When I was small, the Loire Valley symbolized good times. It stood for fun. I am thinking back to the 1930s, before the war. We lived in Paris, but my family had a country house in the Vendée, near the Atlantic Ocean. The Loire marked the halfway point in our drive from the city to the sea. My father would always stop here—so we could have a look at one of the great châteaus and he could announce to his wife and children: “This is where your holiday starts.” And what a pleasure to begin a holiday at a castle! Today, I remain most drawn to three of the Loire’s grand gems. First, beautiful Chenonceau, primarily for its situation. It is built over—and I mean really over, like a bridge—the River Cher, one wing on the right bank, the other on the left. Azay-le-Rideau, begun at the same time as Chenonceau, 1515, also gorgeous, strikes me as a place a real person—that is, not a royal— might live. Even though it houses fine 16th- and 17th-century tapestries, it’s no Versailles. I love it for its intimacy. Third, I remain drawn to Villandry—for its exceptional park. Here, gardeners cultivate many of the plant species that grow in the Loire Valley. To visit these gardens is to be in a museum of botany—a museum where things flourish. But it is more than just a catalog of greenery. One of the gardens, for instance, a quartet of complexly planted boxwood parterres, symbolizes the Renaissance view that love has four states: fickle, tender, tragic, and foolish.

The Loire building that means the most to me, though, is not a castle but a far more humble structure, Clos-Lucé. It was built in the town of Amboise in the late 1400s. When François I was king, he invited his friend Leonardo da Vinci to live there. The artist resided at Clos-Lucé from 1516 to 1519, the year of his death at age 67. Not well known, even in France, it is now a museum devoted to Leonardo’s startling inventions.

In terms of the Loire Valley’s glorious history—for some three centuries, this is where the kings of France lived—what I find extraordinary is the role played by women. If you want to understand the politics of France in the 1500s to the 1700s, it is imperative that you know just how influential women were. There wasn’t equality—no, it went beyond that. Women were acknowledged to be wiser than men, and it was the smart king who relied on them in the development of strategies and the making of decisions. Four women stand out in particular—two of them were queens (Catherine de Médicis, married to Henry II, and Margot, wife of Henry IV) and two were royal mistresses (Diane de Poitiers, Henry II’s lover, and Agnès Sorel, aligned with Charles VII).

I have a favorite place in the valley, a Renaissance castle turned hotel called Le Prieuré. Just west of Saumur, it occupies a central position, making it a fine home base for a Loire holiday. Plus it is a superb place to swim, fish, play tennis, and dine. Twenty years ago the Loire was a polluted river; today you can eat the fish you catch there—preferably classically prepared with a rich white butter sauce, accompanied by a chilled local Vouvray.

Some 60 years after my original holiday trips through the Loire Valley I am still attracted to the region—for its peace, for its calm. But while the Loire is a lazy river, flowing slow and easy to the Atlantic, the men and women of the valley are lively—well versed in la dolce vita, clearly skilled in the enjoyment of life. I find them particularly romantic. Maybe the sunsets have something to do with it. More often than not, dusk in the Loire Valley seems to have been painted by Monet: the light, the colors, and the reflections in the water. It is pure magic—nearly every night.

The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published, but we suggest you confirm all details before making travel plans.

© 2001 National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.