The Cats of the Chateau of Chenonceau in the Loire Valley

The Chateau of Chenonceau prides itself on its pet friendliness. The estate is home to 30 cats, all neutered females and fed and cared for by the two animal carers who work full time in the grounds. You will almost certainly cross paths with at least one of them when you visit.
 

Animals crossing warning signs for motorists in the grounds of the Chateau of Chenonceau.

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.

Merry Christmas from the Loire Valley in 2020

Loire Valley Time Travel would like to wish all our clients a very happy Christmas, ideally celebrated with some sparkling Vouvray, of course!

Leaping stag graffiti in a medieval chateau in the Loire Valley.

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.

You Must Try the Melon in the Loire Valley

This isn't just a melon. This is a piece of history. And it's the most delicious melon you will ever have had in your life. Learn how these small salmon fleshed melons came to be one of the best things about a Loire Valley summer. They've been here since the 15th century, and because they don't travel well, you need to be in France in the summertime if you want to taste them and find out why all the locals look forward to them being in season.

Locally grown Charentais melon purchased from the producer.

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.

Masons Marks in the Loire Valley

Some of the architectural details to be seen on old buildings in the Loire Valley are not very easy to spot, and some people would not consider them important. But we take a different view.

As well as all the fine carving and fancy decoration, stone cutters and masons traditionally left individual marks on the stones they worked on. They were like a signature, put there to ensure the stone cutter got paid for each block he had cut. As you can imagine, there is a whole other history of the building that can be told by looking at masons' marks. We will also look at carpenters marks, witch marks and grafitti. They all have something fascinating to say.

Masons marks on our medieval barn.

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.

A Prisoner in the Royal Fortress

It's not just us who've been confined to our homes in the Touraine Loire Valley. Over the centuries there have been plenty of people kept in varying states of restriction here.

Eleanor of Aquitaine was imprisoned by her husband Henry II Plantagenet at the chateau-fortress of Chinon. Going back to the 12th century, 1173 to be precise, Eleanor had been queen of England for 20 years, when she organised a conspiracy to elevate her three sons, Richard, Geoffrey and Henry the Younger, against their father the king.

This revolt was supported by Eleanor's first husband Louis VII of France, and the king of Scotland. Eleanor hoped to seize power from Henry II, but she was captured whilst travelling to try to join the court of Louis VII.

Chateau-fortress of Chinon.

She was imprisoned for nearly 15 years, first of all at the chateau-fortress of Chinon, then at Salisbury and other English castles, until her liberation on the death of Henry on 6 July 1189.

Also held at the chateau-fortress of Chinon were the leaders of the Knights Templar.

If you want to include this historic and atmospheric castle in your tour, just let us know. 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.

How the Loire Valley Landscape is Changing

Tourists are rather inclined to think of places like the Loire Valley as timeless and changeless, but of course, they are working landscapes, with land use changing all the time. Sometimes it's for the good, especially with generational change and young farmers coming into the area with modern ideas of sustainability. Sadly, sometimes it is quite the opposite, with landowners changing the landscape in order to intensify farming practices. As your guides in the area, we won't shy away from talking about local issues and challenges, as well as proudly showcase successes and examples of best practice. We want you to retain your delight at all the beauty and history the Loire Valley has to offer, but not fall into the trap of treating it like a theme park. In our experience our clients are smart and engaged. They are interested in authenticity and the realities of life in modern France as well as all the romance and intrigue of its history.

 These pictures perfectly demonstrate the sort of thing we might talk about in terms of land use changing. In the top picture a track runs alongside a ditch and a wild natural hedge which forms a field boundary. In the field, natural native grassland is stocked with beef cattle or cut for hay. The farming is low intensity and sustainable. But below, on the other side of the track, the hedge has been removed and the land ploughed to plant maize. Biodiversity has plummeted and the farmer is using bigger machinery and applying more synthetic fertilizer and pesticides.

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.

Ethnobotany in the Loire Valley

You never know quite what will come up as part of your tour with us. We take an interest in everything around us so if there is an opportunity to pass on a piece of quirky information, we will do it. For example, in the summer there is a pretty blue wildflower on the roadsides. One of its common names is Rapunzel. It grows throughout Europe, not just in France, and the Brothers Grimm chose the name of this plant for their fairytale heroine. They would have known it well and in many places in times gone by this wild plant was an important food source. Both the leaves and the roots were cooked and eaten. Nowadays it is picked sometimes 'for the table' but that's for decoration, in a vase.

