Fairytale châteaux dot verdant riverbanks where world-class wines flow from centuries-old cellars.
You know those group trips where half your crew wants culture, the other half wants wine, and someone inevitably just wants to take Instagram photos in a ridiculous setting? Loire Valley delivers all three without anyone compromising. This stretch of French countryside between Orléans and Angers packs 300+ châteaux, some of the country's best wine cellars, and enough Renaissance gardens to make your camera roll look like a Wes Anderson film. The best things to do in Loire Valley work perfectly for groups of 6-10 people. Rent bikes and ride between castles. Book a private tasting at a family-run winery where the owner's dog joins the tour. Split the cost of a château tour guide who'll tell you which king kept his mistress in which tower. It's the rare destination where "educational" doesn't mean boring and "romantic" doesn't mean couples-only. Fly into Paris (CDG or Orly), then rent two cars for your group. The Loire Valley stretches 175 miles along the Loire River, so you'll need…