Tourism

ON THE LOIRE CASTLES ROAD

Which castles to visit? The great classics of course, but also our little treasures... Here is our suggested 3-day circuit:

• Day 1 (30/40 km) : the Château de Chambord and its French gardens, the Château de Cheverny and its exhibition on Tintin, the fortified town of Blois and its astonishing Château.
• Day 2 (80/90 km) : the richly furnished Château de Chenonceaux, the Royal Château of Amboise and its famous chapel, Clos Lucé, the last home of Leonardo da Vinci.
• Day 3 (5 / 15 km): the Royal Basilica of Cléry Saint André, the medieval Beaugency, the most beautiful detour in France, the Castle with 2 faces of Meung sur Loire, the city of Orléans dedicated to Joan of Arc.

CASTLES AND GAMES

• Escape Game Château de La Ferté Saint Aubin 20 km Locked away in one of the castle's secret rooms, you will have 60 minutes to find the clues and escape in time! 3 games available. Then discover the collection of dolls and old games before devouring the madeleines of historic kitchens.

• Histopad Château de Chambord 30 km Explore the castle while having fun thanks to an innovative digital tablet that uses augmented reality to immerse you in the heart of the 16th century. Both a digital visit guide for 19 major rooms of the castle, but also a fun treasure hunt for the youngest.

• Tintin Château de Cheverny 40 km away Discover the interactive exhibition "Les secrets de Moulinsart" which presents over 700 m2 the many characters invented by Hergé.Also another exhibition on the Renaissance in LEGO with for example a replica of the castle or a portrait of the Mona Lisa in small Danish bricks.

BETWEEN LOIRE & WATER

Over more than 1,000 km, the Loire is divided into a wild river, a royal river, a living river... Charles Péguy celebrated it in these terms: "Along the curved hillside and the noble valleys, the castles are sown like repositories. And in the majesty of mornings and evenings, the Loire and its vassals leave by these alleys." A unique river to explore at your own pace by cycling along its banks, navigating between its islands or flying over it from the air. But beware, if the Loire is navigable, it remains dangerous and any bathing is strongly discouraged.

TO THE ADVENTURE

• By bike on site and around Take advantage of the 155 km of cycle paths laid out in the Loiret along the river or nearby. Follow the Loire à Vélo or stroll through the countryside:for example, circuit "Between Vines and Orchards" starting from the Estate (1h15 / easy) on loiretbalades.fr . For bike rental, see our activities and options page.

• Canoe Kayak in Beaugency 15 km Embark on a canoe kayak to discover the Loire as a family from 5 years old thanks to 3 routes ranging from 2/3 hours of navigation to a day between Orléans and Blois. Take the opportunity to relax on the lively beach of Beaugency. Only from April to October.

• Léo Parc Aventure in Saint Jean Le Blanc, 20 km away Several adventure activities are offered at the Charlemagne Island leisure center for all ages: tree climbing from 2 years old, paintball from 12 years old, laser game from 8 years and a water park also from 8 years.Only from April to September

ALL IN THE WATER

• Grand Chambord Aquatic Center in Saint Laurent Nouan 15 km A very family atmosphere for this aquatic center with several indoor and outdoor pools including a paddling pool, a balneo-ludic area, a slide and a Nordic pool. Also wellness and fitness center.

• Center Parcs Sologne in Chaumont sur Tharonne, 35 km away At the Domaine des Hauts de Bruyères, take advantage of the Aqua Mundo water park: swim in the wave pool and in the large heated outdoor pool or slide down the very wild river and in the delirious large slide all in black.

• Natural swimming in Monts Près Chambord 40 km Inserted on a natural site of 1.5 ha with play areas, this bathing area is of very high environmental and landscape quality thanks to the biological water treatment process which guarantees clear and natural water. Only from the end of June to the end of August.

BETWEEN SOLOGNE & NATURE

The Loire Valley, dazzling in nature between its fauna, its flora, its forests and its gardens... Come and take a bath in raw nature in Sologne, cross paths with picturesque or exotic animals, smell the roses in the parks or stroll through the incredible gardens of the Loire castles. Raw or shaped, nature offers itself to you like an art... You will see all the colors in our selection below: medieval, renaissance, artistic, romantic, bucolic, playful, vegetable garden... It's up to you to choose !

FAUNA AND FLORA

• Labyrinth of Beaugency 15 km awayAn enchanted journey through a large 6-hectare cornfield populated by characters from fairy tales and embellished with numerous puzzles. On Wednesday and Saturday evenings, the labyrinth becomes haunted... Only in July and August.

