Finding your way around in an area you are visiting can be a difficult proposition, but this site really helps you to know exactly what you should expect from the Loire Valley region.  One of the best features of the site is the fact that they have worked to make sure that they included important highlights of the area.  Some people may be wondering about the different Loire castles that can be explored and this site helps to show some of the more memorable ones and where they can be found.

Something else that the site does to help make your trip planning a little easier is that it offers a look at the Loire tours that are available in the region.  This is a great help to people who might not be familiar with the area businesses and who are looking to make sure that they tour they run is offered by a reputable company.

There is also a lot of information about the types of food that are offered in the Loire Valley area.  You can find out ahead of time if you about the restaurants that are in the area and if there are some that you would be interested in visiting while you are in the area.  There is also information concerning sports and leisure activities, as well as relevant information about arts and culture in the area so that you can plan trips to museums and festivals that interest you.

If you were wondering about hotels, hostels, and other sleeping accommodations that could be found in Loire the site also has a directory of the different options, and on hotels they also have a star rating so that you can know what you are getting into.  There is also an email list that you can sign up for that will help you to get all of the latest news and deals that are offered in the Loire River area.  This way if you are considering doing something in the area you will have immediate access to relevant information ahead of time so that you can better be prepared when you do decide to go.

Visiting the Loire Valley section of France does require some research, especially since many people are not familiar with the area.  Loire Valley Online contains a number of different types of information about the area.  It should be noted, however, that the website contains a copyright of 1998-1999.  While this doesn’t necessarily mean that the page was last updated on those dates, it does mean you should collaborate any information from the site with a site that you know is up-to-date just in case the content is old.

The accommodations section of the site is very informative and lists a number of Loire chateaux, Loire castles, and restaurants.  The site breaks these down by cities, so you can see only hotels in Cher or in Indre-et-Loire, for example.  Each entry lists the address, phone number, and webpage of the establishment if one is available.  The site also has comments on some of the hotels and restaurants.  There are even some listings for campgrounds, furnished apartments, and bed and breakfasts.

The site also has a good bit of information on Loire wine and viticulturists.  Just like the setup for accommodations, you’ll find contact information for each winery plus a description of what type of wine is produced there.  To round out a great picnic with your wine, the Loire Valley Specialties section includes listings of many different special meats, fruits, vegetables, desserts, and other foods you can find in the area. 

The website includes several other interesting sections.  They have information about the Gien Faience Factory, an art factory, information on gardens in Loire, and some information on the Acadian line, a museum detailing the history of the Acadians.  Links to emergency services, maps of the area, and a weather report are also very useful. 

New Renaissance Magazine is published by the website, and you’ll find their latest features online.  This includes information on Loire castles, gardens, genealogy, and the art of living, which highlights artwork and other goods.  Again, it’s uncertain how recent this information is.  It does, however, make for fascinating reading.  The site overall is good, but double-check any information that appears to be time-sensitive or outdated.

If you want to know more about the many different Loire castles, then this site may be of interest to you.  It features a number of different castles found in France.  While it’s not completely dedicated to the castles of the Loire Valley, it does include a number of them.  It also has information on castles in Centre, Pays de Loire, Berry, Poitou Charente, Aquitaine, Sologne, Bordeaux, Medoc, and Saint-Emilion.  It’s more of a resource for French castles in general.

Right away, the site lets you narrow down your results to different types of castles, including medieval, Renaissance, classical, or private.  You can also look at information on various abbeys, gardens, and medieval cities.  Each of these pages features images of some of the best castles.  However, there are only one or two castles or areas listed.  The pictures are nice, and the information provided is useful.  Clicking on the various links listed under the “accommodations” title on the page provides more detailed information.  On the Renaissance page, for example, you can find information on cottages for rent, renting a castle for 14, and more.  These pages are very detailed and list specific places to rent, a link to their website, many different images, the rates, arrival times, and much more.  While there’s not a huge number of different accommodations listed, there is a lot of content for the ones that are.

It’s interesting to note that the links under “accommodations” seem to appear on every page.  They’re listed as nearby places to stay, but they seem to be “nearby” every castle, abbey, or garden.  This means there may be more travel time to some of the castles from some of the places to stay.  Overall, there seems to be a lot of duplication in some of the content, and it’s actually a little confusing in places.  The where to stay page looks like it features the same content as the individual pages.  The links section is very extensive, however, and features some excellent information, although it’s not Loire-focused and is instead more helpful for anyone planning a European vacation.

If you are interested in Loire castles, then this website is one that can fill you in on much of the history surrounding these majestic buildings.  The top of the page talks about the Loire castles, and fills you in on some of the history behind them, but if you scroll down the page the individual castles are indexed according to their names. This can be very beneficial to anyone who is conducting research on the Loire Valley region, and the castles that can be found there.

For example, if you were interested in finding out more about the Loire castle, Amboise, then you could click on that short description in the index and it would take you to a separate page that covers everything from the history of the castle to its inhabitants.  At the bottom of the page there is also a section that offers information on the actual physical address of the castle, as well as visiting times and rates for admittance.  So, not only is it helpful for those who are looking at the Loire castles from a research point of view, but it could also be helpful to anyone who is trying to plan a vacation around these buildings in the French countryside.  Plus, if you wanted to find out even more about the specific castle, there are links on the bottom left hand side of the expanded description to other sites that can help you as well.

The site is not fully translated from French.  Most of the descriptions and histories of the Loire castles have been translated, but some of them have not.  This could cause confusion if you do not read French, but the website says that it is working to make sure that all of the content is eventually translated, so you may want to check back at a later date if the information that you are looking for has not yet been translated.

