One of the most appealing regions of France owning numerous splendid and worth-watching tourist sites is the Loire valley. Stretching along the mountains of the central France and extending to the Atlantic, the valley can be divided into four regions; Nantias, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine and the Central vineyards. Famous for its architecture, wine, gardens and the châteaux (castles), Lorie valley is a traveler’s dream.
Loire valley has some major tourist attractions such as the Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Montsoreau, Orleans, Saumur and Tours. The central part of the Lorie valley constituting the gardens and the châteaux is listed as the largest World Heritage Site.
Here are the three main attractions from the Loire Valley that grabs a tourist’s attention.
Let’s begin with the architecture of the Lorie. The valley is a castle heaven with more than 300 castles. The lush valley with the châteaux spread in all corners is an astounding site. Reflecting the architectural taste of the French King, the châteaux represent the Renaissance period and the Age of the Enlightment. Montsoreau, Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Chambord, Chinon, Rivau, are a few must visit castles of the Lorie. If you are a true admirer of the contemporary art of the Renaissance, Château de Montsoreau built on the Loire Riverbed is an ideal location.
Loire produces some of the finest quality wine in France. If you want to taste fresh, fruity and crisp wine, Loire is the right place to go to. The valley offers more than thousand vineyards open to public where you can appreciate and enjoy a huge variety of fine wine produced by the fertile Loire valley. France offers Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Grolleau, Pineau d'Aunis, Malbec from the red grapes and Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon, Melon de Bourgogne, Chardonnay from the white ones. Some of the places offer wine directly from the massive underground wine-cellars. Some of the must visit gardens are Pierre Bertrand Couly, Bouvet Ladubay, Château des Vaults and Château de Minière. Lorie also offers 900 km of bike trail along the river besides the vineyards. That’s so exciting and adventurous for true nature lovers!!
The third thing that makes Loire a tourist’s dream are the numerous gardens. The Loire river waters the valley and makes it lush with French, Japanese and English style gardens. Eyrignac, chateau d’Amboise, Maizicourt, villa Ephrussi, and Park Oriental de Maulevrier are a few examples of finest gardens are the world.
So here are few reasons why you should visit the Loire valley. If you love travelling, you definitely don’t want to miss out on the UNESCO World’s largest World Heritage site.