Loire Valley France
We were lucky enough on our way to Paris to have a stop in the Loire valley for a couple of days. I was interested in seeing the area after hearing lots about it and the beautiful châteaux’s in the area.
My husband found the cutest little house for us to rent with my mother and sister on the home away website. The property was a peaceful haven, surrounded by trees next to a river walking distance from one of the most beautiful little villages called Montrésor. The house was so private that it is hard to believe you were close to a village.
We found this area a great base for driving around and exploring the countryside. I now realise we could have had a few extra days in this area as there was so much to do and it would have been nice to have a few days relaxing on the property it was so charming.
If you’re a couple you can really make the most of the romantic countryside by visiting the châteaux’s and restaurants. If like us, you have children you will still find plenty to do it will just be a bit different (still fun but not as romantic).
Chemillé-sur-Indrois
The first day we walked through the countryside from our house in Montrésor to a village called Chemillé-sur-Indrois about a 40-minute walk or a short drive.
It was an easy flat walk and you could do it on bikes too if you had them. Hiring bikes is very popular in the area and you will see bike paths and signs with routes all over the place. We found a lake and a big playground (well big for France) that the children had fun playing on and exploring. They had all sorts of activities on the lake and if the weather is warm you can even swim in the lake. There is an adventure parc also called Clic Lac that will keep older children busy for hours.
https://cliclacaventure.fr/en/
Montrésor
The next day we went for a walk in Montrésor and saw the famous château on the hill.
http://www.chateaudemontresor.fr
At night Montrésor was lit up with stunning lights and music for the summer event ‘Nuits Solaires’ which runs in July and August from 10pm. It’s a gentle walk around the village at night and very pretty with all the lights. It is a free event- http://www.montresorseraconte.com
Although it was lovely to walk around this village, apart from its charm there isn’t much else to the village. It has a Boulangerie (bakery), a Tabac (newsagent and cigarette seller), a supermarket and a few restaurants and bars. The Office de Tourisme in the village is a great size and they were very helpful in giving us information and things to do in the area with children. I would highly recommend going there initially to get your information and decide what you want to do.
We had dinner one night in Montrésor and decided on the crepes restaurant called Barapom. It was great food, atmosphere and not expensive. It was a busy restaurant and we were lucky to find a table, as we didn’t have a booking. It was the perfect place to eat with children.
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g1569445-d12899918-Reviews-Barapom-Montresor_Loire_Valley_Centre_Val_de_Loire.html
Eating Out
We found eating out in this area of the Loire a little tricky at times, as you need to make reservations at a lot of places especially for the good ones.
Most places are closed Sunday night or Monday but we found some were even closed Tuesday and Wednesday nights too. We had to look at the hours all the time as we drove to a few places after we couldn’t get through on the phone to find them closed!
Most restaurants serve lunch from 12-2pm and dinner from 7- 9pm but some finished serving as early at 8.30pm. Surprisingly, they aren’t afraid to turn you away and say sorry we are full or not serving even if they obviously have space and time to serve us. We often laughed about this in amazement as it happens a bit in Europe, this would never happen in Australia. Why would you turn away business?
We needed to be a little more prepared with eating out, as we like to eat late in Europe and find places without a booking but found this difficult in the smaller villages or countryside. If you love food and eating out (like us) then you need to get organised, do your research and book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Visit a Château
We decided to visit just one château with the children while in this area of France. We may have been keen to see more if we didn’t have the children, but thought more than one would be a little boring for them. We choose the Château de Chenonceau as I had heard it was nice and not too touristy. The château and gardens were beautiful. There were numerous gardens to explore including a maze and a large flower garden. They also had a few donkeys for the children to see.
You have a few restaurants to choose from if you want to eat at the château. We chose the casual option with the children; it was fine for a snack or lunch. In the summer they do special events, evening dinners and night walks through the gardens with music. We went during the day and it was very pretty but I can imagine at night all lit up it would be absolutely magical. Make sure you take mosquito spray as it’s on the water and you will need it. You can take a boat from nearby villages and see the château from the water too.
https://www.chenonceau.com/en/
There are so many other châteaux to visit in the area; these are two popular ones in Chambord and Amboise. They may be a little busier at times.
https://www.chambord.org/en/
http://www.chateau-amboise.com
Eat out in one of the villages
Loches
Loches has a unique heritage and a 1000 years of history you will discover in the village. You can get lost in the royal city looking at the many shops, stopping for an aperitif or a meal.
