Romantic getaway along the Loire

Morning: to the rhythm of the horses in the Clos Saint-Florent vineyards

Start your escapade among the rows of vines with a horse-drawn carriage ride from Maison Langlois. From May onwards, the prestigious Clos Saint-Florent reveals itself to the slow rhythm of the horses. Lulled by the clatter of hooves on the dirt paths, you'll discover the secrets of respectful viticulture, where every gesture counts.

The adventure continues in the bowels of the earth. The troglodytic cellars of Maison Langlois welcome you in their natural coolness. Here, for over 130 years, the bubbles of Crémant de Loire have been patiently born and matured.

Afternoon: into the secret world of mushrooms

The afternoon is reserved for an unexpected discovery at the Musée du Champignon. In immense underground galleries, a fascinating world is revealed. Here, button mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms grow in a mysterious atmosphere, where the interplay of light and shadow creates a special kind of poetry.

Learn the secrets of this age-old crop in this working mushroom farm, where over 250 species are on display. This is your chance to discover varieties with amusing names, and to understand this ancestral know-how. Take a detour through one of the galleries and discover a collection of mushroom objects from all over the world, bearing witness to the universal fascination with these strange creatures.

Morning: navigation on the Loire in a traditional boat

This morning, the Loire beckons. Aboard Mademoiselle, a traditional sand-tourer, or La Nonchalante, an authentic replica of an 18th-century barge, you're off on an exceptional voyage down Europe's last wild river.

Your captain, a lifelong Loire lover, does much more than pilot: he tells the story. The history of inland waterway transport mingles with anecdotes about the flora and fauna as you glide silently along. A heron frozen on the bank, a dragonfly twirling, sandbanks emerging at the river's whim: the Loire reveals its secrets to you.

Depending on your mood, you can also opt for the Sunset Escape, to sail in the golden light of the end of the day, or the Gourmet Escape , where local flavors are invited aboard.

Afternoon: in the artists' troglodytic studios of Turquant

Facing the Loire, the tuffeau cliffs are pierced with galleries. Welcome to Turquant, a troglodytic village nestled between sky and hill. In the coolness of the hollowed-out rocks, craftsmen have set up their workshops and present their creations in a boutique dedicated to arts and crafts: jewelry, painting, textile creations and more. Here, we take the time to get to know each other. Every object has a story, every gesture a soul. As you stroll from one workshop to the next, you'll follow the thread of know-how deeply rooted in stone.

Morning: Montsoreau, a château between two worlds

Your final morning takes you to the Château de Montsoreau, a unique fortress built into the very bed of the Loire River. Behind its medieval walls lies a major surprise: the world's largest collection of works by the Art & Language collective, pioneers of conceptual art.

The confrontation between 15th-century stonework and contemporary creations creates a striking dialogue. In this 2,500 m² exhibition space, each room reveals a different facet of this artistic movement. The works question, interrogate and challenge, in a historical setting that gives them a special resonance.

From the top of the château's terraces, 35 metres above the Loire, the 360° panorama offers a unique view of the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers.

Afternoon: under the vaults of the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud

The afternoon takes you to one of France's heritage gems: the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud. As soon as you enter this 13-hectare monastery, time changes pace. The white tufa stones, polished by the centuries, seem to absorb the hustle and bustle of the world.

The abbey church welcomes you in its monumental simplicity. Four recumbent figures sleep there for eternity: Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II Plantagenet, Richard the Lionheart and Isabella of Angouleme. The Romanesque kitchens, with their fish-scale roofs and conical fireplaces, are surprising. Unique in their kind, they bear witness to the ingenuity of medieval builders.

But Fontevraud is not just a witness to the past. The Musée d'Art Moderne, housed in the former Fannerie, is home to over 800 works from the Cligman collection. Paintings, sculptures and antiques stand side by side in an intimate museography that invites visitors to travel through cultures and eras. Degas dialogues with African sculptures, Egyptian funerary masks respond to creations by Germaine Richier. A sensitive approach to art that transcends time.

Want to extend your romantic getaway in Anjou?

Continue your getaway for two by exploring other facets of Anjou:

• An evening at the Cadre Noir de Saumur: attend an equestrian show where the grace and precision of the riders from the prestigious French riding school will leave you speechless.
• An unusual night at Fontevraud L'Hôtel: treat yourself to the luxury of sleeping in the very heart of the abbey. Once the visitors have left, the corridors and gardens are yours alone, for an experience of rare intimacy.
• An excursion to the Bouvet-Ladubay cellars: discover these underground cathedrals by bike, for an unusual visit, before a tasting of fine bubbles in an exceptional setting.