| The area known as the Loire Valley is located in a | | | | is its high density of chateaux and history. Nowhere |
| French region called Centre and affords anyone | | | | else in France would you find as many chateaux per |
| looking to purchase property many advantages over | | | | square kilometre as in the Loire Valley. Obligatory visits |
| other regions. It has been proposed to rename this | | | | to a few of the more famous castles would include |
| region Val de Loire (The Loire Valley) as many feel | | | | Amboise (where Leonardo de Vinci lived out his days); |
| the name Centre is rather non-descript and does not | | | | the stunning Chenonceau Chateau that spans the river |
| highlight the beauty of the area. It was because of the | | | | Loire; Chateau de Cheverny (the chateau the Tin Tin |
| beauty, accessibility, rivers and climate that the French | | | | books were based on) and of course the massive |
| kings build most of their castles in the Loire Valley. It is | | | | Chambord Chateau with its famous double helix |
| also located in the part of the country that is known as | | | | staircase. |
| the Garden of France. | | | | For the outdoors type, cycling is very popular here due |
| One of the prime reasons for moving to the Loire | | | | to the flatness of the landscape. There are many local |
| Valley is its central position. It makes accessing other | | | | football and rugby clubs to join. Hunting is still practiced |
| areas of France more realistic and reachable. Paris is | | | | as a sport in France, Golf is very popular and, of |
| easily reached by the A10 Autoroute making day trips | | | | course, every town or village has its own petanque |
| to Paris another advantage. A resident of the region is | | | | court for playing Frances most popular game. Nature |
| able to enjoy the benefits of the picturesque | | | | totally surrounds you. It is nothing to drive along country |
| environment, whilst still having access to the cultural | | | | roads and see eagles and other birds of prey hunting |
| centre of France. | | | | in the fields, or to see deer, boar and other animals of |
| The Loire Valley climate is very moderate. While the | | | | the forest. |
| summers can be quite warm, they are generally not so | | | | Many good wines and cheeses originate from the |
| over-bearing that you can't go outside and enjoy the | | | | Loire Valley. Markets of fresh food and regional |
| sunshine. Winters on the other hand are not harsh, and | | | | delicacies are held in most villages one or two days a |
| by day can enjoy temperatures well into the teens, | | | | week. In the Summer months, fetes, fireworks and |
| making those long hard winters of the UK seem a | | | | dancing are a weekly occurrence. |
| thing of the past. In comparison to the rest of France, | | | | So, all in all, the Loire Valley offers a great package for |
| this climate is amongst the most stable and enjoyable, | | | | the person who wants a more relaxed lifestyle, but still |
| and generally plans for days out are not hampered by | | | | with plenty of interesting things to see, do and learn |
| erratic weather patterns. | | | | about. The committee of UNESCO said that the Loire |
| Property prices in this region, on average, are also | | | | Valley is: "an exceptional cultural landscape, of great |
| very attractive. The average price for an older (or | | | | beauty, comprised of historic cities and villages, great |
| period) property is well under the national average of | | | | architectural monuments - the Châteaux - and |
| -102,000. For newer homes, however, the prices are a | | | | lands that have been cultivated and shaped by |
| lot closer to the national average of -115,000. | | | | centuries of interaction between local populations and |
| Of course, one of the major attractions of this region | | | | their physical environment, in particular the Loire itself. |