All of the destinations below are well worth visiting and all are within an easy day return trip from our Loire Valley Hub Village.
For each destination we indicate approximately how much time to allow for your visit and we also suggest itineraries combining two or more destinations into a comfortable and fascinating day out.
Chinon and its fortress
The château overlooks the village and the Vienne river below. This is the place where Joan of Arc met the French King Charles VII and where the poet Rabelais was born. If you have a chance, visit the little Guinguette – a little outdoor bar with dance floor – which is open on the banks of the Vienne in the Summer months. It’s divine sitting there of a Summer’s evening enjoying a local wine and gazing across at the impressively lit up fortress on the opposite bank. Here is a famous mediaeval chapel built into the rock ST RADEGONDE
A semi-troglodyte chapel of the twelfth century built around the tomb of John the Hermit, the recluse who had his hermitage carved into the hillside in the fifth century. Queen Radegonde would come visit him, hence the origin of the name of the Chapel.
(Allow several visits: accessible by car, train, bus)
Candes St Martin
A pretty little Medieval village at the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers. Go there for lunch. The cathedral is worth seeing with many lovely artworks including this painting of St Martin cutting his cloak in half to share with a beggar.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Château de Saumur
The château of the horse. Again - great for kids and equestrians!
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Musée Rabelais
A curious little cottage to visit for lovers of his ribald poetry
(Allow one hour: accessible by car)
Château de Villandry
The gardens are superb and unique in that some sections are entirely composed of vegetables! The staff often take the produce home or donate it to the locals.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car, bus)
Château d'Ussé
This is often called the “Château of the Sleeping Beauty” and sure enough, there she is on the top floor waking from her 100-year-long sleep with her coiffure still perfectly intact – not a hair out of place! How does she do it? If you do not go inside, trot over the Bridge away from the château, where you can then see over the wall and get a great photo. Continue onto Langeais for lunch or afternoon tea.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Langeais
Have a coffee and cake here looking at the drawbridge and façade, at the little patisserie just opposite the entrance.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car, bus)
Azay-le-Rideau
A wonderful château with fascinating interiors set in the middle of a man-made lake.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car, train, bus)
Musée Balzac (Saché)
For lovers of French literature, this little château is worth a visit. Balzac was born in nearby Tours and often visited the owners of this castle. He never had any money despite his literary success!
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud
It is here that Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine are buried. Fascinating to see, especially if you’ve seen the feature film with Peter O’Toole and Katherine Hepburn, “The Lion in Winter”
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Château de Brézé
Great day visit for kids with its incredibly deep dry moats and wine caves to visit.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Chenonceau Château
Arguably the most beautiful and extraordinary in France, entirely built over the river Cher. Take a stroll through the beautiful formal gardens and lunch at the restaurant there
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car, train, bus)
Amboise Château and the Clos Luce
There’s lots to see in the château and just opposite is the museum and home of Leonardo Da Vinci where he spent his last years.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car, train, bus)
Cité Royale de Loches
Loches is home to one of the most beautiful fortified cities in France, which dominates the town and the bucolic Indre valley.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Château Royale de Blois
The Chateau of Blois is a brilliant illustration of the development of French architecture from the Middle Ages to the 17th century. It has a royal history from Louis XII who built the oldest part of the chateau to Francois I who added the renaissance wing with the unique open circular staircase.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Chambord
It looks like an enormous wedding cake and is one of those ‘must-sees’ that you probably wouldn’t return to as once you pass through the grandiose exterior there isn’t much to see inside at all. Disappointing.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Tours and its Cathedral
Tours is the capital of the Touraine area and quite beautiful to stroll about. Don’t forget to visit the cathedral while you’re there.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car, bus)
Richelieu
This is a ‘model’ town built at the order of Cardinal Richelieu who grew up there and was rich and influential enough in later life to buy and reconstruct the whole town! It’s worth going there for lunch then wandering around the beautiful park that belonged to the now demolished château.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Montresor
Lovely château and sweet little village about it.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Cheverny Château
One of the better small castles in the region. Visit it but it isn’t worth actually staying in.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
Valençay Château
Once owned by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, this is also worth a visit if you are not already “château-ed out” after visiting the previous castles above.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
FuturoScope
Great for kids. The largest theme park in the world. It is an audio-visual explosion for you and all your techno-nerd friends and non-techno nerd friends alike. You can dive into the depths of the ocean and watch holographic dancing instruments. Feast your eyes on the wonderment that is Le Futuroscope.
(Allow a few hours: accessible by car)
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