Day 12 — Fri 3 Jul — Vouvray wine + Cheverny + farewell dinner
status: one of draft → proposed → approved → closed. Edit the status: field in the frontmatter above; run vc:close-day N in the CLI when closing to regenerate timeline + directions.
Base: City Résidence, Tours (41 Rue Edouard Vaillant, 37000 Tours — conf 6174.415.349, PIN 6702)
Theme: Relaxed final day — wine tasting, one more castle, farewell dinner
Energy target: Medium
Stops
| Time |
Activity |
Detail |
| 09:00–09:30 |
🍽 City Résidence — breakfast (30m) |
Self-catering breakfast. Relaxed start — short driving day. |
| 09:30–09:40 |
→ driving |
12 min · 8.4 km ⚠ over budget |
| 09:40–10:40 |
📍 Maison Bredif — Vouvray wine tasting (60m) · €17 |
Guided tour of 2 km troglodyte wine caves (bottles back to 1874) + tasting of 5 wines (sparkling, still, sweet Vouvray + Chinon). Adults €8. |
| 10:40–11:40 |
→ driving |
56 min · 78.2 km |
| 11:40–14:00 |
📍 Chateau de Cheverny (140m) · €42 |
Elegant interiors, Tintin's Moulinsart exhibition (Herge modeled Moulinsart directly on Cheverny), beautiful gardens. DOG FEEDING (Soupe aux |
| 14:00–14:15 |
→ driving |
27 min · 18.4 km ⚠ over budget |
| 14:15–15:15 |
🍽 Lunch in Blois (60m) · €75 |
Sit-down lunch in Blois old town. Picker top 3: L'Oratoire (★4.4, 1,067 reviews, 2 min, ~€75), Le Castelet (★4.7, 1,703, 4 min, ~€75), Le Co |
| 15:15–15:30 |
→ walking |
6 min · 0.4 km |
| 15:30–16:30 |
📍 Escaliers Denis Papin + Blois old town stroll (60m) |
Monumental staircase with Loire views. Walk through Blois old town. Or swap for Chateau Royal de Blois interior (€16/adult, €8 Melek, 4 wing |
| 16:30–17:30 |
→ driving |
49 min · 66.3 km |
| 17:30–18:30 |
☕ City Résidence — rest + packing (60m) |
Pack main luggage for departure tomorrow. Last apartment cleanup. Confirm car drop-off time (10:00 AM at Sixt, St-Pierre-des-Corps). Confirm |
| 18:30–19:30 |
→ driving |
9 min · 2.3 km |
| 19:30–21:00 |
🍽 Farewell Loire dinner — Place Plumereau (90m) · €75 |
Special farewell dinner at Place Plumereau. Last evening in Tours. Pick a restaurant not yet tried this week. |
| 21:00–21:15 |
→ walking |
25 min · 1.9 km ⚠ over budget |
Day total: 175.9 km transit · €209 spend · 3 schedule warning(s)
Stops YAML (source of truth — edit this, then re-run lifecycle)
- time: "09:00"
place: "City Résidence — breakfast"
type: meal
category: breakfast
style: skip
duration_min: 30
mode_to_next: driving
gps: [47.3865, 0.6986]
notes: "Self-catering breakfast. Relaxed start — short driving day."
- time: "09:40"
place: "Maison Bredif — Vouvray wine tasting"
type: visit
duration_min: 60
mode_to_next: driving
gps: [47.4105, 0.7756]
cost_eur: 17
cost_label: "Wine cave tour + tasting x2 adults (€8.50 ea, Melek free under-18)"
notes: "Guided tour of 2 km troglodyte wine caves (bottles back to 1874) + tasting of 5 wines (sparkling, still, sweet Vouvray + Chinon). Adults €8.50, Melek free (under-18). Book ahead in high season. 10 min from Tours."
- time: "11:40"
place: "Chateau de Cheverny"
type: visit
duration_min: 140
mode_to_next: driving
gps: [47.5003, 1.4581]
cost_eur: 42
cost_label: "Cheverny entry x2 adults + 1 child (€15.50 ea + €10.50 Melek 7-14)"
notes: "Elegant interiors, Tintin's Moulinsart exhibition (Herge modeled Moulinsart directly on Cheverny), beautiful gardens. DOG FEEDING (Soupe aux chiens) at 11:30 sharp — arrive by 11:15! 100+ hunting hounds fed publicly in the kennel. Adults €15.50, Melek €10.50 (7-14). Opens 09:15."
