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What Else to do in the Loire Valley
Planning a 7 day trip in August this summer with my wife and teenage daughter. We are going to Chenonceau and Chambord and probably a couple of others in the area. Will probably hit at least one winery. Would like to go to a couple of villages on market days.
Anyone have any thoughts on which wineries and villages for market day. Are there any must see things to do while in the area or nearby that we are missing. |
Sounds like you need a guidebook. But for starters there are troglodyte dwellings and even a troglodyte restaurant, the castle and tapestries in Angers, local festivals, and, in addition to the myriad fresh food markets, marchés nocturnales, flea markets, brocantes, and flower markets.
Which winery might depend on what your favorite Loire wines are. With 7 days, I'd split my time between the eastern and western ends of the valley. |
I am in the midst of planning a trip to Paris and the Loire Valley, but I have never been there. The Fodors guide book has a good chapter on the Loire Valley. In addition to Chambord & Chenonceau, I think Villandry and Usse are considered highlights. For towns, Chinon, Sache & Saumur sound very nice. Sache is considered the most undiscovered town. I suggest buying the Fodors guidebook.
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not all that many wineries in the Loire Valley as a whole - at least this part - major ones are at Vouvray, a nice small town with impressive wine houses to tour - the tunnels hewn out under the limestone cliffs - and Bourgeuil (sp?) is the largest collection of vineyards I believe - I also toured wineries there - I prefer Vouvray and it is much close to the Chenonceaux/Chambord area.
Loches is a underrated castle IMO - more a chateau fort than the pleasure domes like Chenonceau and Chambord - built not for defense but looks - Loches broods over the regional town of the same name and in it you see the infamous dungeons where foes of one French Looie king literally hung out for years - in the infamous Hanging Cages in which a prisoner could not ever stand up - a reproduction of a cage still swings from the dungeons I believe or at least did when I was there several years back. I also love Chinon - not just the largely ruined castle but to me the nicest looking Loire town - on weekends and in summer you can take a steam train from their to Richelieu and back - Richelieu being a town planned lock stock and barrel by Cardinal Richelieu and very different from any other town in France that I have seen. Also stop by the caves with the words Champignons out front - these are caves in which they grow mushrooms and are found along the roads along the Loire - again hewn out of limestone cliffs - and also a treat is to stop by the farms with signs Fromage du / Chevre out front as you can see the whole process of making Goat Cheese and buy some too! |
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Depends what kind of market you want, if you want one with all kinds of products, Amboise is about the biggest (Sunday mornings). Chinon and Bourgueil (west of Tours) are fairly big, also, on Tuesdays. Tours is so big a city that it has all kinds of markets on various days and places, so I'd recommend Amboise instead for ease of everything in one place.
It may be just me, but given you are there 7 days, I might want to do something more exciting than visiting chateaux and wineries (especially since you have a teen, I can't imagine wineries are going to be thrilling to visit, they would bore me and I'm an adult), and visit Futuroscope for a break in Poitiers, it isn't very far by train. http://www.futuroscope.com/ It is a theme park, but some teens like that kind of stuff, although it is kind of expensive like those things usually are (around 35 euro all day). As far as chateaux, I did really enjoy Blois if you don't have that on your radar screen. |
we did a couple of loire trips with our [then] teenage kids.
the first time we stayed in Saumur for 3 nights, and saw angers, saumur, Villandry and Fontavraud, as well as the odd troglodyte cave. we then drove down to Poitiers and spent a couple of nights there while we visited futuroscope, went up to la rochelle, then drove back north to go to the Puy de fou near Cholet in the western Loire. the 2nd time we stayed in Amboise and went to Chenonceau, chambord, blois, as well as seeing the clos de Luce and amboise castle in Amboise itself. of them all, what we all liked best was the Puy de fou - it's a french history-based theme-park, which we all loved, the adults as much as the kids. one minute you're watching heroic medieval french knights repelling the evil english invaders, the next chariot racing in a roman arena. a definite "must" for families with kids/teens IMHO. [and better than futuroscope]. |
Another vote here for Chinon, Saumur, Amboise, Fontvraud Abbey, the incredible tapestry at chateau d'Angers, and the amazing gardens at Villandry.
We stayed at an old manor house near Chinon; half of that property and most of the surrounding properties were working wineries. Most of it tasty stuff, too. Our trip report is old and most likely out-of-date, but might still offer some value: http://www.onelittleworld.com/loire_1.html |
Amboise may have some concerts at the chateau in summer....there was an area that looked like it was set up for that kind of thing and it looked fun. I also love the little chapel where Leonard da Vinci is said to be buried. I also believe that you can tour his home in the area .
We loved Chenonceau and the restaurant there is nice. If you can get a table outside that overlooks the chateau, it is a great way to enjoy a meal! |
I've been to the Loire Valley 3 times for several days each. I've stayed in Tours once and Amboise twice.
