Loire Valley

Stunning chateaux and world-famous vineyards

Cruise destinations for Loire Valley

The Loire Valley invites wine connoisseurs and historians to discover its natural beauty.

Luxury hotel barges

2 hotel barge cruises

C'est La Vie barge cruise

C'est La Vie

Champagne Loire
8 guests
★★★★★
Save up to 20%
Renaissance barge cruise

Renaissance

Loire Valley
8 guests
★★★★★★

Self-drive boats in the Loire Valley region

Nicols

Nicols operate 8 different types of self-drive rental boats in this region.
Here is a random selection.

Last-minutes available
Last-minute
N900 DP rental boat

N900 DP

7 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
& 1 child
2 bathrooms
★★★★
From 1420€/week
Last-minute
N DUO rental boat

N DUO

4 guests maximum
1 cabin
Ideal for 2 adults
1 bathroom
★★★★
From 1201€/week
Last-minute
N OCTO rental boat

N OCTO

10 guests maximum
4 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
& 4 children
2 bathrooms
★★★★
From 2581€/week
Last-minute
N1160 rental boat

N1160

10 guests maximum
4 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 1 child
2 bathrooms
★★★
From 1702€/week

The price shown is based on a 7-day cruise and indicates the lowest starting price, and excluding any special offer or discount.

Locaboat

Locaboat operate 12 different types of self-drive rental boats in this region.
Here is a random selection.

Last-minutes available
Last minute
Pénichette Panoramic P.1180FB rental boat

Pénichette Panoramic P.1180FB

7 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 1 child
3 bathrooms
★★★★★
From 1988€/week
Last minute
Pénichette Panoramic P.1400FB rental boat

Pénichette Panoramic P.1400FB

10 guests maximum
4 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 2 children
3 bathrooms
★★★★
From 2002€/week
Last minute
Pénichette Classic P.935W rental boat

Pénichette Classic P.935W

5 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 2 adults
& 2 children
1 bathroom
★★
From 1134€/week
Last minute
Pénichette Terrasse P.1260R rental boat

Pénichette Terrasse P.1260R

10 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 2 children
2 bathrooms
★★★
From 1526€/week

The price shown is based on a 7-day cruise and indicates the lowest starting price, and excluding any special offer or discount.

Le Boat

Le Boat operate 14 different types of self-drive rental boats in this region.
Here is a random selection.

Last-minutes available
Save up to 50%!
Magnifique rental boat

Magnifique

10 guests maximum
4 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 2 children
3 bathrooms
Comfort rating
From 1639€/week
Save up to 50%!
Horizon 1 rental boat

Horizon 1

5 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 2 adults
& 2 children
1 bathroom
Premium rating
From 1359€/week
Save up to 50%!
Elegance rental boat

Elegance

6 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
& 2 children
3 bathrooms
Comfort rating
From 1299€/week
Save up to 50%!
Mystique rental boat

Mystique

8 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 2 children
3 bathrooms
Comfort Plus rating
From 2159€/week

The price shown is based on a 7-day cruise and indicates the lowest starting price, and excluding any special offer or discount.

France Passion Plaisance

France Passion Plaisance operate 10 different types of self-drive rental boats in this region.
Here is a random selection.

Last-minutes available
Last-minute
Tarpon 37 DP rental boat

Tarpon 37 DP

6 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 4 adults
2 bathrooms
★★★★★
From 1100€/week
Last-minute
Haines Rive 40 rental boat

Haines Rive 40

8 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 2 children
3 bathrooms
★★★
From 1679€/week
Last-minute
La Peniche F rental boat

La Peniche F

12 guests maximum
6 cabins
Ideal for 12 adults
3 bathrooms
★★★★
From 2465€/week
Last-minute
Tarpon 42 rental boat

Tarpon 42

12 guests maximum
4 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 4 children
2 bathrooms
★★★
From 1780€/week

The price shown is based on a 7-day cruise and indicates the lowest starting price, and excluding any special offer or discount.

Loire Valley cruise and boating information

Loire Valley

UNESCO declared the Loire Valley a World Heritage Site in 2000. It is characterised by the pomp and splendour of its extravagant châteaux and its gentle, rolling landscape. Referred to as the "garden of France," this fertile region boasts abundant fruit and vegetables and the vineyards for which it is so well known.

Starting on the River Seine at Saint-Mammès, the canals Loing, Briare, and the Lateral to the Loire connect to the Canal du Centre and then the River Saône. At Décize, you can cruise onto the Canal du Nivernais and head to Auxerre.

canal bridge Briare

You'll cross the spectacular "canal bridge" at Briare as you cruise southward. With its 662 metres in length and 11 metres wide, it spans the River Loire and was an incredible construction by Eiffel in 1896. 

The Canal Latéral à la Loire, which follows the course of the river Loire, offers views of vineyards atop hills. Pretty waterside villages with magnificent chateaux and ancient churches line the route, while delightful towns such as La Charite sur Loire and Sancerre offer wine-tasting opportunities.

What to see and do whilst you're here

Monuments to visit

  • Castles nearby
    • Château d'Apremont
    • Château Blois
    • Château de la Bussière
    • Château Chambord
    • Château Fontainebleau
    • Château de Guedelon
    • Château Sully-sur-Loire
    • Château Saint-Fargeau
    • Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte at Maincy

Places to go

  • Visit the town of Gien
  • Visit the city of Orleans
  • Visit the town of Château Landon

Along the canals

  • Moret-sur-Loing and the inspirations for Alfred Sisley
  • Château-Musée de Nemours
  • Discover the streets Rue Raymond, Laforge of Montargis
  • Walk across 
  • View the old flight of 7 locks at Rogny-Les-Sept-Ecluses and cruise on the new flight of locks!
  • Discover the magnificent Pont-du-Canal Briare by Monsieur Eiffel
  • Walk around the quaint village of Châtillon-sur-Loire
  • Visit Sancerre and discover the red and white wines
  • Notre-Dame de La Charité-sur-Loire
  • The town of Nevers
    • Port du Croux
    • Duke Palace
    • Church Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay
    • Sanctuary of Saint Bernadette Soubirous of Nevers and Bernadette’s Shrine
  • The double lock and Pont-du-Canal of Guétin

To taste and eat

  • Wine tasting in Sancerre
  • Wines of Pouilly-sur-Loire and Pouilly Fumé
  • Taste the Crottin de Chavignol goat's cheese near Sancerre

Map of the waterways

Canal and river map for Loire Valley

Information, history and details of the waterways in this region

The Briare Canal   The Cher   The Berry Canal   The Loing Canal   The Nivernais Canal   The Maine   The Loire Lateral Canal