Discover and book the top La Loire sights
The Hôtel Cabu was built in 1548 by the architect Jacques Androuet for Phillipe Cabu, an Orléans attorney. It is said that the mistress of Henry II, Diane de Poitiers, stayed here a year later. The Orléans Museum of History and Archaeology is now housed in this Renaissance brick hotel, charting the history of Orléans from the Roman period though to modern times. It's definitely worth a trip to this elegant building.
The Sancerre House dates back to the 14th century and is built like an upside-down nave. It was previously shared by several different owners but today it houses an exhibition space dedicated to Sancerre wine production, explaining why the soils combined with the vine growers “savoir-faire” make Sancerre such an exceptional wine area.
Estuaire is a new artistic space, an artistic adventure divided into three parts. It gives artists the opportunity to display perennial artworks and installations along the banks of the Loire over a three month period. It also aims to involve the people of Nantes and Saint-Nazaire in the creation of this art. An open park, whose playground is the walking paths, campsites and open spaces of the town, as well as some indoor exhibitions, this is an adventurous and exciting project merging the natural environment with the contemporary. A walk along the trail is necessary to take in the works; some installations are only visible at night!
On the Ile de Nantes, which has been transformed in recent years, this gallery in the old shipbuilding area features the mechanical designs of François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice whose imaginations were inspired by the works of Jules Verne. The huge moving urban sculptures, such as the Great Elephant and the Branch of the Heron Tree, are open for the public to experience, though bookings are required as they are extremely popular.
The adjacent Joan of Arc Centre, founded in 1974, includes some impressive collections on Jean of Arc: books, pamphlets, engravings, films, documentaries and more. This is the place to pop in, or spend a day, if you want to really study the life and times of Jean of Arc.
Understandably for a city whose history was changed by one 17 year old Jean of Arc, known locally as the "Maid of Orléans", there is a museum dedicated to the short time she spent in Orléans as well as to her wider life. Apparently Jean of Arc in fact stayed in a building located on the site of the museum.
A museum dedicated to the magician Robert Houdin, born in 1805, and who brought modern magic into being. In his home here in Blois, you can find out about the personality of this man who once performed at Buckingham Palace. It is also a performing arts centre with some good interactive features.
This incredible Gothic hospital was constructed in the 12th century for Etienne de Marsay, a chief officer of King Henry II. It is the oldest hospital in existence in France and is an outstanding piece of Angevin history. The former orphanage on the same site is now home to the Jean Lurçat museum which houses further tapestries depicting the Apocalypse.
With one of the largest collections of tanks in Europe, this museum charts the history of the development of this armoured fighting vehicle. It's a must for military history enthusiasts as it contains good international examples and demonstrates technological advances through the years. Although you may only view around a couple of hundred tanks, the museum actually holds over 800!
The largest agriculture museum in France. The Agriculture Conservatoire , ‘Le Compa', is a society museum of history, science, techniques and fine arts which addresses the past as much as the modern world. It focuses on the transformations and developments within agriculture and questions where they fit in modern society. It examines humans' relationship with the environment - building bridges between the town and the country.
This museum is dedicated to modern stained glass and mosaic producing techniques and contains pieces of art which are famous paintings depicted in glass colours. It is located in the Hôtel Raimbault which dates back to the early 19th century. This particular stain glass technique was developed by Jean Cocteau.
Le Lieu Unique is the national centre for contemporary arts. It opened in 2000 in the former Lu biscuit factory and is a space for artistic exploration and cultural effervescence. Offering activities across all arts, it is a unique setting with plenty going on.
This museum houses an exuberant collection of fine arts and is possibly one of the best collections in France. It traces art from the 15th to the 20th century in its permanent collection, with works from Italian, Dutch, Flemish and French artists. It also has many temporary exhibitions which are worth visiting. It is one of the oldest museums in France.
This small museum is dedicated to the world-renowned science fiction author Jules Verne who was born in Nantes. On the 150th anniversary of his birth, the city of Nantes decided to dedicate a museum to the writer in order to reflect the richness of his contributions. Books, articles, portraits and photography depict the personality of this famous figure.
This town is almost as crazy about horses as it is about wine. This museum describes the history of the French cavalry - though you might notice that not all French achievements, or otherwise, are alluded to in the museum!
Visit this old slate mine near Angers which paints the life and work of pit workers, a traditional profession in the region. It includes an underground tour of the mines, 130 metres below ground, on a small mining train.
Visit the production site where this famous liqueur is made and discover the secret of its creation. Take part in a tasting session with the barman and learn how to make a success of every single cocktail at home, from the simplest to the most sophisticated.