Situated at the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers, the village of Candes-Saint-Martin seems to blend right in with the river that was the focal point of the town’s past glory at the centre of Loire river navigation. Doubles from €77, Le Mouton, Blaison GohierDutch owner Mirjam Ekkelboom created this homely five-room, riverside bed-and-breakfast in a village near Angers from a 17th-century longère (long house), which was once a tollhouse for boat traffic on the Loire. We regularly visit Chinon as part of our Best Reds tour, both for wine tasting, the medieval streets and castle and for lunch. You will find that you discover some of the most interesting towns and villages in the region simply by visiting the castles, because many of the towns first developed around the local castle in medieval times - and are still there! The four-star rated “Cerf” and “Salamandre” both sleep eight in four bedrooms – two with queen beds, two with twin beds – and come with fully equipped kitchen, dining room, lounge and full bathrooms; the three-star La Gabillière sleeps six. Le Cercle Rouge, AngersOne of the friendliest and most popular wine bars in the Loire valley is a great place to sample limited-production vintages from the area’s new generation of natural (no sulphur) and organic winemakers. The final 500km of the Loire, between Sancerre and Nantes, also measure out one of the great wine regions of France, producing a delicious complement to the region’s gastronomic credentials. We regularly visit Chinon as part of our Best Reds tour, both for wine tasting, the medieval streets and castle and for lunch. Another is Yevre-le-Chatel which is slightly outside the most visited part of the Loire valley at 40 kilometres to the north-east of Orleans but recommended when you are passing. Besides castles and spectacular scenery, several lively towns and cities, each with their own charms, add appeal – from Nantes, a thriving cultural hub in the west, to the ancient cathedral town of Tours, the main town in the valley, and Angers with its busy nightlife. The spacious rooms are named after flowers, decorated in traditional French style, and many have private terraces overlooking the gardens. All of the food served here is organic, including the rillons, succulent cubes of slow-roasted pork belly that are a speciality of the Touraine, and served at night.• 8 Place du Châtelet, +33 9 65 16 64 09, becsavins.com, Château de Chambord gîtesIdeal for a family or a group of friends, the three newly opened gîtes on the estate of Chambord are not only among the most unusual lodgings in the Loire valley, they are great value too. But, if you are dead set on the cities from your list, I also concur with Amboise. Chianti, prosecco or barolo - get to know your favourite Italian wine with a stay at one of a new wave of wine resorts, Available for everyone, funded by readers, In an industry traditionally dominated by men, Tuscany’s Il Casato Prime Donne winery employs only women. Illuminated night walks in the summer make it extra special (adults ¤11, ages 7-18 ¤8.50 chenonceau.com). The French version of this page is at Loire Valley (Francais). Doubles from €98, Le Grand Monarque, Azay-le-RideauRelaxing over a drink in the tree-shaded garden of this 25-room hotel (created from an 18th-century coaching inn and a mansion) is a pleasure after a day of cycling or touring, and the property is air-conditioned, too. The sound and light show is impressive (adults ¤9.80, ages 6-17, ¤5; chateaudeblois.fr). Vine-covered slopes surround the valley, and while it may not be as well known as those of Bordeaux or Burgundy, the Loire produces some fine wines. Expect dishes such as foie gras flan with Port gelee and Serrano ham, guinea hen breast with pasta with a garlic cream sauce, and yogurt souffle with apricot sorbet.• 30 rue Nationale, +33 2 47 23 86 67, auberge-duchevalrouge.com. Wine hotels in Italy: sleep amid the vines, Italy's Fizz whizzes: prosecco tasting in Veneto, The foodie traveller … drinks orange wine in Italy and Slovenia, Vintage Sicily: a wine tour of the island, Argentina's Mendoza wine route: top 10 guide. ⑤ Places (by dept. It is at the heart of Cabernet Franc country and part of the St. Maure goats cheese area. But on a trip to Italy’s Veneto region, she’s converted after tasting an unusually cloudy version. High season: five-night (Mon-Fri) rental of Salamandre €890, Hotel Le Fleuray, AmboiseCreated from several vintage farm buildings by a friendly Anglo-French family, this 24-room hotel offers a tranquil setting in the country just outside Amboise, and stylish comfort at very reasonable rates. Rooms are done up in chintz or toile de jouy, many have beamed ceilings, and all are en suite. €30 a la carte, on average, Casse-Cailloux, ToursChef Hervé Chardonneau’s market-driven contemporary French menus are not only inventive and superbly well-cooked but excellent value for money. Our tours give you a unique opportunity to taste these wines, look at the production facilities and often meet the owners. Garden furniture and a barbecue are provided at all gîtes, but their real appeal is insider access to one of the great monuments of France – once the daytrippers have gone home you’ll have the site to yourself.