Things to Do in Loire Valley

Inaugurated in 1900 and currently undergoing a thorough renovation and extension by the Stanton Williams architect group, the Musee des Beaux-Arts de Nantes (Nantes Museum of Fine Arts) is Nantes’ flagship art museum, celebrated for its large and varied collection of works, dating from the 12th to the 20th centuries.

Highlights of the vast permanent collection include works by Delacroix, Rousseau, Tintoretto, Perugino, Renoir, and Gauguin, among many others, with key pieces including Rubens’ The Triumph of Judas Maccabaeus, Delaunay’s David Triumphant and Chagall’s Le Cheval Rouge. A well-established series of temporary exhibits complement the main displays, with a greater focus on contemporary art, while late openings on Thursday evenings include music, dance and literature inspired events. 

Château de Chambord is perhaps the most iconic of the Loire Valley castles, with its multi-gabled roof, palatial grounds and opulent interior. The 15th-century castle, which took only 28 years to build and has had no additions in the ensuing centuries, receives well over half a million visitors a year. And unlike many of the castles in the region, it's possible to spend an entire day at Chambord; there are carriage rides, boat and bike rentals, walking trails through the forest and a full calendar of programs and exhibitions throughout the year.

Of course, that's not to take away from the château itself. From its double-helix staircases to the fantastic views from the rooftop and the interiors that represent several centuries worth of decorating, Château de Chambord is what one has in mind when thinking of the castles of the Loire Valley.

With its dramatic bridged moat, looming stone-brick watchtowers and gleaming white tufa, the Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne (Castle of the Dukes of Brittany) is a glorious amalgamation of a grand ducal palace and medieval military fortress, set at the crest of Nantes’ Old Town. This is Nantes’ most impressive historic site, originally built in the 15th-century by François II, the last Duke of Brittany, and it’s an impeccably restored Gothic-Renaissance residence, surrounded by 500-meter-long curtain walls and atmospherically illuminated at night.

Today, visitors can follow the sentry walkway around the castle’s 7 towers, affording impressive views over the city and the manicured lawns and moat below, then find a picnic spot below the walls or dine at the central courtyard restaurant. The extensively restored castle interiors now also house the Nantes History Museum, where a series of exhibitions explore the castle’s former importance, Nantes’ merchant history and colonial years, and the future of the modern city. 

Tucked away among the rolling vineyards of the Loire Valley in western France, the imposing French Renaissance château of Petit Thouars has been producing its award-winning wines since the 17th century. The winery is now run by the 11th generation of the same aristocratic family that has inhabited the château since 1634, these days growing Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc grapes on vines that were replanted in 1975.

Tours of Petit Thouars include guided walks through the vineyard and cellar, where the wines have been aged in oak casks in natural limestone caves for four centuries. The tasting room is in the former stable block for sampling the reds, whites and sparkling crémant, after which guests can book in advance to enjoy a pre-prepared picnic of local specialties among the vines, with a complementary bottle of wine chosen from the tasting session.

Alternatively, hour-long guided river trips take visitors out along the Vienne River on traditional wooden boats and also include wine dégustation and the sampling of regional delicacies. A small museum charts the history of the more colorful members of the ancient Petit Thouars clan and accommodation is available in a charming 19th-century farmhouse on the estate. A visit to the winery can be combined with tours of other famous châteaux of the Loire Valley, including the magical confections of Chenonceau, Chambord and Cheverny.

When approaching the moat entrance to Château de Chenonceau, it may seem at first like it is not that big. But the surprise is in what's behind it – a massive gallery that spans the Cher River. In fact, a bird's-eye view would confirm that the entire castle sits squarely in the river! This 16th-century castle was built on the foundation of an existing water mill and has a history of its chatelaines making their own mark on its interior, exterior and grounds – the largest contribution coming from Catherine de' Medici, who was also responsible for showing the first fireworks in France.

After being used as a hospital during World War I and part of Nazi-occupied France in World War II (and thus bombed), today the castle is beautifully restored and receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. These visitors enjoy not only a full tour of the interior, including the gallery over the river, but also the extensive gardens and a donkey park. At night during the summer months there is also a Night Walk through the beautifully lit grounds–a must for a romantic night out.

ZooParc de Beauval is France’s largest and most diverse zoological park, with over 6,000 animals of 600 different species under its roof. Animals are classified under seven families: herbivores (giraffes, zebras, rhinos), birds (cockatoos, sea eagles, vultures), reptiles (chameleons, turtles, snakes, tortoises), fishes (clown fishes, piranhas, seahorses), big cats (tigers, lions, pumas), primates (macaques, lemurs, capuchin monkeys), and aquatic mammals (sea lions, manatees). Some of the specimens housed by ZooParc de Beauval are endangered and are kept in captivity for breeding purposes; one of the zoo’s mission is to help visitors preserve the Earth’s biodiversity through a variety of tips and tools.

In addition to basins, greenhouses, and other habitats, ZooParc de Beauval offers many shows between March and September.

