Loire Valley and Chartres in two weeks

This two-week journey through the Centre-Val de Loire begins in Chartres, where the medieval cathedral's stained glass has glowed for eight centuries, and a detour to the mosaic-covered Maison Picassiette reveals a different kind of artistic obsession. Day trips lead to the royal chapel at Dreux and the cliff-perched castle of Châteaudun with its underground caves. In Orléans, Joan of Arc's legacy is woven into every square and façade, while a side trip to Bourges uncovers one of France's finest Gothic cathedrals and the merchant palace of Jacques Cœur. The route then follows the Loire through Blois — with its royal castle spanning four centuries of architecture — and out to Chambord, Cheverny, Chaumont-sur-Loire, and Talcy. A stop in Amboise pairs Leonardo da Vinci's last home at Clos Lucé with local wine cellars carved into the tuffeau cliffs. The final days settle in Tours, where the half-timbered Place Plumereau sets the stage for excursions to Chenonceau arching over the Cher, the medieval fortress of Loches, and the Renaissance gem of Azay-le-Rideau. The pace is balanced, leaving afternoons free to wander or linger over a glass of Vouvray.