Podcasts about loire river

In most cities in the US, after you’ve blown it out on New Year’s Eve, if you want another socially approved excuse to party you have to wait a bit. Memorial Day is 5 months away. At best you might be able to get away with Spring Break – that’s about 4 months. Here in New Orleans, you have less than a week till the next round of society-sanctioned excessive eating, drinking and socializing begins. January 6th is 12th night, the official beginning of Mardi Gras. That’s when the first parades begin. And, traditionally, when bakers start selling king cake. Since 2019, it’s also opening day of a king cake lover’s paradise: King Cake Hub. King Cake Hub is Jennifer Samuels’ 2-month a year business. It’s a single location where you can get practically every variety of king cake available in New Orleans. Currently there are 80 of them. They’re baked by 25 different bakers. And the King Cake Hub collection is curated - meaning Jennifer tastes and approves every king cake. New Orleans - a city on the banks of the Mississippi River - takes its name from Orléans, a city on the banks of the Loire River, in France. We can argue about who New Orleans’ most famous citizen is – probably Louis Armstrong - but undoubtedly Orléans’ most famous citizen is The Maid of Orleans. Her name was Jeanne d’Arc and she became known to the English-speaking world as Joan of Arc. Joan of Arc’s birthday is January 6th. Which is also, as I mentioned, 12th night, the first night of Mardi Gras. It was that fact, and the feeling that 12th night wasn’t being celebrated with enough inclusive diversity in New Orleans, that led Amy Kirk Duvoisin to found the Joan of Arc Project. The flagship activity of the Joan of Arc Project is the Joan of Arc Parade, on 12th night. It’s a walking parade set in Joan’s era, the 1400’s, with medieval costumes, music, characters on horseback, and roving entertainers like jugglers and stilt walkers. The paraders have Medieval throws – and king cake. If you don’t know anything else about New Orleans, you know we’re the home of Mardi Gras – the biggest, rowdiest, annual street party in the country. If you live in New Orleans, Mardi Gras is more than just a party. It’s more than just a whole lot of parties. It’s part of the fabric of the city – from our culture to our economy. And, like other aspects of culture and economics, it’s not static. It changes. And evolves. These evolutions are mostly the result of innovations that come from the creative minds of New Orleanians, like Jennifer Samuels and Amy Kirk Duvoisin. Out to Lunch was recorded live over lunch at Columns in Uptown New Orleans. You can find photos from this show by Jill Lafleur at itsneworleans.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The drownings at Nantes began when dozens of refractory priests were loaded onto adapted barges, which were taken to the middle of the Loire River and deliberately sunk, or the prisoners thrown ...

When Jess heads to Paris to meet her half brother Ben, she finds an empty apartment and a building full of neighbors. Antoine is mean, dark and brooding. Jacques and Sophie own a wine distribution business and seem to run the show. Mimi is obsessed with Ben. Nick's friendship was the whole reason Ben even moved into the apartment in the first place. Where is Ben? Who has reason to want him gone? Jess is desperate for answers, but she doesn't speak the language and doesn't know who to trust. While Jess gathers the clues together, let's head to the Loire River and enjoy a 2019 Thierry Germain Saumur-Champigny, mon amis. When you open the bottle, you'll smell fresh violets, spice, currants and a soupçon of Dr. Pepper? Mais, oui! Upon tasting this lovely red, you are met with the tartness of a berry jam, ideally suited to a meal of mushroom soup or some charcuterie. Bon appetit! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/readingbetweenthewines/support

Heatwaves are also troubling North Africa and the US. More than 113 million Americans are suffering intense heat. We speak to German MEP Michael Bloss about how Europe has been affected and links with climate change. Also on the programme: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visits Ukraine for the first time; and Newshour speaks to one student who has found a way of using AI to predict earthquakes and assess how much damage might be done by one. (Image: Cracked and dry earth is seen in the wide riverbed in the Loire River in France. Credit: Reuters)

