Loire Valley Castles TourHot Air Balloon Loire Valley Ride from Amboise
A hot air balloon Loire Valley flight gives you the chateaux from above instead of from inside, and this listing by Balloon Revolution is the balloon option among the Loire Valley castle tours on this site. It costs $291 per person, runs about 3 hours from pickup to drop-off, and takes off at sunrise or 2-3 hours before sunset near Amboise, Chenonceau or Chaumont-sur-Loire. Hotel pickup within 15 km of Amboise is included, the landing comes with a glass of Champagne or sparkling grape juice, and the price ends with a free visit and wine tasting at Caves Plou et Fils. The flight depends on weather and a minimum number of passengers, so read the cancellation rules before you book.
About This Tour
Balloon Revolution runs a sunrise or sunset balloon ride over the forests, lakes, orchards and vineyards of the Loire Valley, with round-trip travel from an Amboise-area hotel. You drift over the river landscape with a pilot, toast the landing with Champagne or sparkling grape juice, then finish with a wine tasting in a local cellar.
This is a flight, not a castle visit. You see the Loire and its chateaux from the sky, but you never go inside any of them. If you want interiors, look at the ground-based days further down the page.
$291 per person, booked on Viator. Children 6-12 pay the child rate, adults are 13-99.
3-4 hours with 3 hours to allow, from hotel pickup to drop-off. Flight times are approximate and shift with the weather.
Hotel pickup and drop-off within 15 km (9.3 miles) of Amboise, or meet in front of the campsite office and the Brasserie de l'Ile d'Or in Amboise.
Up to 26 passengers with a pilot and guide. Languages beyond English are not stated.
The flight takes off from Chateau Amboise, Chenonceau or Chaumont-sur-Loire. No castle entry is included. The Caves Plou et Fils visit and wine tasting are included.
Not included: lunch, castle tickets, souvenir photos (available to purchase). Cancel 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Weather or too few passengers can cancel the flight after confirmation, with a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
Sunrise and sunset slots fill around the weather, so check live dates before you plan the rest of your day. Remember to contact the operator the day before your flight for confirmation.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer Balloon flight price, times and pickup
This hot air balloon Loire Valley flight costs $291 per person, lasts about 3 hours and includes hotel pickup within 15 km of Amboise.
Key takeaways
- Take-off is at sunrise or 2-3 hours before sunset near Chateau Amboise, Chenonceau or Chaumont-sur-Loire, and you must call the operator the day before.
- No castle entry is included, so pair the flight with a ground day such as the Chambord and Chenonceau day from Tours and Amboise.
- Weather or too few passengers can cancel the flight after confirmation, with a full refund offered either way.
- If you would rather see the chateaux from the inside with lunch included, book the Amboise day with lunch at a chateau.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $291 covers the flight, the transfer from your hotel, the Champagne toast and the cellar tasting, but it does not cover any castle ticket, lunch or souvenir photos. Here is the line by line breakdown from the operator's own listing.
Included and Not Included
Everything in the included column comes straight from the Balloon Revolution listing on Viator. The exclusions column matters: there is no castle entry at all, and no food. Eat before the sunrise option or after the sunset option, and budget separately for souvenir photos if you want them.
One honest note. A $291 price per person buys a seat in a shared basket of up to 26 passengers, not a private flight. If you want the sky to yourselves, this is not the product for it. Compare the shared group price against the private Loire castles day from Paris if exclusivity is the goal.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hot-air balloon flight | Yes | Sunrise or 2-3 hours before sunset, about 3 hours total, weather permitting |
| Hotel pickup and drop-off | Yes | Up to 15 km (9.3 miles) from Amboise |
| Glass of Champagne or sparkling grape juice | Yes | Served on landing, minimum drinking age 18 |
| Visit and wine tasting at Caves Plou et Fils | Yes | Free visit and tasting |
| Guide | Yes | Pilot and guide |
| Castle entry | No | No castle entry is included at Amboise, Chenonceau or Chaumont-sur-Loire |
| Lunch | No | Not included, plan around the flight times |
| Souvenir photos | No | Available to purchase on the day |
Sources: Château de Chambord, Château de Chenonceau, Blois-Chambord tourist office
What the Day Is Really Like
There is no fixed clock time, because balloon flights move with the sun and the wind. The listing fixes everything else, and here is the sequence from pickup to drop-off.