• +33 2 54 50 40 00, chambord.org. The gateways to the region are Nantes and Tours, which have international airports served by easyJet, Flybe and CityJet from various UK airports. This is the home of Chnin Blanc and you can still see the monistry of St. Martin, who brought the grapes here in the 1st C. There are several good quality hotels. Tours is the starting point for many of our trips. Try it at Domaine Philippe Gilbert (+ 33 2 48 66 65 90, domainephilippegilbert.fr). Villandry, Chenonceaux, Azay are great stops. Another option is you would like to be in a smaller town would be to rent a car and sleep in Loches. The vast Château of Blois, located in the middle of the town, has been frequently remodelled, with buildings dating from the 13th to the 17th centuries dotted around the courtyard. Cheverny is an attractive small town, supporting the chateau de Cheverny and the surrounding countryside. For Vouvray, produced from Chenin Blanc grapes, head to Domaine Marc Bredif in the heart of the Touraine valley, where you can tour the caves and sample their wares (+33 2 47 52 50 07, deladoucette.net). A popular stop for our clients who may stay a night or more in one of the many hotels, often historic buildings in their own right. Besides exploring the sumptuous interiors there’s everything from horse and carriage rides to boat hire available (adults ¤11, under 25s free; chambord.org). The late Gothic Blois Cathedral towers over its cobbled city center. Another appealing garden is the one at Château de la Bourdaisière. It is considered as one of the earliest examples of the High Gothic style of the thirteenth century. There are six French departments that together make up the Centre-Val de Loire region: Eure-et-Loir (to the north), Indre-et-Loire (west), Loir-et-Cher in the middle, Loiret (to the east), and Indre and Cher (to the south-west and south east respectively). The Loire Valley region is situated in the centre of northern France, south-west of Paris. During the middle ages, fortified seigneurial residences were the focal points around which towns and villages grew. Towards the western border of the Centre region are Château Chinon and Château du Rivau, Villandry, Azay le Rideau, Lude and Chinon castles. This is a wine town with buildings - some of them very impressive - down by the river and the vineyards up above. There are countless opportunities for wine tasting at vineyards across the region, but a good place to start is at the Maisons des Vins de Loire in Nantes, Angers, Saumur and Tours. Doubles from €110, Hotel la Roseraie, ChenonceauxEveryone from Winston Churchill to a Rockefeller or two have stayed at this lovely old-fashioned French auberge, a creeper-covered 18th-century stone house converted into a 15-room hotel. Nearby is the Château Royal de Blois, a former palace with ornate royal chambers, plus paintings and sculptures from the 16thâ19th centuries. More than 100 are open to the public, but it’s best to focus on a few. Sixteenth-century Azay-le-Rideau is a fairytale castle, with its turrets and moat (adults ¤8.50, under 18s free; azay-le-rideau.monuments-nationaux.fr). These include Lavardin (near Blois), Candes-Saint-Martin (near Saumur); Apremont-sur-Allier (near Nevers); Montresor (near Loches); St-Benoit-du-Sault and Gargilesse-Dampierre (near Argenton-sur-Creuse); and Crissay-sur-Manse (near Tours). More information. Vierzon is situated on the old Roman Tours / Bourges road. 15 Top-Rated Beach Destinations in France. Like many contemporary regions of France, the region of Centre was created from parts of three historical provinces: Touraine, Orléanais, and Berry. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. The contrast between the creamy local tuffeau stone walls and beamed ceilings and contemporary furnishings create a French country chic, and there’s a cosy bar with a fireplace for autumn and winter travellers.• 1 rue du Chateau, +33 2 47 45 40 08, legrandmonarque.com. It’s the valley that’s stoked the world’s romantic imagination – a land of chateaux, fine wines and spectacular scenery. Sometimes these are rather overlooked by visitors because they are not part of the established tourist routes, so we do suggest you ask about other local highlights in the nearest tourist office when you visit. Another unmissable religious monument is Bourges Cathedral, now a UNESCO world heritage site and in the Cher department to the south-east of the region in the town of Bourges. There’s an outdoor pool (in season), a bar with wood-burning fire, and a good restaurant that serves big salads for lunch and a good-value €29 prix-fixe menu in the evening.• 7 rue du Docteur Bretonneau, +33 2 47 23 90 09, hotel-chenonceau.com. We also suggest you visit Beaugency, site of one of the famous battles of Joan of Arc, Loches and Valencay.
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