The Loire Valley is renowned for its vineyards, chateaux and history - the "valley of the kings" (where French royalty was based in centuries gone by). The river itself (La Loire) is the longest in France. Earlier in 2003 I had barely heard of the place. In May however we - Karen and I - spent four days "exploring" the region and seeing a number of the chateaux (castles), most of which date back 500-1000 years.

I'd pictured a narrow thickly-forested valley with the various chateaux looking down on the ever-present river, but on the whole it wasn't like that. The setting closest to that image would have to be Chaumont as above. Some of the chateaux do overlook the river but others are located a little distance away on seemingly flat countryside. Still others are situated on an elevated spot overlooking the local town (and nearby river). None of which detracts from the magnificence of the buildings and the general pleasantness of their surroundings, particularly in the case of the most "impressive" two - Chambord and Chenonceau.

We based ourselves in Blois, "a fascinating city owing to its rich historical past and its renown as a residence for the kings of France and their court throughout the sixteenth century."