The Loire River is low, and new inclusive textbooks are published in Bangladesh.The waters of France's longest river are very low after an extremely dry winter, and Bangladesh has published new inclusive school textbooks featuring transgender people.Hear about these recent events in English with news clips sourced from Reuters, including guidance to help you expand your vocabulary and improve your listening skills.If you'd like to read along, you can find the transcript for this episode here: https://bit.ly/3ZZSZ4O

It's known as the House in the Loire, and it's a popular sight for those on Loire River boat tours. But it's not a house on a formerly dry site that later flooded; nor does anyone live there. We'll explain. Plus: this weekend in Baltimore, it's the Big Dill, otherwise known as the “World's Largest Pickle Party.” The Famous House in the Middle of the Loire River (Oddity Central) The Big Dill Our Patreon backers keep this show from getting all wet --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolweirdawesome/support

Raging Chicken's Friday Politics Roundup for June 24, 2022. We're back at our regular time and there's a lot going on. Amy Knecht is back to help to dig into the good, the bad, and the ugly in state and national politics. Joe Biden finally signs the build back a little bit bill, aka the Inflation Reduction Act. Yes, it's the biggest climate legislation in U.S. history. No, it will not be enough and we are once again putting faith in the market and the tax code, because that's the only way we do policy in this country.  Speaking of climate change, the Colorado River is at historic lows. Have you seen the pics? It's not just the U.S. astounding pictures of the Loire River, France's longest river, reduced to a trickle is pretty telling of our climate future.  New study finds the emergence of an “extreme heat belt” in the U.S. By 2053, an area running from Texas to Illinois will hit a heat index of at least 125 degrees at least one day a year.  Liz Cheney, to no one's surprise, lost her primary to a Big Lie proponent.  School Boards are back in session! Palisades held its first meeting of the new school year this past Wednesday night. A few irate parents showed up and demanded answers from the Superintendent over a trespassing incident that occurred at one the elementary schools.   Fetterman is heating up the troll machine in his race against the Wizard of Oz. How's shopping at Wegners for crudité - that's a veggie tray for us plain folk.  Big D&D news. Wizards of the Coast announced the coming of One D&D which will include an updated rule system, digital and hardcover book bundles, and a digital platform driven by the Unreal Engine…all through D&D beyond. You can support this show by becoming a patron for as little as $5/month at https://www.patreon.com/rcpress.  Don't Let Paul Martino & His Oligarch Friends Buy Our Schools and push extremist politics in our community. Raging Chicken has teamed up with LevelField to launch a truly community rooted PAC to invest in organizing, support local and state-wide progressive candidates, and unmask the toxic organizations injecting our communities with right-wing extremism. We're putting small-dollar donations to work to beat back the power of Big Money.  You can get more information and drop your donation at  https://ragingchicken.levelfield.net/. Join our Discord to continue the conversation all week long: https://discord.gg/BnjRNz3u

Joe DeMare talks about his wonderful experience on a week long primitive camping trip to the rewilded Garden Island in Lake Michigan, marred only by the slaughter of hundreds of cormorants by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Rebecca Wood tells us all about cormorants. Ecological News explains why the Center for Biological Diversity calls the Inflation Reduction Act a "Climate Suicide Pact." Also, the Loire River in France has dried up, and more!

