Rochecotte Chateau, Saint-Patrice

This theme park is a historical tour around a medieval city, an 18th-century village and a year 1900 town square. It also has a number of historical shows reenacting Ancient Roman gladiator fighting, attacks from the Vikings and medieval adventures. The summertime evening shows are an explosion of colour, lights and entertainment. An incredible spectacular.

Read more about Le Puy du Fou

Balloon Revolution offer flights over the Touraine region of the Loire Valley allowing you to discover its beautiful châteaux from the sky. Usually launching from the grounds of one of the châteaux, it's an unforgettable experience.

Read more about Balloon Revolution

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.

Read more about Train Touristique de la Vallee du Loir

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!

Read more about Sully Golf Course, Sully-sur-Loire

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.

Read more about La Loire Bike Tour with Austin-Lehman Travel

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.

Read more about Saumur Golf Course, Saumur

This wonderful restaurant run by Bernard Robin, the renowned chef, used to be a coaching house. Today is serves excellent traditional cuisine in a fine dining setting accompanied by an excellent wine selection. A top dining spot in the Loire with a Michelin star to match.

Read more about Le Relais d'Artemis Restaurant Restaurant, Bracieux

This fondue house and chocolatier has been running since 1913 serving pastries, macaroons and wonderful hand-made chocolates in its tea house. You can attend a chocolate-making demonstration and workshop.

Read more about Bigot Restaurant, Loire

This modern restaurant is located at the top of an art gallery and its floor-to-ceiling glass windows and terrace offer great views of the quays. Simple white chic tables and chairs with dark walls and a splash of colour give this place a fun trendy feel. The cuisine is modern European, with lots of excellent fish dishes.

Read more about Le Lift Restaurant, Orleans

This old post house dating from the 19th century has managed to retain a unique style where beams, bricks and tiles combine with modern comforts.

Read more about La Chaumiere Restaurant, Aubigny-sur-Nere

Sample their gourmet burgers, inventive salads, sweet & savoury pancakes and delicious sundaes.

Read more about Les Saveurs de Jean Restaurant, Chemille

This restaurant located at the south gate in the grounds of the Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire offers a refined and inventive cuisine which is created around the theme of the annual garden festival. Only open from April.

Read more about Le Grand Velum Restaurant, Chaumont-sur-Loire

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!

Read more about Chateau d'Usse, Rigny-Usse

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.

Read more about Chateau Langeais, Langeais

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.

Read more about Chateau de Chinon, Chinon

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.

Read more about Chateau de Villandry, Villandry

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.

Read more about Chateau de Sache, Sache

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.

Read more about Maison de la Deviniere