Thursday, 13 August 2020

Some Highlights of the Loire Valley in a Day


Once again we should have been working today. A lovely couple from the US had booked us to see some chateaux and wineries.

Amboise. Indre et Loire. France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Amboise.

We would have picked them up in the lovely town of Amboise, then gone to see the Chateau of Cheverny, with its authentic interior and friendly pack of hounds.

Chateau of Cheverny. Loir et Cher. France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
The back of the Chateau of Cheverny.

Lunch would have been in a really authentic workers restaurant in Cour-Cheverny that you never hear English spoken in, serving traditional simple local dishes.

Hounds in the kennels at the Chateau of Cheverny. Loir et Cher. France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Hounds in the kennels at the Chateau of Cheverny.

Then after lunch a visit to a winery on the edge of town where they grow the local speciality Romorantin variety of grape. There are only 20 producers so this is a wine you will see nowhere else. All of it is sold locally.

Wine at Domaine de Daridan, Cours-Cheverny. Loir et Cher. France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Wine at Domaine de Daridan.

Then we were going to spend the afternoon in the wonderful gardens of the Chateau of Chaumont. Both the permanent gardens and the temporary gardens created for the long running annual garden festival are a joy -- contemporary, creative, and always with an element that you could incorporate in your own garden at home, as well as many pieces of whimsical contemporary sculpture.

Installation in a festival garden at the Chateau of Chaumont. Loir et Cher. France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Installation in a festival garden at the Chateau of Chaumont.
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.