A Gardener's Delight in the Loire Valley

This photo was taken in May in a small village between the town of Loches and the most famous of the Loire chateau, Chenonceau. Chédigny is most famous for its roses and has a very popular rose festival, but the wisterias and lilacs peak before the roses have really got underway. We visit the village so often with our cars that we are treated almost as residents, which means we can drive along the road shown in the photo, something most visitors do not get the chance to do.

Chédigny can be visited as part of our Loches-Chenonceau tour (the first tour on this page). Email us or contact us using our contact form to book a tour that takes you places many other people never get to see.

Have you Tried Rillettes de Tours?

Ask anyone who grew up in the Touraine what their favourite local dish is and they will say rillettes de Tours (pulled pork terrine). Everyone was delighted that this regional delicacy was awarded Indication Geographique Protegee certification a few years ago. This means the authentic dish can only be made within a certain geographic area around Tours.

It is made from pork cooked slowly for many hours which is then pulled into strands by hand, mixed with simple seasonings and local Vouvray white wine then pressed into a terrine, all according to an age old recipe. Sometimes it is served scooped from a large terrine, sometimes it comes in little round pots. Real gourmands, like Balzac, who affectionately dubbed it 'brown jam', eat it with a spoon straight from the pot, although in restaurants it will be served with toast.  An average of 300 tonnes are made annually by the 20 local certified artisanal producers. With the certification guaranteeing quality and authenticity, the producers are confidently expecting sales to increase in the future.

If you think this sounds delicious (it's a great alternative if you don't like liver patés) and would like to sample some yourself, please email us and we will design a day that includes gourmet treats.

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.

See the Sunflowers in the Loire Valley

Lots of clients tell us that one of their hopes for their day in the Loire Valley is to see fields of golden sunflowers. They've usually been told that July is the season for the glorious sunflower fields stretching to the horizon. This is true, but not for the first week of July, and occasionally we get someone who has booked just that little bit early, only to be disappointed. It's sad.

Célestine by a field of sunflowers.

But anyone who books for the last 3 weeks of July or the first week of August is guaranteed a treat. The sunflowers will be out and proud!

If you want to see the sunflowers in all their glory, let us design a tour that meanders from chateau to chateau through sunlit yellow fields.

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.