There's a fast way to plan Loire Valley, and there's a way that's actually worth doing.

This is a 5-day Loire Valley itinerary we mapped ourselves, built so you're never backtracking, past everything the queue outside Château de Chambord misses.

Once you've seen Loire Valley done differently, going back to the standard route feels like a waste of a trip. It's free. The only cost is planning your Loire Valley trip without it.