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.

The Joy of Imagining the Past in the Loire Valley

A ghost sign that says 'chocolat'. How enticing! How redolant of times past -- your imagination can range far and wide with just a simple word painted on the side of what is now a private house. If you like visualising the past from glimpses in the present, you are our kind of traveller.

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.

Sleeping Beauty's Chateau

The term 'fairytale castle' is often used but rarely can it be literally applied. The Chateau of Ussé was the inspiration for Charles Perrault's story of the Sleeping Beauty, so it can truly be called a 'fairytale castle'. It's also a dream castle for anyone interested in the history of architecture because it transitions from the medieval to the renaissance, and then into the classical. We can start at one end of the chateau and finish at the other in chronological order. As an added bonus we will get up into the 'visible storage' (otherwise known as the attic). It's amazing what people will keep if they have the space!

Chateau of Ussé.

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.

Fougeres sur Bievre Castle, Empty But Atmospheric

You may think that visiting an empty castle isn't much fun. But, believe me, Fougeres sur Bievre has a lot to offer. With no furniture to get in the way you can see all the details of construction. You get to look down the lavatory chute, up into the workings of the ancient clock and, if you are not worried about a bit of dust, you can lie where the medieval archers would have lain to shoot intruders. No one will stop you, and it is quite likely no one but us will be around. The chateau doesn't get many visitors and that's great for people who like to get away from the crowds and see something authentic. This is a late medieval chateau hovering between being a defensive fortress and a luxury country residence. Luckily none of the owners after about 1500 changed anything very much. And it is small enough that you can imagine yourself as a resident all those years ago. Get us to add it to your itinerary and try it! You will love 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.

Bling is Not Our Thing in the Loire Valley

At Loire Valley Time Travel we are all about giving travellers that authentic experience, where they can feel as if they are locals. So we encourage our travellers to visit sites they've never heard of. There are lots of lesser known chateaux that receive very few visitors -- just because they aren't full of bling and household names. These smaller chateaux are just as fascinating and have their own unique history. In some of them you will get a much better idea of how ordinary people lived rather than a curated glimpse of power and royalty.

A fairytale but little known chateau in the Loire Valley.

Likewise we don't use fancy restaurants with big name chefs. We use workers restaurants who serve simple generous traditional food. Our dining companions are locals, not tourists, and wherever possible we take a table on the terrace to enjoy the fresh air and view.

The charming terrace of a simple local restaurant.

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.

Market Shopping in the Loire Valley

The term ‘market’ means slightly different things in different countries, but here in France, the term ‘marché’ (‘market’) used on its own means an open air general street market held weekly in a market place. Almost all of them are morning only affairs. Their main focus is fresh local produce, but there will be produce from further afield too, and other household items. Most locals will shop at them regularly and they are held everywhere from the largest cities to the smallest villages. My own village, population 1004, has this type of market twice a week, on Thursdays and Saturdays. A slightly different array of stallholders set up on the two different market days, and it is a small market of fewer than ten stalls. Nevertheless, I buy all my fresh vegetables and poultry at my village market. I can also buy fish, dry goods, honey, locally grown fruit in season and goats cheese at my village market.

Loches market.

I am also lucky enough to live near Loches (population 7000), which has one of the best markets in the Loire Valley, with about 200 stalls twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If I want a bigger range of products I will go to Loches, where I can get a full range of French cheeses, meats (including horse and goat), different speciality pastries and breads, exotic fruits brought in by greengrocers, and seasonal produce like asparagus and strawberries at their peak. At this bigger market I can also shop for market baskets, handwoven rugs and throws, soaps and artisanal skin care products, and good quality good value clothing.

Vegetables at Loches market. These are grown just the other side of the river to where they are sold, so they travel a couple of kilometres.

These markets go ahead come rain or shine (the stallholders tell me that snow puts fewer customers off than rain) and no matter if the market day falls on a holiday (with the exception of Christmas and New Years Day). Traditonally the customer does not touch the produce or serve themselves, but allows the stallholder to choose each item. Producers are always eager to tell customers all about what they have for sale and give you advice on how to prepare it. They don’t want their super fresh fruit and vegetables handled multiple times by strangers when on the farm they’ve taken so much care. Customers are often asked when they plan to use a product and how. Once the producer knows this they will take care to choose just the right fruit or vegetables for you. In these Covid19 ridden days, these open air markets are seen as a safer way to shop, and the supermarket is reserved for purchasing household cleaners and soft drinks. 

