Say the words “Loire Valley” and glorious chateaux, manicured gardens, expansive vineyards and cycling holidays come to mind. All of this may be lovely, but scratch beneath the surface and there’s far more to the region.
As keen campervanners, my husband and I have explored a lot of France, but previous visits to the Loire have been fleeting and often rainy. However, this year, we returned in the heat of the summer. Among the temptations were the cooling waters of France’s longest river and its relative proximity to the Eurotunnel terminal at Calais compared with some other parts of France.
A quick online search yielded endless lists of tourist hotspots. Yet we were keen to discover what else the Loire had to offer, so decided to ignore the “must do” lists and see what piqued our interest along the way.
We started near the city of Angers, but instead of making a beeline for its half-timbered houses and ornate cathedral, we headed out of town to a quiet spot by the river at Saint-Saturnin-sur-Loire.
A short walk along the bank and we discovered where the locals all head to when they’re trying to escape tourist season. They were setting up on the banks of the river with picnics and barbecues, paddling in the much-depleted waters and drinking wine from the local supermarket.
It was here we discovered our first guinguettean outdoor restaurant-cum-bar based on what were originally popular drinking, eating and dancing establishments in the suburbs of Paris and other cities.
Where to eat well for under £25
La Guinguette Chez JoJo – primarily a summer venue, but you might grab its final few weeks if you get there before October – had an outdoorsy-Bohemian atmosphere, with fairy lights and music create a magical setting. for out door dining
Here, we enjoyed simple but tasty French food, including tiny fried fish from the river, confit duck, steak frites and chocolate mousse, as the wine flowed and the sun set over the Loire. At €26 (£22.50) for three courses, it was great value with no extra surcharge for the one-off view across the river as the sky turned from blue to fiery red. We enjoyed the friendliness of those around us and the people we spoke to loved that we’d come looking for somewhere favored by locals, rather than tourists. From here we headed east along the river.
We could have stopped at Saumur and toured its medieval castle, but instead headed away from the chaos of coach parties to one of the many vineyards that carpet the landscape.
Before our trip we’d signed up to France Passion, a directory of producers who allow campervans and motorhomes to park on their land for free: the only condition is that you’re up for trying their produce, and maybe buying some.
At family-run Domaine de la Cune, we parked up close to the vines and enjoyed a private tasting with the owner, returning triumphantly with a case of wine to tuck into. For those without their own home on wheels, there are hotels and guesthouses dotted around the area only a 15-minute drive away, or a manageable hour-and-a-half walk if you prefer traveling by your own two feet.
Veer away from the tourist trail
France Passion isn’t the only way to find cheap or free camping options. Various apps made it easier than ever to find one-off places away from the usual tourist routes. Like Vincent Cuisiner de Campagne, in the Bourgueil area north of the river, where the old French house owned by Belgian couple Vincent and Olivia doubles up as a unique restaurant. While we stayed on the grounds, other diners grabbed Airbnbs or other accommodation nearby, and either drove, cycled or caught taxis to the rural venue, which happily recommends places to stay to potential customers.
We camped around the back next to their chicken coops for free, with the only expectation that we would check out the products they make and sell in their professional kitchen, using ingredients grown and reared themselves with help from their children.
Their daughter, Elisabeth, proudly showed us around, giving us tasters of everything from homemade mushroom pate to freshly-baked bread, along with duck pate and wine from their own vines. Later, we dined in the family’s front garden, which is also a Michelin-guide featured restaurant, allowing us to spend what we’d saved on accommodation on a feast of dishes created from their own produce as chickens wandered around and the sun slowly set .
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Look for smaller castles
We did visit one chateau, but skipped the big names in favor of Langeais, one of the oldest in the Loire, whose calendar runs through the year, with guided tours continuing through the autumn as well as children’s activities – albeit in French but perhaps a good opportunity for youngsters to practice. Not only was it dog friendly, but our day ticket provided discounts on other local tourist spots if we’d wanted to save some money on the “must-see” sights, giving plenty of options to enjoy the rest of the region if the weather turned.
Instead, we spent much of the trip relaxing as the locals do. This included paddling in the river, sitting in the shade watching kayaks float past, cooking dinner using produce from the local market and taking in sunset after sunset with a glass of Loire cremant in hand. Ours was a heatwave-dominated trip, but the Loire is just as appealing in autumn – with the gardens and grounds of the many castles trumping the building themselves with their cacophony of colors and the lower temperatures making long walks and bike rides easier and more comfortable . Many of the chateaux host events and festivals, and the region’s love of food doesn’t stop at summer, with all sorts of celebrations continuing through the winter months.
Swerving the obvious take on the Loire Valley and experiencing the region as the French do revealed so much more than chateaux and cycling.
Travel essentials
Ellen Manning traveled to France via Eurotunnel. There are daily crossings from Folkestone to Calais, starting from £87 per vehicle, plus an extra £22 for a pet.
Car hire is available in the Loire Valley, with prices in September starting at about £200 per week.
