Loire Valley History

The Loire Valley lies at the heart of France. Much of French history has taken place along the Loire. The river was once a boundary between peoples and cultures, and later the place where they met to become what we know as France. At first the Loire divided more than it united. It separated the Duchy of Aquitaine from the Kingdom of France, it divided the ancient languages that gave rise to Modern French, and the Latin and Frankish cultures that have combined to create what we think of as Frenchness. It was at the Loire that the Saracen invasion of Europe was turned back (in 732) and that modern France was born, in 1429. As recently as the World War II, the German armies skirted the Loire rather than crossing it.

Today the Loire Valley is the third most popular tourist destination in France. Famous for its natural beauty, magnificent châteaux and picturesque towns, the Loire Valley is also renowned for the exceptional quality, variety and affordability of its wines. The length of the river, and the varied terrain, geology and climates through which it flows, make the Loire Valley the only region in France to produce excellent wines of every variety. Red, white or rosé, still or sparkling, dry or sweet, the Loire Valley wines are among the best of their kinds.

Bordered by vineyards, the winding Loire Valley cuts through the land of castles deep in France's heart. Medieval crusaders returning here brought news of the opulence of the East, and soon they began rethinking their surroundings. Later, word came from Italy of an artistic flowering led by Leonardo and Michelangelo. Royalty and nobility built châteaux in this valley during the French Renaissance, and an era of pomp reigned until Henri IV moved his court to Paris, marking the Loire's decline.

The Loire is blessed with attractions, from medieval, Renaissance, and classical châteaux to Romanesque and Gothic churches to treasures like the Apocalypse Tapestries. There's even the castle that inspired Sleeping Beauty. Trains serve some towns, but the best way to see this region is by bike.

The cool climate of the Loire insures that the wines, no matter how ripe, will always have a lean acidity that balances well with their fruit and alcohol. Although many Loire Valley wines age magnificently, most can be appreciated in youth. They show their best qualities with food, and they possess enough flavor and body to stand up to almost all styles of cooking. These are not wines to be collected and displayed; they are wines to be enjoyed.

Regional Wine­
The valley's Atlantic side produces a variety of grapes, used to make wines from dry to sweet, from still to sparkling. The best whites are Vouvray (ideal with Loire salmon) and Montlouis. Red Anjou wines, including Rouge de Cabernet and Saumur-Champigny, have a slight raspberry flavor. Dry Sancerre wines are superb with the Loire's goat cheese and whitewater fish.

Château de Chenonceau
A Renaissance masterpiece, the Château de Chenonceau is best known for the dames de Chenonceau, who once occupied it.  In 1547, Henri II gave Chenonceau to his mistress, Diane de Poitiers. For a time this remarkable woman was virtually queen of France, infuriating Henri's dour wife, Catherine de Médici. Diane's critics accused her of using magic to preserve her celebrated beauty and to keep Henri's attentions from waning. Apparently Henri's love for Diane continued unabated, although she was in her 60s when he died in a jousting tournament in 1559.

When Henri died, Catherine became regent (her eldest son was still a child) and forced Diane to return the jewelry Henri had given her and to abandon her beloved home. Catherine added her own touches, building a two-story gallery across the bridge -- obviously inspired by her native Florence.

Chenonceau is one of the most remarkable castles in France because it spans an entire river. The way the waters of the Cher surge and foam beneath its vaulted medieval foundations has been described as mystical. Many visitors consider this their favorite château in all of France.

Gobelin tapestries, including one depicting a woman pouring water over the back of an angry dragon, cover many of the château's walls. The chapel contains a marble Virgin and Child by Murillo as well as portraits of Catherine de Médici in black and white. There's even a portrait of the stern Catherine in the former bedroom of her rival, Diane de Poitiers. In François I's Renaissance bedchamber, the most interesting portrait is that of Diane as the huntress Diana.

The history of Chenonceau is related in 15 tableaux in the Musée de Cire, located in a Renaissance-era annex a few steps from the château. Open the same hours as the château, it charges admission of 3€ ($3.45). Diane de Poitiers who, among other things, introduced the artichoke to France, is depicted in three tableaux. One portrays Catherine de Médici tossing out her husband's mistress.

