things to do
Loire Valley
Around the farm is ideal for exploration either on foot or with a bicycle (available for rental nearby). About two kilometres away is a golf course, pay as you play.
Montresor: riverside walks and lake sports
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Chenonceau: Catherine de Medici’s HQ
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Nearby at Perrusson is a horse riding school (one-to-one or group tuition – prices on request and English spoken) and lakes and rivers for fishing or swimming. Ten minutes away, the village of Montresor has a stunning lake offering facilities for many water sports.
Fifteen kilometres North is the Chateau of Chenonceau. Said to be the most beautiful chateau in France it is certainly the one about which the most poems are written. The intriguing Catherine de Medici invited Leonardo de Vinci to live out his last days under her patronage when the French King made the Chateau their marital home. Many other chateaux with equally fascinating stories are within easy driving.
Further afield, two castle towns are a pleasant drive worth making: Amboise is where Leonardo found the peace of mind to generate his last flourish of inventions; Blois is noteworthy for its enchanting museum of magic to honour its famous son, Houdini.
Amboise: France’s Windsor
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Blois: Museum of Houdini in the grounds
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A special trip we would recommend is to the 9 gardens of La Chatonniere which surround a small Renaisance castle between Tours and Chinon and offer spectacular views over the river Indre and the Foret de Chinon. They are on the list of gardens offering RHS members free entry during July and August (on production of a membership card).
For the wine lover the Loire valley offers reds and whites from Saumur, Vouvray, Chinon and Bourgeuil to the West, Pouilly and Sancerre to the East. Loche tourist office provides up-to-date information on wine tasting days at the nearby wine caves.
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