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

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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!

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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).

— My coffee: You can enjoy a "Balzac coffee", like the one I drank 50 cups of a day, containing the beans of Mocha, Bourbon and Martinique, at Max Cafés, a coffee roaster in Azay-le-Rideau. It is also on sale at the Château de Saché's gift shop and at several delicatessens in the region.

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SURPRISE The Loire with a little

See travel in a new light! Much more than just a mode of transport, the Tours tramway is an urban work of art decorated Touraine has a rich heritage, of course. by Daniel Buren, whose famous twist black and white stripes run along But this is a living heritage, constantly the tram and all throughout the revisited, adapted to new uses, open stations on the line. The conceptual artist has created other works to the future. A contemporary work along the route: the kiosks on Place of art on a medieval square, a drink at Choiseul, La Boucle on Place de la Tranchée in Tours, and the Pergola the top of a collegiate at Joué-lès-Tours town hall. A 15 km journey through the artist's world to church, a château rediscover the city. containing 20th-century photography... It's the Loire with a little twist, a true Renaissance!

Turn the lights back on! After dark, the Parcours Lumière illumination trail bathes the city's Scan this code for architectural treasures in soft and information about the subtle light: Place Châteauneuf, Parcours Lumière. Place Plumereau, Basilique Saint-Martin, Tour de l’Horloge, Tour Charlemagne, Rue Nationale, Place Jean-Jaurès, Grand Théâtre, Hôtel Gouïn…

Don't miss this summer's essential event either: the new edition of the Sound and Light show, projected every evening onto the façades of the Musée des Beaux-Arts Free • Booking required at www.ville-tours.fr

PAGE 08 • GOOD TOURS • The Loire with a little twist

Reach for the sky! At the heart of Tour's old town, the Tour Charlemagne, a tower that was once part of the old Collégiale Saint-Martin, offers a 360° view over the Loire and buildings from all eras of the city's construction. Climb the 248 steps and admire a panoramic view of the city while enjoying a 100% locally made aperitif cocktail, at 48 metres above ground. Info and bookings at www.inattendue-tours-tourisme.fr

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Revisit the Château de Tours in pictures! A leading arts centre for the contemporary image, Jeu de Paume in Paris has allowed some of its treasures to be on display at the Château de Tours for a decade or so. With Nadar, Lartigue, Vivian Maier or Gilles Caron, the big names in photography have adorned its picture rails. Info at www.jeudepaume.org

Rediscover elegance at the Prieuré Saint-Cosme Eleven images in Indian ink, full of transparent beauty, adorn the original stained glass windows at the Prieuré Saint-Cosme in La Riche. They are by Zao Wou-Ki, "the most French of Chinese painters", and are his only work on stained glass. They add a touch of splendour to Ronsard's residence and its monastery-inspired contemporary gardens, where heritage roses still bloom today. www.prieure-ronsard.fr

PAGE 10 • GOOD TOURS • The Loire with a little twist

Find Le Monstre at the heart of the medieval quarter! Its arms are open wide to greet locals and visitors. Standing firm on Place du Grand Marché, in the historic centre of Tours, the "creature" by top contemporary artist Xavier Veilhan is a friendly LEARN MORE monster, a surprising statue, and AT LE LOGIS an unmissable VIP of the city! Want to know more about Touraine's architecture and heritage? Head to Le Logis, an exhibition preview by the CIAP, Centre d'interprétation de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine (Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Centre). Tours, a listed City of Art and History since 1989, is committed to working in partnership with the State on developing a cultural and tourism policy based on its architecture, heritage and living environment. A visit to Le Logis is a must in order to learn more about the main local topics, with the help of digital tools: landscapes of the Loire, urban housing, and Tours the royal city. A unique immersive experience! Hôtel des ducs de Touraine, 15 place Châteauneuf in Tours Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 3pm to 6pm • Free admission

Have another slice of contemporary art! At the CCC OD, experience the full diversity of the current art world while celebrating the works of Olivier Debré, a great 20th-century painter inspired by the landscapes of the Loire. Inaugurated in 2017, the Centre de Création Contemporaine Olivier Debré is the Region's main art centre. This lively place is full of new discoveries, especially at the bookshop and Café Contemporain, which offers a menu as creative as the works on display! CCC OD jardin François 1er in Tours Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pmThursdays until 8pm / Saturdays until 7pm Prices and programme at www.cccod.fr

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Recharge your batteries in an exceptional garden! A world heritage gem, Villandry combines a château with elegant architecture and some remarkable gardens. In 10 years, the head gardener has brought organic farming to the decorative kitchen garden, a highlight of any visit. It combines geometric patterns of vegetables and fruit in a pure "Renaissance" style. The working methods have been totally overhauled: chemical insecticides have been banished in favour of natural fungicides, organic fertilisation, weeding... Amateur gardeners can even find his wise advice posted on the website as the seasons go by. This summer, discover the photography exhibition "Intemporels - de ciels et de châteaux" ("Timeless. Skies and châteaux"), a selection of Joël Klinger's best shots which captures the beauty of the Loire's heritage with exceptional use of light. 6 June to 6 September 2020 www.chateauvillandry.fr

PAGE 12 • GOOD TOURS • Village of Savonnières. Great escapes

FEATURE Touraine, it's a great escape! How about exploring Touraine at a slower pace? Living life to the rhythm of the last wild river is the ultimate way to recharge your batteries and enjoy the countryside... and there is no shortage of places to visit! Cycling getaways on the legendary Loire à Vélo (Loire by Bike) itinerary or hikes along Touraine's paths, bivouacking on the banks of the Loire on a canoe trip, traditional boat rides on the Loire or Cher, an unusual journey to the top of a tree or a night in a nature lodge deep in the forest... So many unexpected opportunities for discovering the great outdoors!

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ON A BIKE In the land of Kings, the bike reigns supreme! Cycling has long been an important part of life in Touraine, and the area is constantly offering visitors new kilometres of waymarked paths, welcoming places to stop and bike- friendly accommodation. On the famous Loire à Vélo cycle ACCOMMODATION route or the little paths that are great for a morning ride, THE PEOPLE come and enjoy an ever-changing cycling experience! HOSTEL WELCOMES YOU! Say goodbye to old-fashioned youth hostels and hello to The People Hostel, which opened last year. A new generation accommodation provider that's connected, cheerful and intergenerational, The People Hostel is The banks of the Loire in Tours. particularly suitable for those travelling by bike. Located on Avenue de Grammont, where so many Loire à Vélo, the royal route cyclists have crossed the finish line of the famous Paris-Tours "Doing" the Loire à Vélo is an unmissable rants, picnic areas and over 300 "accueil classic race, The People Hostel experience if you want to appreciate the vélo"-certified accommodation providers offers 46 duo rooms, family dazzling beauty of Europe's last wild river! who cater to cyclists. rooms and small dormitories, The itinerary, fully waymarked and made Need to take a break, have a shower, with bathrooms and private safe for cycling in both directions, wel- find a place to store luggage, make a few toilets. The spacious Hostel comes a million French and foreign cyclists repairs, charge your mobile phone or elec- boasts a garden and terrace, every year. It runs for 800 km along the tric bike, or get some tourist information? and cyclists have pride of Loire including around 200 km through Head to Accueil Vélo & Rando, the place to place, from the décor at Touraine, in the shade of the châteaux be for any hiker or cyclist! A bright space the dedicated bike reception (Amboise, Villandry, Azay-le-Rideau, in an ideal location near the train station area (secure parking) to Langeais, Chinon) and through the vine- and the Tourist Office, where you can plan the bar-restaurant's name yards and villages. The paths are quite your rides and hikes, and find all kinds of Étape 84 (meaning Stage 84). easy and not too steep, making them ideal useful information. There are also shared areas, for families. There are special services for And wherever you are riding in Touraine, a pop-up shop, a restaurant cyclists to ensure you are well prepared for don't forget to download Geovelo, the guide and a bar, with local beers and your trip: bike hire and repair shops, bike app for cyclists. Invented in Tours, it's the Loire wines. A friendly place and luggage transport, topo-guides for French cycling community's favourite GPS. to stay that's open to the city, sale at the tourist offices... We've thought Known as "Waze for cyclists", the app is free an ideal base for Millennials of everything! and suggests several itineraries for each to explore Touraine. For shorter rides, there are 60 cycling trip, from the quickest to the safest. It also The People Hostel loops with lengths ranging from 5 to 95 km, provides all sorts of useful info on bicycle 84 avenue de Grammont in Tours along the Loire, Indre and Cher. They are pumps, places to fill your water bottle, and 02 36 43 50 74 dotted with information points, restau- average travel times. www.thepeoplehostel.com/fr/tours

PAGE 14 • GOOD TOURS • Great escapes

The Loire à Vélo is also a great way to explore the Vienne riverbanks, here in Chinon. USEFUL INFORMATION Cycle trek Do the Loire à vélo The Loire à Vélo in Chinon Download your itinerary at www.loireavelo.fr and identify the cycle paths, bike hire points on a guided weekend and "accueil vélo"-certified Among the many tours on offer, the Tourist Office has a lovely bike ride accommodation along the way. in Chinon and the surrounding area, accompanied by a guide. Also at www.marandoavelo.fr Day 1 (10km): The Île Auger campsite in Chinon is your starting point. Plan and book your cycling Put down your luggage and set off for a 10 km bike ride, with your guide holidayPlan your circuit at showing you the Vienne riverbanks with the famous Chinon vineyards, as well Tours Val de Loire Tourist as pointing out local wildlife and plants. After a visit to the Forteresse Royale Office with help from its in Chinon, a major fortress in medieval Touraine, discover the little streets visitor advisors, who can of the old town and a hidden provide easy-to-carry treasure: the mysterious cave literature: numbered maps chapel overlooking the town. by section, brochures with Day 2 (45 km): Ready for a nice useful addresses... You can bike ride exploring the Vienne also book your guided cycling Valley? There are lots of nice holiday there. surprises in store: a sanctuary Information and prices at from the Carolingian period www.tours-tourisme.fr and the wonderful village of [email protected] Crissay-sur-Manse, one of 02 47 70 37 37 the most beautiful villages in France. After an organic Pamper your bike at and locally sourced picnic, it's Accueil Vélo & Rando time for a change of gear as 31 boulevard Heurteloup in Tours you ride up to the ruins at the Tranchelion rocks. You will enjoy the beautiful 02 47 33 17 99 www.mobilite.tours-metropole.fr landscapes and unique geology of the valley, before stopping by a cellar to taste Chinon's wine. Then why not treat yourself to a good dinner at one A little break at La Bicyclerie! of the town's restaurants and spend a second night at the campsite. Need to take a rest from Info and bookings: Tours Val de Loire Tourist Office pedalling, talk bikes, carry out www.tours-tourisme.fr “To See and Do - Excursions and Weekends” section repairs or find accessories? Head straight to La Bicyclerie, a cosy place to enjoy a cold drink or coffee. Tuesday to Saturday 10 place de la Victoire in Tours • 02 47 50 75 19 INNOVATION labicyclerie.com

