Hardly Anybody Visits the Loire Valley

Maybe you don't believe me that hardly anybody visits the Loire Valley -- after all, there are all these famous chateaux. But it's true. The figures show that the Loire Valley only gets a third of the visitors that Provence gets, and half that of Normandy. If you are interested in travelling responsibly and safely, then we would recommend the Loire Valley. There are lots of activities to do outdoors, only a couple of chateaux receive uncomfortable numbers of visitors, and even then it's only on a few days of the year. Restaurants have lovely outdoor terraces and there are charming picnic spots. It means that you can enjoy your vacation without having to constantly worry that you are putting your health at risk.

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.

Living With Less Choice in the Loire Valley

Restaurants are open again, after their enforced closure during the Covid19 crisis in France. But they are having to manage with some necessary public health restrictions. This means the tables are further apart, which means fewer diners at each service. There is no tradition of double services here for either lunch or dinner, so nobody is rushed out the door so the table can be set again. Restaurants here must manage in other ways. One way they are doing this is reducing waste by no longer offering a la carte, but only offering set menus, usually daily changing to take advantage of seasonal ingredients. For French diners, this is perfectly acceptable as they are used to it. Many workers restaurants already do this for their good value traditional lunches, and there is already a strong existing culture of anti-wastage in the hospitality industry here. But now Michelin starred gastronomic restaurants are joining the trend too. For travellers it can be a really authentic experience to do as the French do every day, and trust the chef to serve them what is good on the day. It saves time, food waste and the risk of multi-page menus that are handled by dozens of people. Now the waiter can just tell you what is being served today and you get to enjoy truly local seasonal food just like a French person does. (And don't worry -- if you really don't like something, or have allergies, the chef will suggest something else for you.)

Pork main course at a small gastronomic restaurant that we use often.

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.

Take a Private Tour in the Loire Valley

The travel industry is predicting that tourism is going to be increasingly based on small group private tours. Luckily for us, that's what we've always specialised in, so we know all the great places that small private groups can go. Naturally we will visit the renowned chateaux that you've all heard of, but we will equally focus on small unknown sites. They are just as full of history, just as photogenic, but it's a chance to visit somewhere quiet, where you can relax and explore at your own pace.

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.