France · Centre-Val de Loire

Loire Valley travel guide

Fairytale châteaux, riverside cycling and crisp white wine

Château de Chambord. Photo: Carsten Steger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1hflight from London

NTEnearest main airport

21° in Julwarmest month

4° in Jancoolest month

The Loire Valley is France's royal playground. Kings and courtiers built more than 300 châteaux along its river, from turreted fairytale castles to Renaissance palaces with formal gardens.

It's gentle, flat and very green, made for slow travel. Rent a bike, follow the river paths between castles and stop for a glass of Vouvray or Sancerre on the way.

Good forCastlesCyclingWineFamilies

Top things to do in Loire Valley

1
Château de Chenonceau
The château built across the river, with a gallery straddling the water.
2
Château de Chambord
The largest, with a double-helix staircase said to be inspired by Leonardo da Vinci.
3
Villandry gardens
Ornamental vegetable gardens laid out like embroidery.
4
Amboise
A royal château and Clos Lucé, the house where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years.
5
La Loire à Vélo
A flat, signposted cycle route along the river with bike hire in every town.
6
Wine tasting
Try Vouvray in its cave cellars, or Chinon reds near the château town.

Tours and tickets in Loire Valley

Where to stay in Loire Valley

Amboise
A pretty base with a château, good restaurants and easy cycling.
Tours
The biggest town, with trains and lots of hotels.
A château hotel
Several châteaux take guests for a night of real royal living.

Find a hotel in Loire Valley

Best time to visit Loire Valley

Best value: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. May to September, when the gardens bloom and all the châteaux are open. June is perfect for cycling.

Best valueBusy and pricierQuietAverage temperature in Loire Valley, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Getting there and around

About 1h from London to NTE, and flights from most UK airports.

Trains link Tours, Blois and Amboise, and in summer shuttle buses run to the big châteaux. A car or bike gives you the most freedom. From London, the train via Paris takes around 4 hours.

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