Loire Region France
Land Of Castles:
Towns and Cities
City of Orleans
Orleans is a modern town rebuilt after World War II destruction. It is the scene of Joan of Arc's greatest triumph, when she successfully drove the English from France in 1429. There is only her statue to visit in Place Martoi.
Beaugency
Beaugency is a pretty medieval town and is a good viewpoint for the river. It has an historic church, Notre Dame, and magnificent bridge
Blois
Blois is a pretty medieval town dominated by its magnificent chateau with steeply winding streets lined with half-timbered medieval buildings, little alleys and hidden courtyards. Blois is often used as a base to explore the Loire Valley.
The Chamber of the State General and part of a tower are all that remain of the 13th century fortification. Additions were made in the subsequent centuries which gives it its extraordinary mixture of architectural styles. Louis XII (R.1498-1515) transformed it into a Renaissance palace but his son, Francois I (R.1515-1547) created much of the magnificent edifice you see today. Its greatest single feature is the magnificent octagonal open spiral staircase that forms part of the Francois I wing.
City of Tours
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Tours is the capital of Tourraine and the center of the Loire Valley. It was an important city even in Gallo-Roman times. It was devastated in World War II, but since 1959 the city began the process of regeneration.
Villages of the Loire
As you travel along the Valley, you may wish to pass through some of "Les Plus Beaux villages de France" such as:
The village of Lavardin ... located west of Vendome on the Loir
The village of Candres-Saint-Martin ... located between Rigny-Usse and the joining of the Loire and the Vienne Rivers
The village of Montresor ... located south of the River Cher and North of the Indres River
Nearby Towns of Interest
The Cathedral City of Chartres to the north. The Cathedral is a world-renowned masterpiece of architecture and stained glass, and listed as an UNESCO heritage site. It was built in the 12th and 13th centuries.
The town of Vendome to the north
The Cathedral City of Bourges to the south.
The sumptuous St. Etienne Cathedral is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you climb its 396 steps you get a magnificent view of the old town. Jacques Coeur’s Palace, Charles VII’s Master of the Mint and the first bourgeois merchant to become immensely rich, is a gothic masterpiece. Bourges, a “Town of Art and History” can also be visited at night, by following the spectacular, lit-up night walk.
The wine village of Sancerre to the east.
The first important vineyard on the Loire is located in the eastern premises of the valley at Sancerre. In the care of Augustinian monks at Saint Saturday Abbey and the Dukes of Sancerre, these vineyards blossomed forth in the 12th century and have increased in appreciation ever since. Sancerre is known for crisp, flinty whites from the Savignon Blanc grape. Its reds are fruity, light to medium bodied, and made from the Cabernet Franc grape.
Royal Timeline
Timeline of Kings associated with the Chateaux of the Loire Valley
Reign : Louix IX 1226 – 1270
Married : Marguerite de Provence
Associated with: Angers (Saint Louis)
Reign : Charles VII (the Victorious) 1422-1461
Married :Marie d' Anjou
Associated with: Chinon Langeais, Loches, Amboise
Reign: Margaret of Scotland
Married :Charlotte of Savoy
Associated with: Langeais, Amboise
Reign: Charles VIII (the Affable) 1483-1498
Married :Margaret of Austria
Associated with: Chinon, Amboise
Reign: Louis XII (Father of the People) 1498-1515
Married : Jeanne de Valois , Anne of Brittany, Mary of England
Associated with: Born Blois 1462
Reign: Francis I 1515-1547
Married : Eleonore of Austria, Claude of France
Associated with: Blois, Chambord
Reign: Henri II 1547-1559
Married : Catherine de Medici
Mistress: Diane de Poitiers
Associated with: Chenonceau, Chaumont
Reign: Henri III 1574-1589
Married : Louise de Lorraine-Vaudemont
Associated with: Blois
Loire Valley Wine
Vineyards flank the Loire Valley along much of its length. Degustations or wine tastings (and buying, of course) at the vineyards themselves abound.
The Loire Valley wines are light, fresh and relatively low in alcohol. White wines predominate, based on the Chenin Blanc, Muscadet and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, from the Muscadet of the Nantais area, perfect with shellfish, to fine Vouvrays and Sancerres further east. (One of the oldest wineries in the Loire Valley is Chateau Moncontour which overlooks the village of Vouvray. The 13th century estate surrounds the castle which dates from the 15th century). Of the rose wines, Rose d'Anjoy is the best known, and the Cabernet Franc grape, special to this region, makes a number of good reds. Look out for the fruity reds of Chinon and Bourgeuil. In Saumur, look for sparkling wines (methode champenoise or champagne method) which are also produced at Vouvray and Mountlouis. Also there are the sweet dessert wines of the Coteaux du Layon.
Loire Valley - Garden of France
The Loire Valley is located in the historic heart of France and is renowned for its many chateaux, classic architecture, rich history and warm hospitality.
The Loire Valley has inspired poets and novelists for centuries. Rabelais and Balzac were native sons and set their stories here. When Charles Perrault wrote the famous fairytale 'Sleeping Beauty', he was inspired by the Chateau de Usse. In the 1800's, George Sand wrote her first successful novel, 'Indiana' at Chateau de Nohant (in Berry) where she was raised. Sands welcomed the likes of Balzac, Liszt, Chopin, Turgenev, Delacroix and countless other personalities to her charming little chateau. Today, it is open to view by the general public.
The River Loire runs westward for over 600 miles before reaching the Atlantic Ocean and is France's longest river. The Loire and its tributaries, the Rivers Cher, Indre, Vienne and Loir (without the "e") link the chateaux, vineyards, farmlands, forests and ancient towns that rest on their banks. It is said that "The Loire is a Queen and Kings have loved her". The Loire has been the home of Kings since the 10th century. From the Middle Ages through the Renaissance, the Kings and Queens of the Loire Valley championed intellectual and artistic creation. The result is an endowment of accomplishments for all time in the arts and literature, as well as extraordinary examples of magnificent architecture and landscaping.
The drive from Paris to the Loire Valley takes about two hours through lovely countryside.
In the "Valley of Kings" there are 1000 chateaux and more than 100 are open to the public. If your time is limited or you are prone to "Chateau Burnout", it is perhaps worth considering limiting your visits to those you think you will enjoy the most or are closer to your interests and perhaps just "driving by" others.
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Tours departing Paris
Only 2 hours from Paris and you are in the magnificent Loire Valley where you can tour the magical chateaux and gardens. Private, coach and semi private
Tours departing Loire Valley
Save hours on the road and take the TGV to the city of Tours in about 1hr from Paris. The TGV is one of the best if not the best train system in the world. Private and semi private
Ballooning in the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley has become one of our most popular ballooning base. The Chateaux never cease to enchant visitors. Imagine drifting slowly over these magnificent, breath-taking architectural masterpieces in a hot air balloon guided by the winds.
Overnight in the Loire
We have some pretty exciting overnigh tours in the Loire Valley to discover the Renaissance chateaux as well as the medieval Feudal history of the region.
