Best Farm Stays - Loire Valley

Climbing out of bed in a luxury glamping tent to the nearby chatter of friendly llamas sounds like a uniquely lovely way to start the day, and even more so when it is in the heart of one of France’s most charming rural regions, the infamous Loire Valley; the Garden of France.  The family friendly & pet friendly Loire Valley Llama Farm Stay, between Le Mans and Tours, offers visitors two Lotus Belle tents on their 17 acre farm with llamas and hens.  All of which are happily free range, and friendly to visitors; this place is not some large commercial farming venture, it is a blissfully peaceful, little rural idyll, with a mixture of pastureland, woodland, (as well as a lake and a stream), and somewhere where the welfare of the farm animals (and the farm guests of course!) comes first. Note: The llama farm is a small intimate affair, with just two tents available to rent, so booking ahead is advised! THE ACCOMMODATION: They have two clean and comfortable rooms at the farmhouse; a double and a twin (one double and one single) and outside in the gardens there are two spacious, nicely furnished, tents offer ‘back to nature’ escapism without the need to sacrifice comfort. The tents have room for up to 4 or 5 sharing, and are made up as either a double bed with a pull out day bed converting to another double, or a King size bed with two single beds. All of them are proper, framed, beds with Egyptian cotton bedding and you’ll find them reliably comfortable every night. You’ll have an insulated PVC layer on the tent windows for the winter as well as a mesh layer on the windows and doors to keep you cool and keep the mosquitoes at bay in the summer.  Plus, from late September, wood log burners are installed in the tents keeping them perfectly warm and cosy. Within 50m you’ll find the renovated barn where the shared bathroom facilities are, and include 2 separate toilets and a shower room. Outside of the tents there is a private seating area plus also, a little farther away, a large communal dining area next to READ MORE

In the village of Langon, near Vierzon, Bourges, Tours and Orleans, Cher-et Loire, France, Domaine de la Gaucherie is a comfortable and friendly farm stay with B&B rooms in a nicely renovated traditional French farmhouse. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a range of comfortable rooms and suites for up to four people, all them are modern and clean but with a rustic farmhouse ambience. They all have a private bathroom with bath tub and one comes with its own spa bath. There is WiFi throughout and a TV in the shared lounge. The outdoors are wonderful, especially for kids, there are plenty of animals to meet and they also have a fish pond as well as an outdoor heated swimming pool. Indoors there is a nice shared lounge with TV and WiFi and plenty of toys for the children. A very good and generous continental breakfast is provided every morning with an array of pastries, crepes, breads, muesli, fruits and yoghurts. For an extra charge you can also have equally good two and three course evening meals in the dining room cooked with some of the finest local ingredients. THE FARM: It is a lively working farm with sheep, donkeys, ponies, chickens and geese, all of them are friendly and well used to visitors and children will particularly love the interaction with the animals. THE LOCATION: This part of France, the Loire Valley, is rich in history and culture, especially in terms of food and wine. The farmstay is in Loire et Cher, in the centre of a triangle between Tours, Bourges and Orléans, and is surrounded by much lovely countryside. You’ll find a a huge amount of vineyards here, with plenty of wine tours to choose from, and many interesting and enjoyable small towns and villages to be visited. Read more about the location: It is near the iconic forests of the Sologne, which occupy the area just before the Loire River turns west on its journey to the Atlantic. The Sologne has been famous for centuries as a hunting ground for the former kings of France and though it is probably less wild and mysterious than in bygone years READ MORE

Among the rich vineyards of the Pays de la Loire , France, this very beautiful, rustic farm stay is in an old manor house surrounded by lawns, vineyards, a small organic farm and 100 year old woodland. THE ACCOMMODATION: Their 5 tastefully decorated rooms are comfortable and clean and have a certain old world elegance. They have private bathroom and WiFi and look out onto the the gardens, the farm and the lake, A very nice continental breakfast is served every morning and your hosts can also cook you some really fantastic regional cuisine some of which is made using the farm’s own produce. The owners used to run a restaurant in Paris and you will certainly not be disappointed by the food. THE FARM: The farm has a variety of animals, including horses, hens and peacocks. There is also an organic vegetable garden and a winery where the owners make their own range of organic wines. The owners are passionate about wine, and food, and love to show guests around the winery, allowing them to taste the produce and educate themselves a little on the delicate craft of organic winemaking. And they also organizes tours and visits to neighbouring vineyards. THE LOCATION: The Château borders the 100 kilometer wide Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Natural Park, which roughly follows the Loire River between Angers and Langeais. It’s a lovely area to explore with stretches of forest, hills and waterways interspersed with small farms and scenic towns. Candes-Saint-Martin is one such town with a lovely position overlooking the convergence of the Loire and Vienne rivers, the historic Chinon too is worth a visit, as is Crissay-sur-Manse, usually near the top of any kind of France’s prettiest villages type list. There is also the Chateau Azay-le-Rideau in the town of the same name, which is a bit special due to its location right on the banks of the Indre river. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “We wanted peace and quiet and we found it. Wonderful room and property overall. Superb breakfast, Nicole is the most generous hostess. A perfect weekend….” “Beautiful surroundings. Spacious and comfy bedroom. Amazing host. Great breakfast full of homemade goodies….” >> CLICK READ MORE