Trip IdeasThe Loire Valley Places
- Overview
- Places to Explore
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Amboise
The Da Vinci trail ends here in one of the more popular towns along the river. Site of Leonardo's final home, crowned with a royal château, and jammed with bustling markets and plenty of hotels and... (more) -
Angers
The bustling city of Angers, on the banks of the Maine River, just north of the Loire, is famous for its towering castle filled with the extraordinary Apocalypse Tapestry. But it also has a fine Gothic... (more) -
Azay-le-Rideau
A largish town surrounding a sylvan dell on the banks of the River Indre, pleasant Azay-le-Rideau (located on the main train line between Tours and Chinon) is famed for its white-walled Renaissance pleasure... (more) -
Blois
Perched on a steep hillside overlooking the Loire, site of one of France's most historic châteaux, and birthplace of those delicious Poulain chocolates and gâteaux (check out the bakeries along... (more) -
Chambord
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Chaumont-sur-Loire
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Chenonceaux
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Cheverny
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Chinon
The historic town of Chinon—birthplace of author François Rabelais (1494-1553)—is dominated by the towering ruins of its medieval castle, perched high above the River Vienne. The medieval... (more) -
Fontevraud-l'Abbaye
A refreshing break from the worldly grandeur of châteaux, the small village of Fontevraud is crowned with the largest abbey in France, a magnificent complex of Romanesque and Renaissance buildings... (more) -
Langeais
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Meung-sur-Loire
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Montlouis-sur-Loire
Like Vouvray—its sister town on the north side of the Loire—Montlouis is noted for its white wines. On Place Courtemanche the Cave Touristique will help you learn all about the fine vintages... (more) -
Orléans
Orléans once had the biggest inferiority complex this side of Newark, New Jersey. The city paled pitifully in comparison with other cities of central France, so the townsfolk clung to the city's... (more) -
Saché
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Saumur
You'll find putting up with the famous snobisme of the Saumurois well worth it once you get a gander at Saumur's magnificent historic center. Studded with elegant 19th-century town houses and the charming... (more) -
Tours
Little remains of Tours's own château—one of France's finest cathedrals more than compensates—but the city serves as the transportation hub for the Loire Valley. Trains from Tours (and... (more) -
Ussé
Sweeping Beauty When the author of the fairy tale, Charles Perrault, happened on the Château de Ussé one stormy night, he asked for permission to stay over (back then, châteaux were... (more) -
Villandry
The Versailles of Vegetables Organized in square patterns, Villandry's world-famous potager (vegetable garden) is seasonally ablaze with purple cabbages, bright pumpkins, and many other heirloom veggies... (more)
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