5 Great Reasons to visit the Loire Valley

May 22, 2015

Although we have heard so much about it, the Loire Valley is a region in France, that we personally have not yet had a chance to explore. As a result, we've asked regional experts Bleu Vins, a specialist wine tour operator based in the Loire Valley to give us 5 enticing reasons to visit it. So without further ado here is their list:

1 – THE WINE:

The Loire Valley is a fantastic French wine region offering a large variety of wine tasting experiences and a large variety of wines (red, white, sweet wines and sparkling). This region alone could satisfy even fussy wine drinkers for life! And compared to some other regions in France it's also a real value.

2 – THE "FEW" CASTLES IN THE REGION:

Or should we say, the hundreds of chateaux, in all shapes and sizes, that stud the landscape of region! Indeed, the Loire Valley boasts the greatest array of chateaux in France, including the splendid Chambord, Chenonceau, Villandry, Azay le Rideaux, Amboise and Saumur, making it a dream destination for lovers of castles, palaces and mansions.

3 – THE RIVER:

The Loire, a legendary, UNESCO-listed river, offers fantastic wild landscapes for nature lovers.

4 – THE FINE FOOD:

The art of living is not a small thing in France, and this is especially true in the Loire Valley. The Loire Valley has always been a place where fine food and wine have been celebrated.

4 – THE LOCATION:

The Loire Valley is a very accessible region, being only about an hour and a half journey by train (TGV) from Paris. It's also a great stop-over for people heading on to explore more of France, to visit famous regions such as Mont Saint Michel, Bordeaux, or southern France.

5 – THE WINE, THE WINE AND THE WINE: Did we mention the wine yet? Ok we may be a little biased because we love to organize our trips around the topic of this wonderful liquid, but really, you will find fine wine all throughout the region. From the Muscadet near the city of Nantes on the Atlantic coast, to the regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé just southeast of the city of Orléans in north central France, and in between Anjou, Saumur, Bourgueil, Chinon, and Vouvray. There is wine that comes in a variety of styles to be enjoyed by everyone!

The Loire Valley is the land of the good life, fine food, history, architecture and of course lot's and lot's of wine.

For more information on the Loire Valley, particularly wine tasting tours and holidays, check out Bleu Vins’s website

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