Best things to do in Loire Valley

If its authentic French splendour you’re after, then look no further – the Loire Valley is jam-packed with castles, wines and rivers. Known as the garden of France and the cradle of kings, the area has a tumultuous past of royal wrangles between the French and English monarchies, and a history every bit as intricate and colourful as the mediaeval tapestry you’ll find inside the castle of Angers.

The Loire Valley stretches from Nantes in the west to Orléans in the east, with much of the region classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is named after the France’s longest river, the Loire, which snakes for more than 1,000 kilometres (612 miles) from south-east France all the up to the north west where it flows out into the Atlantic Ocean.

More than a hundred of the region’s 1,000 castles can be visited, promising turrets, moats and ramparts at every turn. The region has a genteel elegance to it – there reigns an atmosphere of calm and sophistication among the people, landscapes and even the climate. The Loire Valley is lush, harmonious and expansive, a far cry from the madding crowds of the capital and the coast. The population pride themselves on the purity of the French language and will happily tell visitors that this is the best place to hear and learn French as it should be spoken, devoid of dialect and unadulterated by accents.

A wonderful mix of culture, scenery and unpretentious wines makes it an excellent destination for the ultimate French experience.