Loire Valley

Crossed by the Loire, Centre is lit up by the light of the river - the source of inspiration for the great artists who were summoned throughout history to work on some of the gems of French architecture.
The Loire is the longest river in France (635 miles) --flowing north from its source in central France, then west to the Atlantic. But it is the 150-mile stretch from Angers to Orléans that for centuries was the favorite abode of pleasure-loving nobility who built feudal fortresses to protect them in an age of constant war.