The Loire Valley
In a peaceful 1892 farmhouse, amid 3.5 hectares of grassland, La Levraudière's four spacious rooms are comfortable and homey and come with queen-size beds. Sonia Maurice, the friendly owner, speaks English and is happy to arrange bike rental and supply cycling maps. The B&B is 1.5km south of the Château de Cheverny, just off the D102.
A 10m swimming pool was added in 2017. A homemade, Sologne-style dinner that includes four courses, an aperitif, wine and coffee costs €30.
21.08 MILES
Spanning the languid Cher River atop a graceful arched bridge, Chenonceau is one of France's most elegant châteaux. It's hard not to be moved and…
9.48 MILES
If you only have time to visit one château in the Loire, you might as well make it the grandest – and Chambord is the most lavish of them all, and the…
9.03 MILES
Seven French kings lived in Blois' royal château, whose four grand wings were built during four distinct periods in French architecture: Gothic (13th…
21.88 MILES
The most exciting Loire château to open to visitors in years, Gaillard is the earliest expression of the Italian Renaissance in France. Begun in 1496, the…
22.21 MILES
It was at the invitation of François I that Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), aged 64, took up residence in this grand manor house, built in 1471. An admirer…
22.49 MILES
Perched atop a rocky escarpment above town, Amboise's castle was a favoured retreat for all of France's Valois and Bourbon kings. Only a few of the…
9 MILES
This museum of magic occupies the one-time home of watchmaker, inventor and conjurer Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805–71), after whom the American magician…
12.66 MILES
Set on a strategic bluff with sweeping views along the Loire, Chaumont-sur-Loire is known for three things: the château itself, which has a medieval…
1.03 MILES
Fans of Tintin might find the façade of Château de Cheverny strangely familiar: Hérgé used it as a model (minus the two end towers) for Moulinsart …
1.05 MILES
Perhaps the Loire's most elegantly proportioned château, Cheverny represents the zenith of French classical architecture: a perfect blend of symmetry,…
4.86 MILES
Smaller and less visited than the Blésois' more famous châteaux, peaceful Beauregard has charms all its own. Built as yet another hunting lodge by…
8.9 MILES
Bandes dessinées (BD; adult comic books) have achieved the status of an art form in France. This museum, unique in the country, provides a rare…
9 MILES
This museum of magic occupies the one-time home of watchmaker, inventor and conjurer Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805–71), after whom the American magician…
9.02 MILES
Although Gothic in style, most of this cathedral (including the nave) was rebuilt after a terrible storm in 1678. The stained glass, bearing enigmatic…
9.03 MILES
Seven French kings lived in Blois' royal château, whose four grand wings were built during four distinct periods in French architecture: Gothic (13th…