Advice on "The Loire"
We've done s fair bit of travelling in France but never "The Loire". First of all does that mean the Loire Valley? I'd appreciate a check on some places of interest to head for in the region, then I could think of an itinerary. Thinking of a couple of weeks in September before they all close down.
Thanks.
Comments
-
The river Loire is over 600 miles long, with interesting things to see all along the way from its source to its mouth, but the part which most tourists go to is probably the 100 mile stretch between Blois and Saumur. There are various guidebooks which might help you choose where to go, what to see, and what to do.
1 -
Perhaps worth thinking about is that some very famous places which are often thought of as on the Loire are actually on some of its tributaries. There are quite a few campsites in the region where you can actually walk to many of the famous Chateaux.
David
0 -
Groan.
2 -
I have to admit that one of my overriding interests for very many years has been the Crusades, medieval French social, religious and Anglo-French battles history, especially the Hundred Years' War' period and the sieges of the Middle Ages.
On one of my tours I was invited to work as a guide for a couple of weeks at the chateau at Chinon which put my French and German to the test. I also had a lady friend whom I had met online and who was the archivist at the chateau at Azay-le-Rideau. We spent many happy hours in the basement library transcribing Norman French documents.
0 -
Yes indeed, history is a thing of the past!!
0 -
The upper part of the Loire is certainly wild................ and very high up at the source near Mont Gerbier de Jonc in the Massif Central. We were very near to the source of the Loire a year or two ago, and not far away is also the source of the Ardeche. The Loire runs down to the Atlantic, the Ardeche to the Mediterranean.
Down in what is commonly referred to as The Loire the river is a much more sedate affair, and was commonly used as a traffic route for large barges - so it's not a river to swim in or canoe along, but it may be ideal for cycling along the banks in some areas.
We like wilder areas, so we're not really fans of the (lower) Loire either - having been there a couple of times, it was on our 'just OK' list, so we haven't been back in recent years.
0
