{"id":1456,"date":"2020-07-12T12:34:45","date_gmt":"2020-07-12T17:34:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.europeanbarging.com\/river-cruise_blog\/?p=1456"},"modified":"2020-07-12T12:34:45","modified_gmt":"2020-07-12T17:34:45","slug":"experiencing-history-from-a-loire-valley-paddleboat-cruise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europeanbarging.com\/river-cruise_blog\/experiencing-history-from-a-loire-valley-paddleboat-cruise\/","title":{"rendered":"Experiencing History from a Loire Valley Paddleboat Cruise"},"content":{"rendered":"

The <\/span>Loire<\/span> Valley<\/span> is a treasure trove of historical attractions and architectural marvels to discover and explore. The <\/span>Loire<\/span> River<\/span> is a little over a thousand kilometers long making it the longest among <\/span>France<\/span>\u2019s waterways. It runs from the area of Mont Gerbier de Jonc through Nevers and through <\/span>Tours<\/span> then into <\/span>Nantes<\/span> before it empties out into the <\/span>Atlantic<\/span> at Saint Nazaire. It has several tributaries that can also be traversed by paddle boats or barges.<\/span><\/h1>\n

Excursions from a Loire Valley cruise give travelers a close look into French historical and cultural heritage. The beautiful landscape have attracted a good number of royals and aristocrats. Over the years, the Loire Valley has grown to be a favored spot for castles and chateaus that served as homes for the rich and powerful.<\/p>\n

\"Croisi<\/a>

Saumur<\/p><\/div>\n

The city of Nantes is the starting port for the Loire Princess paddleboat cruises. Nantes is known as Europes\u2019 most livable city and is a convenient access to the Loire chateau attractions as well as the lush pastures and forests. The history of this city, spanning the 15th to the 18th century, is housed within the walls of the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany. Outside, the castle stands magnificent with its Renaissance facade. Inside, it is teeming with historical heritage meticulously curated in a museum.<\/p>\n

A collaboration of the old and new, the Saint Machines of the Isles of Nantes<\/a> is another must-see when you go on a Loire paddleboat cruise. Artistic machine builders took inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s mechanical world and combined it with the industrial heritage of Nantes. Some parts of the exhibition are interactive and can be operated by the guests. One of the popular attractions is the 12-meter high Gigantic Sultan\u2019s Elephant.<\/p>\n

Cruises and tours of the Loire may also include a guided tour of Angers. This is quite a modern city, but rich in history and culture. At the Chateau de Angers, you will find one of the most important pieces from the locale, the Apocalypse Tapestry. Other Loire chateau attractions that can be found in the Chateau of the Loire Valley include: the master piece of the first French Revolution, the Chateau d\u2019 Azay-le-Rideau; the centenary trees and vineyards of Chateau de Brissac; the colorful patterned gardens of Chateau Villandry, and the fairy tale-like Chateau d\u2019 Usse.<\/p>\n

\"Chateau_Chaumont_sur_Loire\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Many of the attractions and destinations in Loire Valley take you down memory lane into the pages of Loire history as far back as the Renaissance. The flourishing of arts and culture during that period is evident in the design and construction of the chateaus and structures all around the Loire Valley. The management of many of these chateaus is now in the hands of current generations of royalties.<\/p>\n

The French and English language 96 passenger Loire Princess paddleboat<\/a> offers 6 and 8 day cruises<\/a>.\u00a0 A pre cruise package visiting additional chateau is available on limited dates.\u00a0 As the Loire Princess is the only passenger cruise ship on the Loire, and with her small size, she books up\u00a0 well in advance.\u00a0 The upper deck features private balconies.\u00a0 Rates start at $2248 for the 8 day lower deck and $2700 for the upper deck.\u00a0 The 6 day cruise starts about $2000 for the lower deck and\u00a0 $2372 for the upper deck.\u00a0 The per person rate includes the cruise, all meals, a beverage package, port taxes and Wi-Fi.\u00a0 Sightseeing packages are not included and can be pre ordered or booked on board.<\/p>\n

Contact\u00a0 Europeanbarging.com<\/a> for availability, pricing and special offers.\u00a0 888-869-7907\u00a0 Jan@europeanbarging.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Loire Valley is a treasure trove of historical attractions and architectural marvels to discover and explore. The Loire River is a little over a thousand kilometers long making it the longest among France\u2019s waterways. It runs from the area … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1291,1288],"tags":[1429,1339,1427,1428,1266],"class_list":["post-1456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-croisieurope","category-france","tag-chateau-cruise","tag-france-cruise","tag-france-paddleboat-cruise","tag-loire-chateau-cruise","tag-loire-valley-cruise"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t