Walk Through History
and the French Valley of the Kings!
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
Walk
Through History and the French Valley of the Kings!
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 and fine meals to enjoy, 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’ll adore
it too.
Our
route takes in the chateau 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 pass troglodyte caves, 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, while away from the rivers glorious
old forests abound..
7
nights/8 days - A fine provincial 2* Logis de France
hotel in Amboise, just a short walk from Clos de Luce,
Leonardo da Vinci’s last residence. A comfortable 2* Logis de
France hotel in Chenonceau with wonderful exposed beams and
a magnificent fire place in the dining room. The cuisine here is
famed for its quality. A well appointed riverside annexe of the
Chateau d’Artigny in Montbazon, one of the famous ‘Relais
et Chateaux’ group of hotels. You can even upgrade to a champagne
breakfast! The meals are outstanding. A 2* hotel set in a semi
pedestrian street in the heart of the charming village of Azay le
Rideau and just 50m from the elegant chateau. A 2* hotel with
the charm of a traditional house is where we stay just a few hundred
metres from the centre of Chinon. Whilst in Fontevraud
we stay at a guesthouse built from the white limestone of the Loire
Valley. The property has been owned by the same family since the
beginning of the 18th century. We end at a small lively 2* hotel on
the banks of the Loire, close to the old town and the chateau in Saumur.
An
upgrade to a rather special 3* hotel is possible in Chenonceau
at a supplement of 38 Euros per person/per night (half board in a double
room). The hotel is 150m from the chateau and has been patronised by
the rich and the great; Churchill, Rockefeller and Eleanor Roosevelt
to name just a few. Facilities include a swimming pool, a peaceful
garden and a superb restaurant.
Sherpa Notes
Waymarking
Several well-waymarked long distance trails (GR3, GR41, GR46) make
route finding straight forward.
Accommodation
and Meals Dinner, bed and breakfast 5 nights, bed and breakfast 2 nights.
A guesthouse, 2* and 3* hotels and 1 night is spent in the annexe of the Chateau d’Artigny.
Arrival RER/metro to Gare d’Austerlitz and train to Amboise.