Château de Villandry
The 16th-century-style gardens of the Renaissance Château de Villandry, are celebrated throughout the Touraine. A trio of superimposed cloisters with a water garden on the highest level, they were restored by the Spanish doctor and scientist Joachim Carvallo, grandfather of the present owner.

The grounds contain 17km (11 miles) of boxwood sculpture, which the gardeners cut to style in only 2 weeks each September. Every square of the gardens is like a geometric mosaic. The borders symbolize the faces of love: tender, tragic (represented by daggers), and crazy (with a labyrinth that doesn't get you anywhere). Pink tulips and dahlias suggest sweet love; red, tragic; and yellow, unfaithful. All colors signify crazy love. The vine arbors, citrus hedges, and walks keep six men busy full time. One garden contains all the French vegetables except the potato, which wasn't known in France in the 16th century.

A feudal castle once stood at Villandry. In 1536, Jean Lebreton, François I's chancellor, built the present château, whose buildings form a U and are surrounded by a moat. Near the gardens is a terrace from which you can see the small village and its 12th-century church.

Amboise is on the banks of the Loire in the center of vineyards known as Touraine-Amboise. The good news: This is a real Renaissance town. The bad news: Because it is so beautiful, tour buses overrun it, especially in summer. Many townspeople still talk about Mick Jagger's purchase of a nearby château. An earlier resident was Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his last years here.

Château de Chaumont
On the morning when Diane de Poitiers first crossed the drawbridge, the Château de Chaumont looked grim. Henri II, her lover, had recently died. The king had given her Chenonceau, but his angry widow, Catherine de Médici, forced her to trade her favorite château for Chaumont, with its battlements and pepperpot turrets. Inside, portraits reveal that Diane deserved her reputation as forever beautiful. Another portrait—of Catherine looking like a devout nun—invites unfavorable comparisons.

Charles d'Amboise built Chaumont (Burning Mount) during the reign of Louis XII. Overlooking the Loire, it's approached by a long walk up from the village through a tree-studded park. The castle spans the period between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and its prize exhibit is a collection of medallions by the Italian artist Nini. A guest of the château, he made medallion portraits of kings, queens, nobles, and dignitaries–including Benjamin Franklin, who once visited. In the bedroom occupied by Catherine de Médici, you can see a portrait of the Italian-born queen. The superstitious Catherine kept her astrologer, Cosimo Ruggieri, at her beck and call, housing him in one of the tower rooms (a portrait of him remains). He reportedly foretold the disasters awaiting her sons. In Ruggieri's room, a tapestry depicts Medusa with a flying horse escaping from her head.

The River

The Longest river in France, 630 miles
The last wild river in Europe
Designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO

History

Ancient boundary between north and south
Chinon was where Joan of Arc met the Dauphin
The Loire Valley is where many of France's finest Châteaux are located

Culture

The Loire Valley is known as the "Garden of France"
The most popular tourist destination in France after Paris and the Riviera
Famous cities include Orléans, Tours, Bourges, Angers and Nantes

The Wines

The Loire Valley produces fine wines in all styles:
White, red, rosés, sparkling, still, dry and sweet
87 appellations controlées

The most famous names include Sancerre, Vouvray, Muscadet Sur Lie and Chinon
The Loire Valley is the leading region for wines sold in restaurants in France
The Loie Valley is the second largest sparkling wines region
The Loire Valley is the third largest AOL region
Annual AOC Production 2.8 million hectoliters (740 Million gallons)
Area Under Vines 50,433 hectares (124,618 acres)

The Major Grape Varieties

Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet)
Chenin Blanc (Vouvray, Savennières, etc. and many sparkling wines)
Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre, Quincy, and other wines of the Centre Loire)
Cabernet Franc (Chinon, Bourgueil, Saumur Champigny)
Pinot Noir (Sancerre Rouge)

Why Loire?

Fresh White Wines
Elegant Red Wines
Fine Bubbles
Variety, Freshness, Finesse
Affordable and accessible
Wines for every occasion
Wines for all seasons
Food Friendly wines
Great wine, no attitude
Wines from the heart of France