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LOIRE
The pageantry of a rich past is paraded the length and breadth of this muchvisited region in the shape of its splendid châteaux.
Gracing the banks of the Loire and its tributaries, each has its own unique charm reflecting the character and wealth of its creators from the fairytale turrets of Saumur and Usse to regal Chambord, Amboise and romantic Chenonceau. Ten acres of beautifully restored gardens can be found at Villandry. Many towns boast their own châteaux and museums housing rich Renaissance treasures Angers, Blois, Beaugency, Chinon, Langeais and Montreuil-Bellay among them. Notable cities include historic Tours, Chartres and Joan of Arc's Orléans. There are also small gems to be discovered Montrésor and medieval Loches. South of the latter, the rivers Indre and Creuse meander around the Parc Régional de la Brenne which shelters a diversity of wildlife; there is also the marshy Sologne, south-east of Blois, an ancient hunting ground complete with its very own clutch of châteaux. Worth a detour is the River Loire, which winds its way west through a rural landscape to its confluence with the Sarthe near Angers. Throughout this area limestone caves have doubled as houses and wine cellars, and many of these troglodyte dwellings can still be visited today. Second only to the châteaux in fame are the wines of the Loire. These range from the dry white Muscadets produced around Nantes through the Anjou roses of Angers. Saumur specialises in sparkling whites, Touraine comes from the central Loire and white Sancerres from its upper reaches. Throughout, wine museums and tasting opportunities abound.
main pic Chenonceau
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