Pickup in Amboise
The driver collects you at your Amboise-area hotel, as long as it sits within 15 km (9.3 miles) of town. Without a hotel in that radius, you meet the group in front of the campsite office and the Brasserie de l'Ile d'Or in Amboise. Sunrise departures meet at first light, sunset departures 2-3 hours before the sun goes down, when the listing says the winds are calm and the air stable.
Inflation and Take-off
The balloon takes off from Chateau Amboise, Chenonceau or Chaumont-sur-Loire. The listing does not say how the site is chosen, and the group is up to 26 passengers. Wear smart casual clothes and comfortable walking shoes, and bring your passport and voucher, both are required on the day.
The Flight
You drift over the forests, lakes, orchards and vineyards of the Loire Valley with the pilot pointing out the landscape. The listing sets no separate flight duration, the 3 hours covers the whole adventure from pickup to finish. Flight times are approximate and can change with weather conditions and weight restrictions.
Landing and the Toast
On landing the crew serves a glass of Champagne or sparkling grape juice. The minimum drinking age is 18.
Caves Plou Et Fils and Drop-off
The package also includes a free visit and wine tasting at Caves Plou et Fils, a local cellar. The return point is your Amboise-area hotel.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing states several limits, and some of them are dealbreakers rather than small print. Check this list before you spend $291.
No Castle Interiors, Ever
This is the biggest exclusion. The flight passes over the chateaux but includes no castle entry anywhere. If your priority is rooms, staircases and gardens on the ground, book the Amboise day with lunch at a chateau or the Chambord and Chenonceau day from Tours instead, or instead of.
Ages and Health Limits
Children must be at least 6 and accompanied by an adult, adults run from 13 to 99. The listing does not recommend the flight for pregnant travelers or travelers with spinal injuries. Fitness is not a barrier, it is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and there are no stated stairs or long walks.
The tasting carries a minimum drinking age of 18.
Weather and Passenger Minimums
Balloons fly only in suitable weather, and the operator can cancel after confirmation if conditions turn or if not enough passengers book. You get a full refund in both cases, but your one clear-weather morning in the valley could be spent rebooking. Build a spare day into your plan if the flight matters to you.
The Admin Burden
You must contact the operator the day before the flight to receive instructions and confirmation. A current valid passport and the voucher are required on the day. Set a reminder for the day before you fly.
Where You Need to Be Based
Hotel pickup stops at 15 km (9.3 miles) from Amboise. If you are sleeping in a hotel more than 15 km away, you drive or train to Amboise yourself. Compare with the half-day Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau tour from Tours if you are Tours-based.
Getting There and What to Add
The flight starts in Amboise, so most travelers arrive by train the day before, then fill the hours around the flight with a chateau visit on their own.
Getting to Amboise for Your Flight
Amboise is 1.5 hours from Paris by train, either the regional train from Paris Austerlitz or a TGV to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, which is 20 km away. A municipal bus links Amboise station to the old centre. By car Amboise is 2.5 hours from Paris via the A10, A28 and A85, with four large free car parks in town and three nearby motorway exits.
Add Chaumont-sur-Loire on the Ground
The balloon takes off near Chaumont-sur-Loire on some days, and the estate deserves a proper visit of its own. The domain covers 32 hectares with over 100 contemporary art installations, and it advises 3 or more hours for a full visit. Its 2026 International Garden Festival runs 22 April to 1 November under the theme The Garden Goes to the Movies, showing about 25 ephemeral gardens by international designers.
Hours are 10:00 to 19:00 from April to June and in September, 10:00 to 20:00 in July and August, and 10:00 to 17:30 in winter, closed 1 January and 25 December. By train, the Onzain station is about 2 km from the domain, 1h40 from Paris Austerlitz and 20 minutes from Saint-Pierre-des-Corps. Read more in the Chaumont-sur-Loire guide.
Fill a Day Around the Flight
Amboise works well as a base. The royal chateau, the Clos Lucé 500 metres away and the Friday and Sunday morning market all sit within a short walk. The details are in the Amboise France guide, and the wider options are in the Loire Valley itinerary.
