Picnic in the Vines - A Unique Loire Wine Experience
Description
Step into a moment that feels uniquely special. 10 minutes from Chinon, discover Château du Petit Thouars, a family-run estate where history, wine, and beauty meet. Begin with a guided walk through our vineyard (Cabernet Franc & Chenin Blanc), followed by a visit to our 15th-century troglodyte cellar and a wine tasting with explanations in the château courtyard. Then, the moment you’ve been waiting for… Your private picnic: the table beautifully set and prepared just for you - an invitation to slow down and savour. Enjoy a generous, carefully prepared lunch with fresh salads, deli meats, cheeses, and a local Chinon dessert (dietary requirements and allergies happily accommodated with a small supplement), paired with a bottle of our wine. In cooler months, settle into a candlelit vaulted indoor space with sheepskins and blankets. Hosted by the Count and Countess, whose family have owned and cared for the estate since 1636. Tour/tasting may be shared; the picnic is always private.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Located just 10 minutes from Chinon, arrive at Château du Petit Thouars, a family-run estate passed down in a direct line since 1636. Begin with a walk through our AOC Chinon vineyards, where Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc thrive. Continue to our impressive troglodyte cellar, carved into centuries-old limestone, where the wines age in French oak barrels. The experience then moves to the château courtyard, for a guided tasting of our wines with clear and engaging explanations. Afterwards, enjoy your carefully prepared picnic in a private setting, with a beautifully dressed table. The food has been sourced from excellent local suppliers, with a preference for organic products including the olive oil and cheese. Your hosts are the friendly Count and Countess du Petit Thouars, owners of the estate, who conduct tours in English, French and Spanish. This is truly memorable Loire Valley experience.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Reviews(191)
A unique and great experience. Such fun! Very professional presentation and tour of the vineyards followed by a lovely wine tasting. Finally a perfect picnic with a view over the estate. Excellent!
Visit with the owner of the place. Sebastien is passionate and shares his love for wine with us. Super pleasant, and we were able to see everything behind the scenes of wine preparation. We were able to taste wonderful wines. We took it with the picnic. Everything was excellent. I recommend without hesitation.
We’d like to express our gratitude to our amazing host, Sebastian, for hosting us at Chateaux du Petit-Thouars. We had a blast learning about the family’s rich history and sampling their delicious wines. This was a highlight we’ll always cherish from our trip to the French countryside. Merci beaucoup et a bientot!
A superb experience from start to finish for this visit and tasting. Sébastien welcomed us very well and shared his passion for wine with us. We ended with a picnic on the heights of the castle with very good local products. I recommend it
We had a wonderful visit and were made very welcome. It was great to see a family owned chateau and winery run with such passion by the owners. After a history of the chateau and the family (who have owned the place uninterrupted since the 15th century), Sebastian conducted a really friendly and informative tasting of their red and white wines, all of which we thought were excellent, especially the complex and aged red ‘l’Amiral’. After that, the lunch provided of local pates and cheeses was very good, all washed down with a complimentary bottle of St Georges red. We would highly recommend this informative, friendly experience to anyone staying in this region of the Loire. 10/10.
Lovely afternoon spent among the beauty of this chateau vineyard. The proprietor gave us a great tour of the winery with interesting facts of his family’s long history on the property. You can really see how lovingly involved the family is from planting to bottling. The wine and picnic were divine - delicious food and a fantastic setting hidden among the garden! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a nice, leisurely afternoon!
What a wonderful way to spend a few hours in the tranquil Loire Valley. The owner is very knowledgeable and friendly. He speaks excellent English. The tour was fabulous and very informative. The wine tasting - even though I don’t drink wine all the tasted lovely. We had the tour and picnic. Excellent value for money. A bucket list wish for my partner ticked off. The picnic location was inspiring and the food could not be faulted.
Wow - you have to do this during your visit to Chinon!! 13 generations of family wine making. The history and tour was amazing. Then, Sebastian shared five beautiful wines with us. We were blown away by the variety of flavors - all from a single grape, Cabernet Franc. This was followed by a candle lit lunch with so much food and wine. We had the best time!! Thank you for an amazing afternoon!
Such a lovely vineyard and overall experience. We got to do wine tasting on numerous different types of wines after taking a look at the actual process of the wine making. Then we had a private picnic with local delicacies and a whole bottle of wine to share. The best part is that we Biscuits, the most lovely cat that lives on the property, following us around the whole adventure. Great experience. Would definitely recommend!
We enjoyed the history of the chateau and the resident family. The tour of the vineyards and cellars was informative. The host was amicable and very educated on the working of the estate. Delicious wines; we bought several. The picnic was divine!
