The Loire's 10 Best Travel Destinations (by Rough Guides) 10. Chenonceau The Château de Chenonceau is a French château near the small village of Chenonceaux, in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France. The château was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before its first mention in writing in the 11th century. It was designed by the French Renaissance architect Philibert de l'Orme. 9. Loire a Velo A brand new network of cycle-paths and cycle routes on minor roads now makes cycling along the River Loire even more enjoyable -- and safer -- than it was before. 8. Chartres cathedral Chartres Cathedral is a medieval Roman Rite Catholic cathedral located in Chartres, about 80 kilometres southwest of Paris. It is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The current cathedral, mostly constructed between 1194 and 1250, is the last of at least five which have occupied the site since the town became a bishopric in the 4th century. 7. Food markets Every town has its lively, traditional weekly market where you can stock up on picnic provisions and local specialities. 6. Canoe and kayak trips The best way to get to know the River Loire is by boat, and you can rent canoes and kayaks all over the region. 5. Montsoreau and Candes-St-Martin Candes-Saint-Martin is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. It overlooks the confluence of the Vienne and Loire rivers from a steep hill on the left bank of the Loire, and marks the boundary between the modern departments of Indre-et-Loire to the east, and Maine-et-Loire to the West. 4. Villandry gardens The lands where an ancient fortress once stood were known as Colombier until the 17th century. Acquired in the early 16th century by Jean Le Breton, France's Controller-General for War under King Francis I, a new château was constructed around the original 14th-century keep where King Philip II of France once met Richard I of England to discuss peace. It is also known for its beautiful gardens. 3. Au Cabernet d'Anjou This former Loire mariners' bar enjoys a sun-flooded terrace overlooking one of the prettiest stretches of the river. 2. Chateaudun Looming over the river on its clifftop height, little-visited Chateaudun is an eerily Gothic chateau. Châteaudun is located about 45 km northwest of Orléans, and about 50 km south-southwest of Chartres, on the river Loir, a tributary of the Sarthe. 1. Chateau de Blois The Royal Château de Blois is located in the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France, in the center of the city of Blois. The residence of several French kings, it is also the place where Joan of Arc went in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her army to drive the English from Orléans. Built in the middle of the town that it effectively controlled, the château of Blois comprises several buildings constructed from the 13th to the 17th century around the main courtyard. SUBSCRIBE http://www.youtube.com/videovoyagetv?sub_confirmation=1 CONNECT Website: http://videovoyage.tv Google+: http://google.com/+videovoyagetv Twitter: http://twitter.com/videovoyagetv Instagram: http://instagram.com/videovoyagetv Tumblr: http://videovoyagetv.tumblr.com Facebook: http://facebook.com/videovoyagetv YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/videovoyagetv

• published: 28 May 2014
• views: 230