Just like Azay...

Was going through some pics from last year and came across our visit to Chateau de l'Islette just outside Azay-le-Rideau which reminded me that I had not added it to my list of chateaux on experienceloire.com.  The chateau is privately owned and is similar in style to its more famous neighbour in the town.

    

The chateau sits in beautiful, relaxing grounds with its own lake.

The other thing I remember is that the house is still used by the owners out of season and there was evidence of this as you pass through the rooms, although it did not spoil the visit - would recommend it!

Chaumont Garden Festival

Every year since 1992, the gardens of Chaumont-sur-Loire play host to the annual ‘Festival des Jardins’, a garden festival with up to 30 themed gardens. These gardens are created by different landscape architects, designers and artists around a theme, which changes every year. This brings the chateau surroundings to life with the colour and fragrances of the many plants and flowers on display. It also promotes nursery projects and lets both the public and trade see new ideas on the use of colour and materials in flower and garden displays. Due to its continued quality and success the garden festival has gained an international reputation with visitors coming from every corner of the globe. It is also a favourite 'visit' for our guests in the Loire Valley.

he 2013 Festival will run from 24th April until the 20th October

Theme "Gardens of sensations"

You can preview the gardens here.

You can see a slide show of the 2012 gardens here...

Tour(s)ing...

My brother and his wife are over for a visit so this week Pauline and I are having a little break after a busy spell preparing for the coming 'season'. It is their first time  in the Loire Valley so we will be doing some 'touristy' things, even though they say that they are here to visit us and are less interested in the great chateaux.

We picked them up from Tours station after a journey that saw them leave their new home in Spain early in the morning to Paris Orly and then by train to us.

We had lunch and then we dragged them round some of the sights...

the glorious Saint-Gatien cathedral...

and Basilica St Martin,before stopping off for a light refreshment in Place Plumereau...

Promenading...

Yesterday we had to go up to Loches, as we were in the area we visited nearby Chatillion-sur-Indre as the Bricomarche there is the only place we can get a particular item for our secondary glazing at Le Grand Pressigny. While there we popped into 'La Promenade' for coffee.

In the evening we were also 'Promenading' as friends had invited us to join then at 'La Promenade' in Petit Pressigny to celebrate their up-and-coming Ruby Wedding.

We had been before but it was their first experience - they were not disappointed, the meal was great from beginning to end...

...and in-between! This restaurant is very popular with our guests at 'Les Balcons', in Le GrandPressigny, enhancing their Loire Valley experience and it was good to revisit it to check the standard was being maintained - needn't have worried. Even though for us this is only for very special occasions and perhaps a little 'out of our league' we are always made to feel comfortable, our experience was made all the better by the care and attention of their excellent sommelier Xavier Fortin

'Les Balcons' on YouTube

                       

You can view the website here.

Worth a visit...

Chateau du Rivau... 

One of the 'revisits' we did last year was to the delightful Chateau du Rivau to see how its gardens were maturing ...we were not disappointed, the owners are doing a great job in turning it into a fairytale-like castle to enchant children and parents alike.We have updated our experienceloire site after our visit and would recommend adding it to your chateaux itinerary.