What if I haven't brought my own bike? Experience the bike Two places to hire a quality bike: Détours de Loire and Roue Lib of tomorrow, right here near Tours Station. Pick up your bicycle and drop it off at another An initiative by Touraine Vallée de l'Indre, a hydrogen dispensing station location, without having to bring to refill bikes awaits you at Loire Vélo Nature in Bréhémont. The station it back to the starting point. can fill the tanks of the 15 hydrogen-powered bikes available to hire Booking information: in Bréhémont and Azay-le-Rideau. In under 3 minutes, you can fill up • Détours de Loire, 26 rue Charles your bicycle with enough hydrogen to travel 100 km. Gille in Tours • www.detoursdeloire. Loire vélo nature, 3 avenue du 11 novembre in Bréhémont • 06 03 89 23 14 com www.lav.loirevelonature.com • Roue Lib, 55 rue Bernard Palissy in Tours • www.rouelib.eu

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BOATING You're the King of the River! This is one of the most pleasant ways to discover Touraine and its scenery. There are new boating attractions all the time here, a sign BOAT TRIP of the river being reclaimed by those who live A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE on its banks, and by the visitors who fall under ON THE RIVER AND its spell. The Loire's commercial navy helped our IN THE FOLIAGE OF cities prosper, with specific types of riverboat A BIG OAK TREE! La Rabouilleuse-École de Loire such as chalands, pillards, toues, futreaux and invites you to enjoy an original charrières. The tradition is alive and well today. experience involving a boat ride and a climb to the top of a tree. After learning how to stay safe and use specific knots, you climb o need to go far for your enjoy: the changing light on the river, from branch to branch using first experience of the the charming islands which are popu- ropes attached beforehand by a Loire. In the city centre, lar for bivouacking, and the secrets of supervisor. This sensory experience, under the Pont Wilson river navigation. La Rabouilleuse offers a total immersion in nature, is bridge where Tours' twilight outings with picnics, tastings, accompanied by a tasting of local main harbour used to fishing parties and animal-watch- and organic specialities. A boat be, you can board a tra- ing, taking a careful and eco-friendly trip follows, drifting on the river at ditional wooden boat. approach. sunset (meal on board). A moment's The fleet is maintained The Cher, another long, blue ribbon reverie and contemplation as and steered with dedi- running through Touraine along with the sun goes down... N cation by the sailors of the Indre, Vienne and Creuse rivers, Length 4h / €122 incl. tax per pers. the Boutavant association. Be soothed also has secrets to reveal. Just jump (8 ppl max.) / age 10 and upWear by the lapping of the water, spot wild- on board with Les Bateliers du Cher at sports shoes and comfortable clothing, life and plants, discover the history of the river port in the charming village bring water the Abbaye de Marmoutier, or enjoy an of Savonnières (a stop on the Loire à on-board picnic of local specialities and Vélo route), for a guided tour. Take a a glass of Touraine wine. At sunset, it's journey back in time on traditional unforgettable. flat-bottomed boats from the 18th and A little further along, in Rochecorbon, 19th centuries that travel up the Cher La Rabouilleuse-école de Loire is an towards Tours, with a friendly crew. association of enthusiasts and a new You can even visit a shipyard with this generation of boaters. Join them for a traditional boat-building association, gentle ride on one of their three tradi- which is keen to revive boating on the tional sailboats. It's all there for you to Cher and Loire.

PAGE 16 • GOOD TOURS • Great escapes

USEFUL INFORMATION River excursions on La Chinonaise www.bateaux-promenades-­ chinon.com New this summer, mix bikes and By boat boats at the bike embarkation site La Bélandre, located 20 minutes from Savonnières On the Loire with Boutavant Sightseeing cruise on the Cher. Port. You can complete your Loire à Foot of the Pont Wilson bridge Restaurant on board. Vélo tour by boat (to reach Savonnières and Quai de Loire, Château www.labelandre.com via the Loire) or the other way round: de Tours. Cruise with commentary start by boarding a boat in Savonnières www.tours-tourisme.fr on L'Amarante and La belle for Tours, 20 minutes away. to see and do section Adèle in Candes-Saint-Martin. You can also discover the untamed On the Loire with Cher by starting from the Pavé du Roy www.bateauamarante.com La Rabouilleuse-école de Loire harbour in Joué-les-Tours and board- Quai de la Loire, in Rochecorbon. Outings on a "futreau" boat ing the Jocondie II, a traditional cabin Individual and group outings. in Veretz with Les Mariniers boat called a "toue cabanée". It will take In the daytime 1h30, at dawn de Jean Bricau. you on a guided tour on the theme of or dusk 2h30. www.jeanbricau.fr wildlife and plants, all the way to the Grand Moulin de Ballan flour mill. www.larabouilleuse-ecoledeloire.com Outings with Les Bateliers On the Cher with des vents d'galerne Small craft for big whitewa- Les Bateliers du Cher in La Chapelle-sur-Loire. ter experiences Place des Charmilles in www.bateliersdesventsdgalerne.fr There are other ways to enjoy the Savonnières Every day from April Loire's landscapes that are sporty and to October, outings last from fun in equal measure. All along the 30 min to 2h. Drinks and a picnic Loire, Cher, Indre and Vienne, clubs can be enjoyed on board. By canoe-kayak, and associations offer canoe, kayak and Bookings www.tours-tourisme.fr paddle board trips... You can travel down the Loire On the Cher with paddle board... the Jocondie II from Amboise to Tours on unsinkable, day and Port du pavé du Roy in Tours et Canoë, self-bailing canoes, and bivouac on half-day trips, or longer Joué-lès-Tours. the islands with "Tours et Canoë". Pass trips of 2 to 5 days between From 1 June to mid- under the arches of the Château de Amboise and Tours, locality OctoberBookings: call 06 67 65 78 95 Chenonceau and ride along the wilder of La Frillière in Vouvray. or more peaceful sections of the Cher www.tours-canoe.fr as well as the Sauldre with "Aventure Canoë sur le Cher". Or admire the scen- Aventure Canoë on the Cher, ery standing up, at least in theory, on a And not forgetting... centres in Chisseaux, paddle board. Alone, with a friend or in Montrichard, Saint-Aignan- Fun boat rides departing from a group of up to 8 people, this is a great Mareuil / Écluse de Chissay lock. Chaumont (41) and Amboise way to see the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau canoesurlecher.jimdo.com with Millière-Raboton-Homme from the Indre with "Paule et Mike"! de Loire. Canoë-Compagny, Canadian- www.milliere-raboton.net style canoes between Chissay and Civray via Chenonceau, departing Traditional boat ride and on the Loire downstream from Langeais with Endremage. of Amboise to Rochecorbon. endremage.com www.canoe-company.fr Free Loire crossings Kryzalid'Nature, in Bréhémont. on a traditional "Toue" boat www.knature.fr named “La Rose des vents” in La Chapelle-sur-Loire. Loire désir canoe-kayak, www.valdeloire-france.com in La Riche, outings along the river and through canoe passes. Outings on the "toue www.loire-desir.fr cabanée" (traditional cabin boat) “La Martinienne” Paddle boarding, in Chouzé-sur-Loire. with Paule et Mike. marinierschouzesurloire.fr www.pauleetmike.com

Boat rides on the Vienne, Canoeing and paddle on traditional "toue" Le Gargantua boarding on the Indre, Loire Aventure - Amboise. in Chinon, with tasting. in Loches. gargantua-chinon.fr www.culturaidsconcept.fr

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 17 Tours Loire Valley

HIKING A breath of fresh air on our paths! There's more to hiking in Touraine than just putting one foot in front of the other! It's a sensory experience 6,800 km of waymarked footpaths unfold in Touraine in the middle of unspoilt beneath the feet of experienced ramblers as well as budding countryside as wild as its river. hikers. It's a real network, since 5 long-distance Grande Randonnée hiking paths run across our landscapes, and Or at the other end of the 374 footpaths approved by the Fédération Française de spectrum, scenery shaped by its Randonnée Pédestre (France's hiking federation) cover every cultural past and contemporary nook and cranny of the territory. Numerous information sheets about the hiking circuits in efforts to preserve the Touraine are available at Tours Val de Loire Tourist Office. biodiversity and landscape Among these, 22 trails labelled "Balades en Touraine" are particularly remarkable itineraries that have been selected for quality of our sites: hillsides you according to their architectural and landscape treasures, and valleys, vineyards and accessibility for families, waymarking or availability of forests, châteaux and gardens. services nearby (accommodation, restaurants...). Covering more than 1,200 km, the GR3 is France's first official, waymarked Grande Randonnée hiking path, all along the Loire. Its Tours section follows the wild river's course, dotted with stately homes, châteaux and abbeys: pure enchantment! Chinon, Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry, Amboise, the Clos Lucé and Tours' city heritage all feature on this hike in the land of Kings and Queens.

