Be sure to swing by the outstanding Loire Valley on your next vacation to France for castles, nature and plenty of wine!

When you think of France your mind probably goes to the leafy boulevards of Paris or the glittering coastline of the French Riviera. It might even go to the vineyards of Bordeaux. But, there is a beautiful, unassuming part of the country that also deserves your attention and recognition: The Loire Valley.

The Loire Valley is just northwest of the centre of France and is named such for its location along the Loire River. This region is indescribably picturesque with its quaint bridges that stretch over the water and abundance of medieval and Renaissance castles. The landscape, too, is stunning, with green as far as the eye can see. Indeed, in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Loire Valley was referred to as ‘France’s garden’.

Travellers need no excuse to add this scenic part of France to their itinerary but if you were looking for reasons to visit, we have a few to offer.

Family walking through a vineyard in the Loire Valley - © France.fr

1. The Delicious Wines

French wine has dominated the global wine scene for time immemorial. This is largely thanks to regions like the Loire Valley. The history of wine in the Loire Valley goes all the way back to the Romans in the 1st century.

Since then, wine production has increased both in quality and quantity. Nowadays it is the pride and joy of the region. Be sure to take some time to explore the vineyards whilst in the Loire Valley and treat yourself to a wine tasting tour, and a glass or two of red, white or sparkling wine.

2. The Loire à Velo Cycling Route

The phenomenal Loire à Velo cycle path runs for a staggering 800km across six of France’s départements. Of course, you probably won’t want to cycle the whole length of it on your holiday, but plucking out a section of the path that winds through the Loire Valley is an incredible experience.

The path allows cyclists to see the gorgeous scenery of the Loire Valley, away from the roads and cars. The whole while you will have the mighty Loire River coursing alongside you.

Bikes along the Loire à Velo Trail in the Loire Valley - © Château Royal de Blois

3. The Fontevraud Abbey

History buffs and architecture lovers, brace yourselves. The Fontevraud Abbey might just be one of the most impressive buildings you have ever seen. The Abbey was originally founded in the 12th century and has had various restorations over time.

Steeped in history, this magnificent abbey is famed for being the final resting place of a number of important historical figures, including Henry II, Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine. In the 19th century, Napoleon converted the building into one of the toughest prisons in France before it later became an Abbey once again.  

4. The Château de Villandry

As we mentioned above, the Loire Valley was dubbed France’s Garden and nowhere showcases this better than the Château de Villandry. This magnificent castle sits amid outstanding and perfectly landscaped gardens. When the weather is good, nothing beats wandering through the gardens and taking in the sights and a myriad of smells. If the Château de Villandry peaks your interest, there are plenty of other gardens to admire in the Loire Valley, such as Le RivauSaint-Cosme, and La Bourdaisière.

The beautiful gardens at the Château de Villandry - © Wikimedia Commons

5. To Get an Authentic Taste of France

Not known as being one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, the Loire Valley has retained much of its traditional French character. If you want to try regional French cuisine or browse local produce in a market, this is the place to do it. Unlike Paris, a bubbling pot of diversity and international influences, the Loire Valley is about as French as you can get. Here you can sip a glass of wine, enjoy the scenery, and forget about the grind of daily life.

La vie est belle. Contact us to book a tour or just to find out more, and we will show you the beauty of the Loire Valley.

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Experts in self-drive tours in France

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Lynne & Jeff
In 2013 I had 2 big reasons to plan a trip to France: a new grand baby boy in Avignon, and I wanted to surprise my husband with a trip to Normandy. He absolutely loves anything and everything he can find to read or watch that is related to WWII. So, I started exploring online for a custom tour designer that could put together a great itinerary for …
Vania
Emilie did an outstanding job choosing ideal locations, charming B and B's and accommodating our requests. We went from Normandy to Aix to the Alps to Paris and were happy with the entire trip. She created a personalized itinerary that made our travels very easy and our experiences feel unique. No doubt I would recommend France Just for You and …
Sheldon
We began planning this trip over a year before our departure date. We have done a lot of traveling but this trip was for our 25th wedding anniversary! Once we decided upon France as our destination all that was left was to get all the details taken care of. Based on previous adventures, we knew that we wanted to drive ourselves on a self- directed …
Debbi
We worked with Emilie to craft a 10 day trip that customized one of the trips on their website and were wonderfully pleased with our whole experience. The b&b hosts and various guided events we participated in all treated us wonderfully and were clear that Emilie had visited & vetted each property (and even rooms!) The personal tour book we …
Judy
This was one of the best trips we have taken to Europe. We have often done our own planning. It was so nice to have Laura help. We were very delighted with accommodations and friendliness of all our hosts and tour guides. As Americans that don't speak much French, we would never have been able to arrange a trip like this ourselves - and we've done …
DeLana
Emilie put together the best "bucket list" trip for my mother and myself. She listened to all of our requests and tailor made a vacation that was perfect. The attention to detail she paid our trip was mind blowing. She even had a full book made for us to guide us through our journey along with maps, tickets, etc. that were all date stamped …