Things to Do

It is the setting of La Fuye that makes it so special

Utterly private, you are hidden away from the outside world, yet only 5km from one of the Loire’s loveliest towns: Chinon

Chinon

Charming, cobbled Chinon has shops, a thriving Thursday market - where you will find crêpes and local produce - excellent wine, concerts and festivals, with the royal château a short drive east. Ask for a map to hike the 13km loop to the edge of town and back. Visit our CHINON page for hints, tips and local know-how.

HUISMES is our nearest village - simple, charming, typically French - which can be reached via the meandering cycle path that starts just beyond the drive and runs all the way there. Read our recommendations on what to do in Huismes, here.

Tours & Beyond

TOURS is our closest city (45km away) which has an excellent covered food market which is open most days - Les Halles - and a host of good shops, plus a wonderful cathedral and an amphitheatre dating back to the 4th century. We are also close to ANGERS, with its famous tapestry and castle, as well as historic SAUMUR and its lofty chateau, perched high above the Loire. RICHELIEU takes you back to the time of the famous Cardinal who founded it, with its grid system and grand houses built for his friends.

We are also a stone’s throw from the beautifully restored Abbaye Royal de FONTEVRAUD, not only the burial site of Richard the Lionheart, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, but one of the largest surviving monastic cities from the Middle Ages. It is also home to the region’s modern art museum. CANDES ST MARTIN, officially one of France’s most beautiful villages, occupies the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire, and is well worth taking in along the way.

Not forgetting our proximity to PARIS which makes for a very doable day trip; accessible by direct fast train from near Tours, to Gare Montparnasse, in under an hour.

Chateaux of the Loire

The region is famous for its chateaux, from the defensive fortress at CHINON to the fairytale USSÉ - both on our doorstep - and the world famous gardens at VILLANDRY. Other favourites are the ‘upside-down’ BRÉZÉ (the fortified area is largely below ground level), and further afield but still within a comfortable day trip, BLOIS and CHENONCEAU.

Walks, Wine & More…

Wonderful local walks are possible, from right outside the drive, including one that takes in eight local châteaux. You can reach the fringes of the forest in under half a kilometre from our gates. There is also the meandering La Loire À Vélo cycle path that runs very near the house (we can help with bike hire).

Local, organic wine tastings are a large attraction for many. The Chinon appellation is 100% Cabernet Franc yet the wine has an unexpected lightness and elegance (when people hear Cab Franc, they tend to think of South America and heavy reds; think again —or better still, try some!). More weighted towards red wine than white, local white grapes are of the Chenin Blanc variety which form the backbone of white wines of the Loire.

ACCESS OUR GUIDE TO THE LOCAL AREA HERE

—Referred to by one journalist as being “almost Michelin-like in its insider knowledge”