Rochecotte Chateau, Saint-Patrice

The Vernelle House accommodation is a beautiful 17th century construction. It was completely renovated in 2013.

This contemporary and modern hotel, literally translated as the Bird Pond, offers beautifully finished rooms with an oriental feel.

This charming luxury hotel sits on the banks of the Loire and its sumptuous bedrooms have views of the beautiful Château d'Amboise. Elegantly decorated, with lovely gardens, this is a wonderful choice in heart of Amboise.

Located on a quiet street in the centre of Saumur, this is a great place to stopover. It has attractive, though small, rooms which have been fully refurbished. Numerous famous French men and women have stayed over here.

This elegant château is splendidly laid out and built with in classic white stone and blue slate. It has been meticulously restored over the years and the current owners are passionate about ensuring its heritage is retained. Be sure to visit the François I gallery and the traditional kitchen. A homely place to stay.

This palace was built in the 19th century by a railway engineer in an Italian Palladian style and has an Italian-style palazzo. Its beautiful terraced park offers views of the St Florent-le-Vieil Abbey and across the Loire Valley.

This 16th and 17th century manor, located to the west of Tours, is surrounded by 350 acres of woods and gardens facing the Briffaut Lake. It offers charming hotel accommodation in a pretty setting.

Austin Lehman Adventure Travel has been sharing their love of adventure holidays with guests for around 40 years. Their insider's knowledge and extensive contacts in La Loire allow them to offer cultural and artistic experiences and encounters that give guests an in-depth feel for the local people and their way of life.

This train dating from 1950s travels from Thoré to Trôo taking in troglodyte dwellings, Saint-Rimay tunnel, the town of Montoire and Varennes and more.

Located in the heart of the Sologne, this 27-hole club offers three courses; Sarcelles, Faisans and Chevreuils. You can do 9 holes, combine two courses to do a round of 18, or if you're feeling energetic, you can do all 27!

NaviLoire offers short guided boat trips on the Loire river from Rochecorbon, taking in cave dwellings, discovering the rich wildlife along the banks, as well as catching a glimpse of the wine-producing Château de Moncontour.

This golf course is part of the Blue Green group of golf courses.

Canoeing and kayaking tours on the Loire river are offered by this company based in Loire. An excellent way to enjoy this beautiful countryside, you can take overnight tours, camping at night, or do the more active sport kayaking in fast rapids.

This café-bistro is located in the centre of Saumur, right on the busy Place Saint-Pierre.

Young chef David Guitton gained worldwide training before taking on this restaurant in the grounds of the Domaine de la Bergarie winelands.

Charming little coffee shop and lunch spot offering good food on its terrace or tucked away in the cellar. Look out for the decadent dessert selection.

Chef, Didier Edon, has a Michelin star for his excellent restaurant in the Hautes Roches manor house.

This small restaurant in Angers serves traditional French cuisine made with locally-sourced fresh market ingredients explained on the classic chalkboard menu.

This restaurant brands itself as 'almost traditional' and offers contemporary twists on classic French cuisine.

This sleeping beauty château, overlooking the Indre river, is thought to have inspired the children's book written by Charles Perrault in the 17th century. Parts of the existing château date back to the 15th century - unfortunately all aspects from earlier dates have been destroyed. However, this picture-book Gothic château with some Italianate features is in immaculate condition. Its interior has been maintained in authentic style and it has a sumptuous king's chamber decorated in gold leaf, just in case a king happened to be passing and drop in!

At the end of the 10th century Foulques Nerra conquered the site of Langeais and established a château on the promontory. All that remains of the original château are a few traces of the keep. During the second half of the 15th century, Langeais was considered a strategic site. Charles VII's son, Louis XI, therefore decided to build a château there in the face of hostilities from a group known as the League for the Public Weal; dissidents from the high aristocracy. Importantly in 1491, the château was the scene of the dawn wedding between Charles VIII (Louis XI's son) and Duchess Anne of Brittany. The marriage put an end to the strife between France and Anne's independent duchy and paved the way for Brittany eventually being incorporated formally into the French kingdom.

Overlooking the crossroads of the three provinces of Anjou, Poitou and Touraine, the rocky spur upon which the royal fortress of Chinon stands is a strategic and much coveted location that has been occupied since Roman times. There has been a castle on the site since at least the 10th century when Theobald the Trickster, Count of Blois, built a tower there. But it was not until 1154 that Henry II, Count of Anjou and King of England, set the fortress on the road to its present grandeur. The fortress began its fall into decay in the 17th century, under the ownership of Cardinal Richelieu. Now, after four years of restoration work on a scale unprecedented elsewhere in Europe, the fortress has the military splendour and cohesiveness that it enjoyed in bygone days.

Villandry was completed toward 1536 and was the last of the large châteaux built in the Loire Valley during the Renaissance. It was built by Jean le Breton, one of François I's finance ministers, whose coat of arms can be seen on the gable of the left-hand dormer window. Villandry stayed in the le Breton family until 1754 and then became the property of the Marquis de Castellane, the King's Ambassador, who came from an illustrious noble family from Provence. He built the Classical style outbuildings that you can see on either side of the front courtyard. He also redesigned the interior of the château to meet the standards of comfort of the 18th century. Its redesigned grounds include an impressive vegetable garden constructed in the early 20th century. A cook's delight, these vegetables are now available to buy in season.

Located in the Indre river Valley, this château was frequently visited by the author and playwright, Honoré de Balzac, as a result of his mother's affair with the owner, Monsieur de Margonne. He wrote many of his famous works here. This 16th century building is more of a grand house than a château and contains an exceptionally detailed museum dedicated to Balzac and his works.

The 15th century country house where François Rabelais, the writer, doctor and humanist, lived is now a museum to his life and works. Located in Seuilly, it houses sketches of the writer, describes medicinal plants talked about in his works and even has a shop selling wine from the vineyards in the grounds.

This relatively new course, set in beautiful Saumur, is a pleasant 9-hole round if you're searching for a change from historical monuments and châteaux.

This 18-hole course is set in the grounds of an 18th-century château which is now a leisure complex with outdoor pool and tennis courts as well as a charming hotel.

This golf course is part of the Blue Green group of golf courses.

The golf course of the Château Cheverny has been constructed in the 142 hectares of the historic hunting grounds of the château.

In the grounds of the 17th century Château Perrièrre, the golf club is within ancient trees, water features and different plant varieties that create this undulating course offering a diverse round.

Located in the heart of the Sologne, this 27-hole club offers three courses; Sarcelles, Faisans and Chevreuils. You can do 9 holes, combine two courses to do a round of 18, or if you're feeling energetic, you can do all 27!