Zoo de la Flèche claims to be the oldest zoo in France and currently hosts over 1,200 animals from 130 species (including 25 endangered species), originating from five continents and spread over 15 hectares. More than just an entertainment, the zoo aims to protect the animals as well as sensitize and educate visitors to the 21st century challenges our natural environment faces. The zoo offers three different shows: “Marine World”, which features seals, “Lords of the Skies” and its prey birds, as well as the “Parrot Jungle” show.

The zoo is mostly famous for its five epic sleepover safari experiences with polar bears, arctic wolves, lemurs, white tigers, and grizzly bears.

Peering down over the Loire riverside from its hilltop perch and framed by the cobblestone lanes and half-timbered houses of Saumur’s atmospheric Old Town, the majestic Château de Saumur is among the most picturesque of the Loire Valley and its imposing silhouette is omnipresent. Built in the 14th-century for Louis I, the Duke of Anjou, the castle has served intermittently as a government residence, an army barracks, a prison and a munitions depot, but is now home to the Saumur Municipal Museum.

The château’s biggest selling point is its dramatic location and walking around the castle grounds, dotted with picnic benches and lookout points, offers unbeatable views over the city below. Inside, the museum’s exhibitions include an impressive array of ceramics and tapestries dating mostly from the Middle Ages, a varied collection of decorative art and a fascinating exhibition on Saumur’s equestrian heritage.

The multiple drum towers that make up the imposing façade of this massive chateau were once a part of an impressive fortress inhabited by the Romans in the 9th century. After some additional construction, Chateau d'Angers was used as an armory in the First and Second World Wars. Today it's been converted into an epic museum that houses the largest"”and oldest"”collection of medieval tapestries in the world. 

Visitors can venture past the castle's three-meter-thick walls and explore the 17 towers that stretch high into the sky surrounding the city of Angers. Covering an area of more than 220,000 square feet, the castle grounds offer tourists plenty to discover outdoors before venturing inside to check out the museum's galleries. 

Known as the longest river in France, the Loire winds past epic medieval castles, breathtaking French countryside and vast vineyards famous for their sparkling whites and bold reds. Travelers who float down this scenic stretch (which was officially recognized by UNESCO in 2000) will find diverse wildlife, temperate climates and a wide variety of plant and tree species along the idyllic shores. 

The river loops through 12 departments of France and streams past quiet towns and lively cities, making it an ideal route for visitors looking to explore the Loire Valley. History lovers architectural buffs will find more than 1,000 chateaux sprinkled along the river’s edge and nature enthusiasts can comb through the Foret d’Orleans, largest forest in France, which sits at the center of the Loire region. 

Devoted to the life and works of surrealist writer Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes in 1828, the Musée Jules Verne opened its doors on the 150th anniversary of his birth, and offers a fascinating insight into one of France’s most unique and imaginative literary figures. Housed in a 19th-century waterfront residence frequented by the author, the museum’s striking white façade today stands opposite the spectacular Marine Worlds Carousel, part of Nantes’ ambitious Verne-inspired Îles des Machines.

Inside the museum, an eclectic collection of Verne’s personal effects, hand-edited manuscripts and a recreation of the writer's drawing room offer a glimpse into the mind of the literary innovator, while interactive and multimedia displays, and replicas of his inventions serve to bring masterpieces like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in Eighty Days to life.

It may not be as famed a wine region as the rest of the Loire Valley, but the vineyards around Nantes still produce some of France’s finest Muscadet wines, and the unique Musee du Vignoble Nantais (Vineyard Museum) is the perfect introduction to the little-known wine region. 

Tucked away in Le Pallet at the heart of the Nantes vineyard region, the museum’s varied collection of artifacts include grape-picking baskets, corking machines, a Dujardin-Salleron ebulliometer, antique barrels and wine presses, and exhibits cover the history of the region’s wine production, the Muscadet grape and French wine culture. As well as learning all about the local terroir, visitors can climb onboard an original straddle tractor, stroll the surrounding vineyards or enjoy wine tasting.

This picturesque castle was once an impressive fortress known as Colobier back in the 17th century. And while the towering white façade definitely says “royalty” ties to the protective past are still apparent on a visit to Chateau de Villandry. 

Famous for its expansive Renaissance gardens, which include ornamental plants, water lilies and even a vegetable garden, the chateau attracts visitors from across the globe. Many argue that the geometric box hedges, reminiscent of a scene from Alice in Wonderland, and well-kept landscapes are some of the most beautiful in all of France. Perhaps that’s why this castle, which is recognized as a World Heritage Site, is one of the most visited in the country.

The Château de Cheverny is an excellent choice for those looking to spend a full day at one of the castles of the Loire Valley. With extensive grounds, a cafe on site and cars and boats for rent, there's plenty to do and see after touring the exquisite castle itself. The unique aspect of this castle is that its owners have always lived here, which makes it less of a museum and more of a peek into just how one does live in a castle!

Also of interest is the Tintin exhibition. The château was used in creating Tintin's Marlinspike Hall, and there is a fantastic collection of Tintin items that bring this world-famous comic to life in its not-so-fictional home!