Historical Costume in the Loire Valley

Many chateaux have permanent or temporary and changing costume displays, either original pieces like Ussé, or reproduction like Loches. It is always a great insight into how people lived in the past to see how what they wore functioned so we always make sure to talk about costume in our tours.

Our client Michelle, from Hawaii, eyeing a codpiece askance, at the Chateau Royal d'Amboise. And yes, codpieces are exactly what you think they are...

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel. 

The Loire Valley Weather

The Loire River is big enough to create its own weather. It sucks in moist air from the Atlantic so the sky is often grey. But the grey skies are what gives the vineyards just the right conditions for growing chenin blanc grapes. The Loire sparkling wines made from this special variety can rival champagne, for a quarter of the price. So don't bemoan the weather if your stay in the Loire Valley is not brilliant sunshine and blue skies. Remember that a bit of grey is good for the vines, and for the goats producing the famous local cheese that you can pair with the wine (the goats produce more milk in cooler weather, so that's more cheese for you...). Likewise, the soft creamy limestone buildings with their slate roofs seem to sit better in a landscape under cloud cover. Book a tour with us and come and see for yourself how cool clouds over the Loire Valley UNESCO World Heritage area can be.

Overlooking the Loire River from the Chateau Royal d'Amboise.

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel. 

Dead as a Door Nail in Amboise

Amboise is very much the tourist hub of the Touraine Loire Valley, but off peak you would struggle to believe it. This photo was taken at 10 o'clock in the morning on 7 March 2023. In summer this scene would be transformed by a heaving mass of people. So maybe think about visiting from October to April and avoid the crowds. Email us if you have questions about what you can see at this time of year. And if you book a tour with us we'll explain where the phrase 'dead as a door nail' comes from...

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel. 

Re-enactor Rushing to Work at Amboise

We quite often encounter re-enactors at the Chateau of Amboise. This one was obviously in a rush to get to work in the morning. Ask us to include Amboise in your tour if you would like to chat to these talented characters dedicated to bringing history alive.

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For details of our private guided tours of chateaux, gardens, wineries, markets and more please visit the Loire Valley Time Travel website. We would be delighted to design a tour for you.

We are also on Instagram, so check us out to see a regularly updated selection of our very best photos. You may also like to check out our YouTube channel.