Nymphea, Loire Valley Cruise ex Moulin de Nitray Return

6 Night Cruise sailing from Moulin de Nitray roundtrip aboard Nymphea.

NOTE: On alternate weeks the cruise will be in the reverse direction. This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. Please check at time of enquiry/booking.

Sunday, Day 1 Moulin de Nitray
Embark Nymphea where a “Champagne Welcome” awaits you at our mooring opposite the 17th century Moulin de Nitray. Dinner on board.

Monday, Day 2 Moulin de Nitray to Vallet
After breakfast we stroll up to Nitray to visit the château and rose garden. We taste their range of Touraine wine before returning to the barge and cruising up to the hamlet of Vallet. In the afternoon, we enjoy an excursion to Château de Villandry on the banks of the Loire. The château is world-renowned for its amazing array of ornamental, water, vegetable and herb gardens. Dinner on board.

Tuesday, Day 3 Vallet to Civray-de-Touraine
After a short morning cruise we enjoy a pre-lunch aperitif at Bruno Curassier’s Domaine de la Grange before continuing our cruise to Civray de Touraine. After lunch on board, we tour the Château d’Amboise, a royal residence of the Kings of France for 200 years. We also visit Château du Clos Lucé nearby, Leonardo Da Vinci’s home for the last 3 years of his life. Dinner on board.

Wednesday, Day 4 Civray-de-Touraine to Chissay-en-Touraine
This morning we cruise under the 5-arch bridge of the impressive Château de Chenonceau before mooring at nearby. From here we take a short drive in the air-conditioned minibus to visit Chenonceau, often called ‘the ladies château’, after those such as Henry II’s mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who added the bridge over the River Cher and the beautiful gardens. Evening cruise to Chissay-en-Touraine and dinner ashore at a local restaurant, La Boulaye.

Thursday, Day 5 Chissy-en-Touraine to Montrichard
A morning cruise takes us towards the troglodyte village of Bourré and we moor near one of the more unusual dwellings, La Magnaneraie. The Coquillat family have grown up in this hillside troglodyte habitation, which has been in turn a wine cellar, a quarry for the tuffeau stone, and lastly, a silkworm nursery. After lunch we drive to Valencay, one of the most splendid châteaux of the Loire. We then cruise to Montrichard where we moor for the night. Dinner on board.

Friday, Day 6 Montrichard to Moulin de Nitray
Following breakfast, we explore the street market of Montrichard and the 11th century château overlooking the medieval town square, as well as the local vineyard of the Meriau family, to taste the regional Touraine vintages. In the afternoon, we cruise back downstream to Nitray before the Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

Saturday, Day 7 Moulin de Nitray
After breakfast, disembark.

Nymphea’s Dutch design with its shallow draft makes her the ideal vessel for navigating the beautiful sandy reaches of the River Cher in the Loire Valley. Very few other vessels are able to cruise this magical waterway.

Her traditional interior, reminiscent of a classic yacht, features a warm decor of rich varnished hardwoods, stained glass and shining brass. The traditionally furnished saloon and dining area have a warm and welcoming country house atmosphere and there is an additional upper saloon area with more comfortable seating to relax in. Nymphea has three compact, but comfortable cabins, two twin staterooms and one twin or double stateroom, all with air conditioning and en-suite facilities.

Outside, the sun deck with its comfortable seating offers the perfect vantage point from which to admire the next picturesque waterside village, elegant chateau, or stunning stretch of scenery as it slowly comes into view. You will even get to cruise through the arches of probably the most-photographed château in the Loire Valley, Château de Chenonceau – not once, but twice – a rare privilege afforded to very few boats! And if you wish to explore the River Cher’s towpath and surrounding countryside, there are 6 bicycles available for your use.

Nymphea’s crew of Captain/Tour Leader and Master Chef are most knowledgeable about the history, wine and cuisine of the region and they will be there to help make your journey through the ‘Valley of the Kings of France’ truly unforgettable.

We have been involved in all aspects of the hotel barge and travel industry for over 35 years including designing, building, owning and operating our fleet of luxury hotel barges. We have gradually refined our barge cruise holidays into unique travel experiences, which are just waiting to be discovered.

Our fully crewed, all inclusive luxury hotel barges cruise the inland waterways of nine European countries, along canals, rivers, lakes, lagoons and lochs, giving you the opportunity to experience life there from a truly unique perspective.

Our hotel barges are ideal for people looking for either an individual cruise with other like-minded people, or for those choosing a whole barge charter for a family or group of friends.

On your all-inclusive cruise, your ‘floating boutique hotel’ glides gently along while you relax and enjoy gourmet cuisine, fine wines and the company of fellow passengers. There will be guided tours to castles, chateaux, vineyards, markets and when you return to the barge, you can be sure our dedicated, professional crew will be there to look after you once more.