Early Autumn is the perfect time to visit Touraine; borders are still bursting with colour, kitchen gardens filled with produce and the picking of grapes for delicious Loire wines just starting. The River Loire, so beloved of French kings in the past, is still majestic and, at this time of year, flows tranquilly past many a royal château, fringed by vineyards and gardens. Our base for three nights will be a four-star hotel overlooking the river near Tours, with the final night almost within touching distance of the Château of Chambord. The tour is a mixture of gardens and architecture which includes the thought-provoking garden festival at Chaumont, the potager at Villandry, the château at Chenonceau and several private gardens, including a lovely private arboretum near Orleans.