Loire Valley Guide
Typically when we travel, especially in Europe, we gravitate towards the cities and save down lists upon lists of fun cafes, restaurants, bars, museums, and shops to fill our time. And that makes sense; no one would book a first time trip to France and not plan to visit Paris. But while the cities in Europe are iconic and the cultural centers of any given country, it can get tiring hopping from museum to pricey restaurant day after day. We found that we often wanted to diversify our vacations and plan some time to escape the city and explore the neighboring countryside of any given city. The Loire Valley was the ultimate city getaway.
The Loire Valley is situated about 3 hours southeast of Paris, making it a perfect long weekend or added side trip when visiting France. Famed for its countless châteaux and wineries, the Loire Valley was for us a breath of fresh air and a place we are anxious to return to.
How to get there:
We opted to rent a car from Paris Gare du Nord train station and drive the roughly 3 hour road trip. If you are at all hesitant about driving in Paris, we would recommend perhaps booking a train to the town of Tours and then booking a car there. I love driving and found driving in downtown Paris to be a fun challenge, but I know it is not for everyone. If you do decide to drive, keep in mind that there are tons of tolls, depending on how far you drive on certain freeways, and can get rather expensive quickly.
#1: Château de Arpentis
Once we saw that you could stay in a château, the excitement level for this stretch of our trip took off. There are tons of options to choose from, some being obviously very expensive. We chose Château de Arpentis (open in Google Maps) due to its proximity to the town of Amboise and other attractions, as well as the price, which when we went was roughly $200/night. But for us, the experience at Arpentis was priceless. Every detail was perfect from the antiques lining the common areas to the outdoor pool that looks out at the 17th century moat and nearby grazing horses. Staying at Arpentis was relaxation at its finest.
#2: Château de Chambord
The most famous château in France just behind Versailles is Chambord (open in Google Maps). No, unfortunately you can’t book a stay here, but walking through this now museum was also quite enjoyable. The museum spans many floors and walks you through the history of the château, including my favorite section which shows how the château was used during WWII. My other favorite part was being able to walk on the roof and see the beautiful surrounding area.
#3: Château de Chenonceau
Chenonceau (open in Google Maps) was by far our favorite château we visited and perhaps one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to. The elegant gardens with the château and tower in view were striking and made us feel like we were French royalty or in a Jane Austen novel. The interior is now a museum, which tells you the history of the château and the complicated tales of its residents. The main building of the château is built on the river Cher. It was fun to relax in the gardens and watch as people boated through the arches over the river.
#4: Loire Valley Towns
Aside from the châteaux, there are also many cities and towns worth visiting. Tours is by the far the largest city in the valley, as such it has many amenities that other towns do not, such as a rail station. If you are planning to travel from Paris, Tours would be a natural place to train into and would be a good home base to explore the area. If you are looking for a quieter and more scenic town to base yourself out of, I would recommend either Saumur or Amboise. Both lay on the banks of the Loire river and have their own magnificent castles that you can tour.
If you stay in Saumur (open in Google Maps), we would highly recommend visiting Château de Chaintres (open in Google Maps), which produces delicious and complex local wines. They were especially kind to offer us a tour of their estate during their harvest season. Driving there was relaxing as ever, weaving through small towns and limestone caves, cruising past vineyards and rolling hills.
Amboise (open in Google Maps) is cute and quaint, but boasts a massive medieval castle, and several cute shops, cafes, and restaurants, making it a very enjoyable place to stay. One of our best meals during our time in France was at Chez Bruno (open in Google Maps). After a long day of châteaux hopping and wine tasting, we were famished. What a better way to kill that hunger than some more wine, some steak, and of course some crispy frites. We ordered way too much food and ate it all. It was a glorious feast.
Overall, the Loire Valley is a perfect side trip from Paris or a next stop on your France trip. The unique combination of small towns, magnificent châteaux, and legendary wineries makes it a destination like no other.