Need to recharge your batteries before winter? If so, why not take a gentle dip in Sologne, in the Loire Valley, when the golden forests sparkle in the misty autumn light. Between a wellness cure, a gastronomic break inspired by the richness of a generous terroir and long bike rides, put on your boots and binoculars and set off on the lookout for deer, whose bark heralds mating season, autumn and fireside gatherings.
Playing the perched baron at Sources de Cheverny
Would you prefer a castle or a cottage? At Les Sources de Cheverny, the new vineyard hotel built around the historic Château du Breuil, it's up to you to play lord for a day or Robinson Crusoe deep in the forest! Ancestral or second-hand furniture, old wood panelling or the natural wood of the cabins on the edge of a gorse-fringed lake, soft tones that evoke leaves and bark or the bluish green of a duck's feathers... Each of the 49 rooms and suites is a window to nature. The best of all? Book the Baron Perché, the iconic suite perched on a pier overlooking the lake, for an unusual version of chateau life.
Fill up on vitality at the Spa des Sources
Looking for a rejuvenating bath? At the Spa des Sources, the bonus is a forest bath! On the terrace, an oak-barrel whirlpool invites you to relax in gentle warmth, listening to the wind in the trees. And inside, under the large recycled wood frame, the sound of the water punctuates the journey between thermal bath, hammam and Caudalie treatment rituals. Its secret? Grape seed extracts with anti-ageing and antioxidant properties from the vine to replenish vitality and complete the epicurean cure: with its 7 hectares of local grape varieties grown biodynamically, the property is also a wine estate!
Savour the flavours of the gardens at Fleur de Loire
If the Loire Valley were a restaurant, it could be Fleur de Loire! In this two-star restaurant in Blois, the menu floats gently like the waters of the Loire, to the rhythm of local produce brought to life by a chef who loves authenticity. For Christophe Hay, there is only one common thread: the gardens where this native of the region finds inspiration as the seasons change. The one he has created - a 3,000 m² permaculture vegetable garden where he grows vegetables (300 varieties of tomatoes!) and herbs - but also the great garden that is the region. His fish - Chambord carp, catfish or pickled pike - are caught in the Loire, his Wagyu beef is home-raised and his game comes from the Chambord forest.
Listen to the bellowing of the stag deep in the woods
You might hear it in the early hours of the morning, curled up under your duvet, wondering where that hoarse sound in the woods is coming from. But if you want to be sure that you've heard the bellowing of the stag, which heralds the start of the mating season, you'd better go on a nature walk. In Villeny, in the heart of Sologne, the Maison du Cerf is organising special evenings between 15 September and 15 October, with a guided tour of the museum and a walk in the footsteps of the king of the forest. A mysterious atmosphere is guaranteed as dusk falls over the woods and ponds. At the Château de Chambord you can stand on a watchtower at dawn or dusk and watch stags, deer and fawns. Can you tell the difference between a defiant stag and a triumphant one?
Cycling between castles, vineyards and doll's villages
Country lanes, back roads and forest tracks: the Sologne of châteaux is also the kingdom of cycling escapades! Around Cheverny and Chambord, there are a dozen routes for cycling enthusiasts. Peat bogs and ponds decorated with ginger, doll's villages nestling in the forest, discreet little castles such as Villesavin, the "Chambord site hut", or Troussay, a little Renaissance jewel... In Cour-Cheverny, at the Maison des Vins, you can keep up with the times and discover some of the nectars favoured by the kings of France among the hundred or so vintages of the Cheverny AOC. Including one exclusive: Cour-Cheverny white wine made from Romorantin, a local grape introduced by François I!
Recommendations and advice : Just two hours from Paris, the countryside of the Sologne region offers a dazzling array of colours and a welcome return to its roots in autumn. As one of France's natural forest regions, it boasts an incredible biodiversity that is one of its greatest assets and one that needs to be preserved. The good news is that the TER covers the Sologne region from north to south, and there are plenty of cycle paths and other environmentally-friendly transport options. These are all ways of getting around that reduce CO2 emissions, give you fresh air and help protect the environment. So make the most of your stay to explore these solutions and enjoy a breath of fresh air!
Find out more : - Plan your stay in the Loire Valley - Visit the Sologne region
Also worth reading:. - Autumn walk in the Loire Valley and 5 minutes to discover the wines of the Loire Valley
By Anne-Claire Delorme
Globetrotting journalist anneclairedelorme@yahoo.fr
