If there ever were a fairytale land then this would be it. The Loire Valley in central France abounds with hundreds of castles from when it was home to French royals. From blockbuster landmarks to ...

The Loire Valley is a UNESCO Heritage-protected region, and drew in 9 million yearly visitors to its cultural sites before the pandemic. Joann Pai for The New York Times ...

If you’re travelling by ferry, arriving into Caen leaves the shortest journey onwards to the Loire Valley (around 2.5–3 hours by car). Brittany Ferries operate a Portsmouth to Caen service.

Although many of Leonardo's grandest designs were never fully executed, visitors to the Loire Valley's vineyard-covered landscapes can still see imprints of the artist's genius 500 years later.

The central Loire Valley is tailor-made for cycling holidays. There are dedicated paths pretty much all the way from Nievre to Nantes, and little of it tough going. But you can't be a wine lover ...