Unexciting landscapes, well - trodden tourist trail
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Where is the best place in France to get away from it all, to slip off for a few days (or a few weeks, or months), perhaps to your second (or third, or fourth) home?
With a country so rich in attractive regions, this could be regarded as a tough question, but the kings of the Valois dynasty in the late 15th and early 16th Centuries were in no doubt about their answer. They picked on the lower valley of the Loire, and in particular the stretch between Orleans and Tours, to site their out-of-town chateaux and hunting-lodges. Where they led the court naturally followed, and soon any ambitious aristocrat felt the need to have a prestigious pied-a-terre nearby from which to keep in touch with current intrigue and to curry favour with the king.
The reasons that attracted the Valois kings and their retinues to the Loire Valley - the desire to assert their authority over an area not long since liberated from the English, its agriculturally rich royal estates, its good hunting and relatively easy accessibility from Paris - have largely lost their relevance unless you happen to be a Parisian. But by a stroke of good fortune the upsurge of royal interest in the area coincided with a high point in the evolution of Renaissance architecture, and the result was the magnificent chateaux that tourists now trudge round in their thousands. For many, they are the main reason for visiting the Loire Valley today, together with the parks and gardens that surround them, and the historic riverside towns along the way.
By contrast, despite orchards and vineyards, and some wooded hills on the southern bank, the natural landscape is rather uninspiring. The Loire is not a particularly pretty river, or at least not in its lower, more frequented reaches. It is a remarkable river, the longest in France at over 1000km and mostly unencumbered by weirs or locks. For its final 700km or so the river forms a wide, oozing stream, for much of the year clogged by shifting sandbanks and flanked by stagnant backwaters, though liable to flood in spring. This tendency does, of course, account for the fertility of the surrounding alluvial plain, but has now been tamed by using dikes to raise the level of the road along the banks at vulnerable places. As one drives atop them, the adjacent country to the north, intensely farmed, has a neat but busy look. Some of the Loire's tributaries locally have more attractive valleys, but even they are scenically pleasant rather than spectacular.
Because I prefer wilder, more mountainous country, my visits to the Loire Valley over the years have tended to be brief, mostly one or two day stopovers on the journey south. My wife and I did spend a holiday there by accident some twenty-something years ago, when she was pregnant with our elder son, and too prone to morning sickness to relish the longer trip we had planned. We saw the sights, oohed at the chateaux and aahed at their gardens, but were not much tempted to go back for any length of time until some friends suggested it might be just within reach for the five-day short break to which their expiring Eurotunnel points entitled them. This is not the kind of proposition I have ever been known to resist.
Five days is not long enough, of course. Most guidebooks will tell you that you need at least a week, and preferably two, to "do" the Loire Valley properly. I did, however, find on my bookshelves a 1956 Michelin Guide that suggested a four-day tour that seems to have been edited out of subsequent editions. Although in the event we largely disregarded the detail, this gave us a framework of priorities and distances between the main attractions around which to plan our itinerary.
Our first decision was that we would avoid the main cities, as too big and bustling for what was intended as a relaxing break. Angers (old town, mediaeval castle and cathedral), Tours (old town and cathedral) and Orleans (cathedral - sorry if this seems repetitive, but there are some very fine cathedrals hereabouts) all boast sights well worth seeing, but not in a few days if you also want to see the rest of the region. There are, after all, numerous smaller towns with more than their fair share of character and historic monuments.
* Notable Towns*: ~
~ Amboise. A good place to start both alphabetically and historically, since it was here in the late 15th century that Louis XI and Charles VIII set the trend by enlarging and embellishing the ancient castle in the new Gothic-Renaissance style. In point of fact a lot of their work was subsequently undone by partial demolitions in the 17th century and during the revolution, but the core of the building still stands handsomely overlooking the narrow streets of the old town, with the French royal standard (gold fleur-de-lys on a blue ground) fluttering wistfully from its ramparts. There is an excellent street market to be found on the banks of the Loire on a Sunday morning.
~ Blois. Another superb royal chateau full of elaborate architectural detail and flamboyant flourishes (including a wonderfully ornate octagonal spiral staircase) dominates the town, which has an ancient and charming centre, but has grown rather rapidly and now sprawls unattractively along the north bank of the river to either side.
~ Chinon. Not on the Loire itself, but on the banks of its rather more attractive tributary the Vienne a few miles south-east of their confluence, amid vineyards and forest. Needless to say there's a massive great castle astride the hill in the middle of town, rather older and more ruinous than those of the found elsewhere in the area, but no less interesting.
~ Loches. Rather like Chinon, away from the Loire proper, in this case on the Indre, but none the worse for that. As with Chinon, the town and chateau are mainly mediaeval, but well-preserved and with later embellishments. A great place for ambling round the ramparts, looking down on the town, the river and the surrounding countryside.
~ Saumur. A busy town offering lots of interest. Like all self-respecting towns along the Loire, it has a chateau on a hill - less elegant than some, having taken a battering in the religious wars of the 17th century, but imposing enough when seen from across the river and now housing two museums. The French Cavalry School - a prestigious military academy - is also located at Saumur and has some fine buildings. There is another colourful and aromatic street market in the old town on a Saturday morning.