City walks: just urban enough For short outings on your own, in a group or with the family, set off for a 3 to 15 km walk in Tours and nearby. Developed with the Comité départemental de randonnée pédestre (the local hiking committee), these great little walks amid the greenery are meticulously detailed in 36 hiking maps. Download them or pick them up at tourist offices, town halls and Accueil Vélo & Rando in Tours. Each map suggests the best, safest route and highlights the beautiful natural and built heritage. A sign shows the route near the starting point. Bonus: these paths are also suitable for running! So you can set off in total confidence! www.tours-metropole.fr/rando

With James and Martin For a more spiritual journey, or if you would like to discover routes shaped by history and legends, try the pilgrimage paths of Saint James and Saint Martin. The "via Turonensis", the easiest of the 4 ways, leads to Santiago de Compostela, crosses the vineyards of Vouvray, Tours, then goes down to the Vienne Valley. You can also attempt this relatively flat route by bike! Look out for the scallop shells (the symbol of Saint James) that will guide you to the main towns along the way... Follow in the footsteps of Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours and 36 "urban" walks to roam Tours an emblematic Touraine figure who shared his cape with a and the surrounding area. poor man, on three waymarked footpath sections from Tours to Poitiers.

PAGE 18 • GOOD TOURS • Great escapes

TO DISCOVER

ALONG THE LOIRE 2 secret A successful short walks "Loire experience" with Grégoire, professional eco-guide An expert in the Loire's natural environment and a fan of slow tourism, Grégoire offers unmissable walks starting from Tours. Half-day walk: start from Quai Paul-Bert on the green and peaceful right bank, cross the Pont de Fil bridge, stopping in the middle to watch the birds on the sandbanks: seagulls, grey herons, little egrets, great egrets, terns... On the opposite bank, look out for aromatic plants: marjoram, wild oregano and all kinds of mint. Continue this nature experience in the heart of the city with a trip to L'Île Simon, or why not a boat ride with Boutavant and a drink at the guinguette. You can carry on to Rochecorbon, climb a hillside to reach the vineyards and discover a stunning viewpoint over the Loire and the valley. Stop to visit a winegrower and see his cellar built into the rock. Stroll around the pretty village of Rochecorbon, as sunny as the South of France in the summer. A real break from the routine! www.valdeloire-ecotourisme.fr

The Sentier des Varennes in WILDLIFE & PLANTS Saint-Genouph, south-west of Tours. On your walk, discover the long alluvial strips dedicated to market gardening and horticulture, beautiful views KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED! of the royal river and its islands, as well as the Grand Moulin de Forests, hedged farmland, Ballan-Miré, a mill built on the wetlands, rare specimens Cher during the reign of Francis I. of wildlife and plants... To the north-west, the pretty Study the remarkable village of Mettray nestles in biodiversity of Tours' landscapes. the greenery, the starting point Follow the nature guide from France's of a trail between the arms of bird protection league, the Ligue the Choisille river. Discover the de Protection des oiseaux (LPO mills and meadows of the valley, Touraine). Equipped with binoculars and the Grotte aux fées (Fairies' and telescopes, watch terns and Cave), one of Touraine's finest osprey, as well as bats, deer, megaliths! dragonflies and many other species. Download hiking maps at Info at www.lpotouraine.fr www.tours-metropole.fr/rando

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 19 Tours Loire Valley

USEFUL INFORMATION THE GR3 Where can From one garden I go walking? Urban walks: where to another, a lovely can I find hiking maps? Office de Tourisme de Tours, 78-82 rue Bernard Palissy 02 47 70 37 37 country hike www.tours-tourisme.fr or at Accueil Vélo & Rando A journey between two wonderful châteaux-gardens: Download them at Chaumont-sur-Loire and Villandry. You can complete www.tours-metropole.fr/rando this hike in 2, 3 or 4 days. Welcoming places to stay, such as campsites, gîtes and boutique hotels, await Accueil vélo & rando you all along the way. Tours Val de Loire 31 boulevard Heurteloup in Tours www.mobilite.tours-metropole.fr

Hike the château route along the GR paths! Comité départemental de randonnée pédestre d’Indre-et-Loire www.cdrp37.fr

Follow the Ways of: Saint James www.compostelle-tours.org Saint Martin www.saintmartindetours.eu

RUNNING

Day 1: The hike begins by crossing the world famous gardens EXPLORE BY of Chaumont-sur-Loire, which you can reach by taking the "vélo-Loire" train! You then make your way to Amboise (24 km) through a pleasant landscape of woods and vineyards. RUNNING... BUT NOT Day 2: After a break at the Château d'Amboise and the Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci's last residence, continue to the village of Montlouis-sur-Loire (17 km), which overlooks the river and is an ideal RUSHING! place to watch local wildlife, beaver colonies and migratory birds. Guided by a "great runner" (an End the day with a trip on a traditional boat, such as a "gabarre" experienced runner from Tours), (flat-bottomed barge) or "toue cabanée" (cabin boat)! admire the city and its exceptional Day 3: Head to Tours (12 km) for a walk around the medieval city heritage by day or night. on which Saint Martin made his mark. Visit the basilica, the Tour Information and booking at Charlemagne, Vieux Tours (the old town) and the cathedral. www.greatrunningtours.fr And keep a bit of energy for the city of today, the Centre de Création Contemporaine Olivier Debré, the beautiful shopping street Rue Nationale, and the Palais des Congrès designed by Jean Nouvel, opposite the magnificent station with glass roof by Victor Laloux. Don't forget to stop by the guinguette. This outdoor café bar by the Loire is always lively and is the locals' favourite summer spot! Day 4: all that's left is to hike to Villandry in the south via the embankments created along the Cher to guard against flooding. After a picnic break at the Confluence of the Loire and Cher near Berthenay, walk to Villandry and contemplate the 10 hectares of French formal gardens from the château terrace!

PAGE 20 • GOOD TOURS • Great escapes

Château de Langeais. SPORTY SIGHTSEEING Adventure in the shade of Bivouac and survival the châteaux skills near the Château Go in search of adventure in Tours, not far from the city and the greatest de Langeais Châteaux. Enjoy a change of scene A short walk from the fortified castle of on a bivouacking trip, learn survival skills, Langeais, set off to explore the wildlife and plants of Touraine with an ecoguide, and go paddle boarding or take a horse ride familiarise yourself with basic survival along the royal river... Great escapes skills following simple and proven methods. Unique in Indre-et-Loire, "Nature bivouac from the routine await you at our & survie douce" is a bushcraft-based concept most famous sites. combining hiking and an unusual overnight stay. Lighting a fire without a lighter or match, purifying water or locating the points of the compass will no longer hold any secrets for you. At nightfall, set up your bivouac camp for a magical night under the stars... Whether at Discover the royal river by the foot of a remarkable oak tree, by a lake, in a cave, on an island or in the middle of the forest, paddle board or on horseback the bivouac sites offer an exceptional night in the great outdoors. Two days/one night at the Head for the island Château of Azay- heart of nature: a guaranteed break from the le-Rideau, described by Balzac as "a routine... for ages 8 and up! faceted diamond mounted on the River Indre". La Mulotière, 37 130 Langeais With its Loire riverbanks, landscaped parks 07 77 38 54 14 • [email protected] and water mirror, it makes an ideal spot to combine an idyllic horse ride and an unusual overnight stay. This attraction designed by the riding centre offers accommodation nestled among the vines and apple trees. The vineyard lodges deserve a special mention. These traditional little buildings owe their charm to their tuffeau stone construction. Centre Équestre d’Azay-de-Rideau - Écurie Pujol - La Goujonnière • 06 20 31 10 44 www.centreequestreazaylerideau37.com

For more athletic visitors, there is an option halfway between surfing and kayaking: glide along the water upright on a stand-up paddle board and discover an authentic natural environment with UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The idea is to paddle along the Loire. The concept is simple: a board, a paddle and the ability to balance on the water. Then just take your time, admire and listen. The Tours region and its many waterways are an ideal playground in which to learn this activity, alone or with others (up to 8 can fit on a board). SEE ALSO: "A unique experience on the river and in the foliage of a big oak tree", page 16.

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 21 Tours Loire Valley

ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY Recharge your batteries the natural way!

ll leisure activities are possible in Touraine, even a trip to the beach! There's the Plage de Tours beach opposite the guingette. Swimming is not allowed but you can relax by the water, just a stone's throw from the urban hustle and bustle. There are many other spots in the countryside where you can USEFUL INFORMATION enjoy sport in an idyllic setting, alone or with the kids. They are all free to access. At the Lac d'Hommes, a spot 15 km north of Langeais that's very popular with Tours residents, a 20-hectare Bathing lake has been created in the old falun quarries (sediment sites* deposits). Several pools of clear water, one with a small beach, another with a huge inflatable, are just waiting for you. An ideal Lac d'Hommes lake in Hommes. A place to get away from the big tourist sites and enjoy a swim (a 02 47 24 00 35 lifeguard is on duty in summer), an introduction to diving, a spot of fishing, a Le Lac d'Hommes nice nap in the sun, or a little dance on the boards of the guinguette. Parc des loisirs Capitaine A beach in vine country? It's possible, at the Parc des Loisirs Capitaine, a leisure park in Bourgueil, open in July leisure park close to the centre of Bourgueil. There you can bathe, swim with and August, lifeguard on duty from flippers, play water polo and other games in the water or on dry land, or just 1.30pm to 7pm. sunbathe on a deckchair. www.bourgueil.fr/parc-des-loisirs- You can also venture further north, to the huge leisure centre at Lac du Val capitaine Joyeux, a lake supplied with water by the River Fare and stretching over almost 36 hectares in the middle of the Château-la-Vallière forest. Enjoy swimming, Base de Loisirs du Lac du fishing, pedal boating, tennis, beach volleyball, pétanque... A children's Val Joyeux in Château-La-Vallière. playground and picnic area are provided, as well as a hiking trail in the shade Leisure centre, campsite and of centuries-old oaks, an orienteering course and a fitness trail. accommodation on site. Other parks await you at Monnaie near Tours, Chemillé-sur-Indrois near www.chateaulavalliere.com Loches and Île-Bouchard… to name but a few. Don't forget your swimwear, Plan d'eau de l'Arche in Monnaie flippers and fishing rod! Rue du Lavoir in Monnaie. Lake with beach and supervised bathing, shaded picnic area, fitness trail, Parc de loisirs Capitaine. fishing spots, food truck on site. Open afternoons

Base de Loisirs de Chemillé-sur-Indrois 35-hectare lake with supervised bathing area. Beach with sailing, pedal boating, canoeing, boating, fishing, fitness trail and 5 treetop adventure courses. Open in July and August from 2pm to 7pm www.chemillesurindrois.fr/base-de- loisirs-de-chemille-article-5-10.html

Sunbathing on the banks of the Vienne in L''Île-Bouchard Recreation area downhill from the campsite with supervised beach and picnic area. 02 47 58 50 15

*Due to current health restrictions in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, access to bathing at some sites may be temporarily suspended.

