Cycling, Boating, Castles... Great Escapes
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2020 SEASON GOOD TOURS Destination Tours Loire Valley � NATURE OUTINGS � Cycling, boating, castles... great escapes URBAN GASTRONOMY HERITAGE Exploring Tours, Meet two members Villandry, a château- the Loire with a of our local "Roy-alty", a garden to discover by day little twist market gardener and a chef and night A unique place to relax by the water... Local specialities... Al fresco drinks in a canoe by the château... Civray-de-Touraine 07 50 57 55 72 www.bistrotquai.fr A BREATH OF FRESH AIR AND A RENAISSANCE ON THE BANKS OF THE LOIRE! The River Loire winds its shimmering way through the pleasant city of Tours, and also runs right through this magazine! This year we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Loire Valley achieving UNESCO World Heritage Site status, an accomplishment THEY LOVE well worth honouring! After weeks of lockdown, what TOURAINE a joy it is to stroll along this river, so free and alive! For the Loire animates our landscapes by day and night alike. PAGE 04 You can go boating on it, walk or cycle on its banks, visit its châteaux, gardens and vineyards, or sing and dance at THE LOIRE WITH its "guinguette" outdoor cafés. Yet the river is also a source of creativity, and 500 years after Leonardo da Vinci's A LITTLE TWIST time, the Tuscan genius' inventive spirit is alive and well. It inspires a welcoming land of exceptional heritage, which PAGE 08 is also a contemporary, surprising and cutting-edge place: a real Renaissance in the literal sense of the French term - GREAT ESCAPES a rebirth! Beneath this famously relaxed way of life, a wave of creative dynamism, invention and innovation is welling PAGE 13 up. People here know how to celebrate, and have a taste for shared good times and relaxing trips. This magazine FOR FAMILIES invites you to share our way of life in a part of France that's always on the go, a city on a human scale. We have PAGE 24 a selection of recommended places to eat, walks and bike rides, culture and nature-themed outings, and unmissable THE GUINGUETTE creators and artisans. Important: the offers and information published in this magazine are REVIVAL subject to change according to the current public health situation. EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION CAN HARM YOUR HEALTH. PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY. PAGE 28 CULINARY RENAISSANCES PAGE 30 Imprint ;-) EXCEPTIONAL TOURS Design Tours Métropole Val de Loire and Office de Tourisme Tours Val de Loire Editorial Michèle Claveau, Clémentine Chauveau, PAGE 40 Loïc Bienassis, Marie Bouin, Elsa Steward Graphic design EFIL (Tours) www.efil.fr Printing Connivence PHOTOGRAPHS: FRÉDÉRIC PAILLET, LÉONARD DE SERRES, CYRIL CHIGOT, SHOPPING VANESSA LIORIT – VILLE DE TOURS, OFFICE DE TOURISME TOURS - VAL DE LOIRE, JULIEN BOULANGER, ANAÏS DUTOUR, GUILLAUME BORDAS, STEVENS FRÉMONT, JC COUTAND, ADT 37, DAVID DARRAULT, SANDIE GAUD. FRONT PAGE: JULIEN BOULANGER. BACK PAGE: AGENCE SOIXANTE SEIZE. SPREES toursloirevalley.eu PAGE 42 • DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 03 Tours Loire Valley 1 2 3 4 PAGE 04 • GOOD TOURS • They love Touraine 2 days in Toursand nearby 5 On your 1st day here, meet some big names in art and architecture. Starting from the Tourist Office designed by Jean Nouvel, opposite the beautiful station 1 by Victor Laloux (the architect of the Gare d'Orsay station in Paris) and its splendid glass roof, head to the monumental Place Jean-Jaurès and discover Rue Nationale, the city's commercial centre. The tram 5 decorated by Buren runs through it. For serial shoppers, a wander round Tours' lovely boutiques is a must, and there are some nice surprises in store! To enjoy some culture, choose the CCC OD 4 , the contemporary art centre, a streamlined and elegant building by the Mateus Brothers. Or see more classic heritage with the Tour Charlemagne tower (taking a break for drinks at the top) and the Basilique Saint Martin. Then take a detour via Place Châteauneuf to experience its Italian vibe. Roam the medieval city and Place Plumereau 3 , "France's most beautiful place for a drink" according to the Lonely Planet guide, and an ideal location for lunch. Go and say hello to Le Monstre, a monster statue by Xavier Veilhan that towers over the Grand Marché and is the city's VIP. Then head to the banks of the Loire. Board a flat-bottomed boat for a soothing and idyllic outing on the river, before dropping 6 by the guinguette, an open-air café with a view of the Loire and guaranteed atmosphere. On the 2nd day, experience château life! There are many to choose from. Follow the Loire as far as Amboise, with a short detour through the beautiful villages of Rochecorbon and Vouvray and a visit to a winegrower and his cellar