Latest news with #Loire
Times
9 hours ago
- Times
Six of the best sauvignon blanc wines from France
I t's been 40 years since the New Zealand sauvignon blanc Cloudy Bay hit the UK, seducing us with its rapier-like acidity, powerful flavours and spring-garden aromas. It became such a new-wave classic that for many, sauvignon blanc means New Zealand. But it's easy to forget that just over the Channel, on the flinty hillsides of the upper Loire Valley, the grape variety is thriving in its spiritual home, in the villages of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire. Here the Loire's most famous couple, sancerre and pouilly-fumé, are the white wines of scintillating purity that have been produced using sauvignon blanc grapes since the end of the 19th century. Once staples of Parisian bistros, these wines are now stocked in restaurants worldwide, as generations of thirsty gastronomes fell for their crisp, dry charms. These are whites with a saline, stony acidity and aromas of elderflower, citrus, nettle and occasionally a smoky gunflint character.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Telegraph
You'll find no better company on earth than 40 northerners on a coach holiday
This is how things unfolded that sweltering Saturday afternoon on the River Loire. Our coach group of around 40 had been divided between three flat-bottomed toues, the traditional wooden Loire working boats. We were drifting, our bronzed boatmen letting the current do the work as they explained this and that about France's longest, wildest river. Beavers featured prominently. One boatman thought he'd spotted a few on the bank. He guided his boat in, leapt for land and started digging around with a short stick, seeking beavers. Intent, he didn't notice his boat escape, drifting away towards the middle of the river. Then he did. Panic attack. He plunged after it. There were a dozen or so rudderless senior Britons floating off, conceivably quite far. The plunging, though, merely pushed the boat further away. The boatman was neck deep before he caught up, and couldn't haul himself aboard. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Tony, a retired local government worker from Ingleton, managed to haul a saturated Frenchman to safety. It was a stirring display. Manly handshakes were exchanged, the entente cordiale sealed once again. Such drama is not the usual diet of coach trips but, believe me, these tours are absolutely not as perceived by those who have never taken one. I know. I've been there. Once a year, I stop being a reporter to organise, and guide, a French holiday for a Yorkshire Dales coach company owned by a friend of mine. I have a ball. This year, 2025, in the hottest early summer since the Big Bang, we rolled into the Loire Valley, rolled into a hotel in Amboise and rolled out every day around what is the 'Frenchiest' region of France. Here the language is the purest, the light the softest, the landscape the most amply fertile and the history the most elegant. The world's greatest collection of Renaissance châteaux constitutes the stateliest statement of French aspirations. And the Loire itself provides the running commentary. But – as I said over the coach PA, maybe a little too often – Chambord castle and the rest aren't just majestic monuments. They were the setting for heavyweight history: power plays, torture, intrigue, debauchery, murder, skulduggery, cross-dressing, adultery and epic horticulture – all more or less vital to keep France governed and French monarchs on top. That's the fascination. Here we had, then, the best of France being visited by the best of Britain. Granted, our cast of northern English people were not in the first bloom of youth, more of an age when independent travel had become too much of a palaver. With a coach tour, you take your bags to the hold, ensure you're punctual and polite – which comes naturally to Britons of this ilk – and that's your responsibilities done. And, once met, they proved a diverse bunch. Where else might one share conversation, drinks and meals with a surgeon, several farmers, businessmen and women, teachers, the boss of an electrical company, a champion crown green bowler, a graphic artist and civil servants, among many others – who, incidentally, had more to tell me than I ever had to tell them? As built-in company goes, there's none better. I'd look round the bar at apéritif time, see couples travelling independently who surely didn't consider themselves 'coach group people'. They were as glum as hell. Meanwhile, batches of our bunch were discussing the day, Starmer, French food, Joan of Arc, rugby league, kids, grandkids, the NHS and former holidays in France over beer, wine, gin and tonic, and Baileys with ice. I don't ask for much more. So we roamed the great château of Chambord where, with vast magnificence, Renaissance king François I established that French kings were second only to God, and a pretty close second, at that. The Black Eyed Peas had played a summer show in the grounds a few days earlier. The Loire châteaux are going all out to kick on into the 21st century. That said, the grandeur still expresses the absolute power of the 16th and 17th. We took in Chenonceau – arching over the river, a couple of unicorns short of fairy-tale perfection – and Clos Lucé in Amboise, where Leonardo de Vinci spent his final years. The manor house and grounds now host evocations of the works – engineering, art, architecture – of a man better than everyone at everything. As Leonardo's host, François I, said: 'It is inconceivable that life might produce anyone similar.' He'd foreseen, among much else, the parachute, helicopter, machine gun, military tank and car-jack. 'I'd no idea,' said a cultivated lady from Lancashire. 