Chateaux and Vineyards of the Loire
Footloose- 7 Nights/8 Days
A walking holiday in the Loire Valley – the quintessence of romantic France.
The rural charm of this region is in no way inferior to the cultural wealth of its cities. It’s the castles on the River Loire that are the reason, above all else, why this region is so famous. Kings, feudal lords and ladies of the court, seduced by the beautiful natural setting of the Loire Valley - the ‘garden of France’ - built several hundred castles, manor houses and dreamy residences.
West of Tours, the Loire and its many tributaries meander through the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Park, an area of vineyards, rolling farmland, hunting forests and limestone cliffs into which curious troglodytic dwellings have been carved. Here are the Loire’s most splendid châteaux: the elegant Renaissance palace of Azay-le-Rideau, the sturdy fortress of Chinon, the château at Ussé and the abbey at Fontevraud.
Itinerary and Highlights
- Day 1 Arrive at the charming town of Azay Le Rideau.
- Day 2 Azay Le Rideau. Visit the splendid 16thC Renaissance chateau then, time permitting, stroll across farmland to Goupllieres to see the replica of Middle Age cave dwellings.
- Day 3 Azay Le Rideau to Usse (15 km 4.5 hrs). Start your walk near a small château with pretty formal gardens. Walk open fields, orchards, vineyards and along a river. As you approach, enjoy lovely views of Ussé’s fairy-tale château.
- Day 4 Usse to Chinon (18km 5 hrs). Visit the beautifully furnished chateau, known as Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Leave the River Indre and follow forest tracks towards Chinon. The main approach to Chinon is an ancient trail from the Middle Ages that is dotted with troglodytic dwellings.
- Day 5 Chinon to Fontevraud (14.5 km 5 hrs). Visit Fontevraud Chateau which is more fortress-like than other châteaux along the route. Walk alongside the River Vienne then cross pastureland and woodland to Fontevraud.
- Day 6 Fontevraud to Turquant (9km 3 hrs). Visit Fontevraud’s magnificent abbey which houses the tombs of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart. Your route is across rolling countryside, with views over the Loire Valley. Pass through the charming village of Candes-St-Martin then through vineyards to Turquant.
- Day 7 Turquant. Day free. Perhaps walk to Montsoreau to visit the château overlooking the Loire; enjoy tastings at some of the village’s wine producers; visit a mushroom cave near Turquant; or do a 9-kilometre walk through the vineyards.
- Day 8 Walking holiday ends after breakfast.
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