PAGE 22 • GOOD TOURS • Great escapes

PICNIC From the heart of Tours to the edge of the world:

5 picnic spots Domaine de la Roche Bellin. Plage de Tours beach Facing the guinguette, on the opposite bank of the Loire, the beach is a great place to take it easy, OVERNIGHT IN THE COUNTRY sitting at a table or on the sand, with no background music or Wi-Fi. Parasols, deckchairs and hammocks are available for a spot of urban relaxation! places to stay for Quai de Portillon in Tours

An island in the city a night at the heart L'île Simon, a landscaped park between the guinguette and the Beach, is accessible 5 of nature via the Pont Napoléon bridge or by boat with Boutavant. Enjoy your sandwich while admiring Loire Valley Lodges the Loire hillside views. Peace, luxury and blissful comfort reign supreme in this unique hotel which combines Domaine de Candé, in Monts contemporary art and untamed nature. 18 lodges, Make the most of the château's huge, each one designed by a contemporary artist and free-to-access park and spread out your picnic all equipped with a large terrace and spa, are blanket on the grass. available in a private forest spanning 300 hectares, Route du Ripault in Monts • 02 47 34 03 70 within easy reach of the great châteaux. Massages, www.domainecande.fr art trails and a lap pool can all be found in this natural haven. Jardin public de Loches loirevalleylodges.com Take a break in this park by the Indre after your tour of the Royal City... Have lunch in the shade Domaine de la Roche Bellin while admiring one of the most stunning views Cabins on stilts, log cabins, hobbit-style plant- of the citadel. covered huts, a gypsy caravan, yurts and safari 5 Chemin de la Prairie de la Foire in Loches lodges. The six-hectare estate offers a variety 02 47 91 19 50 • www.ville-loches.fr of overnight accommodation in a natural environment, and the hotel services that go with it. The "Bout du Monde" Peninsula www.hebergement-insolite-touraine.com 20 minutes away from Tours lie the beaches of the peninsula, whose name means "edge of the The Robichère Valley world". Between Berthenay and Savonnières, they Near Villandry, this Nature Loire et Châteaux 3* span the area between the Loire and Cher rivers. gîte is an ideal base for country hikes or bike rides. Idyllic atmosphere guaranteed! www.gites.fr/gites_la-vallee-de-la-robichere_ www.tours-tourisme.fr villandry_h1858126.htm

La Bagatelle in Vouvray An eco-friendly and welcoming guesthouse, La Bagatelle was built as a residence in 1755 by a tax collector working for King Louis XV. Clef Verte ecological certification. www.bagatelle-vouvray.com

La batelière sur Loire Gîte des Bateliers holiday cottage, treehouses, cabin boats and spa on the banks of the Loire. On the Loire à Vélo cycle route, at the heart of Chapelle-aux-Naux, an old Loire fishing village. www.labatelieresurloire.fr

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 23 Tours Loire Valley

WITH THE KIDS Touraine with the family, a historical epic! Young knights in trainers, little fairy-tale princesses and thrill- seeking millennials will all have an amazing time in Touraine, the ideal destination for a family n°French history holiday. It offers a vast 1 playground where they lesson for the can let off steam on a walk or bike ride, enjoy a boat family ride or discover the famous Today, the treasures of the Loire Valley have been reinvented and transformed into a real playground! At châteaux. Everywhere the Château de Villandry with its famous French formal there are activities gardens, youngsters will enjoy wandering around the maze. A walk there at nightfall is a wonderful experience. designed for children For a "kings and queens" atmosphere, the Château to have fun learning de Chenonceau, the most popular of them all, is an unmissable attraction. Bonus: you can pass under the or relaxing together. château's arches in a canoe! No more regimented A fairy-tale castle, the Château du Rivau and its 14 extraordinary gardens offer activities as well as an guided tours in stuffy escape game: "Garden Escape-les Rives oniriques". Follow châteaux. It's time for in the footsteps of Rivau's gardener by solving riddles on action with escape games, a mobile app. technicolour fun in the gardens, and immersive Château du Rivau. experiences to inspire the imagination. Discover our top 4 activities for your little tribe!

PAGE 24 • GOOD TOURS • Jousting at With the Family the Forteresse Royale de Chinon.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Another must-see attraction is the Château d'Azay-le- * Rideau. This château on an The châteaux island in the Indre, reflected in the river like a mirror, Château de Villandry has undergone a three-year Open all year, from 9am, programme of restoration free for under-8s and the visitor experience has www.chateauvillandry.fr been completely redesigned to Château de Chenonceau be more alive and fun. It's a model of the art of building in the Loire Open all year th Valley during the 16 century. 30 May to 3 July: 9am-6pm A real adventure playground, the Château Royal d'Amboise 4 July to 21 August: 9am-7.30pm offers a fine history lesson about the Renaissance Kings of France 22 August to 27 September: 9am-6.30pm and Leonardo da Vinci, who lies buried there. Free for under-7s The Forteresse Royale de Chinonwill delight youngsters with www.chenonceau.com its keeps and soldiers in armour. On a fun and well-designed visitor trail, discover its thousand years of history, in which Eleanor of Château du Rivau Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart and of course Joan of Arc loom 9 rue du château in Lémeré large. You can also try out the histopad, an interactive tool offering 1 May to 30 September: 10am to 7pm a spectacular immersive experience, allowing visitors to interact in Free for under-5s eight recreated rooms from the 12th, 14th and 15th centuries. 02 47 95 77 47 • www.chateaudurivau.com Château d'Azay-le-Rideau Open all year 1 July to 31 August: 9am-7pm1 to 30 September: 9.30am-6pm Free for under-18s www.azay-le-rideau.fr

Château d'Amboise The Clos Lucé, a playground Open all year 1July to 31 August: 9am-7pm 1 to 30 September: 9.30am-6pm for little inventors Free for under-7s www.chateau-amboise.com/fr/ The Clos Lucé, near the Château d'Amboise, is Forteresse Royale de Chinon where Leonardo da Vinci, Open every day1 May to 31 August: painter, architect and 9.30am-7pm engineer to King Francis I, www.forteressechinon.fr/fr/ spent the last three years of his life completing his inventions, starting from 1516. 40 models of his And not forgetting... fabulous machines are on display. Some life-size Château de Langeais th replicas can be handled 10 -century castle, lavishly furnished, in the park: the aerial screw, tank, machine gun, mobile bridge... fun park with play area and treehouses. The site offers The Inventor's Notebook, a free game booklet Open all year: 1 July to 31 August: for ages 7 to 12: "Where did Leonardo get his brilliant ideas from? " 9am-7pm (6.30pm in September) in French and English, for a fun introduction to the Clos Lucé. Free for under-10s Each child becomes one of Leonardo's students, and he tells chateau-de-langeais.com them his "tricks and tips", giving them key information to invent Château de Rigny-Ussé an incredible machine. Fairy-tale castle overlooking the Indre New: Proludic, the leading French outdoor play and sports and Loire which inspired Charles Perrault equipment manufacturer, has installed its Metropolis tower to write Sleeping Beauty. in the park. Standing 7 metres tall, it blends modern architecture 1 April to 3 September: 10am-7pm and old machinery, echoing Leonardo da Vinci's inventions. www.chateaudusse.fr Come and try it out! Le Clos Lucé, 2, Rue du Clos Lucé in Amboise • 02 47 57 00 731July *Due to current health restrictions in response to 31 August: 9am-8pm • In September: 9am-7pmFree for under-7s to the COVID-19 epidemic, some attractions may Family ticketsPicnic area in the park with tables in the shade have made changes to their timetables. Please vinci-closluce.com/fr check their opening times before visiting.

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 25 Tours Loire Valley

n°Introduction to art Centre de Création Head2 for CCC OD, the Centre de Création Contemporaine Contemporaine Olivier Debré. Olivier Debré, at the top of Rue Nationale. Open the doors of contemporary art to your children with a range of games, workshops and experiments! You can also pay a visit to the Musée des Beaux- Arts, the fine art museum based in the former palace of the Archbishops of Tours, at the foot of the cathedral. After saying hello to Fritz, the stuffed elephant residing in the museum's garden, opt for the tours designed for younger visitors, in connection with the permanent collections or temporary exhibitions. They aim to make children aware of art and promote interaction between n° parents, children and outreach staff. Adventure Bonus: admission is free on the first Sunday of the 3 month, and after dark, an image is projected onto the museum's façade! playtime CCC OD, Jardin François 1er in Tours, Do the kids want to run around to their hearts' content? 11am to 6pm Wednesday to Sunday. Open until 8pm Then head for Lulu Parc in Rochecorbon! A three-hectare on Thursdays and 7pm on Saturdays. Free for under-18s. amusement park with water games, trampolines, a giant Prices and programme at www.cccod.fr swing, pedal karts, a cable car, rope pyramid and more! Musées des Beaux-Arts de Tours This park is next to the Guinguette in Rochecorbon, Open from 9am to 12.45pm and 2pm to 6pm, closed considered to be one of France's biggest outdoor café bars. on Tuesdays and on 14 July. Free for under-12s. A great opportunity for a rest and some refreshments! www.mba.tours.fr/69-en-famille.htm If the gang still have energy left over, your next stop is Gadawi Park! At Bretonnières Lake or the Grandes Brosses Park, apprentice adventurers can travel from tree to tree on safe, adapted courses, accessible to all with various levels of difficulty to choose from. The Canopée Enchantée park in Fondettes also offers Foxie, the "tour app" for tree-climbing and fun sensory activities in the forest. Lulu Parc Quai de la Loire in Rochecorbon sightseeing with a difference! 02 47 52 58 40 • www.luluparc.eu Start your family tour by downloading Gadawi Park, two "adventure" parks with treetop courses. the Foxie mobile app to your Lac des Bretonnières, Avenue du lac in Joué-lès-Tours and smartphone. The city of Tours and Parc des Grandes Brosses, Allée Roger Lecotte in Tours its treasures will be revealed through www.gadawi-park.fr scavenger hunts, challenges, fun Canopée Enchantée • 8, rue de Bois Farrault in Fondettes suggestions... 02 47 42 08 90 • www.canopee-enchantee.fr

PAGE 26 • GOOD TOURS • With the Family

ADDRESS BOOK Kid-Friendly Surprising • Mamie Bigoude n° The most Breton lady in Tours has turned her house into a real baroque restaurant! 4 Enjoy your pancakes in a setting that Keeping fit recreates all the rooms of the home. Choose to eat in the bathroom, where The flat and safeLoire à Vélo cycle route is suitable the bathtub serves as a table, or on for the whole family. For an easy outing, you can set the bed in the bedroom... off from Montlouis-sur-Loire and travel along the wild 22 rue de Chateauneuf in Tours river to Rochecorbon, admiring the wildlife and plants. In Rochecorbon, take a ride in a traditional boat with La Rabouilleuse- École de Loire, including an island picnic. Loire à vélo, information at www.loireavelo.fr or Accueil Vélo & Rando 31 boulevard Heurteloup, Tours. Rabouilleuse - École de Loire www.larabouilleuse-ecoledeloire.com

Find more suggested bike, boat and canoe rides, as well as places to swim, in the “Nature outings” (pages 11 to 19) and “In the saddle” (pages 24 and 25) sections of this magazine.

