The weather was perfect last week-end in the Loire Valley. Guillaume and I took the opportunity to go back along the Loire and explore it 2 different ways.

We first took a gabarre tour at sunset. The gabarre used to be the big barge that were transporting all goods until the train was built. In the Loire river it used to be 300 gabarres a week, up and down the river. These boats would be pushed by the currents on their way to Nantes...and to come back, they would use a square sail navigating downwind.

While touring, you can taste some local products such as Ste Maure goat cheese, Rillettes de Tours and a local "saucisson"...with some rosé wine made from a very old grape variety that was used in the XVIth century because of its excellent conservation potential.

We could see all kinds of birds:  Egrets and Herons, troglodyte Swallows that dig their nests in the sand of the river banks, even an Osprey...which is rare in the Loire Valley. Getting closer to an island we could look at a beaver swimming along the shore.

An excellent way to discover this amazing river is to rent a bike for a day and ride through the small villages, get to Langeais castle or Villandry gardens through country paths...and at your own pace. You can stop at a quaint restaurant, or have a picnic on the beach. We have found a new itinerary that follows the river...and coming back, we went through the apple and pear orchard...and some vineyards as well! A very nice day to relax and enjoy Touraine sweet life!

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

Travelers Reviews

5.0
Kelly
My husband and I just returned from a 9 day trip to Burgundy and Provence. We had fairly high expectations based on all the reviews we had read about France Just For You. I must say, the trip far exceeded those expectations and was such a memorable experience. The B&Bs recommended were right in line with what we were hoping and the hosts were …
Peter
France-Just for You is the best agency/coordinator we have EVER used. We have traveled around the world to more than 50 countries and this was by far the best job of coordination we ever experienced. The owner, Emilie, lives in France and is 100% accessible by email or phone. We emailed her the first time we learned about her business and from then …
Peter
We wanted my spouse's birthday trip to France to be special and we could not have expected such a perfect time. From initial communication with Emilie by email right up to having a driver meet us in Paris CDG airport, it was a stress-free vacation. Emilie provided first class service throughout and tailored our desire to see Paris, the Loire Valley …
Liz & Bruce
We definitely experienced a new way of traveling : out-of-the-way places, local markets and quaint little restaurants. We met a lot of French people and other travelers and always had a great time ! We had already gone to France twice in the past, but thanks to Emily and Guilaume we rediscovered this fabulous country in a whole new way. We are …
Tyndall from the US
Truly an amazing experience traveling with France Just for You. Their attention to detail, availability, communication, and knowledge of France is unmatched. Went on the girls trip of a lifetime thanks to them! Made incredible memories and loved the balance of having curated activities planned and suggested activities for the time in between. Truly …
Kim
So helpful and thoughtful! We had an amazing trip thanks to their planning and insights. Highly recommend, especially if you don’t have time to research places on your own. All the b&bs were beautiful, restaurant recommendations fantastic, great suggestions of routes and stops on our longer drives and having the cell phone with our guide book …