Summer in the Loire Valley

Sylvie Naux - 05/07/13 - www.MyFrenchLife.org

Every July, my children and I escape the heat and traffic of Northern Virginia and fly to France. Each year we cannot sleep on the plane, we’re just too excited. My father meets us at the airport. He drives us half awake, half asleep back to the Loire Valley where he and my mother have a 15th century manoir.

As soon as we pass the gate, we feel like we never left.

Sylvie Naux - 05/07/13 - www.MyFrenchLife.org

There is so much history here! We can still find fossils from back when the sea covered this part of France. A historian wrote that a Roman villa might have been on the property. It was a medieval castle with a church surrounded with moats. The castle was burnt down during The Hundred Years’ War between England and France. The property was sold to a couple of farming families who shared the buildings.

Over time, the buildings crumbled into ruins. The historian writes that it was then bought by a man who loved the place so much that he spent much of his money restoring it.

Gargoyles once watched over the towers, but he last of them came crashing down four years ago.

Sylvie Naux - 05/07/13 - www.MyFrenchLife.org

One of my favorite places in the manoir is the spiral staircase that goes up the original 15th century tower.

Sylvie Naux - 05/07/13 - www.MyFrenchLife.org

There’s nothing like summer in the Loire Valley!
Do you have a regular holiday destination? Do you have a favourite spot in The Loire Valley?

About the Contributor

Sylvie Naux

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4 Comments

  1. Elisabeth Donato Aug 29, 2011 at 11:08 AM - Reply

    Wow. What an incredible place… You gave all that up for life in Northern Virginia?!!? (Not that I do not love the U.S. – I definitely do… But…).

    Hope you keep on writing here!

  2. Judy MacMahon Aug 31, 2011 at 8:59 PM - Reply

    Hi Sylvie, welcome to the team at MaVieFrancaise. marvellous article and beautiful photos. Thank you for adding to the experience of all members and readers of our on-line magazine.
    Best
    Judy

  3. Ashley Davidson-Fisher Sep 14, 2011 at 1:20 AM - Reply

    What a beautiful place! You are so lucky to be able to be around that much history. I am definitely jealous:)

  4. georgia georgiou Jul 21, 2012 at 7:33 PM - Reply

    Hi Sylvie!
    I visited ur blog and also sent an email to you!
    this is so exciting:)
    hope to hear from u soon:)
    have fun in france
    xx

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