Convenient • Les Fils à Maman Want to eat out but can't get a babysitter? No problem! The restaurant Les Fils à Maman invites you to "Parents' Dinner"! Enjoy your evening while a host keeps the kids happy and entertained. Special menu for children, and the parents' dishes are equally delicious. 24 rue du Grand Marché in Tours Information at www.lesfilsamaman.com/restaurants/tours

Fun • Le Bar Bidule A café for children and so much more... this non-profit sector café has an alcohol-free bar area with light refreshments for lunch and teatime. Everything here is designed for children: musical instruments, board games, a reading corner, a stage for shows... 64 rue d’Entraigues Tours Find all their opening times and programme on page bar.bidule.3

MORE PLACES TO GO AT Loire à Vélo. WWW.TOURS-TOURISME.FR "WITH THE CHILDREN" SECTION

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 27 Tours Loire Valley

THE GUINGUETTE REVIVAL "We do like to be beside the riverside..." When the guinguettes open, you know the summer's really here! These outdoor café bars with musical entertainment are thriving on the banks of the Loire and Cher, TOURS SUR LOIRE to the delight of all their patrons. 100% party Right at the heart of the city, the Tours sur Loire guinguette offers several quayside areas with different atmospheres: the restaurant "Chez Dupont", the main Guinguette with its lovely stage, the "Bar à Môme" and the cocktail bar "Le Foudre". Quai de la Loire, at the foot of Pont Wilson 37000 Tours. Tours sur Loire: from 6pm on LA SOUPETTE DE MÉMÈRE Thursday 25 June to Sunday 20 September 2020 (open every day, 11am to 12.30am) The touring guinguette Chez Dupont: 24 June to 20 September 2020 Each summer for ten years, this touring guinguette has been setting up shop on the banks of the Cher in Savonnières. You can enjoy 100% homemade food made from organic and local ingredients, including the famous "soupette" of the day, or sip a smoothie or local beer. Many cultural events from June to August: theatre, poetry contest, traditional dance contest... Aire des Charmilles, 37510 Savonnières Open from 6 June 2020 to the end of September 2020, 11am to midnight • Closed Mondays

PAGE 28 • GOOD TOURS • The Guinguette Revival

TOURS SUR PLAGE Close to nature On the right bank, facing the Tours sur Loire guinguette, this beach is an oasis of nature without background music or Wi-Fi. In a spirit of respect for the natural Loire riverbank setting, there is a wide range of ecology-themed activities on offer. A bar and restaurant serving local delicacies are open from 12 noon to 9pm, Wednesday to Sunday. 1 Quai de Portillon, 37100 Tours Open from 12 June to 7 September 2020

The Tours sur Loire guinguette.

L’ARROSE’LOIRE Ethical guinguette Le Potager de Loire is a place to relax and socialise in the middle of an agroecology and permaculture garden, by the Loire in La Riche. Pop-up restaurant with organic speciality platters from Le Potager de Loire, concerts, rock and swing dancefloor, eco-friendly workshops... Chemin du Sauge Prolongé, 37520 La Riche First opening on the weekend of 13 to 14 June 2020 then open Saturdays from July to August (2nd and 4th of the month) from 4pm to 11pm, and Sundays (2nd of the month) from 12 noon to 6.30pm. More information on their page larroseloire

ROCHECORBON FOR ALL AGES Welcome to France's biggest guinguette, in Rochecorbon! On the programme: grilled meats, salads and fried fish at the restaurant Le Canotier for lunch and dinner, pétanque or volleyball with equipment provided free of charge, country and western or tango nights with free introduction to dancing, live music nights, outdoor games for children... Quai de la Loire, 37210 Rochecorbon Open from 2 June 2020 to 20 September 2020, 11.30am to midnight

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 29 Tours Loire Valley

TASTY TREATS Culinary Renaissances

eal haven for food-lovers, Tours became an International City of Gastronomy in 2017. In fact, this is where the initiative to include the Gastronomic Meal of the French on UNESCO's list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity was first taken ten years ago - proposed and led by IEHCA, the European Institute for Food History and Cultures. This scientific development agency backed by the University of Tours supports research programmes and advanced R university courses on the theme of "human sciences and food". Offering residencies for chefs and an ambitious scientific and cultural programme, IEHCA aims to disseminate this knowledge as widely as possible. This city in the Loire is here to be savoured! In this land of fine food and wine, they undoubtedly know how to share the best of the French way of life! Opportunities to play the fine gourmet can be found on every street corner: at a sophisticated eatery, on a bar stool, in a wine cellar or at a traditional restaurant, but also during some more unusual experiences! Drinks on a barge on the royal river, wine- tasting at the heart of the Touraine vineyards, aperitifs at 58 metres above ground in the heart of the historic city centre, cuisine based on wild plants, cellars built into the rock with a re-invented visitor experience... Initiatives abound, offering ever more surprising discoveries in the shade of the famous châteaux. Choice morsels and tasty treats for a flavourful journey in the Loire Valley...

PAGE 30 • GOOD TOURS • Culinary Renaissances

ON TWO WHEELS Segway among the vines A novel experience, riding one of these quirky two-wheeled vehicles in a Touraine AOC vineyard: Vouvray, Montlouis, Chinon, Touraine-Azay-le-Rideau, Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. You will be shown the basics before the wine tasting! Other outings on various themes, such as night-time, food or urban tours, start from Tours tourist office. CHOICE MORSELS www.tours-tourisme.fr/voir-faire/sports-et-loisirs/loisirs-verts/930799- gyroway-balades-en-gyropodes-tout-terrain-en-val-de-loire Our recom- mendations TASTINGS We're laying the table (again) in 2020! In our Le carnet d’adresses savoureuses... "Choice Morsels" guide, find our suggestions for some GOT DE TOURS flavourful experiences in Morceaux choisis 2020 7 wines, 7 gardens the Loire Valley. Once again The perfect match promising wonderful taste experiences! this year, our food critics Visit the gardens of Tours to discover the famous wines of have discreetly tested the Loire Valley in the company of dedicated winemakers and the best places to eat in oenologists. In 2020, our area, and invite you the concept is being to discover their "choice developed further: new morsels" : restaurants, food-themed events tea rooms and wine will take lovers of cellars are revealed in flavours and heritage this new edition, for a to 7 exclusive châteaux delicious flavour journey in the Loire Valley and with friends and family! 7 surprising places. Supplement available from From €19 per person • the Tourist Offices of Tours, Luynes, Programme and bookings Rochecorbon and Villandry, at tours-tourisme.fr or at www.tours-tourisme.fr

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 31 Tours Loire Valley

FISH FROM THE LOIRE A fisherman's dream Now more than ever before, he terrace at La Cabane à Matelot, formerly a we love to tuck into a good hotel, offers a stunning view of the Loire, which meal. A stay in Touraine is very wide at this location. Sitting comfortably, tourists and locals with a taste for the "friture de is an ideal opportunity to Loire" (fried small fish) of their childhood can see experience gastronomy Romain Gadais set off to catch fish right after dinner, on one of his three "plates de Loire" boats, where local products have accompanied by a sailor or seasonal worker. pride of place. Fresh from "Here we do everything, service as well as fishing, the river, the fish of the if only to know more about what we're serving our T customers. We tailor the menu to the catch of the Loire can be enjoyed in day. If there's shad or barbel, they will be on the menu, otherwise it will be mullet, roach or silure." Bréhémont at La Cabane à Romain Gadais, aged 31, loves to navigate the river. He started Matelot. This restaurant is fishing as a child and later became a researcher specialising in the ecology of aquatic environments at INRA and the French owned by Romain Gadais, National Museum of Natural History. In 2014, he decided to a devotee of responsible, follow his vocation and become a fisherman. He became one of four professional fishermen in Indre-et-Loire, renting 34 km artisanal fishing. of publicly owned river between Fondettes and Rigny-Ussé. This allows him to sell his catch and serve it on the tables at his restaurant, which he opened three years ago. "My father was a winegrower in Pays Nantais. I studied in Tours and learned to appreciate its landscapes. I chose to settle in Bréhémont, a wetland area where the culture of the Loire is La Cabane à Matelot restaurant alive and well." and Les Pêcheries Ligériennes workshop and store The map is in his head... 19, avenue du 11-Novembre Silure, mullet, roach, chub, barbel, bream... It's up to the chef, in Bréhémont. his friend Ambroise Voreux, a "globe cooker" and discoverer of Open from Wednesday to Sunday the world's cuisines, to come up with recipes to wow gourmets. in June, July and August. Open on "Silure, which was very hard to sell a few years ago, is now our Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from best-selling fish. Its flesh is similar to monkfish and very popular. the end of April to the beginning of June It is served boneless and is less fatty than eel or salmon. We cook and from September to December. it at low temperatures. We explain all that to our customers, we 06 26 08 72 48 • les-pecheries-ligeriennes.fr take the time to chat and share our love of this natural place

PAGE 32 • GOOD TOURS • Culinary Renaissances with them. Here people come 'straight to the fisherman', which sets us apart from other restaurants." The fish are served with vegetables and aromatic plants from the garden or supplied by the organic market gardener Romain Creet in La Riche. Romain Gadais adds wild plants picked on the riverbank during his fishing trips, and eggs from his own hens! The contents of the nets and creels are not just enjoyed at La Cabane. The workshop and store next to the restaurant also sells its own brand of products, Les pêcheries ligériennes: fish rillettes, smoked fish... "We also supply restaurants like Le Coin des Halles in Langeais, which have supported us from the outset and make an effort to promote all kinds of fish." Can he reveal the whereabouts of his favourite fishing spots? "It varies, the sandbanks move, there is no map. The map is in your head and you have to update it all the time. We try to alternate, not to fish in the same place too often, which is why it's good to have a 34 km stretch... But the problem is too many excessively hot summers and a very low water level. The fish are there but they hide in holes. The water quality is good but these droughts can affect breeding conditions." So are you ready for a barbel with Chinon and oyster mushrooms or a piece of silure with yuzu and wakame? La Cabane à Matelot will be pleased to serve you on its terrace and in its dining rooms with views of the Loire.