This is the weekly newspaper column.Sauvignon Blanc summer 8-3-2022Sauvignon blanc is versatile all year, but it particularly shines in the scorching summer we endure this year.Its crisp acidity and tropical fruit flavors complement lighter dishes and salads. Sauv blanc often is called “salad in a glass.” Nicely chilled, sauv blanc easily is appreciated at the end of a triple-digit day.Sauv blanc is an uncomplicated wine with vines rambunctiously eager to please. When winegrowers neglect to prune, the wine can have little distinction. That was the case in the 1970s and 1980s when California growers went for quantity instead of quality. Sauv blanc rightly earned a reputation as a cheap jug wine/boxed wine.Led by Robert Mondavi, some winemakers knew sauv blanc could achieve more and attempted to create a market for “Fumé Blanc” or similar made-up marketing name. Unfortunately, many pursued an oaky style that did sauv blanc no flavor favors.Then New Zealanders found ways in vineyards and wineries to evoke more fruit expression, creating a style now imitated even in France. Marlborough, in the northern part of the southern island, began producing world-class pours in the 1980s—food-friendly wines with tongue-cutting acidity and vivid citrus fruits.Much of sauvignon blanc is made to drink young, often released shortly after harvest. That pleases winemakers—they get to turn juice into cash quickly. It also pleases a lot of consumers since you can easily get quality in the $12-18 range.If you want, however, you can go high-end. Screaming Eagle, Oakville makes a sauv blanc that sells for $5,900—down from $7,180 last year. In France, where wine names come from places and not the varietal, the French call it Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. Sancerre is on left bank of the Loire River, Pouilly-Fumé on the right bank. Dagueneau Asteroide Pouilly-Fumé goes for $1,791 a bottle. Edmond Vatan Clos la Neore, Sanerre costs $494 a bottle.Tasting notes:• Concha y Toro Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, Rapel River 2021: Congenial easy drinker rather than boisterous, assertive sauv blanc, but retains SB's ability to enhance, complement food. $13-16 Link to my review• Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2021: Delivers what you want and expect from a NZ sauv blanc. $15-20 Link to my review• Aperture Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2020: Dollop of sémillon adds a subtle boost; whole-cluster pressing delivers depth, complexity. $40-45 Link to my reviewLast round: This summer has been so hot, when I turn on my sprinkler, steam comes out. Wine time.This is a reader-supported publication. To support my work and receive exclusive posts, please, consider becoming a paid subscriber.Thank you for reading Gus Clemens on Wine. This post is public so feel free to share it.Email: wine@cwadv.comNewsletter: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite:  gusclemensonwine.comFacebook:  facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter: @gusclemensLinks worth exploringDiary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.As We Eat Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.Balanced Diet Original recipes, curated links about food, recipe reviews. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

Most men have linear career paths with the requisite ambition to achieve clear-cut professional goals, all the while competing with others their entire lives to make it to the top of the heap. When I went off to secondary school at the age of 15 in the early 70's, society was undergoing radical changes due to the Vietnam war, Women's liberation, the Civil Rights movement, along with the overwhelming presence of sex, drugs, and rock & roll in our lives. With long hair down to the middle of my back, I opted out of the competitive horse race by the time I was 1617 years old, preferring to compete only with myself and pushing myself to the best of my abilities. Like a crab, I opted to move sideways rather than in a linear career path, choosing to study subjects and pursue interests that didn't necessarily have clear-cut professional outcomes. Clearly, since crabs have been around for almost 200 million years, they must be doing something right and I do not regret having done many things in the course of my life that do not fit into one professional nutshell. Having graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Virginia, that must have meant that my strategy to strive to be the best I could be was working. I've never needed competition to excel. This brings me to the sculpture competition that I won back in June of this year. I didn't really train to be a sculptor, although, over the course of a decade in the study of art, I did many types of exercises that were sculptural in nature. My main focus was always on painting and photography, nonetheless. When I saw the 'Appel d'Offres' presented by the Communauté des Communes Touraine Vallée de l'Indre (22 towns that are all linked by the Indre river) for a sculpture to be installed in my home town of Bréhémont situated here on the banks of the Loire River, I was intrigued and immediately decided to participate in the competition, the first and only art competition I've ever participated in I do believe.  I really wanted to leave my mark on the town where I live, and what better way than to have a prominently placed sculpture as my legacy? Back in the 1980's, my parents donated money via the Rotary Club to create a library in what was (and still in to a certain extent) the backwater port town of Bréhémont. This was my parent's legacy; the sculpture is mine. My initial concept was to create a totem pole configuration with a vertical buildup of elements (all of which symbolize the town or the region). Then I got the creative inspiration to make some of the elements movable like a wind vane.; thus the 'Totem Girouette' came about. We've named it 'Autant en Emporte le Chanvre' in nostalgic reminiscence of the hemp industry, which was the source of wealth in Bréhémont up until the advent of nylon ropes, which killed the hemp industry. To give the sculpture a bit more gravitas, however, within the basic shapes, I introduced a mathematical abstraction from ancient Greece. The Greek mathematician Euclid came up with what is called 'Euclid's 1st Proposition. By overlapping two circles, the resulting space in a lozenge in which two equilateral triangles can be placed, one pointing upwards (a symbol for fire) and one pointing downward (a symbol for water). Since water is a key feature of our town, this water symbol is quite appropriate...and it is a lovely combination of geometrical shapes!Backup to my main courier business. When this business died, I decided to focus on the furnished rental business along with the complementary renovation business in Paris. Many of the flats that I ended up managing for rentals were apartments that I renovated for the owners. Support the show