- time: "14:15"
place: "Lunch in Blois"
type: meal
category: lunch
style: sit-down
venue_name: "L'Oratoire"
place_id: "ChIJXQDYY_2d_UcRRwPYI1QXPXc"
duration_min: 60
mode_to_next: walking
gps: [47.5870, 1.3290]
cost_eur: 75
cost_label: "Lunch x3 (~€25 ea, sit-down in Blois)"
notes: "Sit-down lunch in Blois old town. Picker top 3: L'Oratoire (★4.4, 1,067 reviews, 2 min, ~€75), Le Castelet (★4.7, 1,703, 4 min, ~€75), Le Comptoir de Mamie Bigoude (★4.4, 1,994, 4 min, ~€75)."
- time: "15:30"
place: "Escaliers Denis Papin + Blois old town stroll"
type: visit
duration_min: 60
mode_to_next: driving
gps: [47.5855, 1.3320]
notes: "Monumental staircase with Loire views. Walk through Blois old town. Or swap for Chateau Royal de Blois interior (€16/adult, €8 Melek, 4 wings in 4 architectural styles — adds ~€40)."
- time: "17:30"
place: "City Résidence — rest + packing"
type: rest
duration_min: 60
gps: [47.3865, 0.6986]
notes: "Pack main luggage for departure tomorrow. Last apartment cleanup. Confirm car drop-off time (10:00 AM at Sixt, St-Pierre-des-Corps). Confirm TGV tickets."
- time: "19:30"
place: "Farewell Loire dinner — Place Plumereau"
type: meal
category: dinner
style: sit-down
venue_name: "Le Comptoir de Mamie Bigoude Tours Centre"
place_id: "ChIJz-d-17vV_EcRW0ccTmDH3dM"
duration_min: 90
mode_to_next: walking
gps: [47.3933, 0.6816]
cost_eur: 75
cost_label: "Farewell dinner x3 (~€25 ea, sit-down)"
notes: "Special farewell dinner at Place Plumereau. Last evening in Tours. Pick a restaurant not yet tried this week."
- time: "21:15"
place: "City Résidence, Tours"
type: hotel
duration_min: 0
gps: [47.3865, 0.6986]
notes: "Walk back to apartment. Final night in Tours. Set alarm — car drop-off at 10:00 AM tomorrow."
Day Map

Open in OpenStreetMap · 8 stops plotted
Weather
Seasonal normal (CMCC_CM2_VHR4, 10-year mean): 14.8–23.0°C · 2.2mm
| Min |
Max |
Precip mm |
| 14.8 |
23.0 |
2.2 |
Open-Meteo climate normals · fetched 2026-05-25 19:15 UTC · trip is T-39d, beyond 16-day forecast window
Re-run vc:refresh-weather N once trip is within 16 days for actual forecast.
