Le Loir
Our Location
Rural retreat
A Break from the Hustle and Bustle
It was fashion designer Oscar de la Renta who once said: “Gardening is how I relax” and if you’re looking to relax, you need look no further than Le Presbytere, ideally located in the garden of France.
Easily accessible, yet providing a real feeling of seclusion, our holiday gites not only offer stunning views across the countryside and access to some of the region’s most beautiful chateaux, but also offer an ideal base for walkers and cyclists keen to explore the area.
Nick Trend from the Telegraph’s Travel Section describes the Loir region beautifully:
Everyone knows of La Loire – the sprawling river valley, with its historic châteaux that make it one of the great touring destinations of France. But very few tourists have discovered Le Loir – the region just to the north.
It is named after one of the tributaries that runs into the Loire, and has its own selection of rather more modest, but just as beautiful, riverside villages and castles.
In many ways it is even more picturesque; a quiet, rolling landscape of oak and chestnut forests, apple orchards, water meadows and, on the sunnier hillsides, some of France’s most northerly vineyards.
For more information feel free to read the rest of Nick’s “ooh Le Loir” article.
Nearby Cities
Situated roughly 40 minutes from Le Mans, Tours, Angers, Saumur or Chinon.
We are ideally situated for a short break if you want to attend the racing at the Le Mans Circuit.
Nearby Shops
Le Presbytere is on the outskirts of a small village, and local amenities such as post office, bakery, supermarkets etc are just a 10 kilometre drive at Le Lude and Noyant. An extra 2 kilometres takes you to Chateau Le Valliere should you prefer a larger supermarket.
Nearby Castles
The well known Loire Valley chateaux such as Chenonceau, Chambord and Amboise are only short drives away.
Places to visit
There are so many great places to share with you and many can be discovered on this Loir website. Below are just a few places we’ve been to that you might like to visit while you’re here:
Le Lude: 13km from Le Presbytere
This is the closest town to Le Presbytere with plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants – the place to stock up on all your gite essentials. It also features a tourist information office so you can find out more about what the special Loir region has to offer.
Just like the town itself, the Le Lude castle website is well worth a visit.
Chateau Gizeux: 23km from Le Presbytere
We stumbled on Chateau Gizeux as we were exploring the area. The Chateau boasts some incredible stories as well as the unique and fascinating 13th and 16th century wall paintings. It’s definitely worth a visit, but be quick – with little funding for restoration, no one knows how long these paintings will last… discover more here.
Chateau La Valliere: 15km from Le Presbytere
Chateau La Valliere is another of the larger towns nearby with all the facilities you’d expect from it.
Whether it’s a supermarket, petrol station or variety of independent traders you’re likely to find what you need here. It’s also a place to visit should you need a doctor or pharmacy during your stay. With its fishing lake, beach, and number of fantastic, authentic restaurants, Chateau La Valliere can get busy in the summer months.
Chateau de Sept Tours: 24km from Le Presbytere
If golf is your thing, then head out of Chateau La Valliere towards Tours and follow signs to Langeais. The golf course here is simply spectacular. Visit their website for more information: www.7tours.com
Eating out
You may feel like us that it’s enough just to sip wine and feast on local bread and cheese, but if you fancy casting aside the apron for the evening there are plenty of restaurants in the area to try.
For some authentic French cuisine in a restaurant that’s a little off the beaten track try Auberge des Isles in Le Lude
Here are some weblinks for you to gather information on places to dine out in the region:
Loir Valley Website
Do let us know whether you’d recommend any restaurants once you’ve stayed at Le Presbytere and we can post the information here to share with others. You can let us know which were your favourites via our Contact Us form.
Activities
If you can bear to tear yourselves away from our swimming pool, there’s plenty to see and do in the area.
Within walking distance of the Gites is a private lake. We have permission for our guests to fish for Carp here. Ask us for details.
Aside from the towns and castles the area boasts beautiful countryside ready for walks and cycle rides but there are also a number of attractions and centres of interest for you to visit.
One activity we particularly enjoyed was travelling on the Rille steam train – travelling through the woods you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back in time.
And who says Zoos are just for families with young children?
La Fleche Zoo has an incredible array of wildlife set in a beautiful park.
How often can you get this close to a Polar Bear?
We like to think of Le Presbytere as a jewel in the Loir’s crown.
Yes, we’re biased, but the Loir region really is pretty special.
Although famous for its fine wine and gourmet cheese, the region is much more than that…
Offering walkers and cyclists a holiday break to remember, the beauty of Le Presbytere lies in its location. Close to everything, and away from it all.