The Loire Valley follows the Loire River for roughly 250 miles and 69 AOC's this could be the most diverse wine region (river) in the world. We talk about well known grapes like Sauvignon Blanc in Pouilly Fume and Sancerre along side Cabernet Franc in Anjou and Chinon plus Chenin Blanc in Anjou and Jasnieres and Melon de Bourgogne in Muscadet. You could spend a year trying the wines from the Loire and enjoy a wide range of dishes, from oysters and seafood to rich pork stews and even rabbit or duck. #ETDT #winelovers

It's time for the next instalment of the Coffee Break French Travel Diaries Season 2! University friends Charlotte, Théo and Lucas make the most of their time in the Loire Valley with a visit to the impressive Château de Chambord and Château de Villandry before a bike ride along the Loire River - the longest river in France! Join teachers Mark and Pierre-Benoît as they discuss the language featured in Charlotte's travel diary entry in this penultimate episode of the series.The podcast episodes will be published weekly from 11th February. However, if you would like to binge the entire season then you can access all 10 episodes on the Coffee Break Academy. Our premium version includes lesson notes with additional examples and explanations of the language in each lesson, and a pronunciation practice video to help you improve your speaking. Click here to access the course on the Coffee Break Academy.At Coffee Break French we provide content for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners, along with regular mini lessons on social media. Visit coffeebreakfrench.com for all the information you need to build your confidence in French, whatever your level. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Touraine is in the Middle Loire Valley, and it has a myriad of pockets with famed and delicious wines. We give an overview of this region and discuss its most famous areas (Vouvray, Chinon, Bourgueil), which make some of the most distinctive, complex red and white wines in the world.   Here are the show notes: Touraine is in the heart of the Loire Valley, half-way between Sancerre and Nantes, 225 km/140 mi from the Atlantic Ocean, and from the northern Massif Central Touraine follows the Loire River for 100 KM/60 miles, and has 5,000 hectares /12,355 acres of vineyards Dry and sweet white, red, rosé, and sparkling wines are all made here The soil is varied, containing three main types: Tuffeau: calcareous rock that produces wines of great acidity Perruche: flint and clay with pockets of gravel, near the river Limestone and clay, with pockets of gravel, near the river The climate is Atlantic in the west, more continental as you move east. "Thésée-la-Romaine (Loir-et-Cher)" by sybarite48 is licensed with CC BY 2.0. Click here to view a copy of this license, Grapes White is 59% of production: Sauvignon Blanc (nearly 80% of whites), with Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Arbois and Sauvignon Gris, Pinot Gris Red is 22% of production and Rosé is (8%): Gamay makes up more than 60% of harvest, with Cabernet Franc, Malbec (aka Côt), Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Merlot Sparkling -- 11% -- Crémant de Loire   The rest of the show is spent on appellations… The Famed Red Appellations Chinon Chinon is the biggest red AOC in Loire It is on the western edge of the Touraine district, with multiple soil types, a combination of maritime and continental climates and, as a result, different styles of wines depending on site Reds are of Cabernet Franc (90% with up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) make up 95% of production, with a small amount of whites of Chenin Blanc and rosé Styles: light with red fruit, simple with good acidity or wines with dark black fruit with gamy, campfire, decayed leaf, earth notes and structure, power  Aging: Most are best young, some 10 and 20 years. Pascal et Alain Lorieux Chinon, Serge Doré Selections (the best Chinon I've ever had!)   Bourgueil & St. Nicolas de Bourgueil North of Chinon, these wines are similar to those of Chinon – some are powerful, some are lighter in style, depending on the soil types and sites Nicolas de Bourgueil is within Bourgueil (and can use the Bourgueil appellation) but the soils of this sub AOC are sandy, so the wines are lighter in style with soft tannins, and are meant to be consumed young. Pascal et Alain Lorieux St. Nicholas de Bourgueil, Serge Doré Selections (the best St. Nicholas de Bourgueil I've ever had!)   