Page 120 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - France

118 BACK ROADS FRANCE

Valley of the Kings

The valleys of the Loire and its tributaries can seem like
a special reserve of French delights. France’s kings and
nobles came to hunt here, and then made the valley
their foremost pleasure garden, lining it with palace-
châteaux of stunning opulence. Royal extravagance is
not the Loire’s only attrac tion, though, for as well as the
grand châteaux there are also ravishingly pretty villages,
old stone manors and characterful medieval towns. In
the north of the main Loire Valley is the Loir, a much
more intimate, snug green valley of 1,000-year-old
churches, cave villages and irresistible panoramas.
Wines and fine foods also have an equal place among
the Loire’s great pleasures.

Tresson
Le Grand- SARTHE
Écommoy Lucé
F o r ê t d e B e r c é
Poncé
Pontvallain Mayet
La Chartre-
sur-le-Loir
Couture-
Luché-Pringé sur-Loir
Vaas Château-du-Loir
LE LUDE Loir Neuvy-
St-Paterne- le-Roi
Racan
Neuillé-
Pont-Pierre
Top Stately château of Montpoupon, see p124 Above Gardens in the MAINE- Château-la-
pretty Place du Château in bloom, with the château of Blois in the ET- Noyant Vallière
background, see p126
LOIRE
Breil INDRE-ET -
ACTIVITIES Parçay- Rillé LOIRE
les-Pins
Cléré- Tours
Learn the intricacies of the medieval mind from the les-Pins
Vernantes Gizeux
exquisite stained-glass windows of Chartres Cathedral
Langeais
Tap into Proust’s childhood memories in his bedroom
Marcé
at Illiers-Combray Restigné AZAY- Monts
BOURGUEIL LE-RIDEAU
Spend a night as a cave-dweller in the Loir Valley Loire Forêt de
Chinon Saché Sorigny
Compare appellations contrôlées on a tour of the
Avoine
vineyards around Bourgueil and Chinon Villeperdue
CHINON
Le Devinière
Walk through lush green woods beside the sparkling St-Gilles
Indrois river from Montrésor
Get a taste of regal living at one of the Loire’s Vienne
sumptuous château hotels 0 kilometres 15
Explore the great estates on a cycle ride around 0 miles 15
Chambord and Cheverny