We had dinner one night in Loches, the food was just above average but it was the ambiance that won us over. Eating outside, watching the people walk by in the summer months when it is still daylight is pretty special no matter what kind of food is served.
Amboise
We spent the afternoon in Amboise, a charming little village although a bit touristy. We took the petit train around to see the main attractions and its connections to Leonardo de Vinci. You can find some nice cafes and restaurants in this village and enjoy some people watching. Or you can visit the famous château or the attractions about Leonardo de Vinci.
Donkey Riding
My favourite day in this area was spent walking with the children and a donkey through the beautiful Loire countryside. It was a such a lovely experience and one we will all remember for years to come.
The donkeys have a special saddle that makes it suitable for young children no more than 40kg to ride on their back. Adults and older children can lead the donkeys.
There are a few different walks and itinerary’s to choose from no matter what your levels or fitness. With the children, we opted for the 2-hour beginner walk, through the countryside, forest, and little villages. The donkeys start walking slowly but increase their speed up to 4 to 5 km an hour. All up the walk was about 6.5km and fine with our 2 and 4-year-old children and my pregnant self. They provided us with a backpack to carry our little one in when she wasn’t on the donkey and stopped for snacks along the way to break the trip up.
There was something so peaceful about the afternoon and we loved every minute of it. Bookings are essential and you can choose from morning or afternoon walks. They have 10 donkeys all with their own character and the owner Cathia will help you with the whole experience. She is full of life, so warm and welcoming. She is a busy lady as she works helping people with disabilities and learning problems with donkey therapy. She told us about the benefits of animal therapy (donkey therapy) and how she has seen it change so many peoples lives for the better. Cathia also runs a bed and breakfast on the property and they offer packages for the donkey walks.
I highly recommend this experience with the donkeys; the children loved it and still talk about it.
https://www.les-anes-de-balaam.fr/welcome-to-our-english-speaker-friends/
Fun things to do with the family
We ran out of time to do all of these activities with the children but we would have if we had more time.
- Zoo Parc de Beauval- highly recommended by numerous people on our travels. https://www.zoobeauval.com
- Réserve Zoologique de la Haute-Touche- natural wildlife reserve. http://www.zoodelahautetouche.fr
- Safari Train Reserve de Beaumarchais- a train ride through the country looking at wildlife- (1 hour and 15 mins). https://www.reserve-de-beaumarchais.com/visite/horaires-et-tarifs/
- Horse Riding (Ballade a Cheval)- with children 7 years and older. (See the local Office de Tourisme in your village, as there are a few places to that offer riding.)
- Mini Chateau de la Loire- Mini chateaus, mini car rides, mini-boat rides and mini horses. https://www.parcminichateaux.com/en/mini-chateaux
- Grand Aquarium de Touraine. https://www.grandaquariumdetouraine.com/en
- Hire Bikes- (See the local Office de Tourisme in your village as there are numerous places that offer bike hire and even some accommodation has bikes to use).
- Naturéo, a water park, and outdoor pools. http://parc-natureo.fr
- Goat farm- life on the farm, close contact with the goats, feeding them and even making cheese. http://www.cabriaulait.fr
- Prehistoric fun for Children- Prehistory Museum. http://www.prehistoiregrandpressigny.fr
- Astronomic Observatory- A journey for children through the solar system. http://www.astrotouraine.fr
If you don’t have children then you should go to one of the day spas and thermal pools. This is one of the spas that looked great for some pampering. http://www.les-bains-douches.fr
We really enjoyed the area but the best part of the holiday was the accommodation. I could have spent a few days at home relaxing rather than running around. Next time, I will plan a few extra days to just sit and relax with the children (if that is even possible with children- maybe in my dream world).
The best part of travel with children
Our children loved the large garden and playing with the owner’s grandchildren at the house we rented.
Their children were adorable and although French they spoke English also. They loved playing with our children whenever they had the opportunity and my son even managed to learn to ride without training wheels on one of their bikes in the garden. He spent hours with us outside practising while we taught him and watched him ride, a beautiful afternoon we will all never forget.
One of the many reasons I love to travel is I take time out with my family and friends. We cherish time together on holiday, living away from our everyday busy life, stresses, jobs, to do lists and technology. Don’t get me wrong travel isn’t always easy with children but it is worth it for the life experience and the memories. I love that the children experience a different world when we are overseas. No TV, no distractions, just our attention and new experiences, now no education or money can buy that for them.
You can contact me for details on the accommodation or any other information, as I will be happy to help. The accommodation was on the home away website.
https://www.homeaway.co.uk
