Loire Valley

Loire Valley (French: Vallée de la Loire) is known as the Garden of France and the Cradle of the French Language. It is also known for the quality of its architectural heritage, in its historic towns such as Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Orléans, Saumur, and Tours, but in particular for its world-famous castles, such as the Châteaux d'Amboise, Château de Villandry and Chenonceau.

The landscape of the Loire Valley, and more particularly its many cultural monuments, are specific to the Renaissance and the Age of the Enlightenment periods of time. The Loire Valley is an outstanding cultural landscape of great beauty, containing historic towns and villages, great architectural monuments, its many châteaux, and fine wines.

On December 2, 2000, UNESCO added the central part of the Loire River valley, between Maine and Sully-sur-Loire, to its prestigious list of World Heritage Sites. The area includes the French départements of Loiret, Loir-et-Cher, Indre-et-Loire, and Maine-et-Loire

Chateaux of the Loire Valley

When the French kings began constructing their huge châteaux here, the nobility, which didn't want to be far from the seat of power, followed. Their presence in the Loire valley with its moderate climate, began attracting the very best landscape designers.

By the middle of the 16th century, King Francois I, had shifted the centre of power in from the Loire back to the ancient capital of Paris. With him went the great architects, but the Loire Valley continued to be the place where most of the French royalty preferred to spend most of their time. The ascension of King Louis XIV in the middle of the 17th century made Paris the permanent location for great royal châteaux when he built the Palace of Versailles. Nonetheless, those who gained the king's favour and the wealthy bourgeoisie, continued to renovate existing châteaux or build lavish new ones as their summer residence in the Loire Valley.

With the French Revolution in 1789, several great French châteaux were destroyed. The overnight impoverishment of many of the nobility, usually after one of its members lost their head to the guillotine, saw many châteaux demolished. During World War I and World War II, some chateaux were used as military headquarters. Some of these continued to be used this way after the end of World War II.

Today, these privately owned châteaux serve as homes, a few opening their doors to tourist visits, while others are operated as hotels or bed and breakfasts. Many have been taken over by a local government authority. Huge castles such as the o Chambord are owned and operated by the national government and are major tourist sites, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Economy

Pays de la Loire is largely an agriculture area and the Southern part of the coast is perfect for oyster culture and other sellfish. This area produces more oysters than any other in France. Wine production is also very important and includes Muscadet, Rose d'Anjou, Saumur.

The region benefits from excellent communications, both internationally via low cost airlines and to Paris via TGV.

Property prices in this region have been increasing quicker than the average rates in the rest of France.