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Travel beyond Normandy and Brittany (not the pop stars) and you’ll find the glorious Loire Valley, a land of lush, rolling hills and grand Châteaux. But because we know that most Eurocampers like to enjoy a blend of sunshine and culture, many of our camping parcs in the Loire also feature river or lakeside beaches.
There is much to entertain Eurocampers besides great Châteaux, as the Atlantic coast of the Vendée is within easy reach, offering bracing views, centuries old villages and water orientated activities.
The Loire boasts some lovely towns such as Tours, Orleans and Montrichard, not forgetting Le Mans, as famous for its splendid cathedral as for its racey reputation.
There are reputedly more than 1,000 fairy tale chateaux in the Loire. No prize for visiting them all, we’re afraid. The Loire is also rightly known as the Garden of France, so those with a taste for the grape will feel particularly at home here, as there are even more vineyards than châteaux.
Some great wines originate here and can be sampled on the famous wine tours.
It’s hard to name a typical dish of the Loire (and it’s nothing to do with pronunciation). There’s just so much choice. The proximity of the Atlantic means splendid seafood, often served with locally grown vegetables.
‘Quenelles de Brochet’, a pike mousse is very popular here, as is ‘Rillettes de Tours’, a delicious pork dish flavoured with bouquet garni. And if you think the food is outstanding, the region’s wines include classics like Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Saumur and hooray for Vouvray.
One of the earliest Renaissance châteaux, Azay, with its fairytale turrets and spires, displays the transition from Gothic to the Renaissance style. It sits on a tiny island in the River Indre.
Big is beautiful when it comes to Château de Chambord. This stunning Renaissance building, supposedly designed in part by Leonardo da Vinci, is the big daddy of châteaux. It has 22 miles of stone walls and is set in more than 13,000 acres of forested countryside.
Most famous for the 24 hour car race, Le Mans also offers you Vieux Mans, the ancient fortified centre surrounded by the finest Gallo-Roman walls in France. Cathédrale St-Julien is also an exquisite, Romanesque surprise.
The capital of the Loire Valley region, the medieval city of Tours has a fine gothic cathedral, pretty old quarter and narrow streets full of stylish shops, lively bars, cafés and excellent restaurants. Whenever you visit, it’s likely that a colourful street market will be in full swing.
Carved into the white cliff above the Loire River, the pretty troglodyte village of Troo has provided safe lodging for centuries. Its oldest dwellings date from the 12th century and are still in demand as second homes by posh Parisians.
