Loire Valley


Loire Valley

Agriculture is diverse but highly specialized. Along the river, farmers grow plants with high added value, characterised by intensive requirements in terms of production factors, whereas in the plains, highly mechanized farms cultivate over 2 million hectares of cereals.

The Loire river is of course the main attraction of the valley. The Kings of France had castles built along its sides, provincial cities based their industries on its waters and farmers have adapted to its regular floods.

Crop
Crop

Wheat, barley, corn, winter barley : The Beauce area is a national leader for cereal production, side by side with North Champagne. Wheat yields are among the highest in France, and the industry keeps innovating to face new challenges, both economical and environmental.

The area is a national leader for pot plants, bedding plants, young nursery plants, bulbs, dahlias, and potted shrubs. The first European rank for vegetable and flower seeds production is also claimed by the Loire Valley.

The Loire Valley is the first French region for mushroom production. The leading product is the “Champignon de Paris”.

The country of Anjou is the largest French producer in terms of area and tonnage for apples.

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Wine
Wine

The mild climate of the Loire Valley also enabled the development of an important and diversified vineyard of 60 000 ha.

Cheese
Cheese

There is no going to the Loire Valley without trying one of its best delicacies : goat cheese of many different types and shapes, from Sainte Maure de Touraine’s cylinders to Crottins de Chavignol. 30% of the national goat herd is reared in the valley.

Sightseing
Sightseing

1200 châteaux. This is how many you can see in the Loire Valley ! Travel through centuries,  from the medieval Chateau d’Angers to the Renaissance Château de Chenonceau and enjoy the beautiful gardens of Villandry and Chaumont-sur-Loire.

If you are a horse rider, you must have heard of Saumur’s National Riding school. Open to the visit, we invite you to enter the corridors of a unique school in France, where the instructors are the celebrated riding masters of the Cadre Noir. Regular public performances allow you to watch the ecuyers at work in the Grand Manège !

Along the river, a stop in the cities of Nantes, Tours, Blois, or Orleans is recommended. You cannot miss the sight of Chartres’ Cathedral, standing proudly in the middle of the farming plain.

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Gastro
Gastro

For a friendly and traditional atmosphere, have diner in a troglodyte restaurant ! We suggest, for starters, to taste some fouée, also known as fouace, a round, airy bread cooked in wood ovens. They are usually served warm, with other local specialties like pork rillettes, goat cheese or mogettes (white beans), but you can also enjoy them with salted butter or marmalade !

Crop
Crop
Sugar cane, banana, pineapple
Sightseing
Sightseing
cruising, distillery
Gastro
Gastro
Accras de morue, ti-punch
Crop
Crop
Sugar cane, vegetable, vanilla
Sightseing
Sightseing
vulcanoe Piton de La Fournaise, cruising
Gastro
Gastro
rougail, punch
Crop
Crop
fruit, olive, citrus, kiwi, chestnut
Livestock
Livestock
small beef cattle, dairy sheep, goat, extensive pig
Cheese
Cheese
Brocciu
Sightseing
Sightseing
Bonifacio, Calvi
Gastro
Gastro
Corsican pork
Crop
Crop
Durum wheat, rice, olive, vegetables, flowers
Livestock
Livestock
sheep
Wine
Wine
rosé de Provence
Sightseing
Sightseing
Camargue, Calanques, Aix en Provence, Avignon
Gastro
Gastro
Bouillabaisse, ratatouille, tapenade
Crop
Crop
Fruit, lavender
Livestock
Livestock
Mountain cattle dairy
Cheese
Cheese
Rebelochon, Tommes, Beaufort
Sightseing
Sightseing
Annecy, Lyon, Mont Blanc
Gastro
Gastro
Tartiflette, fondue savoyarde, bouchons lyonnais cuisine
Crop
Crop
wheat
Livestock
Livestock
Limousine, Aubrac, Salers cattle breed, sheep,
Cheese
Cheese
Roquefort, Saint Nectaire, Cantal
Sightseing
Sightseing
Auvergne vulcanoes
Gastro
Gastro
Aligot
Crop
Crop
Sunflower, corn, vegetable, fruit
Livestock
Livestock
Sheep, milk feed veal, duck
Wine
Wine
Bordeaux, Languedoc, Cognac
Cheese
Cheese
Pyrenees Tomme, Rocamadour
Sightseing
Sightseing
Bordeaux, Toulouse, Arcachon bay, Carcassonne
Gastro
Gastro
cassoulet, duck liver, truffles
Crop
Crop
Cereals, plants, seeds, vegetable, apple
Wine
Wine
Loire Valley wines
Cheese
Cheese
Sainte Maure de Tourraine
Sightseing
Sightseing
Chenonceau castle, Chartres cathedral
Gastro
Gastro
Fouée, rillettes
Crop
Crop
Cereals, red smal berries
Livestock
Livestock
Charolaise cattle, Montbéliarde dairy
Wine
Wine
Burgundy wine
Cheese
Cheese
Comté
Sightseing
Sightseing
Beaune Hospices, Burgundy wine route
Gastro
Gastro
œufs meurettes, bœuf bourgignon, coq au vin
Crop
Crop
Corn, hops
Livestock
Livestock
Dairy cattle
Wine
Wine
Alsacian Riesling, Gerwurztraminer
Sightseing
Sightseing
Strasbourg, Alsacian wine route, WW1 Battlefields
Gastro
Gastro
Choucroute, Quiche
Crop
Crop
Wheat, barley, rapeseed, hemp, potato, vegetable field crop
Livestock
Livestock
Fish
Wine
Wine
Champagne
Cheese
Cheese
Maroilles, Brie de Meaux
Sightseing
Sightseing
Reims, Lille, Chantilly
Gastro
Gastro
Andouillette, truffles, game meat
Crop
Crop
Cereal, textile linen
Livestock
Livestock
Cattle dairy Normande, race horse
Wine
Wine
Apple cider, Calvados brandy
Cheese
Cheese
Camembert, Pont l’Eveque
Sightseing
Sightseing
WWII landing beach, Honfleur, Etretat, Monet gardens
Gastro
Gastro
Oysters, mussels
Crop
Crop
Vegetables
Livestock
Livestock
Dairy cattle, pigs, poultry,
Sightseing
Sightseing
Mont Saint Michel, Saint Malo, Guérande’s salt marshes
Gastro
Gastro
Crêpes, cider