Visiting a Cheese Boutique in the Loire Valley

Many people really love cheese, and we are no exception. Luckily, we know where to shop for cheese in the Loire Valley, so we can take you there.

If you want to include some cheese in your tour, let us know. You can email us or use our contact form and we will create a customised tour for you. More tour ideas can be found on the Loire Valley Time Travel website.

Meet the Mushroom Man

This is Hendrick. He grows mushrooms in a cave and he is one of the friendly local farmers and artisans you can meet on one of our market walks (Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays). The art of mushroom growing is surprisingly fascinating and Hendrick can explain it all in Dutch, French and English. And if you are staying somewhere that has a kitchen you will definitely want to buy some -- the quality is outstanding (especially compared to supermarket mushrooms!) If you are here on a day when there isn't a market but want to learn about mushroom cultivation never fear. We can go underground and visit one of the few remaining traditional mushroom growing caves.

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.

Getting to the Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is an easy day trip from Paris, and part of that is the TGV (high speed train) which delivers a reliable and well priced service. It only takes an hour from Paris Montparnasse to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (Tours) where we meet about half of our visitors, and the train trip becomes part of the holiday adventure. We make sure our visitors have full instructions for buying tickets and it all works very smoothly. They comment on how comfortable the train is and admire the way Europeans expect to travel at 186mph by train as a matter of course. Travelling to the Loire Valley by fast train is all part of travelling in France the way a French person would do it.

If you would like to visit the Loire Valley by classic car and start the day with a fast train ride contact us by email or use our contact form. More tour ideas can be found on the Loire Valley Time Travel website.

500 Years of the Renaissance in the Loire Valley

The Renaissance, an intellectual and artistic movement born in Italy, arrived in France (and more particularly, in the Loire Valley) thanks to Charles VIII and François I. These sovereigns brought to France numerous Italian artisans, architects and artists, in order to transform their towns, construct chateaux and churches, but also to promote a new way of life. The Loire Valley became an avant-garde intellectual hub. The evidence of this artistic flowering is all around us and during this year of the 500th anniversary there will be many special events and exhibitions to highlight this magnificent period of French history.

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.

Rose in the Loire Valley

Rosé has long been an under-rated wine, sniffed at by the connoisseurs and treated as pop by the consumer. But it is undergoing something of a revival, and the Loire Valley winemakers are leading the trend. Making rosé actually requires considerable skill and dedication. Many winemakers will get up in the middle of the night to check a batch of macerating rosé. They want the colour and flavours to be just right. Here in the Loire Valley the tradition is for a dark peachy colour and once upon a time most rosés here would be absolutely dry. Nowadays though, many winemakers make a dry and a slightly sweeter version. All the winemakers we visit make a rosé, so if you are a fan of this light, summery wine, you won't miss out. And one of the winemakers we visit has had their rosé chosen by American Airlines, so you may have already sampled it!

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.

Supporting Local Business

We've lived in a small town in the Loire Valley for ten years. We know how important it is to support small family run businesses in the area. After all, we are one ourselves. That's why when we take you to lunch it will be at a restaurant where we know the owners and the waiters. They live locally just like we do, and contribute to the life of the community. The restaurants we use are often run by a husband and wife team, just as Loire Valley Time Travel is. We, and our restaurant partners, are committed to giving our clients the best possible experience and working together to achieve that.

If you would like to have a leisurely lunch in a typical French worker's restaurant contact us by email or use our contact form. More tour ideas can be found on the Loire Valley Time Travel website.

Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley

The Loire Valley white wine is highly regarded by those who know, but it is a bit of a secret outside of France and really keen wine lovers overseas. One of the winemakers we visit regularly exports to the US and regularly wins national and international prizes for his wine (even beating the New Zealanders with his sauvignon blanc!) He's a great example of a winemaker with a vocation. He comes from a long line of winemakers, and his son, who will take over the business in due course will be the 7th generation of winemakers in the same place. But they are not stuck in the past. Christophe has developed his wine beyond what his father was doing, and I am sure that Quentin will do the same when his time in charge comes. When we visit, Christophe's wife Véronique does the tour, but Christophe and Quentin are always happy to stop and chat if they are around. Not only are they good winemakers, but they are genuinely nice people who enjoy the exchange with visitors.

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.

It's that time of the year...

Our classic cars have been tucked up in their garages over winter. Now it's time to lift off the covers and roll them out. Each will get a visit to our mechanics and given a thorough once over to ensure they are in tip top condition for transporting our clients around the Loire Valley from the beginning of March to the end of October.

To book a tour of the Loire Valley in a well maintained classic car contact us by email or use our contact form. For an idea of some of our tours check the Loire Valley Time Travel website.