WILD PLANTS Go wild in the kitchen! Hogweed, evening primrose, fragrant violet, meadowsweet, rosehip... You can make a bouquet out of them but also eat them. That's where "Kalika- Loire, from the land to your plate" comes in. She offers cookery lessons with wild plants and workshops, in particular at La Gloriette in Tours and at the Château d'Amboise, using plants that have made their home in the estate's natural areas. Drinks with www.kalika-loire.com/plantes-sauvages a difference What could be more refreshing than a drink on the river! Aboard a traditional boat departing from Tours, you can rediscover the Loire while sampling wines and regional products during a relaxing evening with your family or partner. Expect delicious treats and stunning scenery. Info and Bookings Tours Val de Loire Tourist Office • 02 47 70 37 37 or www.tours-tourisme.fr A sportier option, "Paddle-apéro" With her original business "Touraine terre d'histoire", Enjoy paddle boarding and drinks on the Émilie Boillot satisfies her passion for Tours' heritage outskirts of Bréhémont, a pretty village in all its forms. An art and history-lover, she is also a where life follows the rhythm of the Loire. keen botanist and offers activities based on picking Info and bookings - Paule & Mike and cooking wild plants, truffles, vines... 06 64 12 84 77 • [email protected] www.touraineterredhistoire.fr www.pauleetmike.com

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 33 Tours Loire Valley

100% LOCAL Tasty treats La Bourdaisière, château of a thousand and one tomatoes

Created in 1996 at the Château de la Bourdaisière in Montlouis-sur-Loire, this collection is unique in the world: around 800 varieties of tomato, offering an unprecedented overview of this fruit and its unsuspected culinary treasures. The idea first came to the château's owner Louis Albert de Broglie on his travels in India and Asia, where the first seeds came from. Collectors and botanical gardens around the world then contributed more varieties to the conservatory. Round, elongated or heart-shaped, black, green or yellow, these heirloom tomatoes have surprising names: Ten Fingers of Naples, Rouge d'Irak, Erika d’Australie, Andes Horn... The kitchen garden is cultivated organically with respect for market gardening traditions. This tomato collection is certified by the CCVS (Conservatoire des Collections Végétales Spécialisées). Conceived above all as a place of education, the conservatory kitchen garden is open to the public from 1 April to 15 November. The first tomato plants are planted in mid-May and begin to bear fruit in mid-July. Visitors can stroll along the paths, discover the hundreds of varieties of all shapes and colours, and chat with the gardener Nicolas Toutain. The Festival de la Tomate et des Saveurs (Festival of Tomatoes and Flavours) takes place each year in the second weekend of September. Around fifty exhibitors gather around an impressive range of seeds, edible plants, and culinary, beauty and wellness products... Lots of activities are organised for the occasion: cookery demonstrations and tastings, kitchen garden tours, ketchup competitions, talks... 25 Rue de la Bourdaisière 37270 Montlouis-sur-Loire www.conservatoiredelatomate.fr

PAGE 34 • GOOD TOURS • Culinary Renaissances

Le Fournil de Lo A new kind of ethical baker

Laurent Robert, a former graphic designer and art director in Paris, became a baker in 2013: "Making bread made sense, it was obvious to me, more than working for luxury brands in a superficial world," confides this dedicated man, who trained at the Ferrandi school and then at the Teffri-Chambelland training centre in Sisteron. Laurent took over an old bakehouse dating from the 19th century in Marray, north Touraine, and created Le Fournil de Lo in 2015. The breads are made with natural sourdough, a mixture of flour and spring water, which develops rich aromas when fermented and helps to preserve the product. The organic flours come from Vaumorin farm in Chançay, and are stone-ground to preserve the grain and its nutrients. "In Marray I was able to work with the three basic elements, flour, water and fire, thanks to the wood-fired oven," explains Laurent, who has honed his skills with ancestral techniques. In July 2019, Le Fournil de Lo relocated to Rue Courteline in Tours. "It's a nice area that's becoming more dynamic thanks to ethical businesses, like our neighbour La Cav'Par 3, an organic "Making bread made and natural wine merchant, or the zero-waste deli Sur la Branche," CAVES DUHARD explains Laurent. In partnership sense, it was with Bernard Mougel, a former 500 YEARS OF HISTORY engineer who doesn't mind getting obvious to me." his hands floury, Laurent offers Laurent Robert In 1874, having previously worked eleven varieties of bread made Manager, Le Fournil de Lo as coopers in Amboise, the Duhard with organic and local flours: family started a wine-trading wheat, einkorn, spelt, kamut, and business in the old cave houses also gluten-free rice, chestnut and buckwheat flours. facing the Loire. On the sweet side of things, pastries, biscuits and gâteaux Their expertise in the field of cooperage, de voyage (small cakes that travel well) adorn the display combined with the existing facilities stands, including a vanilla flan of the kind enjoyed during and excellent location, soon made many a French childhood, "fouace de Rabelais" rolls with Caves Duhard one of Amboise's leading walnuts, saffron and bergamot, and traditional macaroons. wine merchants, which lasted for five Other specialities come and go with the seasons: focaccias, generations. veal and herb pies, fruit tarts... Taken over in 2017 by Pascal Mineau, The ingredients are carefully sourced from local producers a local man specialising in wine tourism, by the two partners. Le Fournil de Lo's baked goodies are also Caves Duhard now offers unusual tours to be found on the tables of restaurants that favour short of its 2,000 m2 tuffeau stone premises. supply chains, like QG, Les Gueules Noires or Dame Jeanne. The "Sensory trail" offers a fun 40 Rue Georges Courteline, 37000 Tours • FournildeLo immersion in the world of wine, appealing to your sense of hearing, smell, sight, touch and of course taste. As for "L'Odyssée des Millésimes", this is a real journey in time through Duhard's oldest vintages, which go as far back as 1874. 3D films projected directly onto the tuffeau take you on a virtual stroll among the vines or document historic events in connection with each vintage. In June 2020, Caves Duhard was given a new lease of life with the creation of a restaurant, L'Œnotable, and a pleasant terrace opposite the royal river. 56 Rue du Rocher des Violettes 37400 Amboise www.caves-duhard.fr

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 35 Tours Loire Valley

Meeting with Éric Roy, market gardener in Saint-Genouph, and Jérôme Roy, chef at L'’Opidom restaurant in Fondettes. TOURAINE "ROY"-ALTY!

What is a baby vegetable? É. R. A baby vegetable is not a vegetal innovation, transfor­ mation or genetic modification. They are just tender young vegetables, not stringy at all, harvested at a very specific time. They are crunchy, with rich flavours, and their size and colour also make them very attractive. Parasites don't have time to settle on the young plants, so there's no need to use phytosanitary products.

Indeed, you will be obtaining your organic certification in October 2020 after a three-year conversion process. What are your methods? É. R. We cover the soil with sorghum mulch to nourish the earth, we use a thermal weeder to preserve the soil biotope, we harvest everything by hand, we water with spring water from a well between the Cher and the Loire... The organic seeds come from the region, from Fermes Sainte Marthe (41) or Voltz (49). And of course we respect the seasonality of the varieties, so producing courgettes in January is out of the question.

What are your relationships like with the cooks you supply to? É. R. I have a very close relationship with all my customers, interaction is crucial, whether they are Michelin-starred chefs Éric Roy's family has been growing vegetables between or not. For example, local chefs often come to see me to find Cher and Loire for ten generations in Saint-Genouph, inspiration and watch me near Tours. In 2012, Éric decided to change his working work. Anne-Sophie Pic methods radically: no more fungicides, insecticides, or toxic (3* chef in Valence) also commercial links with the supermarkets and wholesale regularly calls me to ask markets he supplied, with no real human interaction. He for advice on the varieties moved into organic farming and now specialises in producing of the moment. Because baby vegetables. His little treasures grown in the Loire soil have I've earned her trust, I've been gracing the plates of the greatest French restaurants ever been able to persuade her since, changing with the seasons. of the merits of my salsify, which she has sublimely What are the specific features of the soil incorporated into one of on the banks of the Loire? her signature recipes. ÉRIC ROY We have the benefit of silty soil here. These plots are called Les Varennes by the locals. The silt particles, which Any plans for 2020? have high nutrient content thanks to the alluvium, are medium- É. R. We are building sized, halfway between the coarse particles of sand and the a new greenhouse with finer ones of clay. This property gives the soil the advantage of my team (Editor's note: being both water and air permeable. The vegetables' flavours 4 employees) in order to are very concentrated thanks to the silt, it's perfect soil for start selling to the public growing root vegetables in particular. in spring 2020.

