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Home , Loire, Loire valley

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ThePOP 2.9 MILLION Valley

Includes  Why Go? Orléans...... 371 In centuries past, the River Loire was a key strategic area, ...... 376 one step removed from the French capital and poised on the crucial frontier between northern and southern . ...... 384 Kings, queens, dukes and nobles established their feudal ...... 390 strongholds, country seats and, later, their posh playhouses ...... 396 along the Loire, and the broad, flat fertile valley is sprinkled ...... 398 with many of the most extravagant and fortresses ...... 404 in France. From sky-topping turrets and glittering banquet halls to slate-crowned cupolas and crenellated towers, the hundreds of châteaux, and the villages vine- yards, and agriculture surrounding them – all an enor- mous Unesco World Heritage Site – comprise 1000 of Best Places to Eat astonishingly rich architectural, artistic and agrarian treas- ¨¨Le Pot de Lapin (p401) ures. If it’s pomp and splendour you’re looking for, the Loire Valley is the place to explore. And don’t forget: it’s also a ¨ ¨La Parenthèse (p374) modern-day wine region dotted with lively cosmopolitan ¨¨Le Lièvre Gourmand cities such as Orléans, Tours, Saumur and Angers. (p374) ¨¨Le Gambetta (p401) ¨¨Le Petit Comptoir (p406) When to Go ¨¨Les Années 30 (p398) Tours °C/°F Te mp Rainfall Inches/mm 40/104 6/150 Best Places to 30/86 5/125 4/100 20/68 Stay 3/75 10/50 ¨¨ de Verrières 2/50 0/32 (p400) 1/25

¨¨Château Beaulieu (p400) -10/14 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨¨La Maison de Thomas (p378) Late Apr–early May & Jun Cycle Sep & Oct Wine ¨¨Hôtel de l’Abeille (p373) May The Fêtes de the verdant trails tasting during har- Jeanne d’Arc in of the Loire Valley, vest season and Orléans culminate from château to châteaux start to with parades on château. be less crowded. 8 May. The Loire Valley GeHISTOttinRYg There & Away 367

(www. in Blois 02 54 78 62 as bike-rental shops in in shops bike-rental as % 02 61 47 22 23; www. ( % ( , Cheverny, Chambord Chambord Cheverny, Villandry, 02 38 44 26 85; www. % (www.bagafrance.com) transports (www.bagafrance.com) ( 40,440 sq km ideau, ideau, ndividual regions, like , , Touraine, Anjou, like regions, ndividual R Tours & ActivitiesTours

Area Local industry Signature Cointreau drink ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ FAST FACTS f you’d like to cycle but want some help, I alf-day trips cost between €23 and €36; ents, delivers and picks up electric bikes. BICYCLE Bagafrance luggage and bikes, and many outfits rent electric bikes. Or consider a tour. Loire de Détours locationdevelos.com) H locationdevelos.com) Tours, Amboise, Blois and Saumur and myriad partners. Delivers bikes and also allows you to pick up and drop off bikes along the route for a small surcharge. Prices include a lock, helmet, repair kit and pump. Classic bikes cost €15/€60 per day/week, with extra days €5. Tandems cost €45/140 per day/week. Vélo à Châteaux Les wheel-free.fr; 33 rue du Géneral de Gaulle, St- Jean le Blanc; first/additional days €20/9.60) R The mostly flat LoireValley is fabulous cycling country – peddle through villages and on your wayto châteaux. Vélo à Loire signposted 800km maintains of loireavelo.fr) routes from Cuffy(near ) all the way to the Atlantic. Pick up a free guide from tourist offices, maps, route (including material download or 52; www.chateauxavelo.com; per day €12-14) Chambord, Blois, between circuit rental Bike 400km of Chaumont-sur-Loire; and Cheverny marked trails and minibus shuttle. Get route maps and MP3 guides from the website, or pick up brochures at local tourist offices. Free Wheel T Bus the at baulk might travellers indie Hard-core idea of a minibus tour of the châteaux, but don’t dismiss it out of hand, especially if you don’t have your own transport. Many private companies offer a choice of well-organised of combinations various itineraries, in taking Azay-le- tours). wine-tasting (plus Chenonceau and H full-day trips range from €50 to €54. Many also offer custom-designed tours. Entry to the châteaux isn’t included, though you often get audioguides and bike-hire details) from the the from details) bike-hire and audioguides I website. Centre or the (around Orléans), also have guides. accommodation and routes own their Tourist offices (and their websites) are well material. with stocked

- ­ - - reland), Mar Ireland), antes; and in the gant châteaux as expressgant châteaux ­ ngland), Dublin ( Dublin ngland), E ochelle and . Angers is also also is Angers Bordeaux. and ochelle important transport arteries. The first Getting Around Getting Getting There & Away 8 8 François I (r 1515–47) his mark by made François During the Hundred Years War (1337– War Years Hundred During the Blois has decent public buses and shuttles to TRAIN AIR Most main towns and many châteaux are access south, La R La south, on the line TGV via to . Blois and Amboise are served by high-speed trains to Paris. lines. regional near or on are châteaux Some 8 ible by train or bus, but having your own wheels allows significantly more freedom. loaded are Amboise and Tours châteaux. nearby with bus tour options. The TGV connects St-Pierre-des-Corps, 4km east 4km St-Pierre-des-Corps, connects TGV The (one Montparnasse Gare Paris’ with Tours, of hour) and Airport (1¾ hour); in the west, Saumur, Angers and N seille, Marrakesh (Morocco) and Porto (Portu Porto and (Morocco) Marrakesh seille, gal), while Angers’ small airport serves London Nice.and Tours’ airportTours’ has flights to London’s Stansted, Southampton ( to castle, while Henri’s son, Henri III son, Henri castle to castle, while Henri’s (r 1573–89), rivals of his greatest had two Blois’ Castle before at beingassassinated months later. himself eight assassinated 8 1453) the Loire boundaries one of the marked 1453) and English forces and the French between fighting. by fierce After area was ravaged Charleswith the VII regained his crown of Arc, the Loire as emerged help of Joan court Charleslife. took French of centre the up residence in Loches with his mistress, and nobility, Agnès Sorel, and the French elite establishedfrom then on the bourgeois ­ their own extrava and influence. ions of wealth palaces introducing ornate II successor Henri to the Loire. François’ de Médicis his wife Catherine (r 1547–59), played and his mistress Diane de from out their interpersonal dramas lished in the 9thlished in the century marauding fend off to the 11thVikings. By century walls, massive all the rage. were and moats fortified The dramas of French history largewrit are TheFrench of dramas châteaux. Loire the face of the across Valley’s the LoireEarly on, ’s of Roman was one most medieval fortresses were châteaux estab History