The first time in Amboise was a lovely quiet visit. The second visit, some 15 years later, the town had turned into an English speaking tourist ridden city. Tourists were tripping over each other, seemingly everywhere. Whatever local charm there was in Amboise has dissapated. I like my villages quiet and local. Time to find another Loire base. |
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as does Chaumont - which is usually very avant garde:
http://www.experienceloire.com/gardenfestival.htm |
Oops, I meant Chaumont.
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The two most remarkable gardens I have seen in the Loire:
Chateau du Rivau: http://books.google.ca/books?id=965s...0rivau&f=false It is SOOO funky. Mad French whimsy. And the interior of the chateau was so hip and modern... Chateau de Villandry: OK, August is not a great month for gardens (in late Sept harvest season, this place is a paradise on earth). But the kitchen gardens have great and impressive parterres and an amazing richness in their plantings. Breath-taking. One of those places that make you want to take out French citizenship, it's so chic. |
I've lived in Tours for two years now. It's definitely rather soulless in August, as outside the hyper-centre it's like a ghost town since everyone's gone on holiday and in the centre there's only tourists. Usually I think it makes quite a decent base, but yeah, August's a bit grim. I did have a nice visit of the Prieure de Saint-Cosme once in August though, but it's mostly ruins, so don't know if it would appeal.
I agree with the comment about Amboise being over-touristy - I was there in January one year and it had that feel to it even then, so I shudder to think about August. I thought Le Clos Luce was really overrated, although to be fair the entire top floor where Leonardo lived was closed for renovation at the time (Jan 2011). A science-minded teen might enjoy seeing the models of all the inventions he came up with though. I was very pleasantly surprised by Blois chateau, its interior offers a lot more than many castles. Chenonceau is very pretty, Usse has its detractors, but I thought it was fun (it's the "Sleeping Beauty" castle, so might appeal to your romantic side), Langeais is a nice small town also with a castle. Chinon is probably my favourite town - the wine is fantastic. I love roses, but I've also had some nice reds from there. There is a cellar under the castle, but when I went we walked about 20 minutes out of town to a vineyard and they did a free tasting for us (in English). Very yummy wine. http://www.pb-couly.com/ The town itself is very pretty and there's lots of history. The castle is definitely not your pretty royal residence, but it's something different and they do a decent job with interactive displays and so forth to make up for the lack of anything going on in the interior. I haven't been to the Futuroscope, but Poitiers itself is well worth a visit. I really loved the polychrome interior of Notre Dame de Grande, and the 11th century frescoes in the Baptistry. I'm not a cyclist myself, but that's something else you might consider if that might be your thing. It's very flat and I'm told there are good bike routes following the Loire, for example. I'm taking some tips from the suggestions above as well, it's easy to get lazy when you live somewhere and not visit the local region. I'd love to go to Fontevraud, but it's a bit hard without a car, also been meaning to get to Villandry (public transport there essentially starts up in the high season), Chambord (ditto), Angers and Loches... |
I would highly recommend Chenonceau. It has the best audio guided tour of all the chateau I have visited. Chambord...frankly i wouldn't go out of my way to visit here. It is magnificent architecturally speaking but the inside is rather barren and their are better examples of renaissance chateau in the area...Azay Le Rideau, Cheverney, Amboise and the Clos Luce...lots to chose from. Villandry is worthwhile from a walk in the gardens perspective, but the chateau is not up to the standards of the ones mentioned above.
As for markets...Amboise has the largest market i have seen...tons of activity, fresh food and everything else you can think of too. Chinon also has a good market on Thursdays...and the city is a great place to visit too...one of my favorites. The tourist offices usually list what days the markets are to be held...the smaller markets are fun too...Vernou-sur-Brenne and Vouvray to name a couple. If you end up in Tours...they run a flower market down the city centre boulevard each Wednesday and Saturday...quite nice As for wine-tasting...get off the beat and path...that's where you will find a true expression of the regions great wine-makers. I would highly recommend Sebastien Brunet in Chancay, Vincent Careme in Vernou, Damien Delecheneau near Amboise, and Lise and Bertrand Jousset in Montlouis sure Loire...they are all making incredible wine! You should check out Manoir Echeneau in Vouvray...a great centrally located place to stay! Th Loire is a marvelous place...cheers, Dave |
I agree with so much of the above so I'll just list our favorites after 2 trips to the area.
East Amboise--Davinci house & gardens Chambord Chenonceaux West Chinon--loved the town Villandry--best gardens Sache--Balzac's house Samur & the equestrian academy (wonderful horse show, and we are not horse people) Fontvraud Abbey Here's my review on Western Loire http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nt-reviews.cfm So many love Azay and Usse,but for us they were just OK. |
take is a Son-et-Lumiere evening show at one of the castles - like Amboise or Azay-le-Rideau - two that I have seen - there are 'seances' in English or at least with English in headphones - but the real attraction is the special effects and locals dressed in Renaissance era garb - a cast of thousands as they asy - offer nearly every night at many of the castles.
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If you have the time and the money, an early morning balloon ride over the area is nothing short of unforgettable
www.franceballoons.com |
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