The Famed White Appellations Vouvray: Chenin Blanc These Chenin Blanc wines are complex, diverse and varied due to differences in climate (some sites are more maritime influenced, some more continental), soil (some have tuffeau jaune, some tuffeau blanc, some alluvial), and slope direction (depending on tributary) The wines can be dark or golden or very pale, have hay-like notes with apple, honey, citrus, wool aromas and flavors. Textures run the gamut – some are big and soft, some are dry and more refreshing. Still Wines: Lots of sweetness levels – that are not always used on the labels so you don’t know what you’re going to get! Sec, Sec-Tendre, Demi-Sec, Moelleux (sometimes with botrytis). Top wines can age for decades Sparkling: petillant (spritzy) and mousseux (fully sparkling) – neither the fizziness nor the sweetness is always marked clearly 2015 Bourillon Dorléans "La Coulée d'Argent" Vouvray -- what we drank during the podcast, Divine! Also Serge Doré Selections   Montlouis Sur Loire: Vouvray’s sister appellation, it is across the river from Vouvray in the commune of Montlouis-sur-Loire, and is based on Chenin. These wines are similar to Vouvray and have the same confusing labelling problems, but also can be long lived, developing honeyed, spicy notes with time (30-40 years)     The other appellations of Touraine with their grapes are: Northern areas Coteaux du Loir: Whites of Chenin Blanc, reds with Pineau d’Aunis (min 65%) with Cabernet Franc, Côt, and Gamay. Rosé can be Côt, Gamay, Grolleau with Pineau d’Aunis   Coteaux du Vendomois:  Strangely, this appellation’s grapes are dictated by the percentage of the grapes in the vineyards, not by what is in the final blend. Whites are mainly of Chenin Blanc (80% of vineyards) with 20% Chardonnay. Reds are from Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, with Gamay. Rosés are 100% Pineau d’Aunis.   Jasnières is a small appellation with dry white of 100% Chenin Blanc.     Touraine District level designations Touraine is a generic regional AOC but within it are 5 designations with unique wines: Touraine Amboise is rosé and red of Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Côt with whites of Chenin Blanc Touraine Azay-le Rideau is whites and rosés. Rosés are a minimum of 60% Grolleau, with Gamay, Côt or Cabernet Franc. Whites are made from 100% Chenin, and can be sec, demi-sec and sweet Touraine-Mesland is reds and rosés that are a blend of Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Côt, Whites are Chenin Blanc but may be blended with Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. Touraine-Oisly (wah-LEE) is mainly white with tropical, fatter Sauvignon Blanc that has less minerality and acidity than Sancerre, for example. Touraine Chenonceaux has similar whites to Touraine-Oisly of Sauvignon Blanc and reds of Cabernet Franc (35% – 50%) and Côt ( 50% – 85%) Touraine Noble Joué is a Vin Gris (rosé) of Pinot Meunier (main varietal, minimum 40%), Pinot Gris (minimum 20%), Pinot Noir (minimum 10%)     Eastern areas Cheverny makes reds, rosé, and whites. Reds are light in style, and are made with Gamay and Pinot Noir with some Cabernet France and Côt Rosé: must be at least 60% Pinot Noir with Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Côt Whites are Sauvignon Blanc with Sauvignon Gris with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Arbois (spelled Orbois The area contains Cour-Cheverny, made from the rare Romorantin grape – which is light and aromatic with citrus and honeyed notes   Valençay makes whites of mainly Sauvignon Blanc, with Chardonnay, Arbois, Sauvignon Gris and reds mainly of Gamay. ____________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Access  Visit: www.wineaccess.com/normal and for a limited time get $20 off your first order of $50 or more!  Wine Access is a web site that has exclusive wines that overdeliver for the price (of which they have a range). They offer top quality wines by selecting diverse, interesting, quality bottles you may not have access to at local shops. Wine Access provides extensive tasting notes, stories about the wine and a really cool bottle hanger with pairings, flavor profile, and serving temps. Wines are warehoused in perfect conditions and shipped in temperature safe packs. Satisfaction is guaranteed! Check it out today! www.wineaccess.com/normal    Thanks to YOU! The podcast supporters on Patreon, who are helping us to make the podcast possible and who we give goodies in return for their help! Check it out today: https://www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople   To sign up for classes (now for UK and Euro time zones!) please go to www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes!

