Chateaus & Country Roads: A Loire Valley Road Trip
The word bucolic doesn’t capture the quiet magic of our scenic drive along the Loire Valley, as we leave the Brittany coast and make our way toward Paris. Here, the beauty lies in the simple pleasures: wild poppies and purple blooms spilling over the stone embankments of a river far wider than I expected, horses grazing under shady trees surrounded by fields of yellow wildflowers. This stretch of France is a fascinating mix of fortified chateaus and simple country life.
Lunch with Ex-Pats in Saumur
One of my favorite tour operators in France lives on the Loire River and I’ve never had a chance to meet them in person. So I’m delighted when Mallory and Ben Nettleton, owners of France of a Lifetime, meet us in their hometown of Saumur for lunch. We talk for 3 hours, discussing life as an ex-pat, how we both arrived in the tourism industry, and favorite movie quotes. These are good people and they provide some amazing experiences for their clients.
Chateau de Brézé
At Mallory’s suggestion, we visit Chateau de Brézé and instantly see what the fuss is all about. This chateau is off the major river route and is often overlooked, but those “in-the-know” see its glory. At first glance, the elegant Renaissance-style manor seems charming but typical, until we descend beneath and discover an entire fortified underground world carved into the tuffeau stone. There are moats deeper than any in Europe, secret tunnels, stables, and wine cellars—all hidden beneath the château walls. It’s a dream come true for this girl who spent her childhood drawing castles with moats. Walking these shadowy passageways, we get a rare glimpse into the defensive heart of castle life, and it leaves a much deeper impression than the more polished chateaus.
Azay-le-Rideau
We base ourselves for a few days in Azay-le-Rideau, a quiet and charming village that feels refreshingly untouristed despite its postcard-perfect chateau. Our centrally located apartment—hosted by the exceptionally kind Thomas—turns out to be one of our favorite stays in France: spacious shower, cozy seating, great lighting, and a welcome gift of homemade plum wine.
Thomas also steers us to L’Épine, a phenomenal restaurant housed in a converted school building and named after the wild berries the owner once foraged with his father. Eric goes all-in on the six-course menu inspiration, while I opt for three courses—both flawless. From Azay, we easily explore nearby chateaus by day and return to peaceful streets by night. Just one tip: parking is scarce and confusing, so book a place that provides a pass or private spot.
A little-known secret: the gardens at Château d’Azay-le-Rideau are free to enter during the final hour of the day, after the chateau itself has closed. It’s the perfect time for a peaceful stroll—moat, lake, cypress trees, and blooming flowers all arranged like a painting around the fairytale castle at its center.
Chinon
While the interior of the Fortress of Chinon is fairly simple—mostly replicas and exhibits—it’s the dramatic exterior, wildflowers, and surrounding trees that make it a stunning place to explore. We’re especially impressed by the interactive features designed for children, including hands-on catapults and tablets with games and augmented reality. Also highly recommend walking the medieval lanes that wind around the fortress. Chinon is lovely, especially along the River Vienne, which you can kayak.
Fontevraud Abbey
We visit Fontevraud Abbey, one of the largest surviving monastic complexes in Europe and final resting place of Eleanor of Aquitaine, her husband Henry II, and their son Richard the Lionheart. Unlike many religious sites, Fontevraud’s vast Romanesque buildings have served many lives—first as a double monastery for both monks and nuns, later as a prison under Napoleon. Today, the abbey has been beautifully restored and reimagined as a cultural center.
We’re struck by the haunting simplicity of the abbey church, where the tombs of the Plantagenets rest in silence under the vaulted stone ceiling. In the cloisters, we find peace among sculpted archways and tidy gardens. Modern art installations are scattered throughout the complex, blending old and new in unexpected ways. It’s a place that feels both sacred and forward-looking.
Château d'Ussé
We can’t resist a stop at Château d’Ussé, the storybook castle that inspired Charles Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty. With its fairytale turrets and forested setting, this chateau feels plucked from the pages of a classic tale—and for someone like me, who collects fairy tales from around the world, it is an irresistible detour.
Though the interiors are a bit theatrical, the real magic is the atmosphere: shadowy staircases, manicured terraces, troglodytes, and wooded paths that make it easy to imagine a princess lost in slumber or a prince arriving at the gates.
Château de Chenonceau
To beat the worst of the crowds, we arrive just before opening and head straight through the tree-lined promenade toward one of the most iconic chateaus in the Loire Valley. Known as the Château des Dames for the influential women who shaped its history, Chenonceau spans the River Cher in a graceful arc of Renaissance architecture and reflection pools.
