Some of these sumptuous buildings open themselves up for visitors and for guests to stay at, but before you book in, just make sure that a second mortgage won’t be a problem to obtain! Of course, you could just visit the sites instead of staying in them and use one of the many B&Bs dotted around the area.
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| Joan of Arc, Maid of Orleans |
The two principle towns of the region are Orleans and Tours and both are packed with more culture and heritage than you can shake a baguette at. In Tours, visit the magnificent the 12th Century Cathedrale St Gatien, with it’s flamboyant Gothic facade and royal tombs, followed by a meal at le ‘Roche le Roy’, a 15 th Century Manor house and then top your day off with a visit to Le Louis XIV club? And if you have kids, well, have an extra pudding instead of the club!
In Orleans, home of Jean D’Arc, visit Catherdrale St Croix with its historic altars and glorious stained glass windows, followed by a meal at one of the many garden terraced restaurants.
Look at a list of Loire wines and you are almost reciting a list of the world’s great wines.
Many people follow ‘wine trails’ of the region and what better reason for travelling could you get? From Muscadet in the west, through Saumur, Pouilly-Fume, Vouvray, Tourraine and Sancerre in the east of the region, all colours, levels of sweet and dryness are catered for.
The area is literally a Mecca for anybody who appreciates a glass or two. If you are so inclined, and I would highly recommend befriending a teetotaller for such instances, then a tour of the vineyards and wine producers is a must. The wine producing areas are festooned with wine producers, both big and small, with the vineyards carpeting the landscape in a mass of organised chaos. Maps of the producers are available and most, if not all, will happily welcome you to an impromptu tasting of their wares. If the word ‘degustation’ (tasting) appears on their signs you are in luck, but just make sure you have enough room in the boot for all your purchases.
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