🏛️ Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes

The Loire Valley is the long valley of the Loire river in central France, known for its castles, towns and vineyards. The stretch between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as a cultural landscape. It is valued for its beauty, its castles and the way the river has shaped people's lives for centuries.

The Loire is the longest river in France, and a chain of wine areas runs along it. Many different wines are made here: whites from Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, reds from Cabernet Franc, and sparkling and sweet wines. Names such as Sancerre, Vouvray, Chinon and Muscadet are well known.

Cellars are cut into the slopes of the valley, in tuff, a soft pale stone. They hold wine and are also used to grow mushrooms. The cool and even temperature suits maturing, and the cellars themselves have become part of the landscape.

The valley is tied to the theme of UNESCO heritage and wine: it is an example of a place where wine and history cannot be separated. Many castles were once surrounded by their own vineyards.