"Cathédrale Ste-Croix The Cathédrale Ste-Croix, where Joan of Arc attended Mass on May 2, 1429, during the Battle of Orléans, is most famous for its 10 stained glass windows illustrating scenes from her life. However, the neo-Gothic cathedral—built over 600 years, from 1287 to its official inauguration on May 8, 1829—is worthy of praise in its own right, especially its western facade, with its ornate stonework, 288-foot towers, and three spectacular rose windows. Among the five largest Gothic cathedrals in France, the church is also home to a beautiful choir section and deambulatory, filled with interesting stonework and decoration."

"Joan of Arc’s historical significance lies not only in the fact that she played a pivotal role in leading the French army to victory during the Hundred Years’ War against the English, but also that she was canonized by Pope Benedict XV in 1920—nearly 500 years after she was burned at the stake. She’s now the patron saint of France and known worldwide for her bravery. Learn more about her at the Maison de Jeanne d’Arc, a re-creation of the house on Place General-de-Gaulle where she stayed during the Siege of Orléans in 1429. Here, you’ll find a multimedia room with interactive kiosks, a map of her journey, and an illustrated chronology of her life, as well as an animated film about her story. Guided tours are available in French and English, and on Fridays at 5 p.m., the museum also hosts a lively market."

"Walking into Ver di Vin feels a little bit like wandering into a scene from Goodfellas . After passing the kitchen on the ground floor, guests descend into a 13th-century vault, complete with vaulted ceilings and exposed stone walls. Here, sommelier Sabine Brochard and her husband, chef Laurent Brochard, combine their passions to offer a unique dining experience. The menu features such indulgent dishes as rabbit thigh with mushroom stuffing and market vegetables, while the wine list—named the best in France by Terre de Vins Magazine in 2017 and 2018—features 33 first-rate vintages by the glass."

"Sébastien Riffault, son of winemaker Étienne Riffault, started his own label in 2002 with a strong belief in biodiversity, biodynamic principles, and natural winemaking. On his almost five acres of vineyards near Sury-en-Vaux, he grows an array of plants, flowers, and grass among his vines to encourage good insects, and uses horses to plow so his soil is carefully tilled. Without the aid of fertilizers or chemicals, he leaves his grapes on the vine extremely late to ensure they’re completely ripe, then ferments them in large, old barrels with wild yeast. The result is unfiltered, completely natural wine that competes with some of the Loire’s best bottles. To learn more about Sébastien’s unique process, visit the vineyard for one of his informal vendage entre amis (grape-picking with friends), then stick around to taste some of his Sancerre."

"At the Michelin-starred Restaurant La Tour on Sancerre’s main square, chef Baptiste Fournier forgoes today’s culinary trends for simple, sophisticated French fare. He offers just three starters (langoustines, salmon, and mussels) and four entrées (fish, chicken, beef, and lamb) on the weekdays, and a superbly priced five-course menu on the weekends, complete with fish and meat, a cheese course, and dessert. For those looking to indulge, there are also three set menus—the Promenade, Pleasure, and Confidence—that adhere to the same minimalism, but surprise with innovative flavor combinations. Whichever you choose, be sure to pair your meal with a bottle of local Sancerre."

"Built between 1170 and 1547, the Cathédrale St-Gatien is a must-see when visiting Tours. Listed as a historic monument in 1862, it features an exquisitely detailed facade, a 16th-century organ, and the beautifully sculpted tomb of Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany’s children. The cathedral’s pièce de résistance, however, is its 8,600-foot-high choir area, which features 15 Gothic-style, stained glass windows, with explanations in English."

"Housed in the former archbishop’s palace, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Tours features one of France’s most extensive art collections, with works by everyone from Rubens, Rembrandt, and Rodin to Monet and Degas. Outside, the courtyard is dominated by a splendid cedar of Lebanon, planted in 1804, and Fritz, a stuffed elephant who was killed in 1902 after a bout of madness during a Barnum & Bailey circus parade in the streets of Tour. After you’ve seen the museum, from its Italian, French, and Flemish galleries to its modern art collection, head across the park and refuel with a coffee and pastry at Aux Délices des Beaux Arts."

"About a 30-minute drive from Tours, the Château and Gardens of Villandry are a testament to the Loire Valley’s immense beauty. The castle—one of the last great châteaus built in the Loire during the Renaissance—is the stuff of fairy tales, but its gardens are even more spectacular. Once 22 acres of nothing but lime trees bordering a meadow, the gardens are now divided into six distinct areas, including the formidable Kitchen Garden (planted with vegetables in alternating colors) and the Sun Garden (complete with decorative apple trees, a sun-shaped pond, and several rosebushes). Totally free of pesticides, they’re maintained by a team of ten gardeners and open to the public year-round."

"Only a 40-minute drive from Saumur, the Château d’Ussé is so magical that it served as the inspiration for the castle in Charles Perrault’s The Sleeping Beauty . Originally built as a stronghold in the Middle Ages, it developed over time into a jewel of Renaissance architecture, then became a splendid residential home in the 17th and 18th centuries. The octagonal Knights’ Dungeon plays a key part in Perrault’s fairy tale, but the castle is also home to enchanting cellars, gardens, stables, a chapel, and a tower with spectacular views over the Loire Valley. Spend some time here and you’ll quickly understand why it’s among the most beloved castles."

"Around since 1851, Bouvet Ladubay in Saumur produces 20 different types of sparkling wine. Try them all during a visit to the award-winning winery—just don’t expect a typical tasting experience. Here, guests can learn about the winemaking process while riding vintage bicycles through Bouvet Ladubay’s three miles of ancient cellars, located beneath the ruins of the 11th-century Abbey of St-Florent de Saumur. The tour, which includes several tastings, takes about 90 minutes."

