Loire Valley Wine Tours – The Good Life France | EUROtoday

Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its excellent cultural panorama and unspoilt river atmosphere, the Loire Valley has one other declare to fame. Wine. And one of the best ways to expertise the vineyards and the wines is by taking probably the greatest Loire Valley wine excursions with a neighborhood English talking information and driver, the place you simply chill out and benefit from the tour.

Some of the world's most well-known vintages come from the gently rolling slopes of this tranquil area and amongst them is Vouvray. According to a neighborhood legend, Saint Martin launched wine making within the Loire Valley 1500 years in the past, and native growers have been perfecting their artwork ever since.

But if you’re considering of visiting some wine producers, there are two issues to keep in mind. First, you’ll get extra out of your encounter should you take an skilled together with you, and secondly – ​​or possibly it ought to come first – you actually don’t need to drive. Tasting wines is a severe enterprise and to profit from the expertise, you want your personal driver so you don’t have any worries about being behind the wheel.

Brilliant Wine excursions of the Loire Valley

Enter Ophorus, a family-run firm providing small group excursions to key areas of France together with the Loire Valley. Whether you’re arriving by practice to Tours – so handy from Paris – or touring in your personal automobile, their half-day tour to the Vouvray vineyards may very well be simply what you’re searching for.

Vouvray Wine Discovery is a 4-hour expertise in a gaggle of between 2 and eight individuals, touring by snug minibus by means of the fantastic surroundings of the Loire Valley. Your English-speaking driver/information will meet you in entrance of the Tourist Office in central Tours, take you to 2 Vouvray wineries for excursions and tastings, after which drop you again on the departure level.

The wine-producing space for AOC Vouvray lies simply to the east of Tours on the north financial institution of the Loire within the space referred to as the Touraine. Vouvray wines are constructed from Chenin Blanc grapes and while at all times white, could be candy or dry, nonetheless or glowing. On this tour, there can be loads of alternative to find your favourite.

And should you take pleasure in your half-day attending to know the wines of Vouvray, you might also need to take into account a full-day tour from Ophorus, Exploring Chinon & Bougueil Vineyards. Also beginning and ending on the Tourist Office in historic Tours, this complete itinerary includes visits and tastings of purple, white and glowing wines within the Chinon space.

Made from Cabernet franc grapes planted on all sides of the Vienne river, Chinon purple makes up most of right this moment's manufacturing. The first vineyards had been planted right here throughout the 4^th century and throughout the Middle Ages, the city of Chinon turned affluent largely due to the colourful wine commerce. Bottles are nonetheless aged in troglodyte caves the place the temperature stays fixed.

After a morning go to to a Chinon winery with tasting, there’s free time to pattern some Loire Valley specialties over lunch (at your personal expense) and discover the middle of this atmospheric small city earlier than a second vineyard go to within the afternoon.

Dominating the traditional streets is the Royal Fortress of Chinon constructed on a rocky spur on the crossroads between Anjou, Touraine and Poitou and with ramparts and defensive towers courting again greater than 1000 years. Joan of Arc met the French Dauphin Charles right here in 1429; Eleanor of Aquitaine was detained inside these partitions by her estranged husband, Henry II of England; and Henry himself died right here in 1189. Discover extra in regards to the castles of the Loire Valley with an Ophorus tour – together with a VIP journey by scorching air balloon!

Created in 2005, Ophorus is a specialist at organizing shared and personal day journeys to among the hottest areas of France from Champagne to Provence, Alsace to Aquitaine. And the corporate identify? Ophorus refers to somebody who retains open home and affords a heat welcome, an ethos that each one members of the group are proud to take care of.

So should you heading to one in all France's different well-liked areas after your keep within the Loire Valley, why not see what excursions are supplied by Ophorus at your subsequent vacation spot – you’ll be able to see all of the Loire Valley Tours right here: Ophorus.com