We explore the lavish interiors, from Catherine de Medici’s study to the gallery that stretches across the bridge—once used as a hospital during WWI. The kitchens, with copper pots and the strong smell of fresh herbs, intrigue Eric but there are WAY too many people crammed into this little space.
Outside, we stroll the formal gardens designed for Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici, each with its own symmetry and style. The setting is elegant and serene in the early morning light, with fresh blooms and fewer people. We leave just as the crowds get thick, walking into town for quick lunch at Creperie Le Medicis.
Amboise
Our stay at the charming Manoir de la Maison Blanche in Amboise is a highlight. The hosts, a young couple who recently took over running the inn from her mother, make us feel right at home. Having lived in the UK for years—he’s originally from there—their easy English hospitality is refreshing after a month of travel in France.
Château Royal d’Amboise
Maybe it’s because we’ve seen so many wondrous chateaus already, but our visit to Château Royal d’Amboise is my least favorite. While the views over the Loire are lovely and the chapel where Leonardo da Vinci is buried is meaningful, the interior feels sparse and less engaging compared to others, and the atmosphere a bit too polished to feel truly historic.
Château du Clos Lucé
In Amboise, we walk to Château du Clos Lucé and step into Leonardo da Vinci’s world. This was his home for the last three years of his life, and the rooms still carry a quiet, personal feel. His bedroom, study, and kitchen are all thoughtfully restored, with details that make it easy to imagine him working here.
What really delights us is the park. Scattered throughout the wooded paths and grassy lawns are full-scale models of DaVinci’s inventions—bridges, tanks, flying machines—many of them interactive. It’s part garden, part outdoor museum, and we end up spending far more time here than expected. The whole place feels playful and deeply connected to nature—a perfect tribute to a mind that never stopped exploring.
Our leisurely journey along the Loire Valley, from Brittany’s coastal charm to the chateau-studded countryside, offers the perfect blend of history, beauty, and quiet moments we’ll always cherish. As we leave the river behind and make our way toward the grandeur of Versailles and the bustle of Paris, a new kind of adventure awaits—one steeped in royal excess and the irresistible rhythm of city life.
If you missed our previous stories about France, you’ll find them here:
Roadtrip on the Normandy Coast: Following the GR®223
Eric and I have had fun exploring Normandy while living at a chateau in Bosgouet, but it’s time to move on. We hop in our tiny VW Golf to begin a month long road trip, following the Normandy and Brittany coastline before circling back through the Loire Valley to end in Paris.
Beuvron-en-Auge
Following the Cider Route, a popular scenic drive highlighting Normandy’s Pays d’Auge region, we enjoy pretty views of pristine countryside with rolling valleys and blooming apple orchards. Our first stop is the beautiful village of Beuvron-en-Auge.
Beuvron-en-Auge may be small but it has excellent shops. We buy cider, Calvados, a scarf, honey, and funky artwork. Everything wafting through the restaurant smells wonderful and I’m wishing we hadn’t packed a picnic lunch.
Walking through the church cemetery, we note all of the names that are familiar to us in Louisiana. The term “auge” translates as trough, and we see canals everywhere on this route. Driving the countryside of Normandy, especially along the cider route, reminds me of driving around the farm to table regions of Vermont and Washington.
Bayeaux
Having spent a month living in a chateau basement, Eric and I are ready for some luxury so we book a big suite at Manoir de Mathan and it is sooooooooo lovely. Built in the 17th century, this beautifully renovated manor farm is the perfect location for exploring Bayeaux while experiencing Normandy’s country life. We feel like royalty as we walk back from dinner at La Ferme de la Rançonnière.
We visit the requisite Bayeaux Tapestry and while it’s impressive I can’t say we enjoy the experience. It is insufferably hot and cramped inside the viewing space, so Eric and I become one of “those tourists” who race through the museum. I chuckle when one woman says “some people just don’t appreciate history” as we sail past her. I’m usually the judgy one.
D-Day Beaches of Normandy
My favorite classes in college were the World War II courses with Dr. Forrest and Eric is a big fan of this time period as well. So of course we visit the D-Day beaches, carefully selecting the ones we wish to see so we have time to fully appreciate these sites. Arromanches impresses us the most and we’re here at low tide so we get close up views of the Phoenix caissons—huge concrete blocks that were towed from England and sunk to form breakwaters, creating an artificial harbor for unloading troops, vehicles, and supplies after D-Day.