Tis the season for some great Cheverny. Tessier brings this wonderful white wine tucked between the Cheverny Forests and the Loire River. This buttery Complex wine is really satisfying. Great holiday wine. Which is exactly we talked about. THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE! Follow us on on YouTube and Instagram to watch us explore the expanding world of Natural Wine

We take you across France to discover some examples of increasingly rare craftsmanship. On the banks of the Loire River, Gilbert makes wooden moulds for some of France's biggest hat designers. Some 600 kilometres south, in the Pyrenees, the profession of clog maker still exists. The proud inhabitants of the Bethmale valley continue to wear locally made clogs for special occasions. Last but not least, wooden boats known as barquettes have been sailing in and out of Marseille's old port since the 18th century. Denis's family have been making and restoring them for three generations.

On today's episode, Annie Sargent brings you a trip report with Rick McGuirk about his 5 favorite chateaux in the Loire Valley. There are so many chateaux along the Loire Valley that it’s hard to choose which ones to go to and which ones to skip. You could spend a couple of months there if you wanted to see them all. So, just in case you don't have that kind of time, let's see which ones are must-sees. Rick and his wife have visited France many times, but this was their first time exploring the Loire Valley. They don't speak French beyond "bonjour", "au revoir" and "une carafe d'eau" but that wasn't a problem. So long as you know the magic word in French, you'll be OK! 5 Favorite Chateaux in the Loire Valley On this trip they stayed in Paris for 5 days then took the TGV  from Montparnasse to  Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps in Tour where they picked up a rental car. It is wise to reserve your rental car from home, especially if you'd like to drive an automatic! Distances between the chateaux are usually 30 to 45 minute drive and those drives are scenic and enjoyable. Rick's top 5 Chambord Cheverny Chemonceau Amboise Vilandry Take-Away from this Episode You could visit the 5 favorite chateaux in the Loire Valley in 2 days, but 3 would be better. They saw 10 places in 4 days as listed below, and it would have been better to cut a couple of them off. Maybe I should have asked him for a top 6 list so that he could have included Azay-le-Rideau which I've enjoyed personally. If you need to choose between staying in Chinon or staying in Amboise, Amboise is probably a better choice because it is a bigger cleaner town and there are more dining and shopping choices. Keep in mind that the Loire Valley is not where you go for great night-life but rather for gorgeous architecture, gardens and scenery. It is a peaceful, quiet soul-full type of vacation. Most of these chateaux are in rural France, pay attention to opening and closing times and the infrequent availability of stores compared to what you're used to. Hotels Recommended in this Episode They stayed at a lovely quaint hotel in Chinon for 2 nights. French manor house with lovely furniture, beams on the ceiling, beautiful floors. Amazing breakfast. But Chinon the city is a smaller town, it may be difficult to find anything open in the middle of the day, especially if you're on foot. They enjoyed La Cabane à Vin in Chinon. They preferred the city of Amboise where they found a lovely hotel.  An old remodeled manor house with spacious rooms, wonderful staff, great location overlooking the Loire River and central to the town.  