🏰 The Valley of the Kings: An Open-Air Museum

Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the valley is home to architectural gems that seem to emerge from the waters or the forest.

• Chambord: The dream of Francis I, a stone colossus with its double helix staircase (attributed to Leonardo da Vinci) and its hundreds of sculpted fireplaces.

• Chenonceau: The "Ladies' Castle", elegantly perched above the Cher, whose graceful silhouette is reflected in the water amidst perfectly designed gardens.

• Azay-le-Rideau: A faceted diamond set on an island, an embodiment of the refinement of the Early French Renaissance.

🚲 Cycling the Loire: The Art of Touring

What could be more poetic than cycling along the riverbanks?

• Cultural Landscapes: Between ephemeral sandbanks and wild islands, the Loire offers a changing natural spectacle, a refuge for many migratory birds.

• Cities of Art and History: From the majestic cathedral of Orléans , in the footsteps of Joan of Arc, to the medieval streets of Tours and the gentle way of life in Blois .

🍷 Royal Flavors and Gardens of France

The Centre-Val de Loire region is also a land of great finesse and nourishment.

• The Gardens of Villandry: The most beautiful vegetable gardens in the world, where vegetables and flowers create colorful patterns.

• The Terroir: Enjoy a glass of Chinon , Sancerre or Vouvray , accompanied by a Crottin de Chavignol or a rillette from Tours.

• Clos Lucé: In Amboise, visit the last home of Leonardo da Vinci, where the spirit of the genius still hovers over the visionary machines displayed in the park.

"In the Loire Valley, the stone is white, the water is lively, and the mind escapes into the great history of France."