Post by Owen on Aug 9, 2023 9:27:16 GMT
1 ~~~ Loire Valley: uncover the best of France’s increasingly exciting region
Find out what’s drawing new attention to this exceptionally scenic pocket of France – from where to stay and eat to what to do
The Loire Valley has long captured many travellers’ attention. A bounty of palatial châteaux (more than 300, in fact) sits at prime points of this verdant landscape stretching almost 300km from Orleans to Nantes in the Loire River basin. The Loire River and its winding tributaries course through great swathes of hundred-year-old vines, ancient forest, the Renaissance gardens that accompany this region’s castles, and picture-postcard towns and villages – many with their own château – dating back hundreds of years along these riverbanks and tucked amid the woodland and vineyards.
In this idyllic landscape known for its rich history, arts, gastronomy and wine, tradition now meets a wave of new energy that’s come into the region. Exciting new, both recently opened and forthcoming, hotels (including a future Six Senses hotel, which is to open as a part of Les Bordes Estate) pair the region’s unique heritage and landscape with contemporary style and top chefs, bringing on-trend culinary concepts to the table. Young winemakers are coming in with their reinterpretation of each appellation’s grapes, and the contemporary art scene thrives with art events happening throughout the year.
With this renewal comes a broader demographic of domestic and international travellers wanting to uncover what’s new to the exceptionally idyllic area. Reminders of the rich history that’s given this region the nickname of France’s Valley of Kings – like 2023 marking the 600th anniversary of the birth of King Louis XI – heighten the global attention being brought to the area. Read on to discover what to uncover in the beguiling region and where to find the most exciting places to eat and stay.
www.cntraveller.com/article/loire-valley-france?
18 June 2023
Find out what’s drawing new attention to this exceptionally scenic pocket of France – from where to stay and eat to what to do
The Loire Valley has long captured many travellers’ attention. A bounty of palatial châteaux (more than 300, in fact) sits at prime points of this verdant landscape stretching almost 300km from Orleans to Nantes in the Loire River basin. The Loire River and its winding tributaries course through great swathes of hundred-year-old vines, ancient forest, the Renaissance gardens that accompany this region’s castles, and picture-postcard towns and villages – many with their own château – dating back hundreds of years along these riverbanks and tucked amid the woodland and vineyards.
In this idyllic landscape known for its rich history, arts, gastronomy and wine, tradition now meets a wave of new energy that’s come into the region. Exciting new, both recently opened and forthcoming, hotels (including a future Six Senses hotel, which is to open as a part of Les Bordes Estate) pair the region’s unique heritage and landscape with contemporary style and top chefs, bringing on-trend culinary concepts to the table. Young winemakers are coming in with their reinterpretation of each appellation’s grapes, and the contemporary art scene thrives with art events happening throughout the year.
With this renewal comes a broader demographic of domestic and international travellers wanting to uncover what’s new to the exceptionally idyllic area. Reminders of the rich history that’s given this region the nickname of France’s Valley of Kings – like 2023 marking the 600th anniversary of the birth of King Louis XI – heighten the global attention being brought to the area. Read on to discover what to uncover in the beguiling region and where to find the most exciting places to eat and stay.
www.cntraveller.com/article/loire-valley-france?
18 June 2023