© JULIETTE DRAUX
When Italian Renaissance artist (and rumoured herbivore) Leonardo da Vinci arrived in France in 1516, he didn’t head to the French capital, or the sunny Côte d’Azur, or the snow-capped Alps. His destination? The Loire Valley, a disarmingly pretty landscape of undulating hillsides blanketed with vineyards and forest, languid rivers teeming with birdlife, and turreted châteaux pulled straight from the pages of a fairytale. It’s no wonder that the man who created Mona Lisa chose to spend his final years here.
Five centuries after da Vinci’s arrival, a renaissance of another kind is in full swing in this area nicknamed ‘the Garden of France’. In 2023, the Loire earned the Sustainable Innovative Destination label for its commitment to environmentally friendly tourism. New cycling and walking trails and improved local transportation make it easy to explore without a car –a perk for travellers who want to experience all the fermented elixirs produced in this revered wine-producing region. Perhaps best of all, ‘vegan’ has finally entered the rural French lexicon, which means you’ll never be stuck eating frites and a salad again.