Flight Day Step by Step
Clock times are not fixed, because sunrise and sunset move and the flight depends on the wind. Durations come from the listing.
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Start
Hotel pickup in Amboise
A vehicle collects you at your hotel within 15 km (9.3 miles) of Amboise, or you meet at the campsite office and the Brasserie de l'Ile d'Or. Sunrise flights meet at dawn, sunset flights 2-3 hours before sunset.
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After pickup
Transfer to the take-off site
The flight takes off from Chateau Amboise, Chenonceau or Chaumont-sur-Loire. The listing does not say how the site is chosen.
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Before take-off
Inflation and briefing
Watch the balloon inflate, meet your pilot and the other passengers, up to 26 in total. Have your passport and voucher ready, both are required on the day. Dress is smart casual with comfortable walking shoes.
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Main part
The flight
You drift over the forests, lakes, orchards and vineyards of the Loire Valley with the pilot. The listing gives no separate flight time and says all flight times are approximate.
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On landing
Champagne toast
The traditional landing toast, a glass of Champagne or sparkling grape juice, with a minimum drinking age of 18.
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Final stretch
Caves Plou et Fils tasting
A free visit and wine tasting at the cellar, then drop-off back at your Amboise-area hotel. Allow the full 3 hours from pickup to finish.
Pros and Cons
A balloon flight is a different product from a castle day, and the trade-offs are real. Here they are side by side.
What we genuinely like
- The chateaux and the Loire river from the air, which no ground tour can offer
- Hotel pickup and drop-off within 15 km (9.3 miles) of Amboise is included at $291 per person
- Champagne or sparkling grape juice on landing and a wine tasting at Caves Plou et Fils are in the price
- Rates 4.7 from 293 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor
- Full refund if weather or passenger numbers cancel the flight
The honest downsides
- No castle entry at all, you never set foot inside a chateau
- The operator can cancel after confirmation for weather or too few passengers, so a fixed travel date can slip
- You must call the operator the day before for confirmation, an extra task most tours do not require
- Up to 26 passengers in a shared basket, so no privacy
- Lunch is not included, and flight times bracket a meal
- Based in Amboise only, with pickup stopping at 15 km
Who it's NOT for: Not for travelers who want to go inside the chateaux, for pregnant travelers or people with spinal injuries, or for anyone without a flexible schedule in case the weather grounds the balloon.
Hot Air Balloon Loire Valley Questions
How much does a hot air balloon Loire Valley flight cost on this tour?
Balloon Revolution charges $291 per person for the sunrise or sunset flight, including hotel pickup, the landing toast and the Caves Plou et Fils tasting. Castle entry is not included, so see what the ground-based days cover in the Loire Valley chateau tours.
Where does the balloon take off from?
The take-off sites are near Chateau Amboise, Chenonceau or Chaumont-sur-Loire. The listing does not say how the site is chosen. The Chaumont-sur-Loire guide explains what to expect on the ground there.
What happens if the weather cancels my balloon flight?
The operator can cancel after confirmation if the weather is unsuitable or too few passengers booked, and you get a full refund. Build a spare day, and if you still want castles that morning, the Chambord and Chenonceau day trip from Tours and Amboise leaves at 9:30 from Amboise.
Do I need to contact the operator before the flight?
Yes, you must contact the operator the day before the flight to receive instructions and confirmation, and bring a valid passport plus the voucher on the day. The same call confirms your hotel pickup.
Can children fly in the balloon?
Children from 6 to 12 can fly with an accompanying adult, and the minimum drinking age for the Champagne is 18. If you travel with under-6s, note that Chenonceau is free for children under 7 on a ground visit.
How do I get to Amboise for the flight from Paris?
Amboise is 1.5 hours from Paris by train, via Paris Austerlitz or a TGV to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps 20 km away. The full routes and stations are in the Paris to Loire Valley by train guide.
Is hotel pickup included and who should book a different tour?
Pickup and drop-off are included within 15 km (9.3 miles) of Amboise. If you want chateaux interiors instead of aerial views, the small-group Loire Valley castles tour from Paris covers Chambord, Chenonceau and Amboise with entry tickets in 12 hours.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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