Loire Valley Getting There

Almost all flights from the U.S. will arrive at the sprawling Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG) outside Paris. From there, take the convenient, high-speed rail link to Tours. There's a regional airport at Tours, but it is irrelevant: even flights booked from the U.S. directly to Tours will connect by train from CDG. There are also frequent trains from central Paris.

All major airlines fly from the U.S. to Paris, with Air France offering the most direct fights from the most U.S. cities. Connection to the Loire Valley from either CDG or central Paris is by train.

11 hours from the West Coast; 7 hours from the East Coast. Allow an extra 2 to 3 hours for flights involving a change of plane. The TGV train trip to Tours takes approximately one hour.