The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
TEN WAYS TO SEE THE LOIRE
RIVER CRUISE Admire the Loire’s magnificent châteaux from the water on a relaxed cruise along the river itself. The 96-berth MS Loire Princesse sails from Nantes with a full-day châteaux excursion and a winetasting session in the cellars of Brissac castle. Croisi Europe (020 8328 1281; croisieurope.co.uk) offers a five-night The Loire Valley, a Royal Legacy cruise. From £1,487 full board, excluding travel. i Departs on selected dates between May and October £1,090 including three dinners and three picnics. Tailor-made departures between April and October
SELF-GUIDED WALK Explore the region’s forests, vineyards and riverside paths on a self-guided hotel-to-hotel walk, covering up to 12 miles per day along ancient tracks following the
Loire’s Vienne and Indre tributaries. The routes take in several châteaux and the abbey at Fontevraud. Inntravel (01653 617001; inntravel.co.uk) offers a seven-night, self-guided Châteaux & Vineyards walking itinerary. From
CHÂTEAU TOUR
The Loire features on Martin Randall Travel’s newly launched programme of cultural tours for 2023. The itinerary details have yet to be published but will cover visits to the region’s finest châteaux and gardens, including Blois, Chenonceau and Chambord in the company of an expert guide. Martin Randall Travel (020 8742 3355; martinrandall. com) offers a four-night Châteaux of the Loire tour. Price, travel and itinerary details to be confirmed. Departs September 9 2023
SELF-GUIDED CYCLE Sample some of the area’s top four- and five-star château hotels on a leisurely, self-guided cycling tour, with overnight stays at
Domaine de la Tortinière near Tours, Château de Rochecotte on a hillside overlooking the Loire and 19th-century Château de Verrières, near Saumur. Cycling for Softies (020 7471 7760; cycling-for-softies. co.uk) offers a three-night the Loire in Luxury cycling itinerary. From £1,265 half-board. Tailor-made departures between April and October
LUXURY BREAK
Base yourself at the riverside Hotel Le Choiseul in Amboise, an 18th-century town house with 32 rooms and swimming pool, next to the ramparts of the royal town’s 15th-century château. A 20-minute drive to Chenonceaux, this medieval market town makes an excellent base for exploring the region. Kirker (020 7593 1899; kirkerholidays.com) offers a three-night break at four-star Hotel Le Choiseul. From £779 including flights and car hire. Tailor-made departures
ON HORSEBACK
Confident riders can tour the region on horseback with riding specialist
In the Saddle, which provides small, escorted group itineraries from Saumur to Villandry or from Chambord to Amboise. You will clock up to four hours of riding per day, stopping at sights en route, and stay in privately owned, horse-friendly châteaux.
In the Saddle (01299 272997; inthesaddle.com) offers a six-night Châteaux of the Loire tour from £2,343 full-board, based on five or more riders. Excludes travel. Departs June 11, August 7, September 18 and 25, and October 2
Loire – Chateaux and Vineyards itinerary from £1,499 including train travel, transfers and five dinners. Departs July 5, August 16 and October 18
GUIDED WALK
Join a group of up to 18 for a sociable stay at the three-star Hotel Diderot in
Chinon on the north bank of the River Vienne. Guided daily walks of around four to six miles through vineyards SELF-CATERING and woodland combine with Bikes are provided for gentle sightseeing, adults and children at the including an excursion to detached, stone-built house the abbey at Fontevraud of La Belle Etoile in Avonles-Roches and the châteaux at Azay-leRideau near Chinon, and and Ussé. within a 12-mile drive of Ramblers Holidays (01707 Chinon and Azay-le-Rideau. 331133; ramblersholidays. Sleeping up to six in two co.uk) offers a seven-night bedrooms, plus additional
jSparkling day out: make the most of the Loire with wine tastings bunkbeds (recommended for children aged over 12 years), it has a shared pool, garden, badminton, table tennis and lots of local walks.
Brittany Ferries (0330 162 8757; brittany-ferries.co.uk) offers a seven-night stay at La Belle Etoile, from £1,203 for up to six people. Departs June 4, July 2, August 27 and September 16 2022
WINE TASTING
Combine your châteaux visiting with some wine tasting on a self-drive tour, including visits to 12 wineries on four private guided tours, encompassing sauvignon blanc, cabernet franc and chenin blanc vineyards with tastings and picnic lunches. Accommodation is in a selection of four- and five-star hotels with gastronomic restaurants, including the historic, 18th-century Hotel Anne d’Anjou, overlooking the Loire in Saumur.
Grape Escapes (01920 468666; grapeescapes.net) offers a seven-night Loire Valley tour from £1,995 including three lunches and four private full-day guided tours. Departs year-round
GUIDED CYCLING
The châteaux of Chenonceaux, Amboise and Chinon are among the highlights of a guided, hotel-to-hotel cycling trip in the Loire region, in a group size of 10 to 16 people, available through Explore. Covering distances of around 22-33 miles per day, the itinerary also includes the medieval town of Montrichard, the troglodyte village of Villaines-les-Rochers and the vineyards of Bourgueil. Explore (01252 240708; explore.co.uk) offers a seven-night Loire Valley Cycling itinerary from £1,190 including bike hire (e-bikes available at extra cost). Excludes travel. Departs August 20 and October 1
Sophie Butler
Prices are per person, B&B, including Channel crossing for a car and passengers, unless otherwise stated, and are subject to availability