'I thought he was just the Mona Lisa.' And that was enough châteaux. Loire valley visitors need to know that 'châteaux fatigue' is a real threat. Divert to the gardens. Villandry is among the most extreme in France, the French correcting God's design for nature with fanatical geometrical precision. It's a dazzling exercise in horticultural control – but also a challenge to get round as the temperatures rose to around 35C. Most seductive of all the gardens were those at Plessis-Sasnières in the Loir (no 'e') valley, slightly to the north of the grander Loire. Echoing English gardens – their creator was a fan – these caressed the senses with colour, calm and aromas. A waterhen and her chicks scooted across water lilies. And there was tranquillity, too, around beer, tea and assorted drinks on the shady tea-room terrace. We'd travelled along the Loir from Thoré-la-Rochette on a 1950s train retained for tourists and run by volunteers of some exuberance. We'd lunched at Montoire, directly opposite the little station where, on October 24, 1940, Hitler and Pétain shook hands on their collaboration deal. The station is now a little museum but not open very often, which may be just as well. As one of the (above) volunteers said: 'It's the only reason anyone's ever heard of the place, but Montoire locals would prefer they hadn't'. A surprising amount of life in both the Loire and Loir valleys takes place underground, in caves and troglo-dwellings either featuring in, or dug out of, the limestone rock. Near Montoire, we'd scheduled a visit to Trôo – a vertical village punched into a cliff face on several levels. We soon abandoned that. The perpendicular ascent, or descent, and rickety steps would have seen off half the group. That said, we got a decent taste of troglodyte matters, first at Bourré where some of the miles of former underground workings were now devoted to growing exotic mushrooms. A fine guide made the subject roughly 37 times more interesting than anticipated. Meanwhile, round a few underground corners, a stone-mason and a sculptor had created a haut-relief model main street about a third life-size – and teeming with reminders, for future generations, of what mid-20th-century village life resembled. Later, lunch in a nicely-lit troglo-restaurant went pretty well, too, not least due to a local starter of warm fouées. As you'll probably know, these are something very like pitta bread, cut almost in two and filled with potted meat (rillettes) and salad. A Touraine red proved just the ticket. On other days, we toured Amboise by dinky tourist train – do not disdain them – and Blois by Percheron heavy horse and carriage. Getting aboard necessitated gymnastics from people who hadn't done much of this kind of thing in decades. A sense of triumph filled the air, and the gigantic horses clip-clopped off. So to boat, heroics – and home to the hotel. As I've learnt, an important part of any tour organiser's job is to ensure that the group is back at the hotel to change (smart shirts, posh frocks) for the correct amount of drinks before dinner. Not many. Mainly just one, but a vital one. It is also to know when to shut up. Join our writer in France next summer Anthony Peregrine's 2026 summer tour will be to the Moselle in northeast France, based in Metz. Details remain to be finalised but will be found at
Times
4 days ago
- Times
Win a luxury seven-night French château stay for ten guests worth £12,000
Just imagine . . . you and nine of your favourite people embarking on une balade around the grounds of a glorious château in the heart of the Loire Valley — glass of local wine in hand — having feasted on a lunch of regional cheeses, charcuterie and artisan baguette. Well, that dream could fast become reality: we've paired up with Oliver's Travels to offer you the chance to win a week-long stay at Château Les Bains, a stunning belle époque residence set in a dreamy riverside location near the spa town of La Roche-Posay. The property delivers views across 17 acres of parkland and vines that undulate to the river and there's space for up to 20 guests — seven bedrooms are found in the main house, and there's an additional trio of rooms in a separate cottage. Days here can be spent basking poolside, getting competitive in the games room or tending the vines (before pootling to the in-house cellar). There's also a grand kitchen that inspires trips to the local market and will have you wondering why you didn't move here years ago. So what are you waiting for? Oliver's Travels is providing this prize, offering the winner exclusive use of the property for seven nights on a self-catering basis, plus daily housekeeping service. The fridge and pantry will be fully stocked with up to €200 worth of products. The prize also includes two LeShuttle car passes that will cover ten people. As the château's capacity is 20, you're able to invite an additional ten guests at your own expense. You'll need to book your stay at least six weeks in advance, and travel between October 1, 2025 and October 1, 2026. Blackout dates are July, August, Christmas and Easter. For more information, click here. For your chance to win, simply vote in each category in this year's Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards. There are 17 categories in total. Click here to vote. For the full list of prizes, see closes at 23.59pm on August 31, 2025. Open to residents of the United Kingdom who are aged 18 years or older, excluding employees and agents of the Promoter and its group companies, or third parties directly connected with the operation or fulfilment of the Promotion and their affiliates, and their immediate families and household members. One entry per person. Winners will be selected at random from all valid entries. No cash alternative and prize is non-transferable. Subject to availability, Prize must be redeemed within one year and booked at least six weeks in advance of departure date. Prize must be taken between October 1, 2025 and October 1, 2026, subject to availability and blackout dates apply including Christmas, New Year, Easter, and July 1, 2026 to August 31, 2026. All parts of Prize must be used in conjunction with same booking. Winner and his/her guest(s) are solely responsible for ensuring they are available to travel and have valid travel documentation (including passport/visa/visa waiver as may be required), obtaining adequate travel insurance and appropriate vaccinations/inoculations for foreign travel at their own expense. Winner can invite additional guests, up to a total of twenty (20), at their own expense. Travel insurance, food and drink (outside what is previously declared in the board basis), spending money and all incidental expenses are the responsibility of the prize-winner. Prize is subject to Oliver's Travels terms and conditions. Stay must adhere to the terms listed here: Your information will be used to administer this Promotion and otherwise in accordance with our privacy policy at and those of the partners. Promoter is Times Media Ltd. Full T&Cs apply — see
