Paddle Paul and Mike in Azay-le-RideauGet yourself ready: in the early evening, you approach the quay with your partner or a few friends. Hop aboard the boat and sail off into the beautiful countryside, with a little Loire wine tasting to boot. With a few local products, of course, to round off the aperitif!
Apéro bateau de la Rabouilleuse
Les Bateliers des Vents D'galerne
CNVL boat trip to ChinonBook with the boatmen below, on the dates suggested. If you are a group, don’t hesitate to telephone them for a private service.
Fruit juice from Vergers de la ManseVergers de la Manse
Are you more of a fruit juice person? Taste those from Vergers de la Manse. 100% locally produced, 100% tasty!
If the guinguette in Tours is a popular spot for an aperitif, let yourself be seduced by Boutavant’s traditional boats, sailing upstream towards Marmoutier Abbey. A little further afield, environmental education is one of the hats worn by Clément Sirgue and his fellow sailors on the Rabouilleuse. Between two mouthfuls and a sip, you’ll learn a lot about the natural world around you.
Also enjoy goat’s cheese from Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, rillettes from Tours and other delights at the apéros sur l’eau organised west of Tours this time, with the associations Endremage (Villandry), les Vents d’Galerne(La Chapelle-sur-Loire / “La Loire en chanson” and “La Loire gourmande”, Friday and Saturday at 6.30pm) and La Martinienne (Chouzé-sur-Loire / “Gourmandises en Loire, Thursday mornings). From the port of Bréhémont, Les Pêcheries ligériennes are not to be outdone: the aperitif is naturally accompanied by a gourmet board based around Loire fish, in particular.
You don’t necessarily have to untie the mooring line to enjoy the Loire breeze. Spend a whole night on the Loire aboard the Toue Reine. And treat yourself before you go to sleep!
Bateau de la Rabouilleuse on the Loire World Heritage River
Savonnières boatmen of the CherSo get closer to the château de Chenonceau… At Chisseaux, electric boats, picnic boats, promenade cruises, meal cruises and even the occasional tasting cruise are just waiting for your thirst for convivial experiences to turn into memorable souvenirs, especially when the time comes to pass under the stone arches of the majestic château des dames.
Aperitifs on the Cher at Savonnières / Get in touch with the bateliers du Cher: they also organise aperitifs aboard their traditional boats, whose home port is the pretty town of Savonnières, a well-known stopover for cyclotourists on La Loire à Vélo!
Facing the royal fortress of Chinon, climb aboard the Compagnie de Navigation Vienne Loire for an Apéroboat excursion: comments on heritage and food and wine pairings merrily mingle. One package includes a tasting of the famous winegrower’s tart. Yummy!
La Chinonaise winegrower's tart
Boat trip CNVL Chinon
