Luxury holidays in Loire Valley

When to go

May–September is the best time for being outdoors: cycling, walking and so on. It’s also when the region’s châteaux host ‘Sound and Light’ festivals, setting off their historic beauty with candles, installations and concerts, and staying open until late at night.

Getting there

• Planes

  Tours Val de Loire airport, 6km from Tours, is served by Ryanair, which operates direct flights from London Stansted, Porto and, in season, Dublin and Marseilles.

• Trains

  Saint-Pierre-des-Corps is the station where high-speed LGV Atlantique trains from Paris, Nantes, Bordeaux and Toulouse terminate.

• Automobiles

  This is a beautiful – and relatively peaceful – area to drive around. You’ll need your own wheels if you’d like to explore independently.