Sam and Anna
Château de la BourdaisièreLoire Valley, France
August 27–29, 2027
Come celebrate with us
Plate II — Introduction
The invitation
We’ll take care of the paperwork back home. This is the part we care about most: a weekend in the Loire Valley with the people we love, all together in one place.
Plate III — Printed programme
The weekend
August 27
Friday
Welcome dinner in the estate’s candlelit troglodyte caves. Come as you are.
August 28
Saturday
The main event at Château de la Bourdaisière, with drinks in the gardens, dinner, dancing and a very late night.
August 29
Sunday
Breakfast, a slow morning, goodbyes.
That’s the ask: two nights, no obligation beyond that. Staying longer is easy if you want to — more on that soon.
Plate IV — The estate
The château
A historic monument of the 14th–16th centuries, sitting in a 70-hectare park between Tours and Amboise. The hotel on the estate is a 3-star charm hotel restored by its owner, Prince Louis Albert de Broglie — Le Prince Jardinier.
Plate IIIThe façade, woodblock
Plate VI — Lodging
Stay
Three clear choices. The château first; Amboise if you want the postcard town; Tours if you want trains and dinner.
Best overall
The château
Stay on the property. The venue’s wedding contract lists 31 rooms and apartments on-site (27 rooms + 4 apartments across the château, the Pavillon, and two park houses), sleeping up to 79 guests, park views, free Wi-Fi, an elevator in the main château, and free on-site parking. Check-in from 4:00 p.m., check-out before noon. Rooms do not have AC. We are not publishing rates — they change. Book on the official hotel site, and mention you are with our group. Room block details coming soon.
Official hotel siteMost charming
Amboise
The château-town postcard: royal château, Clos Lucé, a compact old center. About 10 minutes by car. Quieter than Tours at night, more to wander than Montlouis.
Best restaurants, easiest trains
Tours
Gare de Tours and Saint-Pierre-des-Corps make arrivals and departures easy. Old Tours around Place Plumereau is the evening stroll. You will want a taxi or a rental car for the château (about 20 minutes).
Montlouis-sur-Loire is closest — a small wine town on the Loire, not a hotel strip. Lodging beyond the château itself is limited. Look at current listings rather than counting on a deep bench of inns.
Touraine tourism currently lists the hotel as open 15 March–14 November 2026. The hotel’s own site does not spell out a closed season in the pages we checked. If you are traveling outside those dates, confirm opening directly before you book.
Room block details coming soon. Until those land, book refundable rates if you can, and confirm cancellation terms in writing.
See hotel recommendations
These are real hotels with official sites as of our last check. They are examples of the kind of place that exists, not a ranking, and not a promise of availability for those dates.
- Official site
Château de la Bourdaisière
On the estate, Montlouis-sur-Loire
The first place to try. Charm hotel in the château and outbuildings.
- Official site
Oceania L’Univers Tours
Tours, a few minutes’ walk from Gare de Tours
A historic 4-star city hotel opposite the town hall — useful if you want trains and dinner in town.
- Official site
Château de Pray
Near Amboise
A 4-star château hotel with a gastronomic restaurant. Check their published annual closure dates if your dates fall in winter.
Plate VII — From the Atlantic
Travel
The kindest arrival is: fly into Paris, take the high-speed train to Tours, then a short taxi to the château. Driving the A10 after a red-eye is possible — it is not the gentlest first day in France.
The printed route
01
Paris
CDG (Orly if that’s your ticket)
02
Montparnasse
Taxi from the rank, or RER + Métro
03
TGV
~1h05 to the Loire
04
Tours / Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
Match the station to your onward plan
05
La Bourdaisière
Car or taxi · shuttle unconfirmed
Plate VIII — The Tomato Garden, continued
A weekend in the Loire
You’re already coming all this way. Here are a few wonderful things nearby.
Amboise
The town you see on postcards. Château royal, Leonardo at Clos Lucé, a riverfront, and somewhere to sit with a glass of Montlouis or Touraine wine. Short hop by car or regional train.
Chenonceau
The château that spans the Cher. The classic Loire day trip from Tours or Amboise. Go early if you can; it is popular for a reason. Regional trains stop at Chenonceaux station, a short walk from the gates.
Old Tours
Place Plumereau, half-timbered streets, markets, and a proper choice of restaurants. Easy if you are already staying in town; a taxi or train if you are at the château.
Wine
You are in Montlouis-sur-Loire. A glass of Montlouis or Touraine is the local answer — not a tasting itinerary. Sit down; don’t turn the weekend into a guidebook.
Cycling & countryside
The Loire is bicycle country. The hotel lists bicycles for hire on site, subject to reservation. Courtyard gravel and park paths are the first stretch; the towns are close once you have a bike or a car.
Plate IX — Practical type
Good to know
The short list. Border rules, the long passport note, tipping, insurance, and a handful of French phrases live in the full travel guide.
01
Passport
U.S. citizens can visit France / Schengen for tourism up to 90 days in 180 without a visa. Passport valid at least three months beyond the day you leave Schengen, plus a blank page. France does not accept the 12-page U.S. emergency passport.
02
Power
Type E sockets (round pins, extra hole), 230V / 50Hz. A Type C Europlug also fits. Phones and laptops need an adapter, not a transformer. Leave U.S. hair tools at home unless they say 110–240V.
03
Phones / eSIM
Check your U.S. carrier’s international day pass. An eSIM installed before you leave is a common backup. WhatsApp is how a lot of Europe texts.
04
Money
Euros. Cards and contactless are widely accepted, including in taxis and at péage. ATMs are easy in Tours and Amboise; less so at the château. Carry a little cash for bakeries.
05
Weather
Late August runs warm — daytime highs in the upper 70s–80s°F, cooler evenings. The château’s rooms don’t have AC. Pack light layers, and something for outdoor evenings that won’t have you sweating through dinner.
06
Shoes
Gravel courtyards, grass, park paths. Beautiful, and not the place for new dress shoes.
Plate X — Questions
FAQ
Is this a wedding?
We’re doing the legal part in a small courthouse ceremony in the US beforehand. This is the celebration — full wedding energy, just not where the paperwork happens.
Can I drink the tap water?
Yes — tap water in France, including at the château, is safe to drink.
What if my train is late?
SNCF Connect shows live status in real time. Build in buffer before anything timed, and keep a local taxi number saved so you’re not hunting for a ride on the platform with luggage. See the full travel guide.
Should I rent a car?
Not for the wedding weekend itself — trains plus short taxis cover everything. If you want to explore the Loire independently before or after, a car helps.
Is there a shuttle from Tours?
Possibly — the château has mentioned one, but treat it as unconfirmed until we say otherwise closer to the date.
Do I need ETIAS?
Not yet — it hadn’t launched as of our last check (Aug 2026). If that changes before August 2027, we’ll update this page.