Loire Valley

The Loire Valley was the playground of French kings and queens for centuries. Today, its chateaux remain the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in the world, set amid vineyards, formal gardens, and gentle riverside landscapes that earned the region its UNESCO World Heritage status. Chambord is the crown jewel — a colossal hunting lodge with 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces, and a double-helix staircase possibly designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Its rooftop terrace, a forest of towers and chimneys, offers a fantasy skyline unlike anything else in architecture. Chenonceau, the most visited chateau after Versailles, spans the River Cher with an ethereal grace that earned it the name 'Chateau des Dames' — it was shaped by a succession of remarkable women including Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici. Amboise sits above the town where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years; his home at Clos Luce, connected to the royal chateau by an underground passage, houses fascinating models of his inventions. Villandry's formal gardens — geometric vegetable plots, ornamental flower beds, and water gardens — are considered the finest Renaissance gardens in France. Beyond the chateaux, the Loire Valley is France's third-largest wine region, producing extraordinary Sancerre, Vouvray, and Chinon. The cuisine reflects the region's nickname as the 'Garden of France': freshwater fish, goat cheeses like Sainte-Maure de Touraine, rillettes de Tours, and tarte Tatin, said to have been invented here. For a memorable stay, Chateau de la Bourdaisiere near Amboise combines chateau accommodation with an extraordinary tomato garden growing 700 varieties, while Chateau d'Artigny offers grand luxury in a setting modeled on Versailles.

Highlights