Meal Picks
Dinner pick · near (47.3865,0.6986)
- ★ Crêpe Touch Tours — ★ 4.7 (1,354 reviews) · 10min walk · ≈ €75 · 📍 Open in Google Maps
- Le Chien Jaune — ★ 4.4 (1,094 reviews) · 10min walk · ≈ €75
- Le Bon Temps — ★ 4.5 (3,536 reviews) · 14min walk · ≈ €45
Lunch pick · near (47.5003,1.4581)
- ★ Le Pinocchio — ★ 4.4 (1,634 reviews) · 5min walk · ≈ €75 · 📍 Open in Google Maps
Cost Breakdown
| Time |
Item |
Category |
Total |
Per person (3) |
| 09:40 |
Wine cave tour + tasting x2 adults (€8.50 ea, Melek free under-18) |
visit |
€17.00 |
€5.67 |
| 11:40 |
Cheverny entry x2 adults + 1 child (€15.50 ea + €10.50 Melek 7-14) |
visit |
€42.00 |
€14.00 |
| 14:15 |
Lunch x3 (~€25 ea, sit-down in Blois) |
meal |
€75.00 |
€25.00 |
| 19:30 |
Farewell dinner x3 (~€25 ea, sit-down) |
meal |
€75.00 |
€25.00 |
Day total: €209.00 · €69.67 per person (3 travellers)
By category:
| Category |
Spend |
Per person |
| meal |
€150.00 |
€50.00 |
| visit |
€59.00 |
€19.67 |
Morning
- 09:00 — Relaxed breakfast at apartment
- 09:30 — Drive to Vouvray/Rochecorbon (~10 min)
- 09:40 — Maison Bredif wine cave tour + tasting (~1 hour)
- 2 km of troglodyte galleries, bottles back to 1874
- 5 wines: sparkling Vouvray, still, sweet + Chinon red
- Adults €8.50, Melek free (under-18, she can explore the caves)
- 10:40 — Drive to Cheverny (~1 hour)
- 11:15 — Arrive Cheverny in time for dog feeding at 11:30
Breakfast
- Case I — self-catering at apartment
Midday
- 11:30 — Dog feeding (Soupe aux chiens) — 100+ hunting hounds fed publicly. Arrive by 11:15!
- 11:40–14:00 — Chateau de Cheverny (~2+ hours)
- Elegant furnished interiors (one of the best-decorated Loire chateaux)
- Tintin/Moulinsart permanent exhibition (700 m2 immersive)
- 6 themed gardens
- Adults €15.50, Melek €10.50 (7-14)
Lunch
- Case A — sit-down in Blois (14:15, ~60 min). Drive 15 min from Cheverny to Blois. Top pick: L'Oratoire (★4.4, ~€75). Alternatives: Le Castelet (★4.7, ~€75), Mamie Bigoude (★4.4, ~€75).
Afternoon
- 15:30 — Blois old town stroll (~60 min). Escaliers Denis Papin (monumental staircase + Loire views). Optional: Chateau Royal de Blois interior (€16/adult, 4 architectural wings) — swap for the stroll if interested
- 16:30 — Drive back to Tours (~1 hour)
- 17:30 — Rest + packing at apartment
Evening
- Confirm car drop-off tomorrow 10:00 AM at Sixt, St-Pierre-des-Corps
- Confirm TGV tickets to Paris
- Visit Cathedral Saint-Gatien if not done yet
- 19:30 — Farewell Loire dinner at Place Plumereau
Dinner
- Case A — farewell sit-down dinner (19:30, ~90 min). Le Comptoir de Mamie Bigoude (★4.4, ~€75) or Le Chien Fou (★4.5, ~€75). Pick one not yet tried this week.
Notes
- Relaxed day after two coast marathons. Total driving only ~2 hours
- Vouvray wine caves are 10 min from Tours — easy morning stop
- Cheverny dog feeding at 11:30 is a unique experience — time the visit around it
- Blois Chateau Royal is an optional add-on (€16/adult, €8 Melek) — decide based on energy
- This is the last full day with the car. Drop-off tomorrow at 10:00 AM
Bookings
- Maison Bredif wine tasting — book ahead at bredif.deladoucette.fr or by phone
- Cheverny tickets — pre-book at chateau-cheverny.fr
- Farewell dinner reservation at Place Plumereau (Friday evening — book ahead)
- Blois Chateau Royal tickets — only if visiting
Checklist
- Pack most luggage tonight (leave out tomorrow's clothes + travel essentials)
- City Residence checkout procedure + deposit return
- Confirm Sixt drop-off: 10:00 AM, St-Pierre-des-Corps station
- Confirm TGV departure time
- Fill up the car fuel tank tonight (Sixt full-to-full policy)
Capture (for film + fotocarte)
- Hero shot: Wine cave interior at Maison Bredif (ancient bottles, troglodyte gallery)
- Family moment: Dog feeding at Cheverny — reaction to 100+ hounds being released
- B-roll: Wine tasting close-ups, Cheverny interiors, Tintin exhibition, Blois escaliers Denis Papin, Place Plumereau farewell dinner ambience, Loire sunset from apartment
- Sound to capture: Wine cork popping, hound feeding chaos, Place Plumereau evening ambience