Europe Up Close

The Loire’s Castles and Gardens

Published/Revised November 29, 2017 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Touring in the Loire Valley means you don't have to travel far to see the grand chateaus and pretty villages that dot the landscape. The Castles in France are simply stunning. John and I stayed in one place, Chenonceaux, and found a multitude of treasures on short day trips along and over the rivers that wind through this green, broad valley. The farthest we drove was to Fontevraud Abbey. ... Read Full Article

France’s Fontevraud Abbey, Tomb of a Queen

Published/Revised June 12, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

  Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, near the Vienne River in the Loire Valley, is the largest abbey in France. Built in the early 12th century and restored in recent years, it's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I go to the great abbey, in the village of Fontevraud-l'Abbaye, to pay my respects to one of history's most impressive women, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor was brilliant, ... Read Full Article

France’s Lovely Loire Valley

Published/Revised November 9, 2015 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The lush Loire Valley is the home to some of the most beautiful chateaux in France. Set near meandering rivers and streams, these chateaux are monuments to the glorious history of France. There are dozens of beautiful and historic chateaus in the Loire area, including the following four. Amboise Chateau The Château at Amboise overlooks the river Loire. It was built in the Gothic and ... Read Full Article

The Northwest Area of France

Published/Revised June 14, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Rich with history, the Northwest Region of France's unique culture and landscape bear the markings of centuries of struggles, triumphs, and glories. Rolling hillsides are accentuated by flowing rivers and rocky cliffs. Towering cathedrals and elegant chateaux are this region's jewels of the past. This region holds the smaller regions of Brittany (Bretagne), Normandy and the Loire, which includes ... Read Full Article