PAGE 36 • GOOD TOURS • Culinary Renaissances

"I've been meeting producers on a daily basis and visiting their farms at the earliest opportunity, to expand my network On the opposite bank of the river, in Fondettes, Jérôme Roy has been running the L'Opidom restaurant since November 2019 with his wife Valérie. A native of Touraine, and discover as many this talented chef was awarded a star in the Michelin Guide in 2016 for his establishment in Provence, Le Couvent des local gems as possible." Minimes, after a prestigious career with Thierry Marx, Michel Jérôme Roy Troisgros and Pierre Gagnaire, in France and Asia. Chef at L'Opidum

Tell us about your childhood and teenage years in Touraine... JÉRÔME ROY I grew up in Mouzay near Loches, and come from a farming family. My brothers took over the farm, one from a Nice PDO. In fact, the menu at L'Opidom includes a fresh grows crops, the other breeds Limousin cows. I studied cookery Touraine goat's cheese whisked together with almond milk, a at the Lycée Professionnel Albert Bayet in Tours, alongside Jean little chilli pepper, lemon zest and a dash of olive oil. I serve it Nobuki in particular (chef at the Japanese restaurant Nobuki as an appetiser with einkorn bread from an artisan baker in in Tours). In 1995, I met my wife Valérie (originally from Vendée) Chambray-lès-Tours. while I was working at the Château de Noizay with the chef Didier Frebout. And I set off with Valérie for new horizons So can we speak of "fusion" cuisine, combining in 1999... your discoveries in Asia and Provence with Loire specialities? What's your Touraine equivalent J. R. That's about right, yes, there are good things of Proust's madeleine? everywhere, every country, every region has its treasures, so J. R. I have a fond childhood memory of when my family used we should make the most of them! I obviously have a special to slaughter a pig every year to make rillettes, blood sausage, interest in short supply chains, which is why I'm always on pâtés... As a child, I used to take part in the cooking and other the lookout for tasty local products. But I'm confident I'll meet preparations. I carved my first meat at the age of fifteen. A few suppliers along the Loire as time goes by! years ago when I was working in Korea, I made an appetiser platter using rillettes from Tours with added Asian flavours. A wonderful taste combination and a nod to my background. Creation from soil to plate by chef Jérôme Roy, with baby vegetables by Éric Roy. "Vegetable Garden" made from different varieties of radish, beetroot, carrot and leek. What are your relationships All cooked in olive oil and concentrated beetroot juice, with producers in Touraine like? with lemon zest and fried ginger. J. R. Since coming back to Touraine a few months ago, I've been meeting producers on a daily basis and visiting their farms at the earliest opportunity, to expand my network and discover as many local gems as possible. At the moment I'm looking for a fisherman to provide me with fish from the Loire, such as shad or lamprey. I favour organic and sustainable agriculture out of respect for the land and for people. Recently I met the winemakers Coralie and Damien Delecheneau (AOP Montlouis and Touraine Amboise), and Sébastien Brunet (AOP Vouvray), wonderful people who make wines that impress me.

What are your favourite treasures from afar? J. R. I very often add Asian notes to my dishes, with ginger or yuzu for example. I've made some wonderful discoveries in the south of France, like almond milk, which I use frequently instead of cream. I also make my own blends of herbs from Provence. I love to liven up my dishes with citrus fruit like lemons from Menton. As for olive oil, I can't go without it. At the moment, I'm working with organic extra virgin olive oil

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 37 Tours Loire Valley

Julie's recipes Loire Valley-loving food blogger @quandjuliepatisse

Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine Quiche

INGREDIENTS PREPARATION Quiche pastry: Start by making the pastry. Mix the butter • 250 g flour and fl our until crumbly. Add the salt and water. • 120 g soft butter Continue to mix until smooth. • 70 g water You can make the pastry in a food processor • 1 pinch of salt using the fl at beater attachment and following the same steps. Quiche topping and Leave to chill for 30 minutes. garnish: Cut and wash the leek and simmer in a pan • 1 Ste-Maure-de-Touraine with a dash of olive oil. cheese Preheat your oven to 180°c. • 1 leek For the topping, beat the eggs in a mixing bowl • A dash of olive oil then add the milk and cream. Add salt, pepper • 2 eggs and a touch of nutmeg. • 100 g milk Roll out your pastry with a rolling pin on a pre- • 200 g pouring cream fl oured worktop and press it into a greased tart • Nutmeg tin. Add the leeks then pour on the quiche topping. • Salt, pepper Cut slices of Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine and add them to your tart. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Tours nougat-style tart

INGREDIENTS FOR A 20 CM PREPARATION TART TIN: Start by making the pastry. Stir Tart pastry: the soft butter and sugar into a • 150 g flour cream. Then add the egg, fl our and • 75 g butter salt. Mix until smooth. Form a ball • 75 g icing sugar then cover in cling fi lm and leave • 1 egg to chill for an hour. • 1 pinch of salt Once your pastry is nice and cold, • 40 g apricot jam grease the tart tin and press your • 100 g candied fruit pastry into it. Preheat the oven For the jam, you can either make to 180°C. your own by boiling your apricots Mix the caster sugar and powdered in sugar, or buy it ready made. almonds together. Beat your egg whites into stiff peaks and add them Macaronade using a powder spatula. • 80 g almond powder Spread the jam and candied fruit • 80 g caster sugar over your tart base and then add • 100 g egg whites the macaronade. Next sprinkle icing • Icing sugar sugar onto your tart twice, at an interval of 10 minutes. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

PAGE 38 • GOOD TOURS • Culinary Renaissances

12-13 SEPTEMBER 2020 • MONTLOUIS 10 TO 18 OCTOBER 2020 • TOURS TOMATO FESTIVAL FOIRE DE TOURS, GASTRONOMY Meetings with local farmers, cookery VILLAGE workshops and lots of activities on A place for gourmets at the 5th biggest the theme of the tomato in all its fair in France! shapes and colours, at the Château www.lafoiredetours.fr de la Bourdaisière. www.labourdaisiere.com

20 SEPTEMBER 2020 • TOURS CONVERGENCES BIO The Convergences Bio market village is a friendly get- 26 JULY 2020 • TOURS together for various traditional GARLIC AND BASIL FAIR farmers, market gardeners, Every year on Saint Anne's Day, arboriculturists, beekeepers, the city welcomes garlic and stockbreeders, fishing professionals, basil producers. winegrowers... www.tours.fr Convergences Bio 13, 14 & 15 NOVEMBER 2020 • TOURS FERME EXPO The Touraine agricultural show, with numerous exhibitors ready to satisfy the food cravings of children and adults alike. www.ferme-expo.fr

FEBRUARY 2021 • TOURS GIANT POT-AU-FEU At Les Halles de Tours, enjoy a friendly Gourmet's diary and welcoming atmosphere while savouring a pot-au-feu (French beef stew) prepared by the local traders, with all profits going to the Restos du Cœur homeless charity. AUTUMN 2020 • TOURS www.tours.fr BIOTYFOULE Touraine organic winegrowers' fair at the Hôtel de Ville. www.biotyfoule.org

20 SEPT. TO 25 OCT. 2020 • IN MONTS Markets Find all of Tours' markets at www.tours.fr AUTOMNALES DE LA GASTRONOMIE Touraine's top chefs invite you to a gastronomic meal in the magnificent JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2020 • TOURS setting of the Domaine de Candé or DRINKS ON THE TOUR CHARLEMAGNE other unusual places. The names of the A stunning view from the very top chefs and their menus are kept secret of the Tour Charlemagne tower, until the big day. for drinks with a difference! www.azay-chinon-valdeloire.com www.tours-tourisme.fr

FROM JULY 2020 • TOURS WEDNESDAYS & SATURDAYS 7 WINES / 7 GARDENS / 7 CHÂTEAUX / FROM 8.30AM TO 12.30PM 7 UNUSUAL PLACES BEAUJARDIN ORGANIC MARKET Discover the wines of Loire with IN TOURS an oenologist to guide you on a new sensory tour of 7 gardens, châteaux WEDNESDAYS & SATURDAYS FROM 8AM TO 7PM or unusual places in Tours. FLOWER MARKET IN TOURS www.tours-tourisme.fr 3 & 4 OCTOBER 2020 • VILLANDRY SUNDAYS FROM 8AM TO 12.30PM 5 & 6 SEPTEMBER 2020 LES JOURNÉES DU POTAGER RABELAIS MARKET IN TOURS VIGNES VINS RANDOS Come and meet the gardeners Unusual hikes in the vineyards of Villandry, and enjoy entertainment FRIDAYS AND SUNDAYS FROM 8AM TO 2PM of the Loire Valley. for the whole family. AMBOISE MARKET vvr-valdeloire.fr www.chateauvillandry.fr Voted France's favourite market in 2015.

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 39 Tours Loire Valley

EXCEPTIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP Everything's coming up Roze-s! The magnificence of the châteaux and mansions of Touraine owes much to its craftspeople. Weavers, upholsterers, glassmakers, ceramists and basket-makers have been plying their trade on the banks of the Loire since time immemorial. They show their treasures to curious visitors on occasions. For instance, Maison Roze, founded in the 17th century, will be opening its doors on selected days from September 2020, for workshop tours in small groups and a chance to discover their fabric collections. This journey in the land of excellence and innovation is brought to us by its director, Arnaud Lebert.

raftsman's son and a The beat of the machines, the tension passionate and inventive of the yarns, sometimes suspended in the personality, Arnaud air, the shimmering colours of the fabrics Lebert took over from and bobbins... The workshop tour is quite Antoinette Roze, the last a spectacle! You can see 25 looms, century- of 12 generations, less than old machines that are ideal for weaving two years ago. The family very fine, dense and numerous yarns. They business, now known as are used to make first-rate upholstery Maison Roze, was founded fabrics to decorate our châteaux in 1660 by Jehan Baptiste (Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry...) Roze, a merchant and as well as palaces, museums and hotels all A manufacturer of gold, silver over the world. "We manufacture to order, and silk fabrics. For Touraine was the silk bespoke, it's our added value. Our latest capital back then, long before Lyon. The creation: the quilt on Eleanor of Aquitaine's company employed up to 800 weavers! bed, inspired by a fragment of fabric from "It's this precious heritage capital, this the 13th century featuring stylised animal exemplary decorative art, these 40 types and plant designs, for the Forteresse Royale of fabrics that can be reproduced from de Chinon." mulberry trees in southern Touraine, in 17th and 18th-century cartoons, that I want Chédigny, Sesmes, on pesticide-free land, to keep alive, while also thinking about Telling a wonderful story first for cosmetic use, then for weaving. It's tomorrow. Through innovation, using Arnaud Lebert is a creative man a lengthy task, as production takes three natural materials such as linen, hemp, who looks to the future and intends to to five years. It's a great ambition and a nettle and new pigments such as tomato, revitalise the silk business. Starting wonderful story for Touraine." Ahead of and working with creators who produce upstream by bringing silkworm farming this, Arnaud Lebert is developing a silk fabrics with contemporary inspirations, to Touraine. "All our yarn comes from waste recycling project. "A tonne of cloth we can renew our business". China, via Italy. We're going to plant and yarn waste has built up. It can be transformed into small trimmings and decorative items. You can even create decorative reinforced concrete inlaid with silk fibres! In collaboration with the Conservatoire National de la Tomate at La Bourdaisière, we also want to recover plant waste, creating textile fibres from tomato stalks for example." Step through the doors of Maison Roze and discover a whole world made in Touraine!

