Autumn, winter and spring breaks
Why
not spoil yourself with a seasonal break - Ferries, Flights and Fly-Drive
much more reasonable at these times of year.
May, June, September & October are beautiful months in the Loire Valley.
Things to do and see!
Beautiful Renaissance châteaux of the Loire, open all year.
The most famous châteaux are:
Blois:
During more than 4 centuries, a succession of Kings and Queens of France made
the château of Blois their royal residence. One of the great masterpieces
of French architecture and famous for its Francois 1st. staircase tower. (Open
all year).
Azay-le-Rideau:
This château, built on an island in the middle of the river Indre, is
one of the most beautiful Renaissance successes. A perfect combination of
traditional elements and Italicism. (Open all year).
Chenonceau:
The château sits astride the river. The most gracious and feminine of
the Châteaux, with its famous gardens, created by Diane de Poitiers
and Catherine de Médicis. (Open mid March- September).
Ussé:
A ‘fairytale’ castle which overlooks the river Indre and inspired
Charles Perrault as the setting for his story the Sleeping Beauty. (Open Easter-
mid November).
Villandry:
One of the great Renaissance châteaux, built on the banks of the Loire.
Famous for the harmony of its architecture and its splendid terraces of gardens,
unique in Europe. (Open mid February – mid November).
Valençay:
A firm favourite with children. Built in the 16th C. the château is
completely furnished. The park is impressive, with deer, llamas and peacocks
roaming free. It is great for seasonal entertainment, hosted by actors dressed
in authentic costume of the era. (Open all year).
Amboise:
Directly overlooking the Loire and the town, the château is a magnificent
example of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. It houses an exceptional collection
of furniture. (Open all year). It was at Amboise that Leonardo da Vinci lived
out his last years. The preliminary models to many of his inventions can be
seen in the Manor of Clos-Lucé.
Loches:
The logis royal dominates the Northern point of the medieval town of Loches.
Many important scenes in French history have taken place here. The keep is
one of the most impressive of the Norman period. The Gate House, Louis XI
tower, Cardinal Balue’s dungeon and the torture chamber all give an
experience of the medieval epoch. (Open all year).
There are also numerous beautiful towns and villages to explore, with their markets, traditional shops, cafés and restaurants.
Tours
boasts 15th & 16th century houses and its Gothic cathedral with 15 remarkable
13th century windows. There are numerous museums – the museum of Fine
Arts, the museum of Touraine wines and the museum of Natural History to name
but a few.
The Brenne regional park, known as the land of a
1,000 lakes is a haven for wildlife. Over 300 species of birds have been observed
within the park. There are public hides with helpful guides on hand. The best
times of year to observe the birds are Spring and Autumn.
Chauvigny is built on a high rocky spur with its fortress, archeology museum and Romanesque collegiate church of St. Peter (XIIth century). There is also a wonderful falconry display at the Baronial château. (Open April – November). In the upper town, five châteaux stand next to one another – a townscape unique in Europe.
Montrésor is known as ‘jewel of Touraine’ and ‘one of the most beautiful villages in France’, with its medieval village, the ramparts, the castle (Italian, Dutch, French, Polish paintings, fully furnished, with a Polish museum of art and rare silver). (Open beginning April – beginning of November) and collegiate church.
Le Grand Pressigny has a rich museum of prehistory. The flint blades from this village were exported all over Europe. The château is an attractive combination of Medieval and Renaissance architecture, with a 12th century keep. Extensive collection of over 10,000 prehistoric objects, such as arrows and flints and a display of fossilized shells. (Open February - November).
The Touraine region is also the home to many great men of letters such as Rabelais, Descartes, Vigny and Balzac.
Descartes is where the philosopher René Descartes was born. The museum houses displays recounting his life and work.
Mezières is the attractive and historical capital of the Brenne, with its exhibition rooms in the old water mill and its collegiate church with 14th and 16th century stained glass windows, Renaissance chapel and Benedictine stalls.
Azay-le-Ferron has a magnificent château with a landscaped garden. It houses superb furniture, paintings, tapestries and 16th to 18th century objets d’art.
Between Azay-le-Ferron and Obterre is the zoological reserve of La Haute Touche, renowned throughout France for the care of its animals - deer, antelope, bison, llamas, zebras, donkeys, wolves, tigers, boar and wallabies and about 40 species of birds. (Open Easter - beginning of November).
You can also take the opportunity to taste Touraine specialities in this region which is known as ‘the garden of France’.
You can visit local farms or some of the numerous food lovers’ markets and food fairs that take place throughout the year.
There are many regional specialities, such as cooked pork meats (‘rillons’ and ‘rillettes’), traditional Touraine free-range chicken (géline de Touraine), lamb from Berry, a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, fish (roach, perch, pike, carp) and mushrooms. The region is famous for its goat’s cheese from Saint Maure de Touraine and Valençay, ‘poires tapeés’ (pears cooked in Touraine wine) and nougat from Tours.
The climate and the soil are perfect for a surprising range of red, white and rosé wines like Chablis, Sancerre, Vouvray, Cheverny, Touraine Amboise, Valencay, Chinon, Bourgeuil and Saint-Nicholas.