We enjoy a short hike along the GR®223, which offers the best views of Arromanches and the old blockships that were sunk along this coastline.
Next stop is Longues-sur-Mer, which has a nice walking path and well-preserved German artillery battery built atop the cliffs, featuring four massive naval guns in concrete bunkers. There are kids scrambling atop these bunkers, laughing in the sun, and it’s a reminder that even the darkest days will eventually give way to light.
We end with the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach. While it’s my least favorite of the D-Day beaches, simply because of the crowds, it is without a doubt a reverent place. We can hear the whispers of ghosts here, and the murals do an excellent job showing how complex operations were for taking back the European front.
Cotentin Peninsula
After the crowded D-Day towns we’re ready for a quiet escape, and we find that oasis in L’Anse du Brick. We spend a week in a cottage here, gazing out our window at the English Channel.
Our cottage is directly on the GR®223 hiking route, so we lace up our boots and start walking the coastline towards Port Pignot. It’s gorgeous, you’ll have to visit @ptavocados or @tripstowalkabout social media to see more photos.
We stop in the small village of Montfarville on our way to Barfleur, to visit what has to be my favorite church in Normandy, Église de Montfarville. It has the most beautiful frescos, so expressive, and the baptismal font is covered by a large wooden sculpture. We arrive just as the church bells ring.
It’s raining when we visit Barfleur so we keep our walks short, meandering this quiet port town on a market day. We glimpse a woman making baguettes, quickly rolling the dough on a long skinny blanket and wooden handle that she uses to flip off of the blanket.
We visit La Poterie de Barfleur, run by potter Ingrid Guilbert who creates beautifully hand-thrown stoneware and decorative roof finials inspired by local Norman traditions. We see these unique pieces all over walls and roofs throughout town.
We visit a vide la maison (garage sale) at a farm in Saussemesnil. I purchase a set of chicken butter knife holders and attempt to visit with the friendly homeowner. I love the Cotentin Peninsula, it still feels a little wild and removed from the busy tourist sites. The interior is hilly and full of forests and farms. With the exception of Cherbourg, most of the coastline is wild and dotted with small beach villages.
We get a sunny day and hike the GR®223 from Port Pignot to Plage de la Saline. The dunes at Plage de la Mondreé are stunning but swarming with bees, so we walk the beach instead of the official waymarked path. Tired thru-hikers are napping on the beach and couples are picnicking.
Interested in hiking? Read our Walking Holidays in Normandy guide!
Coastal Road of La Manche
While it’s hard to leave our cozy cottage, we’re ready to see the western coast of Cotentin and it’s time to move towards Brittany. The coastal road from Cherbourg to Mont Saint-Michel is fabulous, with beautiful viewpoints near Landemer and Port Racine.
It’s amazing how quickly terrain changes as we round the western side of the peninsula. Cliffs get higher and this is one of the prettiest sections of the GR®223, especially the section we hike from Baie d’Ecalgrain to Falaise du Jobourg.
More photo ops as we drive south, stopping at Plage de Vauville and the Biville and Hatainville Dunes.
One last stop, to see the great tidal mudflats surrounding Mont Saint-Michel from the beach at Bec d’Andaine. It is nearing sunset and we share the long sandy beach with only one couple, it’s marvelous and the perfect way to end our road trip along the Normandy coast.
Next Stop: Brittany Coast Adventures: GR34 by Car & Foot.
A Photo Journal through Normandy
It has been 2 months since Eric and I returned from France and I still haven’t written about it! Yeah yeah, I wrote about our Chateau Life in Normandy, but I have yet to share stories about the rest of our trip. So here you go, our journey told through photos of the rural villages and coastal towns in Normandy. I’ll follow up with Brittany, Loire and Paris in later posts.
Le Bec-Hellouin
Le Bec-Hellouin is truly as lovely as I anticipated it would be. Voted one of the “most beautiful villages in France,” it’s surrounded by woods and pristine farmland. We’re too early in the day to visit the Abbey, but just viewing the Abbey’s exterior is impressive. We see a large hiking group of older adults, all speaking French, beginning what I assume to be a walk along the Bec Circuit.
Lisieux
While Eric and I are no longer practicing Catholics, we do enjoy seeing beautiful churches, and I’ve always admired Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, so of course we visit the Basilica. Whether you’re deeply spiritual or just appreciate beautiful architecture, this place leaves an impression. As you approach the basilica, it rises like a crown over the town of Lisieux—a massive white stone structure set against the greenery of Normandy. It was built in the 20th century but feels timeless, dedicated to one of the most beloved modern saints in the Catholic faith.
