More Than Just Winetasting

When you visit a winery with us you get to meet the winemaker and other winery staff who are totally committed to making the best wine they can. They are passionate about their craft and love to have visitors who are interested in all aspects of the winemaking business.

Christophe talking about cabernet franc.

For example, if you want a quick lesson on how to tell different grape varieties apart in the field, Christophe, one of the winemakers we visit regularly is very happy to oblige. Along the winery wall he has planted examples of the grape varieties he uses. As someone who is the 6th generation of his family to be winemaking, he is an expert in ampelography, as the science of classifying grape varieties is known, but he has the knack of teaching you a few simple principles to help you name the grapevines.

If you are interested in learning more about winemaking in the Loire Valley, email us and we will arrange to visit a small family run winery as part of your tour. Don't forget, any booking made for the first two weeks of September 2012 is 5% off.

Back to School Special

July and August have been busy busy busy, with the Loire Valley being the focus of many peoples' summer holiday. The new school year starts at the beginning of September, so from then all of the sights will be quieter and less crowded. This means that if you visit in September you will get a better view of some of the iconic attractions of France, the roads will be quieter, and the locals even more relaxed than usual.

This is good news for us, and also good news for anyone travelling with us - but it gets better!

Visit in late September and the
sunflowers may still be showing off.

To celebrate we are offering a 5% discount on all tours taken in the first two weeks of September 2012. Email us now to take advantage of this offer.

Garden Tours

If you are a gardener, Loire Valley Time Travel can design a tour that will satisfy your urge to spend time in gardens, with gardeners. Your guide/escort is a botanist and keen gardener who can point out unusual planting schemes or tell you the name of unfamiliar plants that take your eye.

Even after a hard winter the gardens at La Chatonniere
bounce back in the spring.

We like to speak with the owners or gardeners at the chateau so we can pass on their tips for how they approach working in the formal French style. At places like La Chatonniere, where the head gardener has 40 years experience of gardening in the Loire Valley, and made his name first at Villandry, there are many ideas for the private garden.

Whatever the season, the best Loire gardens have something to offer. If you are a gardener and would like to see the best of the gardens in 'the Garden of France', email us and we will design a tour that takes in gardens large and small, famous and off the beaten track.