The Loire Valley, a World Heritage Site A feast for the eyes!

Welcome to an exceptional destination

The inclusion of the Val de Loire in the list of World Heritage Sites highlights the wealth of landscapes to be discovered, marked by the creative alchemy of man and nature. This year, we’re celebrating 25 years of UNESCO listing!

Explore the Loire Valley

During your stay, admire the great Loire châteaux built by the kings of France. Situated right on the banks of the river, their silhouettes are inseparable from this privileged environment. Stroll through the towns of the Loire, past pretty tufa stone houses to the quays. Once dedicated to river trade, they are now home to traditional boats on which you can play at being a freshwater sailor! Finally, set off to explore the vineyards and gardens: here, nature is generous with flowers and grapes…

valdeloire-france.com

Traditional boat trip

GR®3: the wild Loire on foot

The Loire by bike

©Villages of Candes Saint Martin|ADT Touraine - J-Clavier

Towns and villages

The Loire Valley Châteaux

Spotlights not to be missed

Picnic on the beaches of Nazelles-Négron and Candes-Saint-Martin, or explore the islands of Île de la Métairie (La-Ville-aux-Dames) and Île de Bondésir (Montlouis-sur-Loire). In Amboise, you can discover the Ile d’Or on a 7km walk: between royal lands and wild waters.

The Loire Valley in Touraine

Amboise, Rochecorbon, Tours, Langeais, Candes-Saint-Martin: from these pretty towns on the banks of the Loire, contemplate the panoramas of islands and sandbanks with their changing contours.

In this valley of kings, you’ll find prestigious monuments that tell the story of French history: the royal château of Amboise, Clos Lucé, the châteaux ofAzay-le-Rideau, Langeais,Ussé and Villandry, the royal fortress of Chinon, not forgetting the château of Chenonceau!

The Loire, its tributaries and the tufa rock hillsides also provide an ideal backdrop for vine-growing. Enter the troglodyte cellars of Touraine, where many vintages rest while you wait for your chance to taste Vouvray, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Montlouis-sur-Loire and other Loire appellations.

The Val de Loire Mission

From Sully-sur-Loire (Loiret) to Chalonnes-sur-Loire (Loire Atlantique), the Val de Loire Mission leads projects to understand and promote the heritage and landscapes of the Val de Loire.

Website

©Ile Simon Ville de Tours|ADT Touraine - JC Coutand

Loire Valley a whole story

The landscapes of the Loire are also open-air history books, but you still need a few keys to help you make sense of them.

The Val de Loire Mission had the excellent idea of producing a series of video-documentaries on the river during the Renaissance. They cover the development of towns (Tours, Orléans, Blois, etc.) and landscapes, navigation and the wars of religion. Here’s the first: enjoy!

AND ALSO: Podcast ” une île pas si déserte “, recorded from the Ile de la Calonnière.