My aged neighbour Louis, who sells the excess produce from his extensive veggie patch at our village market. He is completely anti-pesticides for anything that is destined to be food, and worked all his life as an agricultural labourer.

My chef friend Stéphane choosing strawberries at Amboise market.

Me buying goat meat at Loches market. Considering how many goats there are in the Loire Valley it seems odd that there is no tradition of eating goats meat here, and this is one of the few butchers who supplies it.

My friend Sylvain, who runs a small specialist grocery home delivery and market service. All his products are locally sourced and produced.

Veggies being delivered to a restaurant from Loches market.

Old fruit boxes lovingly cared for and kept in use by the current generation of orchardists in my village.

Goose eggs for sale in my village market.

Loches market. This photo was taken just before mask wearing became mandatory at the market.

Organic veg from the market garden on the edge of my village, at the market in the village.

Organic veg from the market garden on the edge of my village, at the market in the village.

The melons and onions stall at my village market. The reason he only sells melons and onions is because that is all he grows, alternating the crops to maintain soil and crop health.

This oyster producer comes up from the Atlantic coast once a week to the Saturday market in my village.

Cherry tomatoes grown in greenhouses heated by the waste water from the nuclear power station near Chinon for sale at my village market. They are expensive but delicious.

My friend Fabrice, who has a market garden across the road from the famous gardens of Villandry, selling radishes at Loches market. This was a Wednesday, and when I remarked upon the size of the pile he informed me that on Saturdays he sold twice that many.

Salmon at my village market. It is tagged as being Label Rouge certification, which means it has been farmed under a very strict set of guidelines.

Saucissons (dry cured sausages) at Loches market. These are not a local product because there is not a strong tradition in the Loire Valley of salt cured meat.

Tony, my local organic orchardist, at my village market. The apples in the basket on the right are an old unknown variety.

 

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.

Guided Visit to the Royal Citadel of Loches in the Loire Valley

Travellers these days are looking for the less visited sites and the more authentic experiences. It's not all about checking off those big well known sites that everybody has photos of. Thoughtful travellers seek out somewhere they've never even heard of, small, intimate but punching above its weight in terms of impact, richness of experience and memories. We have been advocating Loches as one such place for more than a decade now. Visitor numbers are low, and very few outside of France know about it. It can offer everything from great food experiences to intriguing medieval history, glorious views and romantic histories. If this is your sort of experience, then let us know and we will include Loches in your itinerary. You won't regret it.

The Logis Royal (Royal Apartments), Loches.

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.

A Prisoner in the Tower

It's not just us who've been confined to our homes in the Touraine Loire Valley. Over the centuries there have been plenty of people kept in varying states of restriction here.

Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, was held at Loches, as was Jean de Poitiers, the father of Diane.

Ludovico is an iconic figure of the Italian Renaissance, and a key player in the Italian Wars. He was accused of inciting Charles VIII to take the kingdom of Naples and even encouraged the invasion of his own duchy.

The Donjon (castle keep) on the Royal Citadel in Loches.

At the death of Charles VIII, his successor Louis XII continued the Italian Wars and pressed his claim to be the legitimate heir to the Duchy of Milan through his grandmother Valentina Visconti. Ludovico Sforza was taken prisoner by the French in April 1500 and sent to France. He died in the keep of the Royal Citadel of Loches in 1508 after four years of imprisonment there.

If you would like to visit this atmospheric and historic castle, just let us know. We will gladly include it in your tour as it is one of our favourites. 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.

Climate Change Presents an Unexpected Challenge in the Loire Valley

Climate change is having an effect on the Loire Valley, but it is not always in ways that you expect. Many Loire Valley chateaux (and indeed private homes) have remarkable collections of antique furniture. Curators are very used to controlling the temperature and relative humidity inside historic buildings to protect the collections of objects inside, and this is one of the aspects of chateau life that we talk about on our tours. Central heating needs to be very carefully managed in a historic building to ensure visitors are comfortable, but furniture and other organic objects don't dry out and crack. According to furniture restorers, underfloor heating is even worse. But recently the leading furniture workshop in the Loire Valley commented that they are seeing more and more beautiful and rare furniture that is being damaged by the effects of the increasing extremes of fluctuating temperatures and humidity which is a result of climate change. Veneers and marquetry are at most risk as the changes in ambient conditions cause lifting and buckling, sometimes of rare materials that are no longer readily available. The more complex and delicate the piece, the more different materials it is made of, the more at risk it is. The Boulle chest of drawers at Cheverny, for example, pictured below, will require very close monitoring, because its veneer is tortoise shell and brass -- two materials which react very differently to temperature and humidity changes. If you want to learn more about the challenges of managing an historic property, let us know and we will make sure to include some interesting examples in your tour.

