The Loire Valley is one of France’s popular touring destinations and is known for its great natural beauty and rich cultural heritage which can be traced for over 2,000 years. The lower and central parts of the valley are called the ‘Jardin de France’, as it is a beautiful area which is comprised of a variety of picturesque landscapes including rich farmland and the manicured parks and gardens of the many chateaux. Along this ancient river, which has been one of the region’s main transport and trade links for hundreds of years, are located several historic towns and villages which are surrounded by gently undulating, forest and vineyard clad hills. The settlements along the Loire thrived on the trade that the river brought to their shores and now reflect the history, culture and wealth which has helped to create the beautiful old town centres such as those of Blois, Chinon, Angers and Tours. The area provides an extensive range of attractions from the narrow streets and half-timbered houses of the old medieval town centres to the numerous grand chateaux, cathedrals and royal abbeys, and from the rolling vine covered hills and ideal touring countryside to the plentiful quality wines and cheeses that the region is known for.
The Loire River is the longest river in France and winds its way for over a thousand kilometres from its source in the mountains of the Massif Central to the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic. Although much of the area the river passes through is formed of beautiful landscapes, it is the areas of the lower and central Loire River and its tributaries, which is generally of more interest to visitors. This area is particularly well known for its great natural beauty, its medieval castles and over 300 elegant Renaissance-styled chateaux and their beautiful landscaped gardens. The valley between Sully sur Loire and Chalonnes sur Loire has been declared a U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage Site due to ‘the areas outstanding cultural landscape of great beauty, containing historic towns and villages, great architectural monuments and cultivated lands formed by many centuries of interaction between their population and the physical environment’.
|