DESTINATION:
Loire Valley
The impressive castles lining the banks of the Loire Valley testify to the region’s royal connections and its subsequent historical importance. Trading opportunities afforded by the river combined with the area’s outstanding natural beauty made it a favourite with the French Nobility, and the 16th century witnessed the construction of a number of outstanding royal and aristocratic chateaux. This veritable cultural landscape was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 2000. Its appeal is further enhanced by its outstanding wines (red, white, rosé and sparkling), and historical cities, including Orléans, Blois, Tours and Angers. Castles and gardens attest to the architectural and artistic creativity of the period and set against a backdrop of delightful historic towns render it an irresistible destination for exploration.
We offer two differently configured tours, one arriving into Paris by air or Eurostar and travelling south via Orleans, and the other flying into Nantes and travelling eastwards via Angers. The Loire can also be accessed by coach from the UK but would necessitate a slightly longer duration.
KEY VISITS (Recommended)
- ORLEANS CATHEDRAL – this Roman Catholic cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Orléans, built from 1278 to 1329 and 1601-1829 in the Gothic architectural style. The cathedral is probably most famous for its association with Joan of Arc.
- TOURS – in 1461 Louis XI made Tours the French capital but during Henri IV’s reign the city lost favour with the monarchy and the capital left Tours for Paris. The flamboyant Gothic Cathedral of St-Gatien dates from the 13th to 16th centuries, and in the medieval heart of the city is the beautifully half-timbered Place Plumereau. Tours also boasts an excellent Museum of Fine Arts displaying works by Mantegna, Rembrandt and Rubens alongside impressionist paintings by Delacroix, Degas and Monet. There are also displays of sculpture, furniture and fine arts from the 14th–20th centuries.
- ANGERS – the city is the historic capital of Anjou, home of the Plantagenets and gateway to the Loire Valley. As befits a royal city, Angers has a formidable 13th century Château, which houses the Museum of Tapestries. One of France’s finest medieval tapestries tells the story of the Apocolypse depicting battle between hydras and angels, woven between 1375 and 1378. A walking tour of Angers will include the Cathedral of St Maurice, which is noted for its Romanesque façade and 12th century stained glass windows. The Galerie David d’Angers is housed in the former Toussaint abbey church, dating from the 13th century, and was restored in 1984. It is now covered with a glass roof, an audacious feature of modern architecture, and houses the works of sculptor, Pierre-Jean David, known as David d’Angers (1788-1856).
- CHATEAU DE BLOIS – dating primarily from the 13th-17th centuries, the château served as a royal residence in the 15th and 16th centuries and is the site of many historical events, including the assassination of the Duke de Guise.
- CHÂTEAU AND GARDENS OF VILLANDRY – this château demonstrates an outstanding example of Renaissance architecture, while the spectacular gardens were restored to their Renaissance splendour earlier this century. The result is an elaborate patchwork of the kitchen garden, ornamental garden, water garden and garden of love, where signs explain the symbolism of the plants.
- CHATEAU D’AZAY LE RIDEAU – one of the most graceful buildings of the early Renaissance constructed on an island in the River Indre during the reign of Francois I. The furnished interiors reflect the style of the period and the château boasts outstanding 16th century tapestries.
- ABBEY DE FONTEVRAUD – the largest and most intact medieval abbey in France, founded in the early 12th century by Robert d’Arissel. The radical founder entrusted the running of the abbey to an abbess, usually from a noble family, and it became a favourite sanctuary for the female aristocracy, including Eleanor of Aquitaine. It houses the tombs of Eleanor and Henry II. The Romanesque Abbey Church boasts beautifully carved capitals and an immense single nave with four domes, the finest example of a cupola nave in France.
- CHATEAU DE CHENONCEAU – idyllically sited straddling the River Cher, it is known as the ‘ladies chateau’, as both Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici played pivotal roles in its development. The chateau has witnessed many historical events, and today displays artwork, fine furniture and exceptional tapestries from the 15th and 16th centuries. In the grounds are intricately laid formal gardens and an area of woodland.
- CHATEAU DE CHEVERNY – a magnificent 17th century château which is still lived in by the family. Constructed in 1634 it is a well-furnished residence which stands in a large park.
ALTERNATIVE VISITS
- CHATEAU ROYAL D’AMBOISE – this important Renaissance château is sparsely furnished but what is on display is from the Gothic and Renaissance periods. It is the burial place of Leonardo da Vinci, who is said to have died here in the arms of Francois I. The castle is strategically perched above the delightful historic town which nestles below.
- CHATEAU DE CLOS-LUCE – the childhood home of Francois I and where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final 3 years as a guest of the king. The furnished rooms house an exhibition of the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci and display many of his inventions that were ahead of their time.
- CHATEAU DE CHAMBORD – the Loire’s largest residence and the masterpiece of François I. The 440-roomed building features a grand staircase, which ascends the centre of the keep in a double helix, supposedly designed by Leonardo da Vinci, a chapel, vaulted guardrooms, and the bedchambers of François I and Louis XIV.