MORE ABOUT THE LOIRE VALLEY
WEATHER
We are lucky in this part of the Loire Valley to be protected to the north and south by forests, which keep away much of the extremes of weather - rain and wind. So the climate is gentle - hot (but not too hot) and sunny in the summer and mild and dry in the winter. The landscape gets its lush green colour from the many rivers that criss-cross the land, and not from lots of rainfall.
The weather must be good, or the vines wouldn't flourish and produce such great wines! So, whilst we can't guarantee the weather during your holiday, we are confident that you will have an enjoyable time, whenever you visit.
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WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Yes, we have plenty of châteaux (after all, the area is famous for them). These days, a visit to a chateau isn't just for history and architecture; many have great interactive displays, activities or play areas to interest all ages. We have many chateaux within easy reach of our base, the world-famous – Chenonceu, Ussé, Villandry, Chinon, Azay le Rideau and Amboise – and the not so well-known, but equally fascinating - Saumur, Montsoreau, Langeais, Gizeux and Brézé.
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There are plenty of other interesting sights besides chateaux. These include the Abbey at Fontevraud, the troglodyte village near Azay le Rideau, the fascinating miniature village at Saumur and the beautiful village of Candes St Martin.
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The Loire valley is also rightly renowned for its gastronomy – especially the wines. From our base in Bourgueil, no visit is without at least part of the day spent passing through the vines. This also means plenty of opportunities to visit local wine-producers. We can point out our favourites - St Nicolas de Bourgueil, Chinon, Saumur Champigny and Vouvray - or leave you to search out your own.
If wine isn't your thing (or even if it is!) there are plenty of other opportunities to sample local specialties - goats cheese, pommes tapées, locally-grown mushrooms, the Combier distillery and of course the delicious Galette Bourgueilloise.
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You might want to try out some sporting activities during your stay. If so, we have plenty of choice from the relatively gentle to the most extreme. As a few examples, we can arrange for you to kayak , enjoy a horse ride through the local countryside, take an historic Segway tour, or get the adreneline really flowing at a forest adventure park. Other options include walking, ice skating, swimming and disc golf.