Getaway - Amboise
Once the seat of the court of the Valois kings, this superb building with its eclectic architecture underwent restoration on several occasions in the 19th and 20th centuries and regained its lustre: it is now one of the most gripping testimonies to the magnificence of the French Renaissance. Saint

Getaway - Angers and the Apocalypse tapestries
The City of the Dukes of Anjou, Angers has carefully conserved its historic heritage dating back several centuries. (Saint-Maurice's cathedral, the ancient St-Aubin's Abbey, Adam house, etc., in particular). The most remarkable element is still the 13th century fortified castle on the banks of the

Getaway - Azay-Le-Rideau
Azay-le-Rideau castle was built in the early 16th century by Gilles Berthelot, a financier of the day. It stands majestically on a small island in the River Indre and offers a gripping view: its façades are skilfully finished, its little towers reminiscent of the castles in children's fairytales an

Getaway - Chambord
Chambord, the largest of the Loire castles, stands in the heart of a game-filled forest estate. Built for Francis the First, this fairytale palace has 440 rooms and 365 towers and chimneys. Extravagant from both a construction and cost standpoint, the castle echoes to the sound of kings and famous

Getaway - Chenonceau
Built overlooking the River Cher, Chenonceau is the Loire castle where women have most left an impression. Catherine Briçonnet, Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medicis each brought a personal touch to this dreamlike castle. Apart from its enchanting formal gardens, the castle contains an impres

Getaway - Cheverny
Built by Count Hurault in the 17th century, Cheverny is still owned by his descendants. A vast residence in a refined style, set in an English park and surrounding forest, it inspired Hergé, the Tintin cartoonist, who used it as the basis for his drawing of Moulinsart castle. Inside, splendour is

Getaway - Chinon and Saumur
Set in 2,000 hectares of vineyards, Chinon possesses the vestiges of a glorious past with Charles VII, Joan of Arc and Rabelais among the central players. The historical town centre has superb 16 and 17th century buildings. The castle, once the stronghold of the Richelieus, was restored by Prosper

Getaway - Fontevraud Abbey
Founded in 1101, Fontevraud Abbey was the wealthiest and largest monastery in France before the Revolution. A symbol of this might, the abbey is still the burial place of the first Plantagenets, Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart in particular. The Romanesque abbey church where they

Getaway - Poitiers and the Futuroscope
Situated in the heart of the Vienne region, the history of Poitiers was strongly affected by religion and its heritage is particularly biased in this direction. It has more than nine religious buildings of importance, including the magnificent Romanesque churches of Saint-Hilaire (listed by UNESCO)

Getaway - Sologne
A large, wild expanse between the Rivers Loire and Cher, the unsurpassed Sologne landscape is one of pools, woods, heath and rivers. Nature is sovereign and there is an abundance of game (stags, does, deer and wild boar). The flora is well-developed, protected from man and his depredation, to the

Getaway - The Berry, Bourges and Sancerre
The Berry, often referred to as the “Heart of France”, covers the departments of Indre and Cher and is a region rich in historic and natural beauty, with a culinary heritage renowned throughout the world. As you explore its Romanesque Art, medieval buildings and bucolic rustic landscapes

Getaway - Tours
Situated between the Rivers Loire and Cher, Tours is a harmonious mixture of new and old. The old town, around Plumereau Square has kept its charm, while the guild museum, in Saint-Julien's cloister is home to a host of masterpieces of the art of living in bygone days.

Getaway - Villandry Castle gardens
Beside the last great castle built in the Loire Valley, Villandry gardens were created at the start of the century and are now the castle's source of renown. The gardens are split into several parts: an ornamental flower garden near the castle, a water garden with a pond, a kitchen garden with arom

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