Loire Accommodation for rent

Explore the Castles and Vineyards of the Pays-de-la-Loire Region

The Pays-de-la-Loire region, also called the Loire Valley, or Vallée de la Loire in French, is located in north central France and is known as much for its castles (châteaux) as it is for producing much of the country’s wine. If you are considering the Loire region for your next holiday, you have certainly made a brilliant choice that will not disappoint.

The Loire Valley runs along the Loire River and produces grapes used for several varietals, as well as a portion of the wine used to make champagne in the Champagne region of France. If wine is of interest to you, you will most certainly want to tour many of the vineyards in the region and to experience the wine-making culture in this region of France, which is as much about income as it is a source of pride for the country. However, if you are enamoured with castles, pack a good pair of walking shoes, as there are more than 300 of them in the region, many built between the 10th and 16th centuries for the Kings and others of noble stature. Today many of the historic castles are now private homes, museums or bed and breakfasts providing luxury accommodation in Loire.

The Loire region offers a wide variety of accommodations in cities, as well as the countryside. This allows travellers to select the accommodation in Loire that best suits their needs and to choose between one of the many family-sized houses or a romantic cottage Loire has on offer for their next holiday. When determining where best to secure accommodation in Loire, you will certainly want to consider Fontenay-le-Comte, a Loire Valley town with a diverse history that dates back to the time of a group known as the Gauls. The Gauls are a group whose early people are believed to have originated in 50 BC and now include anyone that speaks the Gaulish (also known as Gallic) language, which predates the Celtic language. Jumping ahead to the 13th century AD, Fontenay-le-Comte was the home of King Louis IX, who led a crusade into Egypt, but was defeated by the Sultan.

Châteaubriant is another village with an interesting history and lineage, with the most notable son to come from this village of approximately 12,500 being Victor Hugo (26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885). Hugo is most known for his poetry, play writing, novels and being a human rights activist. There is also the truly beautiful village of Lairoux, in the Vendée department with a population of 650, as well as the town of Saumur. During the Battle of Saumur, occurring over several months in 1940, Saumur saw its fair share of bombings and dismantling of bridges and fortresses. Names of the fallen are noted prominently on a monument in the centre of town. Saumur happens to also be the birthplace of Coco Chanel.

These are just a few of the historic towns and villages to be found in the Loire region of France. Whether staying in a self catering apartment, gite or cottage, Loire offers a wide variety of attractions across the region, including visiting castles, vineyards and museums. Travellers will enjoy this region best when experienced from the luxury and comfort of private rental accommodation.