• Domaine du Ciran in Ménestreau en Vilette 30 km away Meet the fauna and flora of Sologne between forests, ponds and deer park. Riddles as well as initiation circuits to orientation are offered to you.

• ZooParc de Beauval 100 km One of the largest zoos in Europe with more than 3,000 animals including rare species such as the tiger and white lion or the giant panda which are also the subject of breeding programs. Don't miss the spectacle of hundreds of birds in free flight...

ART AND GARDENS

• Orleans La Source Floral Park15km away   According to the seasons and wanderings, discover thematic and poetic gardens, without forgetting the astonishing butterfly greenhouse and the sublime rose garden with its old and botanical varieties. Flagship stage of the new Route de la Rose which crosses the Loiret and which also passes through the very bucolic Jardins de Roquelin in Meung sur Loire, 5 km away.

• International Garden Festival in Chaumont sur Loire at 65 km The Festival is a laboratory of contemporary creation in the field of gardens and landscape creation in the world; Since 1992, it has revitalized the art of gardens over more than 32 hectares with innovative materials, ideas and approaches and a new theme each year: for 2020, "Return to Mother Earth".

• The Gardens of the Château de Villandry 130 km awayReferents of all the gardens of the Loire, they combine aesthetics, diversity and harmony on 6 terraces: high point of the visit, the decorative vegetable garden of Renaissance style with its 9 squares mixing flowers and vegetables and the ornamental garden of inspiration Andalusian who draw geometric shapes like love rooms. SUBLIME!

A CERTAIN ART OF LIVING

An accomplished way of life praised by Rabelais who presented the Loire Valley as the Garden of France thanks to the happy combination of a mild and temperate climate with sandy soils, rich in silt. At the heart of this garden, the Loire wines with between Orléans and Chambord 2 appellations to discover for the character both light and serious of their production: AOC Orléans / Orléans-Cléry and AOC Cheverny / Crémant de Loire. And as an accompaniment: are you more smoked rillettes or caviar, yes, yes? Unless you prefer a selection from our very rich productionvegetables, strawberries from Sologne, blackcurrants or asparagus, green from Chambord or white from Sologne, to be found on the stalls of the many local markets. After all that, take a break...

AWAKENING SENSE

• Domaine Deneufbourg in Cléry Saint André 2 km AOC Orléans and Orléans-Cléry wines nicely named Un Vin, Une Rencontre. On the menu, pinot meunier, pinot noir, cabernet franc and also chardonnay declined with talent in red, white and rosé. In the process of biological conversion. 28, rue du Village visit by appointment at 02 38 45 97 53.

• Domaine du Croc du Merle in Muides sur Loire 30 km AOC Cheverny and Crémants de Loire wines blended with passion by the same family since 1794 with pinot noir, gamay, sauvignon and chardonnay. Also production of blackcurrants and specialty cow cheeses.38, rue de la Chaumette operating store hours on 02 54 87 58 65.

GOURMET BASKET

• Lebesne charcuterie in Cléry Saint André 2 km Smoked rillettes, very tasty and rather light, freshly cooked on site over a wood fire; they made the village famous with black pudding and the apple festival in October. 80, rue du Maréchal Foch opening hours on 02 38 45 70 34.

• Les Jardins du Paré in Cléry Saint André 2 km away Delicious strawberries from Sologne including the Mara des Bois, but also raspberries and other red fruits picked freely; don't miss their fresh chocolate mint. 769, route d'Orléans opening hours on 06 08 42 99 82.

• Hennequart fish farm in Saint Viatre 40 km A beautiful sturgeon farm developed with audacity in the family ponds by the Hennequarts;Caviar Solenska, the black gold of Sologne that has become a reference for great chefs and amateurs! Le Grand Cernéant opening hours on 02 54 83 64 27.

• Local Markets in Meung sur Loire 5 km away Sunday morning in Beaugency 15 km away Wednesday and Saturday mornings in Orléans 15 km away on Place du Martroi Friday afternoon Quai du Roi Saturday morning Place de la Madeleine Sunday morning.

PAUSE...

• Rive Mauve Art Gallery in Meung sur Loire 5km away Pascaline Pichon welcomes you to the Moulin de Cropet, on the banks of the river, in a place full of charm conducive to art and emotions: share her passion for works of art equestrian, animal bronzes and designer jewelry. Open during the exhibition period on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and by appointment.

• Balneadesin Ardon at 20 km Come and recharge your batteries in this spa at the gates of Sologne; take advantage of the aquavitality course composed of water treatments such as whirlpool baths, massage jets, waterfalls and the counter-current river over 200 m2 with water at 33°C, but also the sauna and hammam or more personalized d a discovery or world massage.