Of course, there are castles. The Loire Valley was the haunt of the French nobility from the 10th century onwards and has hundreds of them, the most famous of which are a dream for travelers from the four corners of the world: Chambord, Chenonceau, Blois, Azay-le-Rideau… But beyond these obvious facts, we find a gastronomy well connected with its time and green spaces which testify to the French art of living.
The Loire Valley is booming, observes Pauline Bernard, hotel operations director. “We are seeing a renewed interest in the region, especially since the pandemic, where we have seen a Parisian clientele arriving who wanted to escape the city, while remaining nearby. » With the price of houses remaining affordable, while they have skyrocketed elsewhere, the region also attracts young families looking for an authentic, but lively, living environment.
Located in the heart of France, less than 200 kilometers from Paris and four hours from Lyon, the Valley is a cultural hub spread along the Loire, the river from which it takes its name. It has its source in more than 1000 years of history forged mainly during the Renaissance. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the one nicknamed the “Valley of the Kings” once proved to be an idyllic place to promote the kingdom and today retains all its panache.
Faced with this density of monuments to visit, the strategy is often to choose the best known – several have also been renovated at a cost of millions in recent years. Others, less popular, nevertheless deserve to be discovered with their charms and secrets.
But another approach, and the one we favored, is to select them for their garden side, because the opulence of these exceptional places is displayed both outside and in their buildings. The region has more than a hundred gardens open to the public which often offer guided tours. Several have preserved a historic aspect, others cultivate a contemporary style: the majority of them are landscaping and horticultural treasures.
On the gourmet side, the terroir is rich and good restaurants are easy to find. In addition to crisscrossing the river’s hillsides and lingering in its towns and villages, we will extend the scope of discoveries to the south of the valley, in the Berry, to get off the beaten track. The countryside is home to some gems, including small private castles, a large national park, evocatively named vineyards and lush natural spaces.
