Loire Valley Photo Tour | 23 – 30 May 2026
FULL PRICE – 3295€
(Deposit €250)
Pay full price now or €250 deposit with the balance payable 8 weeks before the workshop start date.
23 – 30 May 2026
Places available
Pay full price now or €250 deposit with the balance payable 8 weeks before the workshop start date.
23 – 30 May 2026
Places available
Max 5
6 days
Low
Hotel Mercure Saumur & Hotel Mercure Blois
Tours Airport or
Saint Pierre des Corps TGV station
Join me for a fabulous Loire Valley photo tour in France near to Saumur and Blois in central France during the Spring of 2026. The photo tour is centred in the very heart of the Loire Valley where our two bases are in the cities of Saumur and Blois. We will use our bases to photograph the Loire Valley west of Tours as well as the area surrounding Blois. I lived in the area for over a decade and know it better than a lot of local people.
During the month of May, the area starts seeing the fields come alive with rapeseed fields and flax. The town and villages have many beautiful old houses and of course, we’ll be visiting some of the stunning castles and other architecture that make up one of the world’s largest UNESCO World Heritage site.
Double rooms are provided with breakfast.
Highlights of the tour will be Château de Saumur, Montsoreau, Fontrevraud, Château du Rivau and many other places.
23 May 2026
I will pick you up either from Tours airport or the Saint Pierre des Corps TGV train station.
The area surrounding Saumur is one of my personal favourites. It’s full of history and stunning architecture from both Romanesque and Gothic. In the hills above the Loire River, we’ll find the famous vineyards.
27 May to 30 May 2026
We say goodbye to Saumur and then make our way to the city of Blois. Like Saumur, Blois finds itself on the river Loire and is full of history in both the city itself and the surrounding area.
Near to Blois is the world-famous Chateau de Chambord which will be the highlight of this part of the tour as well as other chateaux such as Amboise and Chaumont with its famous garden festival.
I will meet you either at the Saint Pierre des Corps railway station or Tours airport. The station has good TGV connections from both Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and Paris Montparnasse. I can provide you with detailed instructions as to how to get here as well as getting the best rail fare from the airport or from central Paris.
In May temperatures can reach mid-twenties but do be prepared for inclement weather. You’ll need to ensure that you have clothing that will keep you warm from the inevitable cold and wind chill that we may experience during our days out.
Be prepared for both hot and cold days. April is when the weather starts turning between the freezing winter mornings and hot summer days. I’ve seen both cold and very hot days but nothing ever below freezing.
Good, sturdy walking shoes that are waterproof are perfect for the terrain that we’ll be working in. Some of the towns and villages have uneven walking areas so making sure your feet are protected is one of your first priorities.
A wide angle lens (16-35mm) and medium zoom (24-70mm) are the lenses we’ll be using the most. A longer zoom (70-300) will be useful to cover most compositional eventualities that we may need to isolate. If you’re able to bring a tilt/ shift lens then this will help you fully capture the beautiful architecture we are going to be visiting. If you don’t own one then do consider hiring one as they will give you an edge.
Although not essential, its a great idea to bring a laptop computer with you so you can discuss imagery with myself.
I try and make a point of helping those that need it in digital photography. If inclement weather or tiredness takes hold it can really help to have a computer session to assess our progress.
What’s included in the Loire Valley photo tour?
Photo tuition from Julian Elliott
4-star hotel accommodation in double rooms with single occupancy accommodation and private ensuite bathrooms.
Breakfast
Transfers on arrival and departure from either Tours airport or Saint Pierre des Corps TGV station
Ground transportation in private air-conditioned vehicles for listed activities
Site entry fees to the chateaux and others (if applicable)
What’s not included in the Loire Valley photo tour?
Meals not mentioned
International flights to and from France or TGV tickets
Airport taxes
Entry visa, if required, to France
Early/ late check-in/ out service at hotels
Travel insurance and trip cancellation (highly advised)
Medical expenses
Personal expenses such as telephone charges, laundry etc
Tips and gratuities for drivers, guides and hotel porters
Services and transportation are for listed activities only
Charges will be applied for any additional requests
All other services which are not mentioned in the Inclusion section
My tours fill up quickly but sometimes spots open up due to cancellations.
If the tour you are interested in is currently full and you would like to be added to the waiting list then please fill out this form
