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 Le Chateau d' Amboise Renowned for its fine wine, sumptuous châteaux and
Renaissance intrigue, the valley of the Loire is rich in both
history and architecture. Like the River Loire, this vast region
runs through the heart of French life. Its sophisticated cities,
luxuriant landscape and magnificent food and wine add up to a
bourgeois paradise.
Historic towns and magnificent chateaux line the valley, which,
until Henri IV moved his court to Paris, was for a long period the
home of Royalty and the intellectual capital of France. The towns
of Tours and Angers, both on the river, act as good bases from
which to explore the area and its many delights. Although there are
train and bus services to most towns they are limiting for tourists
and it is best to hire your own transport to fully explore the
region. Consider renting a bike; this is wonderful and easy cycling
country.
Resorts See our separate guides to the following Loire Valley holiday resorts: Tours, Angers, Orléans, Blois and Amboise Attractions  Château d'Angers © Wikipediastar/Kauczuk Château d'Angers
A kilometre-long wall, studded with 17 circular towers,
surrounds this vast medieval fortress. Visitors can tour
Château d'Angers, including the courtyard, prison, ramparts,
windmill tower, 15th century chapel, and royal apartments. The
overriding reason however for coming here is to see the 328ft
(100m) Tapestry of the Apocalypse. Woven between 1375 and 1378 for
Duke Réné of Anjou, it takes as its text St John's
vision of the Apocalypse, as described in the Book of Revelation.
Guided tours provide insight into its architecture and fascinating
history.
Address: 2 Promenade du Bout-du-Monde;
E-mail: elisabeth.dreyfus@monum.fr;
Telephone: (02) 4186 4877;
Opening time: Daily 10am to 5.30pm (September to April); 9.30am to 6.30pm (May to August). Last admittance is 45 minutes before closing;
Admission: €6 (adult), free for under 18s
 Château de Chenonceau © Günther Eichler Château de Chenonceau
Only a few miles outside Tours, on the River Cher, the
Château de Chenonceau is probably the most celebrated of the
many châteaux in the Loire valley. It was used as a mill in
the Middle Ages and bridges the whole width of the river. It was
owned by a succession of powerful noblewomen including Henri
II’s mistress Diane de Poiters, the Queen Regent Catherine de
Medici and Louise de Loraine and is often referred to at the
'Château des Femmes'. Inside
visitors can see a wonderful 200ft (61m) gallery, Louis XIV’s
sitting room and Francois I’s bedroom.
E-mail: Chateau.de.chenonceau@wanadoo.com;
Website: www.chenonceau.com;
Telephone: (02) 4723 9007;
Opening time: Open daily but hours vary month to month, see website for details.;
Admission: Castle and museum €12 (adult) and €10 (child)
 Château Villandry © Ebeisher Villandry
Five miles (8km) outside Tours is the tiny village of Villandry
and its wonderful château. The château is best known
for its gardens that are open between February and November. It is
not your standard ornamental garden; between the vine-shaded paths
and ornamental box hedges are carrots, cabbages and aubergines
carefully arranged in patterns; roses climb gracefully above small
herb gardens. Villandry is an easy cycle from Tours and, for those
that have worked up an appetite, there are some excellent local
restaurants.
E-mail: info@chateauvillandry.com;
Website: www.chateauvillandry.com;
Telephone: (0)2 4750 0209;
Opening time: Château and gardens open daily but the hours vary monthly, see website for details.;
Admission: €9 (château and gardens), €6 (gardens only). Concessions available
Excursions Château de Chambord
Eleven miles (18km) east of Blois, the vast Château de
Chambord is the largest château in the Loire Valley. It was
commissioned by François I, who wanted to outshine the Holy
Roman Emperor Charles V, and the result is a spectacular
Renaissance masterpiece with 450 rooms. It was designed by an
Italian architect in 1519, but was worked on by French masons. The
outside is essentially French medieval - massive round towers with
conical tops, and an explosion of chimneys, pinnacles and turrets.
The details inside, however, are pure Italian: the Great Staircase
(attributed by some to da Vinci), panels of coloured marble, niches
decorated with shell-like domes, and freestanding columns.
Wandering through, you can get a good feel for the contrasting
architectural styles, which have combined to create a very
decadent, if at times discordant, whole. The château is
surrounded by a 20-mile (32km) wall containing a 5,261-hectare
(13,000-acre) deer park.
E-mail: chambord.accueil@wanadoo.fr;
Website: www.chambord.org;
Telephone: (0)2 5450 4000;
Opening time: Daily 9am to 6.15pm (1 April to 30 September); 9am to 5.15pm (1 October to 30 March). Closes at 7.30pm from July to August;
Admission: Adults: €8.50 (September to June); €9.50 (July to August)
Events  French F1 Grand Prix © p_c_w French F1 Grand Prix
Competitive racing began in France as early as 1905 and has the
claim to being the original Grand Prix. Magny-Cours has hosted the
French Formula One Grand Prix since 1991. The track is equally
praised and critised for its remote location and is situated in the
upper Loire region.
Venue: Magny-Cours;
Date: July 2010 TBA;
Website: www.formula1.com
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