The Loire Valley Travel Guide
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Places to Explore
- Sights
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Entertainment
- Travel Tips
- Features
- Fodor's Choice
- Deals
- French Phrases
- Guidebooks
Guidebooks
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Fodor's France 2013
Trade Paperback
Photo: Manfred Steinbach/shutterstock
A fairy-tale realm par excellence, the Loire Valley is studded with storybook villages, time-burnished towns, and—bien sûr—the famous châteaux de la Loire. These postcard icons, like Chenonceau and Chambord, seem to be strung like a strand of pearls across a countryside so serene it could win the Nobel Peace Prize. With magic at every curve in the road, Cinderella's glass coach might be the optimum way to get around. If that is not available, buses and trains can beautifully ferry you to the main towns of the three Loire provinces—Anjou (to the west), Orléans (to the east), and the center ring of the show, Touraine.
The Loire Valley Hotels
Even before the age of the railway, the Loire Valley drew vacationers from far afield, so there are hundreds of hotels of all types. At the higher end are...read more
The Loire Valley Restaurants
Find the best Loire Valley restaurants in every price category with our top picks.
Fodor's Choice
Things To Do in The Loire Valley
Explore the best sights, entertainment, and shopping with our top choices and insider tips.
Travel Deals in The Loire Valley
- $102 & up -- Paris: 4-Star Family Friendly Hotel thru Summer Novotel Paris Charenton
- $1699 & up -- London, Paris & Rome 9 Nts. w/Air & Train Europe Express
- $629 -- 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise on Norwegian Epic CruisesOnly
- Classic Corsica IExplore
- $2060 & up -- France: Nice & Marseille 7-Nt. Escape w/Air — $2,060 Great Value Vacations
The Loire Valley Experiences
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Finesse rather than fireworks marks the gastronomy of this gentle, lovely region, known for exceptional white wines, delicate fish, and France's... Read more
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Step into a fairy tale at Sleeping Beauty's castle: Play once-upon-a-time at Ussé—gleaming white against an emerald forest backcloth... Read more
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With its nearly flat terrain, the Loire Valley is custom-built for traveling by bike, and the newly created Loire à Vélo signposted... Read more
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We admit it—there are almost too many châteaux in this part of France. It's nearly impossible to see all of them, so we've noted... Read more
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Fewer regions of France repay leisurely exploration more than the Val de Loire. And perhaps the best way to gently meander through the Loire... Read more
News & Features
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Travel Tips
Need we say more?... Read more
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Trip Ideas
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Trip Ideas
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