Simon & Susan were wonderful hosts, making our 20th anniversary trip stress-free, full of excellent food and laughter. We especially appreciated Susan's ability to tell the history of the throne in an accessible way that helped us weave together the story of each location with the whole region.

We did two days of touring with them, and we had the added bonus of glimpsing additional vintage cars that were also in the area for an event. What fun! Highly recommended!

We just completed 3 days with Susan and Simon. Before I describe the 3 days, allow me to explain the interaction leading up to the trip. My wife and I were traveling to France for a 2 week holiday. We started in Paris, then went to Provence and finished in the Loire. We started working with Susan and Simon at the very early stages of our planning and they were incredibly helpful in helping us all along the way. Whether advice around lodging, tour guides in other locations or, indeed, how best to transport wine back to the US. The communication was prompt, thoughtful and thorough.

We arrived in the Loire and started our 3 day adventure. You've read the other posts about the antique Citroen Traction cars -- so I won't elaborate there other than to say that the car is amazingly comfortable. And, of course, the perfect choice when traveling back into history (although the car is not nearly as old as the Chateaux).

We visited several Chateaux and several wineries. Each winery was family run and family owned. Small production, hand crafted wines in each location. Really special visits and since we speak no French, Susan and Simon were there to translate when the winemaker was lost for a word.

The visits to the Chateaux were fascinating. Susan and Simon are a wealth of knowledge on every subject that we discussed -- from agriculture to history. They really bring life to the stories.

I recommend Susan and Simon without any hesitation whatsoever.

Once in a while you happen upon an event that utterly exceeds all your expectations, and so it was with our day with Simon, Susan, and Claudette. My husband loves classic cars, and I planned this day as a surprise for him. As we walked with Simon and Susan from La Maison Jules my husband noticed the 1956 Citroen Traction Avant, poked me, and said, "Wow. . .look at that car!" Before he knew what was happening we were headed toward it and he was speechless when he realized it was "ours" for the day!

And that was only the beginning of the day. As Simon drove us to our first destination, Loches, we talked about cars, the countryside, and all things French/Australian/American. Susan has a treasure-trove of knowledge and makes French history come alive with stories of real people, intrigue, marriages, mistresses, and architecture. She wove tales in Loches and Chenonceau, and I know I can only remember a fraction, but the feeling remains that these were real people who faced similar situations to us in modern-day life. Lunch at Chedigny was delicious and I wanted to lick the bowl of the creme caramel dessert. Our stop at the winery in Vouvray once again educated me more fully about the wines of this area. I look forward to ordering a case of wine. . .if only I didn't live in Pennsylvania!

If you are considering a trip in this area, don't delay. Book a day with Simon and Susan and one of their luxurious friends, Celestine or Claudette. It will become one for your personal history books as a day you'll long remember.