Visiting Small and Little Known Sites in the Loire Valley

Adapting to the post-Covid19 situation not everyone is going to feel comfortable visiting the great and well known chateaux of the Loire Valley no matter how well they are run and how carefully they look out for visitors wellbeing. We understand if you want to visit smaller less touristy sites. These are the sites we pride ourselves on knowing well and we've always loved them. For more than a decade we've been encouraging travellers to come to Loches, the lovely small medieval town in the south of the Touraine Loire Valley. But there are other fascinating small chateaux too -- Fougeres sur Bievre, completely empty but so perfectly preserved at the transition between medieval and renaissance; Candé, built at the dawn of the renaissance, but home to a series of remarkable characters in the 19th and 20th centuries; and Rivau, with its stupendous garden and fairytale looks. Let us know which takes your fancy and will be a worthy substitute for Chenonceau, Chambord or Amboise in your holiday photos and memories.

To enquire about our private guided tours of chateaux, wineries, markets and more email us or use our contact form. More tour ideas can be found on the Loire Valley Time Travel website.

Wearing a Mask While on a Tour in the Loire Valley

At the moment the law requires that everyone in the car wears a mask when on a tour with us. The masks can be washable homemade cloth ones, or disposible surgery style ones. It's a bit weird at first, but you will soon get used to it. We made our own but a local contact has been making some very pretty hospital approved ones if we need extras. It crossed our minds to have some Loire Valley Time Travel themed masks made, with our logo on, to give to travellers to use on the day and to keep. What do you think? Would you like a mask with a classic Citroen and a castle on it?

Susan making and modelling washable cloth masks.

To enquire about our private guided tours of chateaux, wineries, markets and more email us or use our contact form. More tour ideas can be found on the Loire Valley Time Travel website.

Mysterious Tower in the Loire Valley

Normally we aren't completely flummoxed by even the oddest objects and constructions, but this one has us beat so far. It's a tower with a lantern on top, but what was it for? Who built it? It appears to be 19th century, and by its position we would guess it's associated with the industrial site directly opposite on the other side of the river. But even our usual knowledgeable sources can't enlighten us as to its function and we haven't been able to dig up anything even with extensive searching.

Perhaps we will include it in your tour and maybe you have some ideas about what it could be.

To enquire about our private guided tours of chateaux, wineries, markets and more email us or use our contact form. More tour ideas can be found on the Loire Valley Time Travel website.