Wine and châteaux are very much the heart of the Loire Valley. With so many choices on your doorstep, it will be difficult to decide which to explore first! The area is also well known for its charming, medieval towns such as Richelieu, Loches and Chinon.

On our doorstep, the pretty town of Richelieu is well known as the former home of the Cardinal of Richelieu.

Sadly, the chateau no longer exists but the beautiful grounds and park remain and the walled town is worth a visit.

During the summer months Richelieu has a variety of interesting events taking place.

The medieval, market town of Chinon nestles on the banks of the river Vienne and has a stunning, commanding fortress overlooking the town.

The town itself is steeped in history and rich with culture. With interesting buildings, shops, pavement cafés, gastronomic restaurants and a popular brocante market which is held along the river once a month.

The Chinon region is well-known for its vineyards. Many of the neighbouring villages have been producing fine wines for centuries.

A small historic market town with cobbled streets and one of the best weekly markets in the region.

There is a spectacular view from the fortress and dungeon and a multitude of pavement cafés, restaurants and shops to explore.

A delightful place to visit.

A town in western France. Overlooking the Loire river, the Château de Saumur is a medieval castle with a museum displaying archaeological finds, ceramics and tapestries. The National Riding School, home to the Cadre Noir display team, is known for its equestrian shows. The Cavalry Museum traces French military history with exhibits of uniforms and weapons. Hundreds of tanks are housed in the Armor Museum.

A town in central France’s Loire Valley. It's known for the Château d'Amboise, the grand 15th-century residence of King Charles VIII featuring Leonardo da Vinci's tomb, as well as royal chambers, gardens and underground passageways. Just outside town, Château du Clos Lucé is Leonardo's former home, where he lived until his death in 1519. It houses a small museum displaying working models of his designs.

A sleepy city in western France with a rich Merovingian heritage and a mesmerising tapestry of medieval churches scattered across its historic city centre. Indeed, Poitiers is home to so many church towers that it has been nicknamed “la ville aux cent clochers” (the town of a hundred steeples). However, the city is pretty well connected to the rest of western France thanks to its international airport and so it made sense to visit as something of a gateway into the wider Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Gare de Poitiers (Poitiers Rail Station) serves the city of Poitiers and the surrounding area. The station is part of the Paris–Bordeaux line

A university town between France's Cher and Loire rivers. Once a Gallic-Roman settlement, today it's a university town and a traditional gateway for exploring the chateaux of the Loire Valley region. Major landmarks include the cathedral, Saint-Gatien, whose flamboyant Gothic facade is flanked by towers with 12th-century bases and Renaissance tops.