The Loire Valley is full of countless acres of beautiful woods, vineyards and farmland that produce some of France’s revered ingredients and delicacies, and a wealth of history and beautiful architecture that demands and rewards exploration. Whether you’re heading off with the family, friends, or both, our fantastic portfolio of Loire Valley villas, chateaux and holiday homes means you’ll find fantastic, comfortable and quirky accommodation no matter your preferences.
The Loire Valley is a region so well endowed with storybook chateaux that UNESCO gave the whole area listed status. But it’s not just the litter of fine mansions and regal estates that draw visitors here. People come to revel in life’s simple, and some would say most satisfying pleasures: to admire gorgeous scenery (from bucolic farming villages with babbling brooks to dense pine forests and fields of sunflowers), to soak up the sun and – last but certainly not least – to drink superb wine.
If you want to see the royal chateaux of the Loire Valley cast in the golden glow of sunlight, spring and summer are your best options. Warm temperatures during this period also allow for picnics, cycling, hiking and all manner of other outdoor delights. From June through to the end of August (and in some cases from as early as April to as late as September), the region’s chateaux amp up the enchantment levels as they host seasonal sound and light (son-et-lumière) shows in the evening.
Not that the chillier months are without appeal. Crowds thin in autumn and winter, leaving only the locals and a few hardy travellers to enjoy the peace and quiet. Most of the major chateaux remain open for visitors who want to explore.
The forests, slow-flowing rivers and gently contoured fields provide plenty of wide open space for little limbs to explore. And there is a generous smattering of tourist-oriented amusement parks and zoos, which have the same pull on underage visitors as the wineries do on their parents.
So pick a family-friendly chateau and stoke your children’s imaginations with some castle-based fictional tales and then augment your itinerary with a few of our fun-packed suggestions.
Want more family tips? visit our blog on the best things to do with kids in Loire Valley
The main cycling route through the region is the Loire à Vélo, which is some 800km in length and runs from Cuffy to St Brévin-les-Pins. Obviously, the whole 800km might be a bit of a stretch, so we’ve picked three shorter routes that are great for a family ride!
The Loire Valley is a place to indulge in the finer things. And while fine wine, amazing food and a stunning setting are well and good, sharing them with people your love makes them all the more enjoyable. So whether it’s a romantic wedding, a milestone birthday celebration or just a plain old holiday, gather together a group of close friends and family, and whisk them away to the Loire Valley for a taste of the good life.
If you pick one of the splendid and stylish chateaux from our portfolio of rental properties, you probably won’t have much cause to leave, particularly if you’ve got somewhere with your own private park, exclusive pool and fabulous river views (ideal for a picnic in summer). But with group activities like these on offer, it would be a shame not to get out and see more of the area. On the off chance cabin fever does happen to strike, nip it in the bud with one of these fun-filled group activities.
If you want to gather more suggestions, check out our blog on the best group activities in Loire Valley.
Few wine regions rival the Loire Valley for diversity. Some Loire whites need no introduction – Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, for instance, are already household names – while others, such as Quincy or Savennières, may be unfamiliar. Then there are the reds, among them Bourgueil and Chinon, as well as sparkling pours including Crémant de Loire. Put simply, the Loire has a wine style for every taste and occasion.
The Loire’s wines are highly regarded, but the food of this region doesn’t get quite as much attention. Why? Probably because the cuisine here isn’t based on a particular regional style of cooking but is driven instead by an abundance of fresh produce. Want to know where many of Paris’s finest restaurants source their ingredients? It’s here in the Loire Valley. Cheese, in particular goat’s cheese, is a highlight, as are the cave-cultivated button mushrooms, Sologne asparagus, rich game meats (boar, deer, pheasant, duck, hare etc.) and charcuterie. Fresh-from-the-Loire seafood, including salmon, pike and eel, is another gastronomic staple of the region. Wondering where and what to eat and drink while on holiday in the Loire? Wonder no more – we’ve got some recommendations.
If you’re craving more delicious ideas, why not have a read of the best foodie experiences in Loire Valley.
Featured Villas: Chateau Saint Jean, Chateau Le Brun, Chateau De La Chance, Chateau Cendrillon, Chateau Anais, Chateau Saint Jean, Chateau Gombardy
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