It was overall a lovely but rushed day. This is not really the fault of the tour company per se; but honestly, due to the drive time involved in getting to and back from the Chateaus, the actual time left to spend at the Chateaus felt very rushed. This is definitely more of an "introduction" type of experience due to the limited time. We did not get to see all the gardnes on the properties as had to rush to catch the van back. For those with limited time and no car, it's a great way to get a taste of the Chateaus. If you really want to explore and enjoy the gardens in a more in-depth, leisurely fashion, I can see why doing it on your own is probably the way to go.