Loire Valley partners highlight product in Toronto, Montreal & Vancouver
The Loire Valley in France offers more than enough reasons to schedule a holiday visit, but some anniversaries happening in 2025 provide additional motivation if need be.
This UNESCO-graded region of France spans about 800 sq. km. and is well known for its lush agriculture, its vineyards and especially its cultural landscapes and architecture.
French tour and attractions operators came to Canada recently to spread the good word about the Loire Valley, at functions held in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. In Vancouver, the Atout France cocktail reception took place at the Alliance Francais institution. The supplier delegates described how the Nouvelles Renaissance(s), or New Renaissance(s), will celebrate the spirit of the Loire Valley in 2025, with art exhibits, music festivals and wine tastings.
About the Loire Valley
Located just over 200 kilometres south of Paris, the Loire became a favourite region of retreat for French royalty, who constructed their elaborate estates/castles – or chateaux – there. Nobles of the French courts followed suit to stay close to the royals and built their own chateaux in the Loire. About 300 chateaux were established in this “valley of the kings” over the centuries, providing lots of opportunity for tourism.
In 2000, the Loire Valley was proclaimed as a UNESCO world heritage site, recognized for “its unique Renaissance heritage, landscapes and a river that bears witness to the harmony and interaction between man and nature, vineyards and winegrowers.” This is the 25th anniversary of that UNESCO proclamation.
The generally flat geography of the Loire Valley makes it an ideal cycling destination. As such, a popular cycling route in the Loire region is observing its 20th anniversary this year. “La Loire a Velo,” or Loire By Bike, was the pioneer of cycle routes in the region. The Loire Valley stretches for about 280 kilometres, from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalonnes-sur-Loire.
Upcoming events in Loire Valley
2025 is the 15th anniversary of the UNESCO recognition of the French gastronomic meal as an important marker of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.”
From April 19 to Nov. 2, the International Garden Festival will take place in Chaumont-sur-Loire. Following an international competition, 25 projects will be selected as the winners by the jury. Thirty new gardens are created on a different theme each year at the event.
The 12th annual Loire Festival will take place Sept. 24 to Sept. 28 in Orléans. There, 200 boats and 700 bargemen will take to the water for this major gathering that celebrates the Loire and Loire culture.
Starting on Nov. 1, 2025 will be the third edition of AR(t]CHIPEL festival in Orléans. It will feature works by contemporary artists, including exhibitions in artists’ studios, writers’ houses and composers’ houses, plus private collections that are open to the public, as well as the Fine Art Museum of Orléans.
For more information, visit atout-france.fr.