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.

See Live Archaeology in the Loire Valley

At Loire Valley Time Travel we get very excited about archaeology. Luckily for us there is an annual dig in Loches, and we make sure we keep up to date with the discoveries. Loches is somewhere we highly recommend to travellers booking a tour with us that it is included in their itinerary. It is off the beaten track yet picturesque and full of fascinating medieval history. It also has some great restaurants and a lively farmers market. While the archaeology is in progress you can be sure we will include a stop to watch the work and discuss the most recent discoveries.

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.

Fairytale Chateaux in the Loire Valley

We hear the expression 'fairytale chateau' bandied about liberally in gushy touristic promotional literature, but in some cases the description is literal. At least two chateaux in the Loire Valley were the inspiration for two of the most famous fairy tales by Charles Perrault. It is well known that the Chateau of Ussé is associated with the story of Sleeping Beauty, but what is much less well known is that the chateau of Chaumont provided the backdrop for Cinderella. On our tours we specialise in the quirky and little known histories. Of course we give you some well known background, but our tours are always spiced up with intriguing tales that have mostly been forgotten by others.
 

Chateau de Chaumont sur Loire.

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.

Wildlife Spotting in the Loire Valley

The Loire Valley rich in wildlife but without a guide it isn't always very easy to see. Many species in the forest are shy and don't allow people too close. We love nature as much as we love history and food, so we are always happy to stop for a bit of wildlife spotting when there is an opportunity. For example, red squirrels are very secretive and most people never see them. It's impossible to get really close, but if we are lucky one of these adorable critters will pause long enough for a photo.

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.

Door Furniture in the Loire Valley

Many people collect door fittings, either physically or more commonly, by photographing them. These people love the Loire Valley because the range of splendid and unusual door knobs, hinges and knockers is just about endless. One of the most popular is the so-called 'Hand of Fatima' style, featuring a woman's hand. We will be sure to tell you the somewhat unsatisfactory history of this distinctive door knocker if we pass a suitable door while you are with us.

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.

Fields of Golden Sunflowers in the Loire Valley

Lots of clients tell us that one of their hopes for their day in the Loire Valley is to see fields of golden sunflowers. They've usually been told that July is the season for the glorious sunflower fields stretching to the horizon -- and we are happy to confirm that this is true.

Anyone who books for July is guaranteed a treat. The sunflowers will be out and proud!

If you want to see the sunflowers in all their glory, let us design a tour that meanders from chateau to chateau through sunlit yellow fields.

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. 

Joan of Arc in the City of Tours

Joan of Arc is a household name, and most people have a good idea of who she was and what she did. But they associate her with the City of Orleans, without realising that much of her story happened in Tours, Loches and Chinon -- all places that we do chauffeured or walking tours. Joan is a fascinating character, thoroughly deserving her international contemporary fame. We love to tell people some of the detail of her life and take them to places that she would still recognise.

The premises where Joan's armour was made.

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.

Australians in the Loire Valley

Well there is us at Loire Valley Time Travel, for a start! Susan and Simon both grew up in Australia. But at the Chateau of Cheverny they have some other resident Australians on the estate. They add a charming touch of exoticism to the beautiful grounds. The Black Swans floating serenely on the river at the bottom of the garden are native to Australia.

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.

Shop Where the Chefs Shop in the Loire Valley

Because we live locally we shop at our local markets. We are very lucky to live within striking distance not only of one of the best outdoor farmers markets in the area, but also have an organic market garden with a farm shop right on our doorstep. We are very pleased to report that we've seem Michelin starred chefs shopping there too. For a really authentic shopping experience, let us take you market shopping. Even if you are staying in a hotel and not self-catering, visiting local farmers markets is a real pleasure. We know all the stall holders and producers and would be delighted to introduce you.

Shopping at an organic market garden in the Loire Valley.

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.

