The Loire Valley - Les carnets de campagne

WHY CHOOSE THE LOIRE VALLEY ?

The Loire Valley has been listed World Heritage Site for 20 years

« Harmony, history, nature… Just 20 years ago, in the year 2000, the Loire Valley was added to the World Heritage List, highlighting its extraordinary culture and landscapes, marked by the brilliant alchemy of man and nature. »

THE CASTLES

The legacy of the Great Kings of France

Château Azay-le-Rideau : A masterpiece of the Renaissance and 19th-century architecture, this picturesque château is surrounded by a romantic park and sits on an island of the Indre river that reflects its beautiful facades.
Royal Château of Amboise : During the Renaissance, the castle became a royal residence under the reigns of Charles VIII and Francis I. Occupied by the powerful French court, the castle attracted artists from all over Europe, including Leonardo da Vinci.
Royal Château of Blois : 4 eras, 4 architectures. The castle of Blois was home to 7 kings and 10 queens of France.
The National Domain of Chambord : The biggest castle of the Loire Valley, located in the heart of the largest enclosed forest park in Europe. The 18^thcentury French Gardens have been recreated on 7 hectares of land.
Château of Chenonceau :Otherwise known as the Ladies’ Castle, this château is the second most visited after Versailles. It’s quaint arches reach accross the Cher River, making it a favorite among powerful women including Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis.
Château of Cheverny : Hergé, the author of the comic book Tintin, was inspired by this château for the illustration of Marlinspike Hall. One of the largest and most lavishly decorated of the Loire Valley castles, château de Cheverny has been the main residence of the same family for six centuries.
The Château of Clos Lucé and the Leonardo Park in Amboise : Leonardo da Vinci spent the last 3 years of his life in the Château of Clos Lucé painting and working on various projects until he passed away on May 12, 1519. Explore his bedroom, the kitchen, the study, beautiful chambers from stone architecture, and even a secret underground passage. Discover his models and pieces of work designed with period materials…
The Royal City of Loches : The fortified City of Loches is overlooked by an impressive dungeon, a military masterpiece of the Middle Ages. From the lower town to the fortress, the winding streets are lined with architectural marvels.
The Royal Fortress of Chinon : Surrounded by the Vienne River and numerous vineyards, this fortress is a unique legacy in the Loire Valley! It’s also an important place in the History of France as it witnessed the encounter of Joan of Arc and Charles VII in 1429 before liberating Orléans.

THE GARDENS

Scented walks

The Gardens of Château de Villandry Today they are the most remarkable illustration of the art of gardening. The domain is world-renowned for its fascinating French formal gardens that feature a superb decorative vegetable patch that produces a variety of legumes all year round. You can also explore the water garden, the sun garden or the herb garden…
The domain of Chaumont-sur-Loire : Contemporary art, lush gardens and prestigious stables are the focal point of the Domain of Chaumont-sur-Loire. The host of the International Garden Festival, the 2020 edition presents the theme « RETURN BACK TO MOTHER EARTH ».
Château of Rivau : This medieval castle is surrounded by 14 fairy gardens. 500 varieties of fragrant roses, a vegetable garden that are cooked in the castle’s restaurant, grand works of art in the gardens and in the castle.
The Gardens of Château de Valmer : Explore this architectural gem from the Italian Renaissance and its incredible gardens with a bottle of Vouvray wine. 5 hectares of gardens laid over 8 terraces, 60 hectares of historic forest park, one hectare of vegetable gardens, a rare troglodytic chapel dating from 1524, and a 30-hectare Vouvray wine estate.
Royal Domain of Château Gaillard : Built in Amboise by the young King Charles VIII in 1496, Château-Gaillard was the site of the First Renaissance Gardens in France and the main residence of Dom Pacello di Mercogliano.
The garden-village of Chédigny – Chédigny and the Pastor’s Garden : 1000 rose bushes, 1500 bulbs, a hundred or so shrubs and thousands of perennials bloom up and down the alleyways of the village.
The park of Château de l’Islette in Azay-le-Rideau : surrounded by the Indre river, this park was the birthplace to the passionate love of Rodin and Camille Claudel.

CYCLING PATHS IN THE LOIRE AND INDRE REGIONS

A unique route in the heart of the Valley of the Kings that runs along the last wild river in Europe.

In Touraine, cycling in the Loire Valley is a different way of visiting the chateaux, the Loire river, and wide natural landscapes.
With flat, well-marked routes, cycling in the region is an option that’s accessible to everyone, including families with young children.
The ride will take you through charming little towns and villages such as Blois, Chaumont, Amboise, Tours, Chinon or Rigny-Ussé, Bréhémont, and Candes-Saint-Martin… The Loire is also a natural habitat for bird species such as terns, grebes, ospreys, or other grey herons as well as beavers and of course the Loire fish.

VINEYARDS

70,000 hectares over 5 departments, tended by nearly 2,800 winegrowers.

Visit the tourist wine cellars to discover the true identity of Val de Loire wine: still or sparkling, white, red or rosé, dry, semi-dry, or sweet.

Visit the cellars for a wine-tasting experience, wine-making workshops, segway rides through the vineyards, escape games…

LOCAL PRODUCTS

Unforgettable flavours

The Saint-Maure-de-Touraine AOC : this log-shaped goat’s cheese has an intriguing strand of rye in the middle.

Rillons et rillettes from Tours : Once slow-cooked for hours on a wooden stove, the shredded pork meat can be eaten in a salad, as a garnish or even on bread as an aperitif.

Truffles : The south of Chinon, Richelieu is the land of truffles. Visits and truffle-tasting to a truffle field can be organised.

Flat pears of Rivarennes : The fruit, previously dehydrated in an oven, is tapped with a wooden instrument called a « platissoire ». They can be stored for many months and served eaten as they are or rehydrated in wine and syrup.

Saffron : With a unique taste and a vivid yellow/orange coloring, saffron has been cultivated in the Loire Valley for a long time. The saffron flower is a variety of crocus that blooms in autumn and inspires a number of delicious gourmet dishes.

ANIMAL PARKS

Ranked among the 5 best zoos in the world, ZooParc de Beauval has the greatest animal diversity in France... a day trip for the whole family.

The ZooParc and the equatorial dome cover over 40 hectares and are home to 800 species, some of which are unique in France such as giant pandas, koalas, and Tasmanian devils.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Beauval is thinking big, creating the park’s craziest achievement to date: the equatorial dome! A giant greenhouse almost 40 metres tall that features an impressive walk through the lush vegetation, home to 200 species of wild animals. An amazing innovation that will take you around the equator.

Photo credits : La Loire à Brehemont ©D. Darrault, CRT Centre-Val de Loire | Château de Chenonceau ©BriqEcliptique | Jardins de Villandry ©Château et jardins de Villandry | Vignobles ©Domaine de la Chevalerie | Guépard ©Zoo Parc de Beauval