Soieries Roze 10 rue Joliot-Curie in Saint-Avertin 02 47 28 02 15 • www.maisonroze.fr

PAGE 40 • GOOD TOURS • Exceptional Tours

High art at L'Atelier d'Offard STAYING OVERNIGHT? L'Atelier d'Offard keeps alive the skill of making hand-blocked wallpaper like in the great manufactories of the 18th and exceptional places 19th centuries, while also using contemporary technology to create hundreds of patterns. Shop selling decorative wallpaper squares and related products: notebooks, bookmarks... for a great night's Tours lasting 1h30, preferably Mondays and Fridays at 11am or 2pm 21 avenue Maginot in Tours • 02 47 67 93 22 4 sleep! www.atelierdoffard.com

La vie voyage Sophisticated guesthouse in a former 18th-century mansion in Langeais, with 4 rooms near the châteaux of Azay-le- Rideau, Villandry and Rigny-Ussé. Packed lunches with local specialities to bring on your adventures. lavievoyage.com

Hôtel Valézieux Quiet, tucked-away establishment in Rochecorbon, 5 minutes from Tours. A beautiful traditional Touraine house, renovated to create a boutique hotel. hotel-valezieux.com

les hautes roches Enjoy the "cave house" experience Wicker wonders! at Les Hautes Roches, a 4-star hotel Organised as a cooperative in Villaines-les-Rochers near backing onto the hillside, with a view Azay-le-Rideau since 1937, the osiery cultivation and of the royal river and unmissable food wickerwork business is an institution in Touraine. With its by Michelin-starred chef Didier Edon. distinctive cave houses, this village is now the biggest www.leshautesroches.com production centre in France. The willow varieties used are grown on around thirty hectares of silty soil on the Loire and Indre riverbanks, and in the valleys of Villaines-les-Rochers. You will see about 50 basket-makers, and 25 who are also willow-growers, working on small furniture items, baskets, planters, garden borders and all sorts of everyday objects. Workshop tours all year round from Monday to Friday, 9am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 7pm, and also on weekends between 1 March and 15 October (10am to 12 noon and 2pm to 7pm) and from 16 October to 31 December (2pm to 6pm)

La Villa Pop This urban gîte in South Tours is "accueil Loire à Vélo" certified and sports a Seventies-inspired décor of orange curves and flashy colours. www.lavillapop.com

AND YOU CAN FIND MANY MORE PLACES TO STAY ON THE TOURS TOURIST OFFICE WEBSITE WWW.TOURS-TOURISME.FR IN THE "WHERE TO STAY" SECTION

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 41 Tours Loire Valley

Tours, the ideal shopping destination... Like Balzac before you, come and breathe in the scent of this "floral and fragrant" city, in its gardens, parks and flower market along Boulevard Béranger. Stroll along the little streets of Vieux Tours (the old town) and the Cathedral quarter, and discover a large commercial square with wonderful surprises in store for shoppers.

City centre shopping Reach Rue Nationale via Rue des Halles or Rue du Commerce, busy streets where you will find a series of fine ready-to-wear boutiques and a few gems such as the Chocolaterie Bellanger (Meilleur Ouvrier de France award-winner) or the Hermès store. The tram styled by Buren runs across Rue Nationale, a shopper's paradise where you can find absolutely anything! On the Loire side, don't miss "La Boîte à Livres", one of France's last independent bookshops. Locals are very attached to it. World cuisine and more traditional restaurants with tables on the street await you all along Rue Colbert. Head to "La Règle du Jeu" if you are fascinated by board games, or bring book-loving kids to "Libr'enfant" with its 10,000 publications. A short walk from there, stroll around Rue de la Scellerie, the district of antique shops, bookshops, "vintage" items and fashion, leading to the charming Place François-Sicard. An atmospheric street where the delicious smell of chocolate hangs in the air, courtesy of another of Tours' Vieux Tours food institutions, La Chocolatière. Time for and Place Plumereau a break... Take a seat at The favourite square of students Café Molière, facing the and tourists, Place Plumereau, or Grand Théâtre. It's one of Place Plum' as locals call it, was named the oldest cafés in Tours "best square in France for a drink" by and has been used as a the Lonely Planet guide! A well-deserved location in many films. honour for this beautiful tree-lined space, Don't forget to admire surrounded by half-timbered houses from its high ceilings adorned the 15th century. A myriad of little shopping with 19th-century streets lead off from this medieval city frescoes. centre, including Rue du Change, where people once exchanged their currency for that of Saint Martin. Pay a visit to the shoemaker Arche (footwear made locally) and La Petite Encadreuse, an artisanal shop where the artist works in her window, or get stuck into a comic book or some manga at Bédelire, Rue du Commerce.

PAGE 42 • GOOD TOURS • Shopping sprees

"Jean-Jau” and the station quarter "Jean-Jau” is the local nickname for Place Jean-Jaurès, the heart of the city with its majestic civic building, the Hôtel de Ville. From the middle of the square, surrounded “This city is filled by big brasseries under the trees, you can look down Avenue de Grammont, 7 km from north with laughter and love, to south. Discover a vast array of shops, cafés and restaurants for a never-ending shopping fresh, floral, more spree. If you have any energy left, head to the station with its exceptional glass roof by fragrant than any other crossing Rue de Bordeaux and its unusual "Grand-passage", a covered passage full of city in the world..." shops leading to Boulevard Heurteloup. Lastly, a walk around Tours is not complete without a Honoré de Balzac stop at the century-old brioche bakery Lelong. To find it, follow the delicious smell of golden brioche that wafts across the station forecourt, as it has done for decades!

Les Halles district Set off from the "belly" of the city,Place Gaston-Paillhou, where you will find the covered market of Les Halles and its dozens of food artisans, as well as the other market nearby. Both abound with good Touraine specialities, and fruit and vegetables grown in local market gardens. You will see that Tours truly deserves its International City of Gastronomy status! Continue via Place du Grand Marché, renamed "Place du Monstre" after the imposing monster statue by artist Xavier Veilhan that has taken up residence in the historic city centre. Between little shops and terraces, take a look at Chapellerie Brun, a millinery institution since 1902. This is a beautiful old-fashioned shop, with its oak shelves and a hat to fit every head. Be sure to take a detour via Place du Châteauneuf, recently restored in the Italian style.

• DESTINATION TOURS LOIRE VALLEY • PAGE 43 Tours Loire Valley SHOPPING 100% MADE IN TOURAINE UNIQUE TREASURES FROM THE BANKS OF THE LOIRE

blue like water...

La Tourangelle virgin linseed oil: First cold pressing. Naturally high in Omega 3, use cold • €4.75 for 250 ml Buy online www.latourangelle.fr, and at supermarkets and delicatessens

Enamelled ceramic hippopotamus by Céramique Lochoise: Enamelled ceramic, stoneware cast in a mould, finished and enamelled by hand. Each piece is numbered €210 • Buy online www.ceramiquelochoise.fr

Odaloire face cream: For normal and mature skin, with hemp oil from Touraine, 99% natural active ingredients • €22 for 30 ml Buy online www.odaloire.fr and at organic delicatessens Sur la Branche and Autour du Vrac in Tours

Avril & May organic cereal bar with goat's milk: Organic bar with rice flakes, coconut and a drop of goat's milk • €2 Buy online www.amaltup.com and at organic stores

Soupe Angevine with Combier curaçao: Cocktail preparation with triple sec and blue curaçao, to mix with 10 cl of Vouvray Pétillant Brut €13.90 for 70 cl Buy online www.combier.fr and at delicatessens

Valaloire organic cotton tee-shirts: Collection of limited edition tee-shirts, screen printed in the Loire Valley • €24 Buy online www.valaloire.com

PAGE 44 • GOOD TOURS • Shopping sprees

colour of sand...

Le moulin à Savon artisanal organic goat's milk soap: Soap for sensitive skin with sunflower oil and organic goat's milk from Touraine. Perfume-free €5.50 • Buy at organic stores and markets, or directly at www.moulinasavon.fr

Ancre des Bateliers Baguette by L’Atelier des Gourmandises: Anchor-shaped traditional baguette with semolina and a toasted flavour, a tribute to the boatmen of the Cher • €1.20 L’Atelier des Gourmandises 32 Rue Principale 37510 Savonnières

Wicker basket from the Vannerie Villaines-les-Rochers: Design from Vendée made at the Coopérative de Vannerie de Villaines, a wickerwork cooperative founded in 1849 €83 for the small version, €99 for the large one Buy on site at the Vannerie de Villaines, 1 rue de la Cheneillère, 37190 Villaines-les-Rochers

Garum de Tours Elixir de Loire: Lacto-fermented condiment dating back to Antiquity, cousin of Nuoc Mam, made from wild Loire fish and salt. Its flavour is typical of the Umami taste category €15 for 10cl and €25 for 20cl Buy at delicatessens, organic stores and AMAP de Touraine www.garumdetours.fr

Artisanal natural wax candles by Isabelle en Touraine: Scented candles made from natural rapeseed or soy wax, GMO-free, produced in Cinq-Mars-la-Pile • €11.80 to €32 Buy online and find stockists at www.isabelle-en-touraine.com

Rochers de l’Indre by Biscuithé: Little meringues with fresh egg whites and whole Piedmont hazelnuts, made on the banks of the Indre in Azay-le-Rideau €5.50 for100 g • Buy at La Biscuithé, 25 rue Gambetta, 37190 Azay-le-Rideau

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