LOIRE VALLEY
The valley of the Loire River—an important wine-producing area—has splendid chateaux, rolling countryside and charming villages. It's a great area in which to bicycle along small country roads. Though it's often seen on a day trip from Paris, we recommend at least two nights in the area.
Tours (pop. 133,000), situated in the heart of the most popular section of the Loire Valley, is an excellent base for visiting the region's many chateaux. In the city itself,
visit the old quarter, Gothic St. Gatien Cathedral, Touraine Wine Museum, fine-arts museum (excellent collection) and Plessis les Tours (Louis XI died there). Then hit the countryside.
Saumur (pop. 35,000), for example, is memorable for its mighty chateau looming above the river as well as its carnival-mask factory. Among our other favorite chateaux are: Usse, home of the Sleeping Beauty legend; Blois, with its King's Garden and dramatic spiral staircase; Amboise. a spectacular castle overlooking the Loire River; Clos Luce, where Leonardo da Vinci lived, died and is buried; Chenonceau, built over the Cher River and inspiration for Diane de Poitiers' The Castle of Six Ladies, Langeais, a never-renovated, I5th-century chateau; Chinon with its spectacular ruined chateaux where Joan of Arc met Charies VII and, later, where Balzac lived;
Azay-le-Rideau with splendid gardens Probably the most photographed of all the great houses; and Chambord, a massive, elegant 440-room castle built by Francis I and surrounded by the National Swan Park and Reserve. And while the chateau at Villandry isn't all that impressive, its formal gardens are considered among the best in the nation.

Between Tours and Vendome, Troo is a village of cave dwellings built into the hillside. The church atop the hill affords a nice view of the valley. Tours is 125 mi/200 km southwest of Paris.