built into the tuffeau stone. Then discover the Château Royal d'Amboise 6 , the Clos Lucé or the orangery of Château-Gaillard, the most Italian of the Touraine châteaux, where the first Renaissance gardens in France were created. Alternatively, head west for the wild Loire, hire a bike to ride a few kilometres of the legendary Loire à Velo cycle route 7 and spot wildlife and plants in the Bréhémont area. Discover Langeais and its fortress then Rigny-Ussé and its Sleeping Beauty-style castle. There is so much to see! You can also choose the River Cher, drop by Saint-Avertin and its summer guinguette, discover the charming village of Savonnières and head to Villandry 2 with its château-garden, a world heritage 7 gem. There is so much to see! • DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 05 Tours Loire Valley Erwann de Kerros • Caroline For over 20 years, Erwann de Kerros, Laigneau the founder of Terre Exotique, has travelled the world with his teams • in search of peppers, salts, berries, After spending time in Hong Kong, condiments and spices. Terre Exotique's Caroline came back to Touraine home base is on the banks of the Loire, to take care of the Château du Rivau, in Rochecorbon. In 2019, Terre Exotique the family property. Keen to play her held the first International Pepper Festival part in the château's rural history, in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire. she passed her baccalaureate in agriculture and now grows — My favourite place for a walk: vegetables which she serves Les Halles de Tours, the nerve centre at Rivau's restaurant. of gastronomy in the land of Rabelais, in particular Le Palais des Epices, where — My tasty treat: our friend "Captain" Yvon will be happy Mille et une Confitures in Chinon, to give valuable advice. where the Dutheil family concocts jams with unique flavours, using — My top eatery for a flavour local ingredients and wild plants. journey: Karamara, a traditional Ethiopian I adore the rose and rhubarb, restaurant on Rue Colbert in Tours. Touraine! which combines a fresh taste with The charming Minna will help you discover the sweetness of rose, and the her many authentic specialities in an exotic peach and angelica! and welcoming atmosphere. — My top eatery in Tours: — My favourite traditional Le P'ti Mich', on Place Michelet. restaurant: Le Saint Honoré in Tours, I like this new restaurant's bistro where Chef Benoît Pasquier works. It sets vibe and menu. the standard in terms of local, seasonal cuisine, remarkable for its precision. They — My best-loved shop: are always happy for you to sample the the gift shop at Rivau! I offer a treasures from the Gallo-Roman cellar. combination of souvenirs, garden items and quirky little gifts like tulip- — My favourite viewpoint: Les Hautes shaped tea infusers! Roches, a Michelin-starred hotel-restaurant on the Loire riverbank at Rochecorbon. — My favourite place Its hillside terrace offers a sublime view for an outing: La Teinturerie, of the changing lights on the river, a living near Place Louis XIII in Richelieu. expression of the world's poetry. The Marolleau family have converted an old dyeworks into an offbeat place — My best-loved shop: La Galerie Terre where you can meet artists, English Exotique in Rochecorbon, for a wonderful holidaymakers and winegrowers, sensory voyage to discover treasures and enjoy a nice drink, concert of nature and the world's civilisations. or exhibition. Edouard and his team will greet you Lovers of with a smile and can suggest lots of innovative items and gift boxes. PAGE 06 • GOOD TOURS • Château du Rivau, They love Touraine in Lémeré. Honoré de Balzac • Born on Rue Nationale in Tours in 1799, the celebrated writer Honoré de Balzac remained very fond of Touraine. He enjoyed a long stay at the Château de Saché, where he wrote most of The Lily of the Valley (Le Lys dans la Vallée) and Le Père Goriot. In 2019, the "year of Balzac" marking 220 years since his birth, Nicolas Milhé created 5 bronze sculptures evoking the writer's work, on display in the Jardin de la Préfecture garden. — My river: "Often my eyes were drawn to the horizon by the golden blade of the Loire, where the sails made fantastic figures among the currents as they flew before the wind." (The Lily of the Valley). — My Abbey of Thelema: "Touraine is the true Abbey of Thelema, so much praised in Gargantua's book. Consenting nuns may be found there, as in the poet's dream, and the good cheer sung so loudly by Rabelais is supreme." (The Illustrious Gaudissart). — My Hindustan: "Everything disappeared when I glimpsed the banks of the Loire and the hills of Touraine. I was overcome by a delightful sensation and my heart sang out: oh, fields beloved of the Heavens! Tranquil country, Hindustan of France, where another Ganges flows, how delighted I am to see you! " (Stenie).