The Independent
13-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Tour de France 2025 live: Stage 9 route and updates as sprinters return to ‘Cavendish City'
The Tour de France continues with a second sprint stage of this weekend, another more relaxed day out for the peloton before the frenzy of the build-up to the line. Stage nine returns to a place etched in Tour history: Chateauroux, which hosts a finish for the fifth time in its history, at the end of a 174km run from Chinon. Three of those finishes were won by the legendary Mark Cavendish, who sprinted to the first of an eventual record of 35 stage wins here on the avenue de La Chatre - often dubbed 'Cavendish Avenue' - in 2008, before repeating the feat in 2011 and 2021. Those achievements have been recognised with temporary signage reading 'Cavendish City' being added to every marker on the city's limits, with a permanent tribute planned later down the line. But which sprinter will inherit the Manxman's crown today? Stage nine preview The Tour has opted for rare back-to-back sprint days, but unlike yesterday's this one is clear-cut, with a flat finish perfectly tailored to the pure sprinters at the end of 174km in the Loire. This double-header of sprint days falls, intriguingly, on a weekend, an unusual choice for the current era of Tour direction, favouring hyper-difficult mountain stages and GC fireworks as it does. Today will be a rather sleepy day for the TV cameras until the peloton swoops closer to Chateauroux: expect plenty of beautiful chateaux and charming French countryside, interspersed with bits of bike racing. The route heads east all day from Chinon, traversing a couple of mild bumps before a very flat approach to a town which has hosted a Tour finish four times. Flo Clifford13 July 2025 11:03 Good morning Hello and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of stage nine of the Tour de France! It's another sprint battle royale today, and it's in sprinter's paradise: the famous 'Cavendish City', site of three wins by the Manx Missile. Who will inherit his crown in Chateauroux today? Let's find out... Flo Clifford13 July 2025 11:00
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tour de France Stage 9 preview: Route today as sprinters head for ‘Cavendish City'
Jonathan Milan clinched his maiden Tour de France stage victory yesterday with a gruelling but perfectly-timed sprint on an uphill drag into Laval. Stage 8, 171km from Saint-Meen-le-Grand - the birthplace of three-time Tour winner Louison Bobet - was always heading for a battle among the fast men, and it was the Italian who surfed the wheels best after losing his lead-out train, hopping onto Mathieu van der Poel's leadout before breaking clear. Advertisement He beat Wout van Aert and Kaden Groves to the line, picking up the first stage victory for Italy since Vincenzo Nibali won on stage 20 in 2019, a remarkable statistic considering the quality of Italian cycling. It was a more relaxed day for the likes of yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar, second-placed Remco Evenepoel and two-time champion Jonas Vingegaard, who stayed safe in the bunch on a day that saw no changes in the GC standings. Joao Almeida, riding with a broken rib after a crash towards the end of stage seven, completed the stage despite fears over the severity of his injury. The Tour has opted for rare back-to-back sprint days, but unlike yesterday's this one is clear-cut, with a flat finish perfectly tailored to the pure sprinters at the end of 174km in the Loire. This double-header of sprint days falls, intriguingly, on a weekend, an unusual choice for the current era of Tour direction, favouring hyper-difficult mountain stages and GC fireworks as it does. Advertisement Today will be a rather sleepy day for the TV cameras until the peloton swoops closer to Chateauroux: expect plenty of beautiful chateaux and charming French countryside, interspersed with bits of bike racing. The route heads east all day from Chinon, traversing a couple of mild bumps before a very flat approach to a town which has hosted a Tour finish four times. All three times this century that stage was won by Mark Cavendish; which fast man will inherit his crown today? Route map and profile Tour de France 2025 – stage 9 map (letour) Tour de France 2025 – stage 9 profile (letour) Start time Stage nine gets underway in Chinon at 1.10pm local time, 12.10pm BST, with the finish scheduled for around 5.10pm local time (4.10pm BST). Advertisement Prediction Jasper Philipsen no doubt would have enjoyed this stage, particularly with his utterly world-class Alpecin-Deceuninck leadout. In the absence of the Belgian, though, this stage feels like a toss-up between the world's two best sprinters: Philipsen's compatriot Tim Merlier has one win to his name already on stage three and got the better of his Italian rival Jonathan Milan then, but Milan was unstoppable on the uphill finish into Laval yesterday, leaving the pair with a win apiece. Let's back Jonathan Milan to carry his momentum from stage eight into today's sprint. Any number of the second-string sprinters could have a dig today too, but all things going to plan - and of course they often don't in a sprint - it's hard to look past this duo for the win.
