A Review from Jonathan

Jonathan and his lively family, from the USA and the UK, did a three hour tour of Chenonceau with me, followed by a visit to a winery in October 2022.

Our family had a fantastic afternoon with Susan, touring the beautiful grounds and chateau at Chenonceau. Susan's command of the local history and narratives is exceptional, and she did a wonderful job weaving in facts and context that we otherwise would never have appreciated. She managed to keep everyone, including our young daughters, engaged and did a good job of pacing the visit to accomodate the varied attention spans. To top it off, she had great recommendations for local attractions and food!

The Holly and the Ivy in the Loire Valley Forests

The Loire Valley is about 50% forest and some of it has been there for over a thousand years. It provides extensive areas for hiking and riding, and high grade hardwood timber for , and wine barrels and projects such as the reconstruction of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris. Many of the trees are deciduous, including oak, chestnut and beech, but a few are evergreen. Holly and ivy are both abundant and are important contributors to the microclimate, with their ability to protect small creatures from bad weather in the winter.

If you love nature, ask us to include a walk in the forest as part of your itinerary. In the autumn we can forage for fungi and at any time of year we can pay our respects to the World War II Resistance fighters whose graves we might encounter deep in the forest.

Autumn is Wild Fungi Season in the Loire Valley

If you visit a market with us in the autumn one of the seasonal treats you will see is several species of wild harvested mushrooms for sale, usually around €25 a kilo. They will include the world famous ceps (aka porcini), girolles and chanterelles as well as some you may not be familiar with, such as trompettes de la mort. The most prized species of all for many French people is the chanterelle grise. None of these mushrooms can be cultivated, so they are wild seasonal treats. All the local chefs will be at the markets making sure they have a supply for seasonal dishes like risottos, soups and sauces.

Wild harvested Trumpet Chanterelles from Saumur at Loches market.

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. If you would like an idea of how your tour might look and sound, please check out our YouTube channel.

The Key to a Great Visit in the Loire Valley

If you visit the Donjon of Loches with us late in the day, you may experience the fun of helping the docent lock up, with these fabulous keys from the 17th and 19th centuries. Be prepared to climb lots of stairs though! 

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. If you would like an idea of how your tour might look and sound, please check out our YouTube channel.