On the right hand side of the site is a navigation bar that easily allows you to go from one Loire castle’s information to the next.  It also includes links to information concerning accommodations in the area, as well as entertainment options.

This page is a photo gallery that is dedicated to Loire castles.  If you are interested in the Loire Valley region in France, then this site may pique your curiosity.  From here you are able to see a wide variety of images that are associated with Loire castles.  This includes not only pictures of the castles themselves, but also interior pictures of the suites, and even the dogs that are housed at the castle.  The page is full of small, thumbnail pictures, so if you want to see the larger version, then all you have to do is click on the thumbnail and it will take you to a separate page where the picture is enhanced.

Since the photographs cover a wide variety of images from Loire castles, it really puts you right in the middle of the region and makes you feel as if you are right there looking through the castle yourself.  Although there is not any text with the pictures, you can leave comments.  There are comment boxes at the bottom of the main thumbnail page, as well as at the bottom of each photograph individually.  This way if you have something that you want to say to the person who runs the page, you can easily do that.

While these photos do not cover every aspect of the Loire castles, they cover enough that you can easily imagine what it would be like to go through the actual castle.  The photographs are also very well done, and look like they were taken by someone with some type of professional training.

Even though it offers an intimate and up close look at many of the Loire castles, there is not any explanation or story behind the photographs.  It is just a photo gallery, so if you are looking for information, this is not the site for you.  However, at the top of the page there are links to other photographs for Loire churches and the countryside.  If you are planning on taking a vacation to Loire, then looking through these photographs could definitely help you to get a good idea about where you will be going.

If you are interested in Loire bike tours, then this site could be of interest because it details a seven night eight day bike tour through the Loire River Valley.  On the main page there is a detailed description of what you will be doing on a day by day basis.  This can be very helpful as you might want to make sure that the tour follows your own personal vacation preferences, and you can see if the tour offered will be something that you will be able to do without a problem.

For instance, if you want to find out point by point information about when the tour is offered, where exactly the tour takes place and how much it costs there is a small orange information box at the top of the screen that breaks down all of the information for you.  It even says that the biking is something that can be done by novice bikers and experienced bikers alike as the ride takes you through relatively easy terrain and is not more than thirty miles a day.
 
Something else that is also mentioned on the site is the fact that by riding through the Loire Valley countryside you will be witness to some spectacular views of Loire castles in a fairytale setting.  There is nothing compared to visiting France and getting to see the history of the region in such a personal way.  The other good thing about these Loire bike tours is that they are self-guided.  This means that you will be able to navigate your way along the trail with marked maps, but you will not have to worry about keeping pace with a group of people who may want to go slower and faster than you.

At the bottom of the page there is a detailed listing of what is covered by the tour and the items that you can expect to pay extra for.  Once again, this will help you to better plan your vacation as you can map out your expenses in advance and know exactly what your tour fee is going to cover before you go on the trip.

There are many beautiful Loire Chateaux in the French countryside, and this site has them all listed with photographs.  When you go to the main site you will see that it is all written in French.  If you want it translated to English then you need to click on the picture of the British flag on the upper left hand side of the screen.  After you do this then you will be able to read all about the Loire castles that are featured on the site.  Also on the right hand side of the screen is a navigation bar that will allow you to see information on a variety of chateaux that can be found in the Loire Valley.

For example, if you wanted to find out more information on the Amboise castle then you can click on that link and it will take you to a separate page that lists a short history of the chateau and some interesting pictures.  This site is intended to help you make sure that you understand the different sites to visit while you are in Loire, so it is full of information.

Also on the navigation bar is a section marked “Tours.”  Go to this link to find out more about Loire Tours, the capital of Touraine.  You might confuse this with a section for touring possibilities, but this is not the case.  Instead you will find the information on Loire tours in the “Your guide” link.  There is not a lot of information available on the site, but there is a link for rates and one to email the tour guide so that you can learn more.

There is also a lot of useful information on Loire in the navigation bar as well, including a map, hotels and restaurants, and links that could be helpful.  One of the downsides to this information is that much of it is still in French.  There does not appear to be an English translation for these sections, and many of the sites that you are linked to are also in French so you may have trouble deciphering them.

This site is very helpful is you are looking for information on Loire castles because it offers you a lot of interesting history on the different castles in the region.  The Loire Valley is known because it was once the region where French kings and queens liked to stay, and because of this the region has a lot of castles with a lot of unique history.  The site has worked to list the best of the Loire castles in the region so that you will know which ones you should make sure that you check out if you are in the area.

This could be very helpful because if you are planning on taking a vacation to Loire you will want to make sure that you plan your trip well.  After all, you do not want to waste time sightseeing at a chateau that isn’t worth your time because most people who take the time to visit this region do not have that much time to visit the sites.  This page will help you to know more about the Loire castles, the history behind them, and the reasons that they should not be missed if you are visiting the area.

There is also other information for those who are planning on going on a vacation to Loire.  If you are interested, there is a section on the right hand side of the screen that will allow you to book your vacation to France directly through the site.  Even if you are not sure about going, you can use this tool to see how much it would cost you so that you could plan a potential trip and know how much money that you would need if you were interested in going.

At the top of the screen there is a section marked “Information” and you can go to this site to find out important things about your visit to France.  This includes everything from transportation and embassies to food and weather.  If you are not familiar with the area, this could come in handy and make you feel a little more relaxed about your impending vacation.