Indre-et-Loire, France
Self-catering holiday rental houses, gites and cottages Indre-et-Loire
The department Indre-et-Loire is part of the region of Centre (Val de Loire) in central France. The centre of the French Renaissance, this department possesses an exceptionally rich heritage, which is evident when you rent an Indre-et-Loire holiday cottage. The department features several of the most important chateaux in the Loire Valley region.
Tours, the departmental prefecture, is the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department. It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines and the alleged perfection (as perceived by some speakers) of its local spoken French! Tours is charmingly referred to as "Le Jardin de la France" ("The Garden of France"), and there are several parks located within the city ideal for a stroll when you stay in a holiday rental home in Indre-et-Loire, France.
The Indre-et-Loire department is world renowned for its outstanding châteaux. Those that are open to the public include the following:
The Château d'Amboise is built on a promontory overlooking the Loire River - well worth visting when taking an Indre-et-Loire holiday rental property. The château of Azay-le-Rideau is one of the earliest French Renaissance châteaux; built on an island in the Indre River, its foundations rise straight out of the water. The Château de la Bourdaisière is a castle in the countryside in Montlouis-sur-Loire.
The Château de Chenonceau is a manor house near the small village of Chenonceaux. It was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher. The Château de Langeais is a castle built on a promontory at the opening to the Val de Loire.
Château du Rivau is a castle-palace in Lémeré. The 12 gardens of Rivau are designated a Jardin Remarquable. They are inspired by fairy tales and legends and are also a treat for rose lovers, as they display a collection of more than 300 roses from famous rose breeders.
The Château de Loches, built some 500 meters above the Indre River, dominates the town of Loches. The town, one of the most picturesque in France, lies at the foot of the rocky eminence.
Travelling to your holiday house or gite in Indre-et-Loire, France
By road: Tour is conveniently located for access via France’s auto-routes. Journey time from Paris is 2 ½ hours and via the A10. From Cherbourg, the journey time is just under 4 hours and mainly via auto-route. By rail: Tours is on one of the main lines of the TGV. It takes less than one hour by train from Tours to Paris by TGV and one hour and a half to Charles de Gaulle airport. Tours has two main stations: the central station Gare de Tours and Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, which is just outside the center, and is the station which is used by trains that do not terminate in Tours. By air: Tours Loire Valley Airport connects the Loire Valley to London Stansted Airport and Dublin. These links are provided by the Irish airline Ryanair.