~ Beaugency and Langeais are also well spoken of in the guide books, but I do not know them personally.
So much for the towns. What about the many chateaux outside the towns?
Well, first a confession seems to be in order. I have not been inside any of them for the last twenty-something years, so I am relying on some fairly distant memories, for the interiors at least. There are two reasons for this: the first is lack of time to do the full visits with so much else to see; the second is that some are only open for guided visits at specific times. I like to look around such places at my own pace in my own way, lingering over things that interest me and skipping those that don't. Nothing is more irritating than having someone drone on at you while you do so, however informatively.
Of course, this recent neglect of the interiors doesn't mean I don't have views on the chateaux, and in some cases on their gardens:
* Chateaux *: ~
~ Azay-le-Rideau. Picture-book perfect petit chateau, in the characteristic white limestone with black slate roofing of the period, complete with turrets and moat - although these are for decoration rather than fortification - set in verdant grounds. It was built by a financier, Gilles Berthelot, who must have been mortified when it was appropriated by François I and given to one of his generals instead. Not always a smart move to put your money into masonry and mortar; something similar later happened to Fouquet when his palace at Vaux-le-Vicomte aroused the envy of Louis XIV.
~ Chambord. This was the one François I had built for his own occupation. Massive and ponderous, it squats squarely on a vast swathe of surrounding parkland, and one can see how it could easily accommodate the 440 rooms that it contains. Leonardo da Vinci, a guest at the king's court at the time (1518), is said to have had a hand in its design, and everyone speaks highly of its architecture, but my own view is that it lacks elegance, and it is definitely not one of my favourites.
~ Chaumont. By contrast, this is a favourite, proudly perched on a high hill overlooking the Loire (a tip - don't park at the bottom by the main entrance, but drive up to the back entrance behind the village sports ground; this will not only save you the uphill trudge, but afford you the best view of the chateau as you approach it). There is also a magnificent stable block, where favoured thoroughbreds enjoyed rather better living conditions than the servants, with electric light as early as 1906. Finally, Chaumont plays host each year to a garden festival (free entry at certain times to RHS members), this year featuring some highly original designs - for 'original' read stimulating, pretentious or bizarre according to taste; I found examples of all three.
~ Chenonceau. A lovely edifice, half-straddling the river Cher. I won't attempt to describe it in detail. You must have seen it photographed, as it is so often used to exemplify the architectural splendour of the region, or even of France as a whole. If you haven't, look below. It was built by Thomas Bohier, head of François I's Treasury Department until an audit caught him with his hands in the till (more shades of Berthelot and Fouquet). Confiscated by the crown, it eventually ended up housing Henri II's mistress, Diane of Poitiers, who was in turn ejected by the Queen, Catherine of Medici, after his death. However, it was Catherine who completed the building with the graceful structure over the bridge, so perhaps, unlike Diane, we at least should be grateful to her.
~ Cheverny. Built slightly after the Loire's heyday (early 17th century), Cheverny is classical, symmetrical and hard to fault, but to my mind has little charm. The interior is said to be sumptuous, but I never went inside. Sorry.
~ Villandry. An unexceptional chateau, but the gardens make visiting Villandry a must. The visitor is cunningly routed up through a wing of the house to a high terrace with majestic views along the Loire and back across the grounds. From there one descends through a series of terraces, parterres and pergolas, decorated with fountains and cascades, to water gardens, flower gardens and the ornamental kitchen garden, with its artistically arranged fruit and vegetables. My wife numbers this among her favourite gardens in the world, which is saying something. A pity that the snotty woman at the entrance took such pleasure in pointing out that entrance was only free to RHS members up till September 30th when we arrived there on October 1st.
~ Ussé (supposedly the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty), Beauregard, Brézé and Brissac are also all well-regarded but I missed them. I'll have to go back.
* Other gardens *: ~
~ La Chatonnière is a minor chateau near Azay which is not open to the public, but its nine flower gardens ("which encircle the castle like a necklace around a pretty woman's face" according to its leaflet) are. They have been laid out over the last few years and have yet to bed into the landscape. There is an element of pretentiousness to the naming of the jewels in this necklace (Intelligence, Elegance, Exuberance, etc.) but the setting is attractive and they're worth a visit, especially as entry is free to RHS members.
~ Parc Floral de la Source, at Olivet near Orleans. The source in question is that of the Loiret, and pink flamingos surround the spring from which it bubbles up to begin its short journey to join the Loire. This is another of my wife's favourites, especially in late summer when their magnificent collection of dahlias is in bloom. The roses are pretty special too, and there is much else besides. And - need I mention? - entry is free to RHS members.
Those, then, are a few of the better-known sights. Yes, it does demand at least a week, better still two, doesn't it? Silly to attempt to do it in a few days, especially as it takes most of the first day to drive down and most of the last day to drive back, assuming you cross Dover to Calais. Even from Caen or Cherbourg it is quite a drive though.
