Why live it now?
It's been over 20 years since the Loire Valley was first listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and life in the region is anchored more than ever in a sustainable approach to tourism, preserving the natural spaces and architectural heritage that give the area its unique character and international renown.
A visit to the Loire Valley can involve canoeing and boat trips, segway rides through vineyards, cycling along a choice of 5,000km of dedicated routes and taking sensory walks through Renaissance gardens.
Read on for artistic ways to visit the chateaux and where to enjoy the hyper-local food scene. The ladies of the Loire both past and present are being championed, and there is a stop off at Tours, base camp for the Irish team in this year's Rugby World Cup. There's a range of accommodation on offer from four-poster suites to forest chalets, plus different ways to get to the region and to travel around once there.
Arts at the chateaux
There are many more ways to experience the Loire chateaux than by guided tour. For over 20 years, Chenonceau has offered visitors a unique floral workshop, spearheaded by head florist and 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France' Jean-Francois Boucher. The domaine of Chaumont-sur-Loire has held an International Garden Festival since 1992, boasting 32 hectares dedicated to landscape design and land art – the theme for 2023 is 'Resilient Gardens'. Villandry's annual 'Night of a Thousand Lights' is replaced this year by a new hydraulic show with water jets showcasing the famous parterres. The Loire Valley has signed a partnership with Paris' Centre Pompidou which will see works by Alexander Calder, Max Ernst, Julio Gonzalez and others on display across the region from this autumn. And by Christmas, around 15 of the largest chateaux will don their festive finery, many of them with late openings and several combinable on one visitor pass from the Touraine tourist office.
Ideas for the Loire Valley chateaux
Food from the gardens
The 'garden to plate' principle abounds in the Loire Valley. At Restaurant les Jardiniers, the fruit and vegetables, herbs and truffles that go into the dishes are grown according to agro-ecological principles. The Chateau de Valmer is famous for its ancient vegetables, cordon-pruned fruit trees, edible flowers and opulent greenhouse vineyard, wines from which are sold on to Chateau Louise de la Vallière. Fleur de Loire head chef Christophe Hay not only has two Michelin stars, but also a Michelin green star for his commitment to sustainable cooking – while homegrown vegetables are used by chef Rita Silva at the Relais de Chambord, the only hotel on the chateau's private estate. As well as tomatoes, asparagus and mustard, another key regional product is Monin syrup – visit the new (2022) Villa Monin in Bourges for a cooking class.
More gourmet outings
The Loire Valley ladies
Alongside the famous female forces of Catherine de' Medici and Diane de Poitiers, other powerful women have left their mark on the Loire Valley. Louise de la Vallière, first mistress of Sun King Louis XIV, was born in Tours. Her namesake chateau was her first holiday residence and is now a unique hotel, in which each guest room celebrates a 'Royal Favourite' from French history. On 28 and 29 July, the chateau will host the Amarillis Ensemble for 'Baroque in the Gardens', two musical evenings showcasing the power of female performers and composers. An hour's drive south, the 13th-century Chateau du Rivau has been lovingly transformed into a luxury hotel by owner Patricia Laigneau, walking in the footsteps of Joan of Arc who collected horses from Rivau to expel the English army from France.
Visit the 'Ladies' Chateau'
Hotels and heritage
You can't stay in the Loire Valley without immersing yourself in the region's rich heritage. Try the newly-opened Borde en Sologne Chateau & Spa (2022), an exquisite family-owned chateau with a suite in the former stables, or Le Bois des Chambres at Chaumont-sur-Loire, which has 39 garden bedrooms and an architectural style reflecting the countryside. Former Knights Templar stronghold La Commanderie de Ballan has been newly renovated and offers a mix of chateau guest rooms and rustic holiday homes across its estate. Traditional trapper-style tents, wooden caravans and chalets have also sprung up at Huttopia campsites across the region.
Where to stay?
Tours: A rugby base camp
The Irish rugby team have chosen regional capital, Tours, as their base camp for the 2023 Rugby World Cup (8 September–28 October)! The players will be training at a renovated stadium in La Chambrerie, north of the city. To mark the occasion, two new beers and a new Irish-coffee-infused chocolate have been produced locally: visit La P'tite Maiz, Brasserie de l'Aurore and Chocolaterie Feves to sample them. A UNESCO-listed 'Town of Art and History', Tours is bursting with 15th- and 16th-century houses, fascinating cultural sites, great boutiques and a glorious riverside lifestyle thanks to the River Loire flowing through it, best admired from a typical guinguette.
Explore Tours
Getting there and getting around
For a quick getaway, Ryanair flies from both London Stansted and Dublin direct to Tours. Alternatively, take the scenic route by Eurostar to Paris and one-hour onward train connection. The riverside Loire à Vélo cycle route is served by a free seasonal train (June to September) with up to 83 bike spaces for cyclists' use, while bikes can be transported for free on regional trains all year round. The Loire Valley is also the only region in France to border six other regions, making it an excellent base to explore further afield, particularly by campervan.
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