Best romance - France, a royal affair

Every year, you spoil yourself with a romantic week-end. You’ve been to Venice, Paris, Rome, Prague, Vienna, Berlin, London, Bruges, Heidelberg, Dublin, New York, Florence… and you are now looking for a new original idea. What about living in a “Château”, the French way? There are over 45 000 Chateaux spread over the French territory and some of them have their doors and history open for an unforgettable week-end gateway. Ideal place to please your senses and soul, the Val de Loire region is where French Kings lived and loved, where great authors like Rabelais and Balzac drew their inspirations. Nowadays, when strolling the Gardens of Chambord, one can easily picture François 1er welcoming Charles Quint in the Chateau’s alleys, escorted by a squad of maidens dressed up like Greek goddesses who are busy spreading flower petals on the floor. Or see a 18th-century courtesan coming your way with her face masked in the French-style gardens of the Chateau of Villandry, where trimmed boxwood and yews represent, in four different gardens, allegories of tender, passionate, inconstant and tragic love. Undoubtedly, the Val-de-Loire region is an invitation for a journey of love and beauty. For that purpose, some of the most famous Relais & Chateaux hotels welcome you in royal style. Located in Onzain, near the Loire Valley Wine Route, the Hauts de Loire Domain is a haven of greenery and scattered ponds teeming with birds. The historical ampelopsis-covered mansion welcomes nature enthusiasts looking for an intimate and peaceful escape. Cosy rooms will provide enchanting awakenings. The two-starred Chef Rémy Giraud will delight your buds with a creative cuisine from the Loire region and river. Among his favourite dishes: blueback Herring from the Loire, parsley mousse, M. Marpault’s asparagus and “Mariguette” strawberries in Carcadet sauce. Not to mention fine wines such as very famous whites: Vouvray, Montlouis and Touraine!

Romantic must do

Leaving the Loire Valley for the so romantic « Champagne Route », Château de Fère Hôtel & Spa, member of small luxury hotels, awaits you for a royal treat you amidst woodland and manicured lawns with an ancient bridge that spans the moat.

loire-chateaux.org chambord.org domainehautsloire.com chateaudefere.com By Bernard Montiel, Suzanne Kauz Translations : Denis Dessapt-Laroze