"Built in the 10th century, the stunning Château de Saumur once served as an army barracks, and then later as a state prison under Napoléon. Today, it houses a so-so municipal museum, but it’s the spectacular views of the Loire River, best enjoyed from the castle’s Belvedere Tower, that attract thousands of visitors each year. Crowds also gather here each June to watch the cyclists in the annual Anjou Vélo Vintage race, which ends at the port beneath the castle."

"Hôtel Château de Verrières Built in 1896 on a four-acre park, the five-star Hôtel Château de Verrières offers guests the chance to stay in a majestic castle of yesteryear. From the moment you walk through the massive oak door and see the high ceilings and granite staircase, you’ll be transported back in time to the Belle Époque, when original owner Madame Baillou de la Brosse used to throw parties in the wood-paneled living rooms. Equally captivating are the 10 guest rooms, each of which is uniquely decorated with period furniture and lavish wallpaper. When not in your room pretending you’re royalty, you can take advantage of the beautiful grounds, the outdoor swimming pool, and the luxurious spa with a sauna and hot tub. The hotel is also a short walk to the charming streets of Saumur’s Old Town."

"Ten miles southeast of Saumur lies Fontevraud Abbey, the largest abbey in Europe and resting home of Henry II, Richard the Lionheart, and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Spread over 32 acres, it feels almost like a miniature village, complete with 12th-century monastic buildings like a church, a chapter house, and cloisters. In 1804, Napoléon converted the abbey into a high-security state prison with 2,000 inmates and a reputation as one of the toughest in France. It remained a jail until 1963—even housing members of the French Resistance in the 1940s—and didn’t open to the public until 1975. Today, visitors can take audio tours of the property, though the kitchen (the last remaining Romanesque example in France) and the prison exhibition are currently under renovation."

"In 4 B.C.E., the only residents of Saumur were troglodytes, or people who lived in limestone caves that formed over 90 million years ago. Experience their ancient lifestyle for yourself at La Demeure de la Vignole, a hotel that occupies a former troglodyte village on a hillside in the Loire Valley. Here, four of the 11 rooms are actually in the caves, while the other seven are housed in a 17th-century, Tuscan-style mansion overlooking the valley. Guests can also look forward to a heated pool in the caves, as well as friendly, accommodating staff who are happy to help arrange trips to nearby Fontevraud Abbey and Château de Saumur."

"There’s no shortage of boat tours on the Loire River, but for an even more Instagrammable experience, ride a 40-foot mechanical elephant along the water at Les Machines de l’Île in Nantes. Open since 2007 in the town’s old shipyards, this engineering playground boggles the mind with attractions like the Carrousel des Mondes Marines (a massive carousel with sea creatures that move) and the Galeries des Machines (home to a giant mechanical spider and ant). The museum’s newest project, the $45 million Arbre aux Herons with 35 mechanical birds perched in a 115-foot tree, is scheduled to open in 2021."

"Only open since 2012, the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery may be relatively new to Nantes, but it’s one of the world’s most poignant dedications to the slave trade and its abolition. Tourists may be surprised to learn that Nantes was the most active port in 18th-century France, with 40 percent of the slave trade—some 450,000 men, woman, and children brought from Africa to America—passing through its harbor. Free to visit, the memorial along the esplanade addresses the city’s past with thousands of glass plaques paying tribute to ships, expedition dates, and African slave colonies. Head downstairs to see the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 50 different languages, along with various personal accounts, literary works, and abolitionism texts."

"If you’re going to shop for Hermès, you might as well do it in an architecturally stunning building. Inaugurated in 1843, Nantes’s Passage Pommeraye features impressive statues, a glass ceiling, and three floors connected by a spectacular staircase. The shopping mall opened with 66 shops and was the first commercial center to use the concept of storefronts to advertise products. Fresh off a $23 million face-lift, it’s now home to an eccentric collection of businesses, from a T-shirt store and optician to a chocolatier, perfumery, and tea room."

"Coffee culture is alive and thriving in Nantes. Experience it for yourself at Espérance Café, one of the city’s coziest places for specialty brews. Try the signature Latte Maria (ristretto blended with salted caramel and frothed milk) or the Latte Créole (with coconut milk, macerated vanilla, lime zest, and spices), both of which are best when paired with a muffin or slice of apple tart."

"This centrally located eatery is always packed for both lunch and dinner—and with good reason. Here, British chef Dominic Quirke offers “neo-bistro cuisine,” mixing market-fresh produce and traditional French techniques with Asian, Italian, North African, and British Isles flavor. Rather than à la carte options, the restaurant offers two-, three-, and four-course menus at lunch and a six-course menu at dinner, with dishes changing weekly. All of this means that you can savor the Scottish langoustine with cucumbers, basil, and licorice, or the slow-cooked chicken with eggplant, carrots, and lemon, then return seven days later for an entirely new meal."

"Near the Passage Pommeraye and the Théâtre Graslin, the four-star Oceania Hôtel de France offers historic character in the heart of Nantes. Housed in an 18th-century former town house, the 72-room hotel was entirely renovated in 2014 to include contemporary touches like a larger lobby, design-focused guest rooms, and a light, airy breakfast space. Be sure to book a room with a terrace for lovely views of Place Graslin, and make time to walk the Green Line, a 7.5-mile trail that goes right in front of the hotel and connects all of Nantes’s main attractions. When you’re done exploring, head to the hotel’s fifth-floor terrace, where you can watch the city bustle from above."