France Loire valley - Why not rent a fairytale chateau?
THE LOIRE VALLEY: A LAND OF CHATEAUX, QUAINT VILLAGES AND BEAUTIFUL GARDENS
Chateau Fairytale, Loire Valley
For those of you who do not know this area, you will find it very interesting as there is a lot of information and highlights regarding the Loire.
We were very happy with the Castles rentals we visited and therefore are excited for our travellers!
Large family and friends
These beautiful properties are perfect for large family gatherings, weddings, reunions or just a get together with friends. If you are looking for something unique, please contact us and let us know what your plans are so we can help you make your dream come true! In our next issue, don't miss out on the Amalfi Coast in Italy! We have many new properties and a lot of first hand information.
Also, don't forget that it's never too late to find the perfect place for your next holidays!
Lovely Chateau Allée
FIND YOUR CHATEAU RENTAL IN THE LOIRE NOW!!!
Chateau Allée, located just outside Poitiers and sitting on 56 acres, is beautifully appointed and can accommodate groups of up to 50 guests in the main chateau and guest house.
This lovely chateau has been fully restored and the common areas along with the bedrooms and suites, are ready to welcome you and your group for a memorable stay whether for a family gathering, wedding, corporate event or intimate weekend among friends.
Easy to reach
Chateau Allée is easy to reach and is only one and a half hours from Paris by TGV. Chateau Allée sits among gardens, fields and oak forests. Fruit orchards and a large garden provide seasonal produce, from wild strawberries in the early summer to grapes, figs and walnuts in the fall. The setting invites relaxation. The 56-acre grounds feature walking trails and private corners to sit and read.
Chateau de Chambord
Just a few hours from the chic city life of Paris lies the surreal beauty of France’s Pays de Loire. Here, architecture, history, and culinary delights enchant even the most seasoned of travelers. Visitors can enjoy delicious fare from café’s in picturesque villages where turrets and ancient chimneys form the skyline and the chateaux of kings co-exist nearby. It’s no wonder that royalty, poets, and artists gravitated to this area for inspiration and joie de vivre! It truly is a feast for the senses.
The garden of France
A discerning French ear will find the purest French spoken here and natives and Francophiles know this geographical region as The Garden of France. The rich soil and relatively mild climate make for bountiful produce (berries, asparagus, apples, and pears), farm-fresh cheeses, and of course all those lovely vineyards! During the Renaissance-era, this fertile land fed thousands at court in the local chateaux and today supplies Parisian markets with the freshest ingredients.
Landscape, wine & cooking
A fine appreciation and cultivation of nature is at the essence of French life: you see it in the landscapes of Renaissance painters; the exquisite wines and signature cooking adored world-wide; and in the way the French live in harmony with their surroundings. The best example of this harmonious marriage with nature can be seen in the limestone cliffs above many Pays de Loire villages.
For the Active Traveler
Savor a slower pace and meander alongside the glittering river atop a bicycle. Ten years in the making, the complex 800 km Veloroute (bike route) system in complete! The Loire a’ Velo route follows the railway and links cyclists with villages and chateaux through a series of train stations—this allows you to stop and start your journey where ever you wish. In keeping with French graciousness, companies abound to rent, transport, repair, and guide cyclists on their exploration of this magnificent area with ease.
Wild Life
You can rest on sandy beaches along the way and spot wildlife, such as grebes, ospreys, herons, and beavers, unobserved from a speeding car or train. The route is flat and wide, like the Loire, has minimal elevation gain, and the itineraries were designed for a wide audience of riders.
Sports
Cyclists seeking more challenge can make a longer trip or change directions for an uphill ride. There is ample signage to keep cyclists oriented who may be distracted by the sudden appearance of a chateau! Relish the panoramic tableau of river, chateaux, villages, and gardens as you view them from the sky, gliding along in a hot air balloon!
Enjoy this gentle travel experience and get a different perspective on the landscape. There are several hot air balloon companies touring the Loire by sky. See which one suits your preferences!
Hot air ballooning allows you to admire the Loire Valley from above!
For the Gourmet Traveler
For the Gourmet Traveler Taste your way through the Loire with samples of the region’s exquisite wines. The French wine tradition goes back for more than a millennium, but legend has it that it elevated to new heights in the 4th century when St. Martin of Tours aided local growers with his pruning techniques. Since then, they’ve been off and running!
Part of what makes French wines so internationally lauded stems from the French concept of terroir, which is the perspective that a particular region’s wine is achieved by the vintner’s artful skill and the complex alchemy of grape variety and climate, and the clay, limestone, and mineral content of the soil in which they are grown. This is why the wines along the Loire are distinct from wines grown elsewhere with the same variety of grape, and why the French are rightly proud of their unique wines.
Amazing wines
There are scores of amazing wines from this region, and you must not miss the chance to taste them! Most wine aficionados will recognize the Loire region’s Sancerre, Valencay, Montlouis, Pouilly Fouisse, and Vouvray. Visit one of the charming local shops for picnic fare and follow your palate along the Route des Vignobles du Val de Loire to taste some of these spectacular wines. The bulk of vineyards in this fertile land are in the Anjou-Chinon-Saumur area so oenophiles will want aim for this lovely landscape.
For the Experiential Traveler
Witness the pageantry of the Cadre Noir—the elite school that preserves and teaches dressage, the French art of horsemanship with its gracefully precise maneuvers. Established in the 19th century, the Cadre Noir is of military origins and adopted their characteristic dark uniforms to distinguish them from other army instructors. Visitors can take guided tours, watch the Cadre Noir train, and enjoy equestrian shows.
