Visit the Centre-Val de Loire

Follow in the footsteps of the Valois dynasty by visiting the superb town of Amboise, languishing on the banks of the Loire. You'll be charmed by its ancient houses and winding streets, which are just a foretaste of the pleasure offered by its magnificent château. Resting on a rocky spur, the royal edifice combines medieval power with the delicacies of the Renaissance, of which Amboise was the birthplace. Amboise's proximity to the Château du Clos-Lucé, home to the brilliant inventor Leonardo da Vinci, and to the famous Château de Chambord, whose magnificent French gardens can be found in Blois, just a few dozen minutes away by TER, bear witness to this.

From Tours, take the TER line to Orléans. It winds its way through millions of years of history along the Loire, between fertile plains, sunny vineyards, troglodyte houses and Renaissance castles. On this itinerary, it's possible to make a stopover by bike rather than train if you're in the mood for fresh air and the meandering of this still wild river fascinates you. In any case, don't leave without visiting this historic city, founded in the^4th century, which has preserved its old quarters. The Gothic cathedral of Saint-Gatien and the Musée des Beaux-Arts are well worth a visit, but the highlight of the show is the Prieuré de Saint-Cosme, set in magnificent gardens where the rose is the star of the show.

Of course, Chartres is famous for its Notre-Dame Cathedral - one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in France - and this is partly due to the splendor of its stained glass windows. Located just a stone's throw away, the Musée du Vitrail is packed with ancient and contemporary pieces, and will enable you to learn more about the ancestral techniques of master glassmakers. But Chartres has much more to offer, starting with the Maison Picassiette, a truly unique venue dedicated to the art of mosaics, the brainchild of a local artist named Raymond Isidore. Isidore devoted his life to building and decorating his house and garden from the scraps of ceramics and porcelain he found in rubbish dumps. Hence his nickname of "pic-assiette", but you've already guessed it!

Just an hour by train from Paris, follow in the footsteps of the heroic Joan of Arc and discover Orléans, the martyred city liberated from English siege in 1429. Visit the house where Joan of Arc stayed during the battle: it now recounts the life of the "Maid of Orleans" in great detail. Of course, the town has changed a lot since then. However, the city still boasts some fine old stone mansions, grouped around its superb ^13th-century cathedral. Stop off at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, home to a number of treasures, before continuing your stroll through the medieval streets leading down to the Loire River, with its beautifully landscaped quays.