The region is located in central France, southwest of Paris. Its tourist center is the famous Loire Valley with magnificent castles belonging to the king and French aristocracy. There are also important, historic cities with powerful Gothic cathedrals, Tours and Chartres.
The province is located a short distance from Paris and thanks to this and its qualities it is visited every year by millions of tourists. Its capital is Orleans, where, in addition to Gothic churches and interesting art museums, you can also see the House of Joan of Arc with an exhibition dedicated to her life.
At the opposite ends of the region are the two historic cities of Chartres and Tours. The first of them boasts the Romanesque-Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral with a huge labyrinth on the floor. In turn, Tours since the Middle Ages was associated with the cult of St. Martin. In the local cathedral standing in the surroundings of the Old Town built with half-timbered houses, you can admire magnificent stained glass windows.
The Loire Valley stretches through the center of the region. Around 300 castles and palaces have been built here along the river since the Middle Ages. The most important of them are Amboise, Blois, Chambord, Chenonceau, Azay-le-Rideau, and Villandry. Around many of them are extensive parks and baroque gardens forming flower carpets. The Loire Valley is next to Paris and Mont Saint-Michele the most visited place by tourists in France.
