The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes, UNESCO World Heritage Site in Centre-Val de Loire and Pays de la Loire, France
The Loire Valley stretches between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes and connects castles, villages, and farmland along the river. The landscape shifts between woodlands, pastures, and cultivated areas that form a long-inhabited and worked valley.
During the Renaissance, French kings chose this region as their preferred residence and promoted widespread castle construction. This royal building campaign left an unusual concentration of monuments that still defines the valley today.
The vineyards shape the landscape and remain central to local life and identity in this region. Visitors experience both the working agricultural areas and traditions that have been passed down through generations.
Visitors can explore the region on marked cycling routes that run along the river and connect key locations. The flat terrain makes cycling easy and accessible for different fitness levels.
More than twenty significant castles cluster within a relatively short stretch, each displaying different architectural styles from various periods. This remarkable collection grew from competition between noble families seeking to outdo each other in grandeur and ambition.
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