Sunday, 17 December 2023

Industrial Heritage in the Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is not just all about Renaissance chateaux, although no doubt that's what most visitors come for. There is a surprising amount of 19th century industrial heritage too though, which is well worth making a short stop along your route to see. And that is exactly what we do on our tours. A good example are the éoliennes Bollée, wind turbines for pumping water, which you will get to see if we pass one of the survivors. Very steam punk!

Eolienne Bollée wind turbine, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.


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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. 

Sunday, 10 December 2023

The Chateau is Full

We advise clients to buy their tickets online for the Chateau of Chenonceau no later than 4 days before they plan to visit, whether they are going to be accompanied by us or going independently. The chateau is very strict about visitor entry time slots during days of high visitor numbers. These include all the May long weekends, which are usually the busiest days of all during the year, and of course, the summer school holidays, in July and August. During these periods the "chateau is full" signs will often go out by lunchtime. If you turn up wanting to visit you will be allowed in to the grounds, for a reduced price, but not inside the already packed chateau. 

Chateau de Chenonceau full sign, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
 

If you are buying tickets online, only do so from the official site [link], as anywhere else can only sell you a voucher, with no time attached. This gains you nothing, as you still have to call in to the ticket office to exchange your voucher and be allocated a time slot. You could easily miss out on your preferred timeslot, or not get one at all.

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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. 

Sunday, 3 December 2023

A Review From Donna

Many thanks to Donna, who took the time to write a glowing review of her 3 hour walkin tour of Loches. She and her husband Jack, from the United States, visited the Loire Valley in May 2023.

Donjon de Loches, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.

"Wow, we LOVED our half-day in Loches and could have spent an entire day with Susan and still not seen it all. We climbed a lot of stairs to the top of the donjon, and learned not only about life in a 12th century castle but also 15th century hunting lodges and love stories and more."

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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.