Great views, fine wine and chickens make a trip to Le Loir and the Loire Valley well worth the effort
The Hotel de France in the Loire Valley really is a one off
IT’S not often you check in to a hotel and are shown a chicken with your name.
But then Hotel de France in the Loire Valley is a one oeuf.
The bird in the photograph was called Audrey, just like my wife.
We had come to sample the region’s wines, not its poultry.
But the hotel’s friendly director was keen to show Audrey her feathered namesake.
And why not? It was an attractive bird after all.
Expat Sally Carpenter moved to France three years ago with her partner Paul Jeffryes.
They took over the running of this picturesque hotel on the banks of Le Loir river (the quieter little brother of the famed Loire) — and the birds were proof they had embraced the Gallic Good Life.
And that, of course, also includes wine, which was what most interested my wife about this trip.
When I also mentioned Hollywood legend Steve McQueen had stayed at the hotel, our own Great Escape from the kids was rapidly turning into her ideal short break.
Eurostar and the TGV whisked us from London to Tours, then a hotel transfer to the village of La Chartre-sur-le-Loir.
On stepping through the ivy-clad entrance you are greeted by photos of Hotel de France’s famous past, a roaring, romantic ride through the halcyon days of the Le Mans 24 Hours race.
Upstairs, the hotel’s 22 beautifully decorated suites are named after racing legends that have stayed there.
We took up residence in the chic and spotlessly clean Carroll Shelby suite (he won the 1959 Le Mans), while other guests occupied rooms dedicated to British drivers Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and Derek Bell.
Inspired by our surroundings, we sped off to the hotel restaurant and refuelled with sirloin steak and the flambéed prawns (we ignored the poulet as a mark of respect) and washed it down with plenty of the local red, Coteaux du Loir.
The next morning we set off on our trip to the local wine caves — an 11-mile circuit navigated by bicycles.
The hotel will give details of where to go and how to get there.
Usually, my wife would refuse to ride a bike, yet she took off like someone competing at the nearby Le Mans circuit — proof that a claret and stick approach does work.
We screeched to a halt at Domaine Gigou. After a tour of its wine- making process from the charming Dorothy, we left with two bottles of a sparkling red (something we had never encountered before).
MOST READ IN TRAVEL
Next we headed to Domaine des Gauletteries for a fascinating tour of the underground tunnels used to store wine for generations (the tuffeau stone walls keep the temperature at 11-12C).
The tunnels once had another, more serious use, as a hiding place for locals in World War Two.
Suddenly, my better half was back dreaming of Steve McQueen, until the intoxicating bouquet of the Lelais family’s two appellations (Jasnieres and Coteaux du Loir) brought her round.
Their white wines impress most, particularly the semi-sweet St Vincent.
What did not impress was the riverside route back to the hotel, which ruffled Audrey’s feathers.
The path was uneven and rock-strewn, meaning we arrived with two shaken bottles of rouge and backsides in a shade to match.
Oh, and minus my wife’s wallet.
As she started to flap, a French couple appeared on a tandem and handed it in to the front desk, having found it lying beside the river.
Happiness restored.
GO: LOIRE VALLEY
EUROSTAR/TGV fares from London to Tours are from £86 per person standard class return.
See , call 0844 848 5848. Hotel de France’s two-night Wine in the Loir package is £110pp, two sharing, and includes DB&B plus a bottle of wine and bottle of rose on arrival.
See or call +33 2 43 44 40 16 (English spoken).