Towns and Villages
The towns of the Loire are steeped in history, colour and vibrance. We just love spending an hour or two wandering around the markets, sitting in the sun in the central square watching life go by or browsing in the local shops.
Our local town of Chinon is five minutes drive away or a slow 35 minute amble through the back roads. Chinon's cobbled streets lie between the quays of the Vienne river and the steep hillside climibing up to the medieval fortress. Rolling vineyards surround the town with its old stone houses, shops, patisseries, cafes and restaurants.
Of all the Loire's comfortable towns, Saumur is perhaps the most elegantly bourgeois, with its graceful Château lording it over the handsome townhouses spread out below on both banks of the river and on the large island mid-stream.
listed as one of the most beautiful villages of France is found 10 km west of Chinon. It sits on the banks of the Vienne River, at the confluence with the Loire River, on a small hill with beautiful views across the surrounding countryside.