Centre Travel Guide

One of the 27 administrative regions of France, Centre has an area of over 15,000 square miles. Centre’s main feature is the beautiful Loire Valley, around the fertile valleys of the Loire River. The valleys are the location of several famous chateaux, such as the Château de Beaufort, a 13^th century castle ruin located near the village of Goudet; the world-renowned Château de Chambord, with its French Renaissance architecture; and the Château de Brissac, built in the 11^th century, the tallest château in the Loire Valley.

There has been some controversy over the name of the region ‘Centre’, since it is not the geographical centre of France, and some have found the name dull and uninformative. Don’t let this put you off, though: this is a beautiful region with plenty to offer to a wide range of holidaymakers. For example, as well as visiting the beautiful châteaux of the Loire Valley, you can travel to Chartres, which has a stunning, UNESCO-listed gothic cathedral; or, for a family day out, head to the Zoo de Beauval in Saint Agnan; or go to the Domaine Eric Louis vineyard in Thauvenay.

The capital of the region is Orléans, and its largest city is Tours.

Climate

Centre has what can be described as an Oceanic or maritime climate, meaning it has cool summers, warm winters, and a fairly narrow annual temperature range compared with Mediterranean regions of France. This makes Centre a great place for a holiday at any time of year, particularly for outdoor pursuits like cycling and walking, which can be uncomfortable in the summer heat of the south of France.

Food and drink:

Centre is known for its rich variety of traditional cuisine, and during your stay you can expect to sample such delights as tarte tatin (apple pie), gourmet goat’s cheese, and the delicious rillette, a mild paté made from pork and seasoned with garlic, shallots, bay leaves, thyme and black pepper. In terms of drink, you will able to make the most of the local wine varieties, such as dry, full-bodied white wine (the 1998 vintage is particularly good), refreshing rosés and red wines from Orléans, and robust red wines from Touraine. As you would expect, there is an enormous array of wonderful restaurants to explore in the region, and we have recommended some of them in our individual city breakdowns for Orléans and Tours.

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