Usually associated with Renaissance chateaux and historical monuments, the Loire valley is in fact a place of much greater richness and interest than the image of popular perception. The river itself is the longest in France and passes through a succession of landscapes, many of them of a richness which suggests that this is truly 'the garden of France', as it is often called. Yet there is variety here, reflected in the buildings and settings of the beautiful villages so stunningly illustrated in this book. Over thirty villages of the Loire and the surrounding countryside are described and beautifully illustrated in this book, which is completed by special sections on wine and food, and abbeys and churches. As with all the volumes in The Most Beautiful Villages series, there are appendices listing the most important sights, markets, hotels and restaurants, either in each village or close by.

Table of Contents

Introduction; I. Around Orleans; II. Cathedrals and Churches; III. Around Blois and Tours; IV. The Chateaux of the Loire; V. Around Angers and Nantes; Map; Food and Wine of the Loire; A Traveller's Guide; Select Bibliography

About the Author

James Bentley was a distinguished travel writer who specialized in Italy and France. He was the author of the volumes on Tuscany, The Dordogne, Burgundy, England and Brittany in The Most Beautiful Villages...series. Hugh Palmer is one of Britain's foremost photographers of rural life. His previous books include Garden Ornament and The Water Garden, both published by Thames & Hudson, as well as many titles in The Most Beautiful Villages...series.