Wartime Reminders in the Loire Valley

There are reminders of the Second World War all over the Loire Valley. The many forests made ideal hideouts for Resistance groups, and those in isolated farmhouses and small villages were often willing to help. There are graves and memorials all over the place, each one with a particular and moving story to tell. One such is in the middle of nowhere, and just looks like an empty field surrounded by forest. And it is, and that's why it was chosen as a parachute drop site. Nearby is the village where the local headmaster was a brave and resourceful Resistance fighter, who ultimately paid with his life. In the other direction, hidden deep in the forest, is the remains of a camp, where Resistance fighters lived in secret for months at a time. This simple memorial, and the sites it is linked to are remarkably evocative. If you are interested in visiting some of these forgotten places, let us know and we can design a tour for you, either chauffeured in one of our Citroens that date from this period or a 'follow the leader' style convoy where you drive your own car and follow us.

Lunching in a Village in the Loire Valley

Imagine coming around a corner to a view like this and finding out that the building on the right is where you will be having lunch, prepared by a keen young chef who has recently taken up the concession on the converted barn in this charming historic priory. He's worked in some big name restaurants and now he's ready to branch out for himself. The village is one of thousands in the Loire Valley, with similar precincts of old buildings, and similar restaurants that usually serve lunch only, using local seasonal ingredients. The Loire Valley is popular with up and coming young chefs because good produce is right at their doorstep, and real estate is affordable.

Why not spend your day like a French local, and eat in a restaurant inspired by local traditions, using the best local produce. We make sure we are always up to date on where the best lunch spots are. 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.

Masks Must Be Worn Inside the Loire Valley Chateaux

To help keep everyone safe it is a requirement of entry that you bring your own mask with you and you must wear it at all times when inside a historic chateaux. Masks are not provided at the door, but hand sanitizer is. You will also be reminded to keep your distance from other visitors. All the chateaux are limiting entry numbers to enable people to stay safe whilst Covid19 is still a threat. This can sometimes result in the disappointment of being turned away at busy times.

Visitors wearing masks inside Chenonceau.

Freelance guides are not always allowed to work inside the chateaux at present either. Because the current circumstances make it impossible to offer the level of service that our travellers have expected in the past, we have decided to take a break. We think that next year it will be clearer what can and can't be done on one of our personalised tours, and everyone will have become more used to the need for individuals to take public health seriously. Travellers will have had time to develop new good habits, and expectations will have shifted accordingly. We hope that you are planning your dream trip to France for next year or the year after and will turn to us for assistance in achieving 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.

Christmas at the Loire Valley Chateaux

Many of the Loire Valley chateaux are open throughout the winter and in December they put on the most extraordinary displays of Christmas decoration. Of course, the Chateau of Chenonceau is a particular master of this, with creative and unusual displays in every room. Their regular floral arrangements are stunning enough, but at Christmas time they really take it up a level. If you are wondering whether you should come during the winter, let us persuade you that it is a good decision.

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.

Striking a Chord in the Loire Valley

If you are musically inclined then one of the most remarkable artefacts on display in the Loire Valley is the house organ in the library at the Chateau of Candé. You've probably never heard of the Chateau of Candé, or its remarkable past occupants, so you might miss out on a real treat. We are happy to include this little known gem in one of our tours going to the west of Tours, so let us know if you are interested.

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.

Never Crowded in the Loire Valley

You would think that an amazing looking place like this would be a major heritage tourist attraction. But in fact it is always eerily quiet and empty. We have never encountered anyone else on the site when we've been there. We pass this impressive medieval priory often when we are touring with travellers. If you want somewhere safe and quiet where you can appreciate some little known history and architectural styles ranging from the medieval to the modern, let us know and we will include a stop here in your itinerary. And to make it even more enticing, there is a great new restaurant just been taken over by a talented young chef in the complex.

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.

Learn About Black Lives at the Chateau of Chenonceau

One of the most interesting displays at the Chateau of Chenonceau is also one of the most unexpected. During World War One the Chateau was a hospital, and it is clear from the photographic archive that black soldiers were treated here. We have also been told that black soldiers were also here during World War Two, and that the Chateau played a significant part in them gaining safe haven. We don't know their names usually, nor what happened to them afterwards, but there is a surprising and virtually unknown history of young African men passing through the Chateau in wartime. Their stories will be included in your tour of the Chateau of Chenonceau with us.

French and African soldiers in the hospital at Chenonceau. The nurse is a member of the Menier family, who still own the chateau today.

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.