Living it up in the Loire, France
French chateaux come in all shapes and sizes, from sturdy medieval fortresses with battlements and drawbridges to flamboyant Renaissance homes fit for a Disney princess. But it is hard to find a more photogenic property than the Château of Azay-le-Rideau, its delicate turrets and creamy façade reflected in the still waters of the moat. Prepare for house envy off the scale!
I never need an excuse to stroll through Azay’s bijou park and revisit the furnished interior, undeniably French but touched with 16th century Italian style. And this year, there are still more reasons to go back as this picture-perfect property celebrates its 500th anniversary with exhibitions and concerts, illuminations and family-friendly events.
Azay le Rideau
Valley of the French kings
But there are wider celebrations in the area this year as the Loire Valley marks 25 years of UNESCO World Heritage Site status. One of the largest listed sites in France, this glorious area is recognised for its ‘living cultural landscapes’ covering architectural heritage, Renaissance ideals, and the harmonious development of the natural environment.
Chateau de Chambord
After the French defeat at Agincourt in October 1415, French king Charles VII fled Paris – and the English – for the Loire Valley, quickly followed by his courtiers. Over the next 300 years they built, enlarged and embellished elegant country homes around this strategic and beautiful waterway.
Today more than 100 chateaux are open to the public, including Chambord (above), a vast hunting estate and party palace for Renaissance king, François I, where you can easily fill a day and more. I loved walking amongst the forest of turrets on the chateau roof; exploring Europe’s largest enclosed nature reserve on a jeep safari; and watching the equestrian show in The Stables.
Expect the unexpected
Chambord is just one of several big hitters in the Loire Valley and has plenty of room for all. But you are best to visit early or late in the day, if you want to enjoy other popular but smaller properties like Château de Chenonceau that spans the river Cher. Don’t miss the walled garden where flowers and foliage are grown for the magnificent displays gracing every room.
Chateau of Clos Luce, Loire
And seek out some of the less familiar names. At the heart of the Renaissance movement was Italian artist and engineer Leonardo da Vinci, but how many visitors to the Loire Valley know they can visit the house where he spent his closing years as a guest of François I? The Château of Clos Lucé near Amboise is one of my favourite small mansions with its wooded park where models of Leonardo’s inventions stand beside tranquil lakes.
And one of the most high profile and controversial events of the 20th century took place behind the 16th century façade of Château de Candé near Tours.
The wood-panelled interior and ‘modern’ conveniences date from the 1920s, installed by Franco-American owners Charles and Fern Bédaux who lent their home for the wedding of Wallis Simpson and Edward, Prince of Wales on 3 June 1937. Visit the rooms where the intimate event took place and even see inside Wallis’s wardrobe!
Desirable plots
Villandry c. Gillian Thornton
Domain de Chaumont, Loire
Amongst more than 30 garden attractions open to the public, the intricate geometric plantings of Château de Villandry near Tours are world-famous, but I also recommend the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, an arts and nature centre where the annual winter art festival gives way to a spectacular garden festival. This year’s event, the 34th edition, runs from April 19 to 2 November with a theme of enchanted gardens and storytelling.
Apprentices’ Garden, Cheverny, Loire
And I can never resist a return to the formal gardens and landscaped park at Château de Cheverny, inspiration for Marlinspike Hall in Hergé’s cartoon adventures of Tintin. I struck lucky last time and was treated to a kingfisher flypast during a boat excursion on the lake. Sheer magic.
Loire à Vélo long distance cycle route
On top of the UNESCO anniversary, 2025 also marks 20 years since the first section of the Loire à Vélo long distance cycle route opened through the Centre-Val de Loire and the Pays de la Loire regions. Safe and signposted for 900km, it runs beside the Loire and includes a number of loops and options.
This is my kind of cycling, mostly flat and either off-road or on quiet lanes, with bike hire centres dotted along the route. I particularly enjoyed a day ride passing beneath the hilltop Royal castle at Loches, which stands above the Indre, a southern tributary of the Loire.
Watch out for wildlife, stop at village restaurants, and visit vineyards to pick up a local vintage. Cycle touring? Look for the Accueil Vélo label (Bikes Welcome) that indicates hotels or campsites with facilities such as cycle storage and a bike wash station.
And if you love the outdoor life, ask at any Tourist Information Office about guided excursions by kayak or on horseback. Then reward your efforts with a meal of local produce to celebrate yet another anniversary – 15 years since UNESCO added the ‘Gastronomic meal of the French’ to its intangible Cultural Heritage list. As though anyone needed an excuse for a good French meal!
FACT FILE
Getting there:
Tours, in the heart of the UNESCO area, is as little as 75 minutes from Paris by train. By car from the Channel ports – 5h30m from Calais; 3h30m from Saint-Malo.
Staying over:
Gillian stayed at www.legrandmonarque.com, an 18th century coaching inn at Azay-le-Rideau, 20 minutes from Tours.
Useful websites:
- www.loirevalley-france.co.uk
- www.azay-le-rideau.fr/en
- www.chambord.org/en/
- www.vinci-closluce.com/en
- www.domainecande.fr/en
- www.loirebybike.co.uk
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