Backroads

Amid this evocative château-dotted landscape, it’s apropos that we treat your family like royalty. Each day presents time to splash in the pool or explore the grounds at our luxurious châteaux-turned-hotels. Feast on hearty Burgundian cooking - peasant fare elevated to high art, such as escargots bourguignonne (snails in hot garlic butter) and coq au vin (rooster stewed in red wine). In the Loire Valley, delight in romantic river views as you savor the regional creations of Le Choiseul’s young Michelin-starred chef, Pascal Bouvier.

We introduce you to the perfect caves (cellars) for tasting and learning about the local lifeblood. Sample Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits wines during private tours in Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault. See the winemaking process at Clos de Vougeot. Meet celebrated Burgundy vintner Alex Gambal, who invites us into his private winery for an intimate tour and barrel tasting. Taste the famed dry whites of Chablis and, in the Loire Valley, swirl the superb chenin blancs of Vouvray and Sancerre.

No trip to Beaune would be complete without a visit to the Hôtel Dieu, a charity hospital founded in 1443. With its flamboyant Flemish roof tiles and distinctive Gothic architecture, it’s one of Burgundy’s most iconic landmarks. View the intense imagery of the graphic polyptych of the Last Judgment in exacting detail with the aid of our guide’s magnifying glass - kids, note the wildflowers underfoot of do-gooders on their way to heaven.

Whether formidable, romantic or downright ostentatious, châteaux dot the Loire Valley in such abundance you’ll swear you’ve entered a fairy tale. Admire the Château de Villandry and its striking geometric gardens, including a water garden with pools and waterfalls. Kids will love the mysterious black room and immense kitchen (or is it a labyrinth?) of Chenonceau, spanning the River Cher and bursting with tapestries, paintings and stained glass.

Through the eyes of our knowledgeable local guides, your kids will gain a rich perspective on French history - right where it all happened! At Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci spent the final years of his life, walk in the footsteps of the genius and view models of his creations. In Amboise, imagine yourself back in 1429, when Joan of Arc passed through town on her way to defeat the English at Orleans. For a bit of 16th-century-style entertainment, get lost in Catherine de’Medici’s topiary maze at Château de Chenonceau.