Plus the staff was extra kind to them when they found out that Rick's mother-in-law passed away while they were in France. Vilandry The formal gardens are spectacular in October: flowers, pears, pretty grounds. This is a beautiful French Garden style and there are nice gardens behind the chateau as well. Definitely plan time to explore the grounds. Vilandry is furnished more than other chateaux, but the best part is seeing the grounds. Azay-le-Rideau More furniture and amazing rooms at Azay-le-Rideau, but the grounds weren't as nice as Vilandry even though the water all around the chateau is beautiful. Abbey Royale de Fontevraud Finding the parking-lot can be tricky, it's a big place, somewhat empty, has a lot of both illustrious and infamous history. It was not a favorite of theirs. Chateau d'Ussé About a 30 minute drive, easy to find with a GPS. The building itself is amazing. They say it was the inspiration for Disney's Cinderella Castle. A lot of the chateau is in great condition, so are the stables. The Café Dechemin Eric had a great view onto the chateau but the food was just OK. Chateau de Chinon This is more of a fortress than a chateau, the views from the chateau are lovely, but the place itself has a lot of military history. The chateau at Amboise might be a better choice if you can only see one. They had dinner at a restaurant called Au Chapeau Rouge that comes highly recommended everywhere but they didn't feel welcome there and the food was mediocre and not cheap. To be avoided. Amboise Both the chateau, the grounds and the city of Amboise are wonderful. Definitely one of the best they saw. There are a lot of signs in the Amboise chateau and you should spend some time reading them because the history is wonderful. It would be a good idea to have lunch at the chateau, you can sit on the terrace and enjoy great views. Le Clos Lucé This is the chateau where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last few years of his life after being invited by the King to be the resident genius. The chateau itself is not as large or as fancy, but the grounds are wonderful and there are a lot of displays for the kids to see. This chateau has a lot of da Vinci themed stuff in the gift shop. Restaurant near the chateau Via Roma, it was good to have some Italian food, not many tourists there, a great choice. Royal Chateau d'Amboise This is a military castle, it is well preserved, great views. Not very large, but a great visit, highly recommended. They went back to eat at a place called Chez Bruno twice, lots of locals, nice food, but reserve because it fills up. Chateau Cheverny Cheverny is a great chateau with an interesting look and a great story. The family that owns the chateau still lives there at least part-time. There is a lot to see inside the chateau as well, this is a must-do. It doesn't have the high-end formal gardens that other chateaux have but it has dogs. You must plan to be there during dog feeding time (get there early, lots of people want to see it!) There are 50 or 60 dogs and it's great to watch the 20 or 30 minute "show". The dogs are in great condition and trained well. Great for children and people who like Tintin as well. Chateau de Chambord This one is the most spectacular, it's the biggest one and grand beyond description. There are a lot of rooms open for touring and they are enormous. Many of them are unfurnished, possibly because it wasn't lived-in very much. Don't miss the double-helix staircase. You can go every which way around the chateau, climb to the top, it's a great visit. There's a food court there and it's OK. One Word of Caution in Closing They knew the Hertz location where they rented the car would be closed when they were to drop-off the car. They were told to leave the car in the parking lot and put the keys in the mailbox. Unfortunately there were no spots left to park until a train arrived and a few people took their cars to go home. Don't be in a rush if you need to leave the car at the train station parking lot! Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price. Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): An Action-Packed Holiday in France with Kids, Episode 259 The Lovely City of Tours in the Loire Valley, Episode 255 A Scenic Drive along the Loire River, Episode 252 Tips for Visiting Chenonceau and Cheverny, Episode 171 Loire Valley Castles You Shouldn't Skip, Episode 168 Trip Report Loire Valley and Dordogne, Episode 82 Chartres Cathedral, Episode 26 The Rules of Driving in France, Episode 16 Category: Loire Valley

