Post conference tours (optional; €150) 1st October
Sancerre - Hilltop, History, and a Glass of Something Excellent
Perched above a sweeping bend in the Loire, Sancerre is one of France's most storied wine villages. Your morning begins underground, in the cellars where some of the world's finest Sauvignon Blanc is made -- tasting glass in hand. After lunch, a guided walk through the medieval lanes reveals centuries of history and panoramic views that stretch to the horizon. The afternoon ends at a local goat farm, where the Crottin de Chavignol that pairs so perfectly with that Sancerre white is made. A day that lingers.
Château de Chambord - Renaissance on a grand scale
Francis I's hunting lodge got a little out of hand. The result is the largest château in the Loire Valley -- 440 rooms, a double-helix staircase rumoured to be Leonardo da Vinci's parting gift to France, and parkland the size of Paris. Begin with a tasting of three local AOC wines and regional delicacies in one of the château's own rooms, sit down to a classic French lunch within those walls, then let a guide bring 500 years of royal history to life. Extraordinary.
From the Loire to the Heart of Orléans
Step aboard a traditional Loire boat and let France's wildest river set the pace. You'll cruise between UNESCO-listed riverbanks, with lunch served on the water -- then spend the afternoon with a guide who knows every stone of the old city, from the soaring Cathédrale Sainte-Croix to the Renaissance splendour of the Hôtel Groslot. A perfect send-off for the conference, right on your doorstep.