* How to get there *
We crossed by Eurotunnel, and drove down via Rouen, Alençon and Le Mans to meet the Loire north-west of Saumur. This route is about to become quicker as the autoroute between Rouen and Alençon is on the verge of opening. It is worth leaving the autoroute after Le Mans in any case though, and following the attractive valley of the Sarthe, in which Asnières-sur-Vègre is a particular little mediaeval gem.
Returning from Orleans, we followed the route up past Chartres (visit the cathedral there if you haven't already done so, to see some of the world's best stained glass windows), Dreux and Evreux back to Rouen, a rather featureless route scenically, but quite quick and you avoid getting stuck around Paris.
Ryanair fly from Stansted to Tours, in the heart of the chateau country, where you could hire a car or rely on public transport. Eurostar and TGV will also take you from London to Tours, Orleans or Angers easily within a day. Numerous operators do coach tours of the Loire.
* Where to stay *
This is France, so there are any number of places to stay - hotels, chambres d'hotes, gites, campsites and (no doubt) etc - at a wide range of prices, generally a bit cheaper than their equivalents in the UK. Since this is a well-established tourist area, they tend not to be cheap by French standards though. On our recent trip, we paid €98 (about £69) a night for a large double room with river view at the modern and rather characterless Loire Hotel on an island opposite Saumur (smaller without river view would have been €79m but then I wouldn't have been able to take the shot below), €65 at the characterful, secluded Moulin Fleuri at Veigné near Tours, and €75 at the well-situated Hotel le Rivage which backs onto the banks of the Loiret at Olivet.
Previously, we have had good value at the Hotel de l'Ecole at Pontlevoy, and wanted (but failed) to stay at the Cheval Blanc at Bléré, which looks welcoming and of which we have heard good reports. In the distant past, I have camped at good, inexpensive municipal sites at Chapelle St Mesmin near Orleans, at Bléré and at Varennes, but I don't know how they'd stand up to modern scrutiny.
Every town of substance in the area has a tourist office which will give you comprehensive details of accommodation available. Booking in advance is desirable - especially for Saturday nights when places are busy, and Sunday nights when they are so unbusy that many are closed - but not essential outside the main summer season.
* When to go *
Like most inland destinations, spring and autumn are the best time. The heat of high summer is made all the more uncomfortable by the crowds, and everything tends to be a touch more expensive. Having just come back from a few days that started coolly and mistily, but were warm enough to picnic at lunchtimes - and with the leaves just turning colour in mellow autumnal light - I rather think we hit on the best time.
* Eating and Drinking *
This is rich, fertile country in the heart of France, so most things not only grow here, but do so abundantly. Eating and drinking tends to be done equally abundantly. Regional specialities include river fish (of course), particularly sandre (pikeperch) and bar (bass). There are lots of pork-based charcuterie including rillons and rillettes, and quite a bit of game. The area also produces both cow and goat cheeses, but they are not particularly noteworthy.
Wines from the lower Loire include sparkling Saumur (a fraction of the price of Champagne, but I doubt many people could tell the difference in a blind tasting), Vouvray, and dry white Touraine Sauvignon. From further upriver come Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé.
We ate very well at the inexpensive Restaurant St Pierre in Saumur and at the Moulin Fleuri at Veigné, which was pricier but worth it, apart from the waitress's infuriating insistence on controlling the pouring of the wine while failing to replenish my glass. I suppose there must be worse crimes, though I find it hard to think of any offhand. Genocide, perhaps. Eating at Le Rivage was expensive and much less worth it; had our sons been with us they would have accused it of being "up itself" - definitely a worse crime than genocide in their book - but at least it was open on a Sunday night.
* Things to do *
You've spent all day exploring old towns, visiting chateaux and looking at gardens and you want other things to do as well? Personally, I'm not such a glutton for punishment. Assiduous readers of my reviews will know that I am keen on walking, and am not averse to taking a canoe out on the right river. The Loire is the wrong river, even though for the most part it is shown as easy going on my canoeing map of France. It is too wide, too sluggish, and has too little bankside scenery. The Indre, Cher or Sarthe would be better, I believe.
As for walking, this is mainly flat, sometimes pretty but often dull terrain. InnTravel do a short walking tour that takes you past some of the main chateaux with your luggage transported between stopovers, but having walked some of their route myself I have to say it's rather uninspiring. If you want to hike, seek hillier country further south or east. On the other hand, the Loire Valley is probably well-suited to a cycling tour, if you like that sort of thing.
The area's not very well equipped for family holidays, unless you have the sort of precocious youngsters who revel in stately homes, mediaeval churches and ancient towns.
So were they right, those Valois kings, to choose the Loire? One can certainly see their point of view, and the natural attractions of the region have been enormously enhanced by the relics they left behind them. The area is definitely worth a visit; it is accessible from the UK and there is much to admire. Indeed, one can't really know France without having seen it. But having come to know other parts of France over the years, I have to say that the Loire Valley is not really one of my favourites.
Interestingly, by the end of the 16th century the Loire Valley had fallen out of royal favour too. As a hotbed of French Protestantism, it was ravaged in the religious wars, after which Louis XIV and his successors brought the focus of court life back closer to Paris with the building of Versailles. Then came the revolution and the rest, as they say, is history.
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