On today's episode Elyse tells the story of her scenic drive along the Loire River between Angers and Saumur. One of her stops was at the Fontevraud Abbey where Eleanor of Aquitaine and her son Richard the Lionheart are buried. I spent a few hours myself at Fontevraud and really enjoyed it, we explain what makes it so great in the episode. This is also a great itinerary for cycling! Although, in that case you’d probably have to stop somewhere for the night. But there is no lack of great villages to choose from! Or you could stay in a troglodyte house which they have in this area! I’m not so sure about those, but they would be worth a stop for sure! To be clear, our emphasis today is not on the Loire Valley Chateaux but on the Loire river and the beautiful towns and cities you will encounter as you explore the area. This drive would take a whole day because as we'll see there are a lot of places that are worth a stop, and you could do it in either direction going east or going west. Please note that there is no public transportation to do this, you'll need either a car or hop on a bicycle. #joinusinfrance #loireriver #loirevalley #fontevraud #abbey #eleanorofaquitaine #CandesSaintMartin #valdeloiretourisme Show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/252 Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter  

The Loire Valley wine region, located in central France along the Loire River and its tributaries, is famed for its dry, white wines such as Sancerre and Pouilly- Fumé. The wine region is filled with vineyards, farmland and beautiful chateaux. Overall, the Loire Valley – which includes famous towns as Orleans, Tours and Nantes – is approximately two-thirds the size of Bordeaux. ***Subscribe to our Channels for more: *** ► YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BEVERAGETRADENETWORK ► iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/bevcast/ ► Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=233919&refid=stpr

For decades, a magnificent castle overlooking the Loire River has been the annual setting for one of Europe's most fantastic feasts for the senses.

The Loire River, gliding gently east to west, separating northern from southern France, has come to define this popular tourist region. The value of this river and the valley's prime location, in the center of the country just south of Paris, have made the Loire a strategic prize for centuries — hence all the castles. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

The Loire River, gliding gently east to west, separating northern from southern France, has come to define this popular tourist region. The value of this river and the valley’s prime location, in the center of the country just south of Paris, have made the Loire a strategic prize for centuries — hence all the castles. At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.

Join me, Gary Bembridge from TipsForTravellers.com, as I take you on board the CroisiEurope Loire Princesse river cruise ship. Each day of the five day / six night trip as I travelled along the Loire river in France I recorded observations, activities and tips and combined them into this one show. CroisiEurope are the largest and oldest river cruise operators in Europe and offer a value-for-money way of going river cruising. In the show I cover the following: Day-by-day insight into the cruise, destinations, excursions and river cruising overall. Loire River observations and facts. CroisiEurope Loire Princesse ship observations. Thoughts on why and when CroisiEurope may be a good choice for a river cruise. How they make the fare value-for-money. Food and menus. Overview of places visited and excursions: Nantes, Saint Nazaire, Clisson, Angers and the Chateaus of Azay, Villandry and Usse. If you want to find out more about the tour, places visited and other content from the trip visit tipsfortravellers.com/croisieurope-loire After listening to the podcast: Please leave a comment on Tipsfortravellers.com/podcast, email me or leave a review on iTunes. Subscribe (and leave a review) to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. Consider becoming a Podcast Patron and visit tipsfortravellers.com/patron.