Loire Valley

At a glance

Often called the “garden of France”, the Loire valley starts in Orléans, then meanders alongside the Loire River through Tours, Angers, Blois, Chinon, and Saumur, to end in Nantes on the Atlantic coast.

Apart from its natural beauty, what makes the Loire Valley so special is its exceptional cultural landscape. More than 300 châteaux line the 600-mile valley, each one a formidable competitor in their own architectural beauty contest. Some of these châteaux are castle fortifications from the 10th century, but the majority were built between the 15th and 18th centuries. A few of the most famous are the Château de Chambord, Château d’Amboise and Château de Villandry.

But it’s not all châteaux around here: The Loire Valley is filled with quaint cities and towns, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Loire Valley is also one of the world’s best-known wine regions. Spanning from the Muscadet region on the Atlantic coast to the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé regions just southeast of Orléans, the Loire valley is renowned for fruity wines with fresh, crisp flavors.

The Essentials

Wines

The Loire Valley is home to several world-class wines, such as Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, and Chenin Blanc. It’s the third largest wine-producing region in France, covering 175,000 acres and producing 33 million cases of wine per year.

The entire length of the Loire Valley is laced with vineyards, and it offers a wide variety of wines, from delicate Vouvrays to vibrant Sancerres. It is divided into four main regions, the three most important being the Upper Loire, the Middle Loire, and the Lower Loire.

Upper Loire

The Upper Loire is where you will find the Sauvignon Blanc-dominated areas of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé.

Sauvignon Blanc can be found mostly in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Sancerre is considered the world capital for Sauvignon Blanc. This varietal gives notes of green apple and Mirabel plum, with herbal and floral undertones matched against a sometimes flinty, sometimes smoky minerality.

Middle Loire

The Middle Loire, made up of Anjou, Saumur, and Touraine primarily produces Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.

Chenin Blanc can be found mostly in Anjou, Saumur, Touraine, and Vouvray. A high level of acidity lends this wine a fruit-forward flavor that pairs well with many of the region’s local dishes. Varieties range from light to full-bodied.

Cabernet Franc can be found mostly in Chinon, Saumur-Champigny, and Bourgueil. This savory wine can be light to medium-bodied, with fresh acidity and notes of red fruits, pencil shavings, and cedar.

Lower Loire

The Lower Loire is a maritime region around Nantes called “Pays Nantais”. The region’s signature Muscadets are exclusively white wines made from the grape varietal called “Melon de Bourgogne”.

Muscadet is a bone-dry, light-bodied white wine. It is loved as an excellent food-pairing wine due to its minerality, citrusy taste, and high acidity.

Gastronomy

Throughout the region, you’ll find delights like rillettes de Tours, poached eggs with Chinon, pâté berrichon with eggs, chicken en barbouille, nougat de Tours, Chinon peaches, prune candies, and many more!

In the city of Tours, head to Place Plumereau, a pedestrian area full of fun and tasty restaurants, where you can try local specialties like rillettes and rillons.

Rillettes

Rillettes is a rich, meaty spread traditionally served on fresh bread and enjoyed with a glass of wine. The dish is made by cooking pork in a confit-style, then shredding and mixing the pork with some seasonings and pork fat.

For pairing, try a white wine such as Vouvray, or a red wine like Chinon.

Rillons

Rillons consist of pieces of pork belly that are seasoned and stewed in pork fat for about two hours. Similar to rillettes, you can enjoy this local dish with a white wine like Vouvray.

Loire River Fish

The Loire has many types of river fish. Tasty recipes are made using native fish like mulets, blueback, herrings, pike, salmon, and giant catfish.

Cheeses

You’ll find plenty of tempting cheeses in Tours, most of which are made using goat’s milk. A few you should seek out are Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, a balanced cheese that’s best when it’s aged and pairs with any wines made with the cabernet franc grape, Crottin de Chavignolles, which has a mild and balanced flavor that pairs well with Sauvignon Blanc, Valençay, which has a nutty flavor and pairs with red Sancerre, and the soft Pouligny Saint Pierre.

Try them all with a fresh baguette and any wine from Anjou!

Nougat de Tours

For those looking for sweeter specialties, you must try the nougats from Tours. These soft and chewy candies are made from a sticky mixture of meringue, almond paste, candied fruit, and apricot jam.

Fricassee de Poulet à l’Angevine

A local specialty of Angers, this rich stew is made with chicken, onions, mushrooms, cream, and, of course, Anjou red wine.

Heritage & Culture

Orléans

Though smaller than Tours, Orléans is the official capital of the Loire Valley.

