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Châteaux & VineyardsStroll between the Loire’s finest châteaux
West of Tours, the Loire and its many tributaries meander through the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Park, an area of vineyards, rolling farmland, hunting forests and limestone cliffs into which curious troglodytic dwellings have been carved. Crowning these picturesque landscapes are some of the Loire’s most splendid châteaux, from elegant Renaissance palaces such as that of Azay-le-Rideau to sturdy fortresses like that of Chinon. As the walking, accessible to all, is relaxed and leisurely, you have time to visit both these châteaux on this holiday, as well as the château at Ussé, the abbey at Fontevraud and other places of interest such as vineyards and mushroom caves (pay locally in all cases). Nights: 7
Starting point: Le Grand Monarque (3*), Azay-le-Rideau. Run by the friendly Monsieur Forest, this is an attractive hotel where you can sample dishes featuring local produce such as pike-perch and duck. Day 1: spend your day at Azay-le-Rideau visiting the splendid 16th-century château, one of the most important Renaissance buildings in France, and exploring the streets of this charming town. If you have time in the afternoon, it is worth strolling across farmland and through woodland to Goupillières, where a series of cave dwellings have been set up as they would have been when they were inhabited in the Middle Ages. (6.5km, 2hrs) Accommodation: Le Grand Monarque, as above. Day 2: from Azay you are taken by taxi to the start of the walk near a small château whose formal gardens are well worth a visit (pay locally). You then set out through open fields, orchards and the occasional vineyard. You walk alongside a poplar-lined small river for a kilometre or so, then join a levee, looking out for herons and other water birds. As you approach your destination you are rewarded with lovely views of Ussé's fairy-tale château. (15km, 4.5hrs) Accommodation: Le Clos d’Ussé (2*), Ussé. Though the rooms are rather simple, the welcome here from the Duchemin family is warm and genuine, and there is a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. Day 3: we recommend that you start the day by visiting Ussé’s beautifully furnished and very romantic château, thought to have been the inspiration for Perrault’s tale of Sleeping Beauty. Your walk begins with a gentle ascent away from the River Indre on which Ussé is located, after which you follow good tracks through the forest towards Chinon. The last section is along an ancient trail along the escarpment above the River Vienne that formed the main approach to Chinon in the Middle Ages and is dotted with troglodytic dwellings. (18km, 5hrs) Accommodation: Hotel le Chinon (3*), Chinon. This modern hotel, complete with a pool, is well located across the river from the main part of the town and enjoys excellent views of the château, spectacular when illuminated at night. Day 4: as on the previous day, we suggest you take time before leaving Chinon to visit the château, which is more fortress-like and therefore markedly different to the other châteaux along the route. From Chinon, you walk along the willow-lined banks of the River Vienne for a few kilometres, then cross rolling pastureland and woodland to Fontevraud. (14.5km, 5hrs) Accommodation: La Croix Blanche (2*), Fontevraud. A friendly former coaching inn close to the village’s famous abbey. Day 5: as the walk to Turquant is very short, you have plenty of time in the morning to visit Fontevraud’s magnificent abbey which houses the tombs of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart. Your route heads north across rolling countryside, with frequent views over the Loire Valley. At the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire, you pass through the charming village of Candes-St-Martin with its cobbled streets, limestone houses and fortified church, then cross a vine-covered plateau to your last hotel. (9km, 3hrs) Accommodation: Demeure de la Vignole (3*), Turquant. Lovingly converted from an 18th-century mansion by a cliff into which some rooms have been built, this is an unusual place to stay. There are fine views over the Loire Valley from the front of the hotel, and a terrace and garden in which to relax. Day 6: you can spend your last day in a variety of ways. You can walk to Montsoreau to visit the château overlooking the Loire and call in for tastings at some of the village’s wine producers; you can visit an extensive mushroom cave near Turquant; or you can choose to do more walking – a 9-kilometre walk leads through the vineyards. Accommodation: Demeure de la Vignole, as above. Walking chart: the chart gives the distance and an approximation of the ascents and descents involved each day. If comparing holidays, please note the scale of each chart as this can differ.
Recommendations for extra nights: Le Grand Monarque (Azay-le-Rideau) or Demeure de la Vignole (Turquant), where there is plenty to do. Take the Train and break your journey for a night in Paris on the way, staying at one of our favourite Parisian hotels. Read one traveller's experiences in her personal travel diary. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. You can also read our website travel diary for a personal account of the holiday. Similar holidays: Meanders of the Lot (grade 1), The Granite Coast of Brittany (grade 1), Catalan Castles & Coves (grade 1), Along the Catalan Coast (grade 1), Mountains & Villages of Mallorca (grades 1 & 2), Sunflowers & Abbeys (grade 1-2), Spain's Secret Sierra (grade 1-2), Hill-Top Towns of Tuscany (grade 1-2) Prices & travel 2008:
Recommended destination airports: Paris CDG & Tours Extra night prices
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Azay-le-Rideau's château
