costume, Renaissance music and dancing, introductions to dancing and poetry, storytellers, nature-themed events, creative workshops, a chance to meet Santa Claus, horn concerts and numerous other surprises. www.chambord.org For full details of our Christmas off ers in Loir-et-Cher, please see www.noelauxchateauxvaldeloire.com Val de Loire - Loir-et-Cher Tourism Development Agency (ADT) Château de Chambord GROUP DAY VISIT SUGGESTIONS BOOKINGS +33 (0)2 54 50 50 40 Day visit: Itinerary ideas [email protected] €52 per adult €26 per child under 13 o Non-guided visit of the château and Tourism development department: gardens (1 hr 30) Optional extras + 33 (0)2 54 50 40 10 o Buffet lunch at the château or nearby [email protected] o Guided tour of the château (1 hr 30): o Free time to enjoy the decorations and www.chambord.org €140 per guide events o Château tour with HistoPad: o Gourmet Christmas afternoon tea €5 per person USEFUL o Shopping in the boutique (the largest o Wine tasting at the château INFORMATION of the Loire château boutiques) where (45 mins): €12 per person (2020 rate) details or prices etc.) the cessation of a business, may not be held liable in the event of a complaint (regarding you will find the latest gift ideas Open all year o Explore the outskirts in an electric including “Chambord” items.