Visit the Loire Valley in the Shoulder Season

 Of course most people visit the Loire Valley in the summer when the weather is glorious and gardens are looking their best. But if you don't like the crowds and don't mind having grey skies, late September can be rewarding. The days are still long enough, the temperature is cool but not cold, and the light has that autumnal quality that can make your photographs quite special. This photo shows the Chateau de Chenonceau reflected in the River Cher in late September. I took it on the hoof, so it's not a carefully considered artistic shot, just a snapshot. Imagine how much better you could do!

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel. 

A Forgotten Medieval Treasure in the Loire Valley

 Nouans Les Fontaines is a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. And yet it holds a great medieval treasure. In the church, behind the altar, in the space it was created for, is a large 15th century painting. The church is open to all who know of the painting's existence and who want to see it. 

 

Jean Fouquet, the artist, was a native of Tours. He was a painter, illuminator, miniaturist and highly regarded portraitist. Today, in art historian circles, he is recognised as one of the greatest creatives of his age. Outside of art history though he is forgotten.

If you are interested in medieval art or enjoy discovering treasures that are well off the beaten track, then book a tour with us so you can make use of our extensive local knowledge of more than just the famous chateaux in the  Loire Valley.

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel. 

Wine and Cheese Pairing in the Loire Valley

Earlier this year we offered our expert guide services to a group of Americans who were travelling with Bavaria and Beyond [https://bavariaandbeyond.com/]. We are a good fit for their style of travel and designed an itinerary that the group really enjoyed. One of the activities we brokered was a wine and cheese pairing at the Chateau du Petit Thouars [https://www.chateaudptwines.com/]. We've known Sébastien and D'Arcy at Chateau PT for years and it was nice to come up with something that we all enjoyed delivering. As far as the clients were concerned it was a real highlight of their tour. Sébastien had fun 'researching'  a selection of 6 cheeses that he could match with the estate's wine. Everyone thought he did a terrific job, and he explained why it was not actually very easy. Wine and cheese pairings are often requested by Anglophone visitors, but very few wineries offer it as an option. It requires a lot of preparation and knowledge on the part of the presenter, who needs to be an experienced gastronome and very familiar with both the wine and the cheese. We were absolutely delighted with the welcome and experience our clients received, and will be very happy to organise such tastings in the future. Contact us for prices and availability.

 

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel.