Who doesn’t love a good fairytale setting? With good wine? Beautiful gardens? The Loire Valley has it all. The area is called the “Garden of France” and we decided to take a few days to relax before taking on Paris!
The Loire Valley has always had its admirers because of its beauty, as well as good hunting and was frequently visited by the French aristocrats (and their mistresses!)
During the 15th and 16th centuries, French kings built extravagant country retreats amid the Loire’s woodlands and rivers. We weren’t there for the castles but we did spend a lovely day at the château where Da Vinci spent his final days.
For our hotel in Amboise, we chose a small chalet out in the countryside. It was small and charming and actually had a swimming pool. A good place to relax and store energy before going on to Paris for the French Open!
Our last stop was in another lovely château town – Blois. Chris was delighted to get a haircut and Ellen wandered through the Saturday market and we explored the church and château and then we headed to Paris!
Chris and Ellen’s 2022 European Adventure 