Walking Tours in france
Loire Valley Vineyard Trails
* Rolling French Walking Through Famous Loire Wine Estates
* Contrasting Ambiance of the Loire, Vienne, Cher and Indre Rivers and their Chateaux
* Interesting Range of Accommodation
The Loire, France’s longest river, glides peacefully between the grand chateaux and vineyards that line its banks. This is the historic heart of France, its Valley of the Kings. There are so many chateaux and historic sites to visit, so many wines to enjoy and fine meals to partake of, that, of necessity, the pace of our walks is leisurely, like the gentle undulating terrain that is as easy on the legs as on the eyes. The novelist Balzac said he loved Touraine as an artist loves art, and we are sure that you will love it too.
Our route takes in the chateaux at Amboise, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his twilight years, Chenonceau where the castle spans the river Cher, and Azay le Rideau, so delicate it was surely not built for war. At Fontevraud Abbey you can visit the tomb of Richard the Lionheart. On the way, is the fortress of Chinon and the medieval town beneath it. As a break from visiting Chateaux, you can visit the troglodyte caves, or explore the vineyards and taste the wines of Touraine, Chinon and Saumur or visit the Gardens of Love at Villandry.
The walks in the valleys of the Indre, the Cher and the Vienne are as gloriously peaceful and rewarding as the man-made attractions of the Loire valley.
The terrain is gentle, altitude ranging from 150 feet in the river valleys to 400 feet on the intervening plateaus. This is one of the more northerly wine producing areas in France so the best vineyards are on south facing slopes. Elsewhere the soft chalky rock has been excavated for wine caves or troglodyte dwellings. Along the river banks are water meadows shaded with willows and poplars and away from the rivers glorious old forests abound.
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