Coucou les bichettes,
Like me, you often wonder what to give your parents when they already have everything. So last Christmas, I suggested to my boyfriend that he and our respective parents spend a weekend with us, visiting the Châteaux of the Loire Valley. After this stay and the positive feedback, I think I can honestly advise you to make this kind of gift (if your relations are good!!). Because more than the weekend itself, we really felt that sharing these moments, as we did when we went away with them as children, was priceless for them, as it was for us.
Here’s the program they enjoyed.
The International Garden Festival and the Château de Chaumont sur Loire
A few years ago, I remembered visiting the Château de Chaumont sur Loire and being overwhelmed by the beauty of the International Garden Festival. So when I started looking at which châteaux and activities we could do with our parents, I had a flash! What could be better for flower-loving moms than to take them on a tour of gardens, each more extraordinary than the last! I had no hesitation when I visited the site and discovered that the 2017 festival theme was “Flower Power”! This is the 26th edition of the festival, which takes place every year from April 20 to November 5.
The advice I can give you is to come early in the morning, start with a visit to the château and stables, which are well worth the detour, have a picnic nearby and then do the festival in the afternoon. An afternoon is too short to visit everything.
Dinner in a local restaurant in Amboise
After such a beautiful day, it was time to enjoy a good meal to celebrate my boyfriend’s mom’s 70th birthday. To select our restaurant, we chose to follow the Trip Advisor reviews and went to dinner at L’Ilot. We all thoroughly enjoyed the meal, and while the menu is limited, it guarantees fresh, high-quality cuisine. By the way, the cook works in front of you, which is proof that nothing is frozen 🙂
The plates are gourmet and generous, so you won’t leave hungry!
What I appreciated most was the unexpected flavors, such as a black pudding and white pudding crumble for starters.
Wine tasting under the stars at Chenonceau castle
To round off the day in style, we decided to take part in an unusual evening: a nocturnal tour of the Château de Chenonceau while tasting Touraine wines! Every 3rd Saturday in July, AOC Touraine Chenonceau winegrowers offer this magical evening! Stroll through the Château’s illuminated gardens, glass in hand, lulled by the music of Arcangelo Corelli: a real pleasure, even if we weren’t charmed by the wines!
An unusual night in the “les douves” gîte in Onzain
When I was planning this weekend, I wanted to find an unusual gîte to make it more fun. But when you’re five people, with parents of a certain age, I have to admit that I didn’t dare go as far as choosing tree houses or yurts. It turned out to be a good choice, as I found out afterwards that my darling’s mom was afraid of heights and couldn’t climb trees!
After a great deal of research, I stumbled across a truly unique site in the heart of the Loire that immediately charmed me: the Douves d’Onzain.
This unique gîte is ideally located in the heart of the Loire Valley, close to the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire and a quarter of an hour from Blois, Amboise or Chenonceau.
Its particularity: it occupies the site of a former château that was demolished between 1823 and 1826. What remains today is the castle platform (2,000 m2) surrounded by its moat (approx. 5,000 m2). A walled garden between the moat and the Cissereau stream completes this indescribably charming ensemble.
The gîte has one bedroom and a family suite. The five of us stayed in the suite. Our parents loved feeling like royalty for a night 🙂
The hosts are adorable, welcoming and passionate. The breakfast they offer is copious and I particularly appreciated the little individual brioches.
I would be delighted to come back and stay in the moat.
Taste tour at Troglo Degusto
To round off our weekend, after a picnic lunch made with local produce selected from a small market, we set off towards Bourré for the last surprise visit proposed to our parents. It was Troglo Degusto, unearthed on Trip Advisor. We were taken aback by the 5/5 rating. On their website, we discovered that it was a visit to one of the troglodytic sites in the Centre-Val de Loire region, ending with a tasting of local produce. A perfect program for our guests!
Stéphane gives us a very warm welcome, and Erwanna suggests we put on our little woolens before setting off to explore the galleries. Our charming guide tells us with great passion about the history and traditions of these underground worlds. For an hour and a half, Erwanna shows us around the site, which is brimming with evidence of different eras, simply by the light of a flashlight. Here a signature, there a drawing, the walls of these galleries (spanning over thirty kilometers and three levels!!) are a treasure trove. From a Tuffeau stone quarry to a mushroom farm, via clandestine networks, over 1,000 years of history are revealed!
At the end of the tour, after a much-appreciated tasting session, our parents leave with a few bottles of wine!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this program and, above all, that it’s inspired you to plan this type of trip for your parents! If you have any questions, remarks or comments on this article, please don’t hesitate! I’d love to hear from you.
See you soon for new adventures 🙂