Inside, the atmosphere is reverent, flooded with natural light and covered in vibrant mosaics and life-size photos of Thérèse, from birth to death.
Honfleur
Eric and I LOVE Honfleur, which comes as a surprise to me because I expected it to be crowded—it’s a popular stop for river cruises. There are certainly plenty of tourists meandering around, taking photos of all the beautiful old buildings and narrow cobblestone paths just like me, but they’re moving at a nice leisurely pace, and only a few are wandering away from the port.
We walk around for hours; every street has something special. A beautiful window display. An impeccably dressed French man covered head to toe in winter clothing, quickly followed by tourists in t-shirts and sandals. We devour kouignettes from Maison Georges Larnicol and tuck some macarons in my bag for afternoon coffee.
Etretat
Etretat is every bit of amazing that I dreamed it would be. This seaside town is famous for its massive white cliffs, and they are truly wondrous, but honestly our favorite part of this getaway is our B&B host.
We’re staying at Les Hauts d’Étretat. At breakfast I make a comment about the impressive art collection and our host invites us into his private space where he shows us even more art, some of which was painted by his father. It’s an eclectic collection with lots of different styles and mediums—this man is truly a lover of art. The only piece I can’t appreciate is a strange sculpture depicting milk poured over an upside-down race car seat. One of those contemporary pieces that’s weird in an awkward way. Our host married a woman from the states and lived in California for a while; he’s an avid world traveler and great conversationalist.
We hike above the cliffs of Étretat, walking a few hours along the GR 21 towards Fécamp. It’s glorious weather, sunny, cool and not too windy.
On the way back to our car, we stop for a quick walk through Les Jardins d’Étretat and enjoy the whimsical artwork and impressive views from the clifftop garden.
La Bouille
Just a short drive from the château is La Bouille, a classic Norman village on the Seine which was once a resort town for Parisians and Rouen residents. Now it’s just a lovely little river town exploding with vibrant spring flowers landscaped beautifully around historic villas and half-timbered medieval buildings.
Once a popular painting location for students from the Rouen art school, La Bouille remains an artistic haven, and we see evidence of this everywhere.
Veules-les-Roses
On a day trip to Dieppe, we stop to hike along the coast, beginning at a memorial on the cliffs above Veules-les-Roses. We follow the steps down into town, wandering along the promenade and commenting on the old bathhouses and what it must have been like for women “back in the day” when they had separate swimming hours from the men.
As we’ve already witnessed, the water along France’s Normandy coast is stunning. When paired with a perfectly preserved town such as Veules-les-Roses, it’s picture-perfect!
Dieppe
We arrive in Dieppe mid-morning on a sunny day, and the parking lots are already full. Temps are still cool and there’s a brisk wind, but that doesn’t keep the French away from the beaches. Everyone is out—walking hand in hand or walking their dogs, eating ice cream, chasing runaway children, sunbathing or riding bikes.
We visit the castle in Dieppe, enjoying the exterior views and monuments. We see the church and walk the quay, observing the different techniques of the fishermen.
I buy a sweater and bag from a pop-up vide-grenier, which is basically a “clear the attic” garage sale. This particular one is raising money for a non-profit. The French in general don’t like to waste, and you’ll find many markets throughout the country selling used goods. In fact, it’s illegal to throw away food in France—one of many things I love most about the French lifestyle.
To learn more about flea market shopping, read David Lebovitz’s article on How to Find Flea Markets in France.
Jumieges Abbey
One of the “must visit” sites for me on this trip is Jumièges Abbey, founded in 654 and one of Normandy’s most famous Benedictine abbeys. Words don’t adequately capture this place, but you can feel how special it is while walking the grounds.
It’s a dream location for photographers and artists as the light filtering through the open walls creates dramatic shadows and ever-changing colors. Mother Nature is slowly reclaiming the crumbling walls, which adds to the beauty.
Saint Wandrille Abbey
Further up the River Seine we find Saint Wandrille Abbey, another Benedictine monastery, but this one is still fully preserved and an active community. It’s Easter weekend so we can’t visit the interior, but walking the grounds and lovely town is enough to satisfy my curiosity and take some nice photos.
I regret not having a chance to visit Wandrille Abbey during one of their services, as this abbey is known for its beautiful Gregorian chants. C’est la vie. This wraps up our slow travel adventures while staying at the Chateau Bosgouet. Stick around for our Roadtrip from Normandy to Brittany, exploring D-Day Beaches and the Cotentin Peninsula.