Two or three, comfortably, if they're close together — Blois, Chambord and Chenonceau, for example, can all be reached from Tours within short drives of each other.
Discover Authentic Centre-Val de Loire: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Centre-Val de Loire, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the Domaine du Ciran, the Château de la Ferté-Saint-Aubin and a boat trip on the Cher.
Top 5 Things to Do in Centre-Val de Loire
Tours
The old town, Vieux Tours, centres on the half-timbered Place Plumereau and makes a practical base for reaching most of the region's châteaux within an hour's drive.
Blois
The royal château here was home to French kings across several centuries, and its architecture shows it — different wings built in different eras, from Gothic through to Classical, sitting side by side.
Amboise
Its royal château overlooks the Loire, and just up the hill is Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years, from 1516 until his death in 1519.
Chambord
The largest château in the Loire Valley, built for François I, with a double-helix staircase whose design is often linked to Leonardo da Vinci's ideas.
Chenonceau
Known as the 'Château des Dames,' with a gallery built directly on a bridge spanning the Cher river. It's the most-visited historical monument in France after Versailles.
Explore Centre-Val de Loire's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Centre-Val de Loire
We've mapped local spots across the Centre-Val de Loire, from Sologne forests to the flavours of Tours.
Orléans & Sologne
Domaine du Ciran
South of Orléans, 300 hectares of Sologne nature: 130 bird species, rutting stags in autumn, carp ponds and workshops for children. 30 minutes from our Mercure Orléans Portes de Sologne.
Sologne · Nature estate · Great for families
Château de la Ferté-Saint-Aubin
A 350-year-old château explored through an immersive treasure hunt. From October, the 'Phantoms of La Ferté' game asks you to break a ghost's curse – brave enough? 12 minutes from our Mercure Orléans Portes de Sologne.
La Ferté-Saint-Aubin · Château · Perfect for families
Dessaux vinegar factory street art
The former Dessaux vinegar factory, now covered in graffiti and a highlight of Orléans' street art scene. A 20-minute walk from our Mercure Orléans Centre.
Orléans · Street art site · Made for urban art
Blois & Tours
Jardin du Plessis Sasnières
An 11-hectare English-style garden, listed as a 'Remarkable Garden': a magnolia walk, a pond, flower borders and a tea room. Open April to October. 44 minutes from our Mercure Blois Centre.
Sasnières · Garden · Ideal for a peaceful visit
Tours food tour
Three hours, one appetite: a morning walk through medieval Tours tasting local cheeses, charcuterie, wines and craft beer, with stops at Les Halles, a bakery and a wine cellar. Booking required.
Tours · Food tour · Made for foodies
Boat cruise on the Cher
Les Bateliers du Cher run 90-minute commented cruises from Savonnières to Tours on a traditional 12-seat river boat. Sit back and drift. 20 minutes' drive from our Mercure Tours Centre.
Savonnières · River cruise · Perfect for a relaxing outing
Prieuré Saint-Cosme
The 12th-century priory where the poet Pierre de Ronsard lived, still wrapped in his beloved roses.
La Riche, near Tours · Priory and garden · Great for gardens
Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire
Home to the annual International Garden Festival, where leading landscapers create gardens on show until November.
Chaumont-sur-Loire · Château and gardens · Made for garden lovers
Verrerie d'Art d'Amboise
Guided tours of a glass-blowing workshop, ending with a live demonstration. Watch the glass glow.
Amboise · Workshop · Perfect for crafts
Fondation du Doute
A museum and contemporary art centre in Blois dreamed up by the artist Ben, all about questioning our times.
Blois · Art centre · Ideal for contemporary art
Domaine Daridan
A seventh-generation organic estate in Cour-Cheverny making wine from nine varieties, including the rare Romorantin. Taste something new.
Cour-Cheverny · Winery · Made for wine lovers
Les Belles Demois'ailes
A honey shop in Contres whose owners keep their own hives, with beekeeping discovery sessions.
Contres · Honey shop · Great for souvenirs
Chocolaterie Max Vauché
A Loire institution since 1986 in Bracieux, with guided tours and chocolate-making workshops.
Bracieux · Chocolate maker · Perfect for families
Caves Monmousseau
Tufa cellars in use since 1886 near Chenonceau, now an underground show of light projections – ending, of course, with a tasting.
Montrichard · Wine cellars · Ideal for a rainy day
Le Petit Villiersfaux
A sustainable farm near Vendôme where you can meet alpine goats and taste their cheese. Guided tours are free.
Vendôme · Goat farm · Great for families
Cave des Roches
One of the world's largest mushroom farms, 50 metres underground in the tufa cliffs at Bourré, with a troglodyte village. Torch optional.
Bourré · Underground farm · Made for curious minds
L'Oratoire
In a former orangery at the Château de Blois, chef Mukai Hiroshi gives regional recipes bold flavours from around the world. Book the terrace and dine facing the château.
Blois · Restaurant · Perfect for a gourmet dinner
Chartres & Bourges
Atelier Loire
A stained-glass workshop run by the Loire family for three generations, 15 minutes from Chartres.
Lèves · Workshop · Ideal for crafts
Maison Picassiette
A house covered in 15 tonnes of broken crockery and glass by Raymond Isidore – Chartres' answer to the Palais Idéal.
Chartres · Naïve art house · Made for art lovers
Marais de Bourges
135 hectares of canals and tiny kitchen gardens below the cathedral. In summer, explore them by traditional boat.
Bourges · Marshland · Perfect for a boat trip
FAQ
Tours has stronger TGV links from Paris and sits closer to Amboise and Chenonceau; Blois puts you nearer Chambord and Cheverny. Either works — it depends which châteaux top your list.
Some, yes — Blois, Amboise and Chenonceau all have train stations. Chambord is trickier without a car or organised tour, since it sits further from the rail network.
Visit the Domaine du Ciran in Sologne, or solve the treasure hunt at the Château de la Ferté-Saint-Aubin, both close to Hotel Mercure Orléans Portes de Sologne.
Yes. A three-hour morning tour tastes local cheeses, charcuterie, wines and craft beer; booking is required.
Les Bateliers du Cher offer 90-minute cruises on a traditional boat from Savonnières.
Where to Sleep in Centre-Val de Loire
See our Mercure hotels across Centre-Val de Loire, ideally placed to explore these picks.