Strolling through the city, you will come across various tributes to Joan of Arc, who saved the city from Siege by the English in 1429. When you reach the banks of the Loire river, you may catch a glimpse of some migratory birds, like the single black stork, common swift, or the great crested grebe. Take some time to cycle or walk along the banks, as the natural beauty of the river is truly stunning.

Tours

Of the Loire Valley’s three main cities, Tours is the largest and the most popular tourist destination. The city is full of cultural sites, great restaurants, and lively bars lining the banks of the river. The Vieux Tours, aka the medieval district, is one of the best-preserved cities in France. It’s a must-see, as the district exudes all the “old French charm” you could possibly want!

Angers

Perched just on the edge of the Loire Valley, the city of Angers is crossed by two rivers, the Loire and the Maine. The principal attraction in this city is the Château d’Angers, home to the largest medieval tapestry in the world, the Apocalypse Tapestry.

Dining is fabulous, and you have a stunning array of restaurants to choose from. Check out the Lait Thym Sel restaurant for some exceptional fine dining, the Reste AU 51 for reimagined local fare, or the Restaurant Le Temps Retrouvé for a casual brasserie.

Things to know

The TGV fast train will get you from Paris to Tours in around 1.5 hours.

Summers in the Loire valley are typically crowded with tourists — particularly when it comes to the châteaux. To beat the crowds, the best time to visit the Loire Valley is between April and June, or September and October.

Concerning the local weather, rainfall is relatively low and very constant. The springtime can be fairly cool, so pack a couple of sweaters. For those planning an autumn visit, the harvest months tend to have more rain, so a raincoat or an umbrella is recommended.

With hotels as beautiful as its famous châteaux, the Loire Valley spoils visitors for choice in terms of fabulous places to stay.

If you want to see the region’s most famous castles, stay in Amboise or Cheverny. We recommend the majestic Château d’Artigny in Montbazon, the Hôtel le Manoir les Minimes in Amboise, Hôtel Château de Verrières & Spa in Saumur, or the Relais de Chambord in Chambord. If you are looking to lodge in the city-center of Tours, we recommend Les Trésorières.

Please reach out to us for more details on our hotel recommendations!

Other experiences

Champagne

Champagne; the universal drink of celebration and love. Over 300 million bottles are sold around the world, each one produced from grape to bottle in this small grape-growing region located only 100 miles outside of Paris.

Here you’ll discover a trail of manicured vineyards draped over the rolling hillsides, shouldering tiny villages, and inevitably leading to the cities Epernay and Reims, where the iconic Bollinger, Veuve Cliquot, and Ruinart house their glorious champagnes. Pay a visit to one of the family-owned producers in a nearby village, or explore the tunnels carved out beneath the city of Reims by its ancient Roman inhabitants.

No wine region in France exists without its gastronomy, and Champagne is no exception. White sausage (Retherl Boudin Blanc), Joute vegetable stew, and Chaource cheese are delectable local specialties that incidentally all pair perfectly with champagne!

Burgundy

One of France’s best-kept secrets, Burgundy is home to some of the most iconic and expensive wines in the world. Sleepy yet prestigious villages: Chambertin, Vosne-Romanée, Musigny, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, to name just a few, lay idle between the prestigious vineyards like diamonds on a necklace.

The Burgundy countryside is a renowned landscape of grassy hills and pine forests. But visit the ancient city of Dijon, the capital of Burgundy and former home to the Dukes of Burgundy and you’ll uncover a perfect blend of architectural beauty and French history as you walk along the paths trodden by the Dukes of Burgundy and enter the market designed by the illustrious Gustav Eiffel.

Discover cheeses that are truly exceptional, like the pungent Epoisses, the briochy Citeaux, the creamy Brillat Savarin, and salty/nutty Comté. For heavier fare, head to a brasserie around the famous covered market area (designed by Gustav Eiffel) or the Place de la Liberation opposite the ducal palace to sample the famous Escargots, Beef Bourguignon, Poulet de Bresse (considered as the best chicken in France) and much more.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is the oldest and arguably the most famous wine region in the world. Its red wines are legendary: Cabernets are bold, Merlot’s elegant, Cabernet Francs intense, Sauternes are sublimely sweet, and the Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and expressive. Each château has its own architectural charm and legend, whether Petrus, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, or Yquem to name just a few.

The stunningly beautiful vineyards lying on either side of the rivers Gironde and Garonne match the equally elegant city of Bordeaux proudly known as the City of Art & History and making it one of the most fascinating and popular cities in France.

Bordeaux’s culinary reputation is second to none. On the coast, you will find a mouth-watering array of seafood dishes, including Cap Ferret oysters, Aquitaine caviar, and the region’s tender, grass-fed Beef de Bazas. and for desserts head to the village of Saint Emilion for the perfect macaron, or sample one of the deeply caramelized Canelé pastries fresh from a local bakery.

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