Our road trip in the Loire begins with a visit to the Montbazon fortress. It’s a wonderful discovery where you can easily spend a good half-day.
This is a medieval fortress in ruins, unfortunately, but don’t think you’ll be bored! The fortress is managed by an association that offers an entertaining guided tour to learn about its history with humor, and the tour concludes with a catapult shooting session.
Throughout the day, you will find numerous workshops: pottery making, jewelry and leather bag crafting, illumination, blacksmithing… all the trades of the time will be presented, and for some activities, you can even take your creations home with you!
If you go to Anjou, it’s impossible to miss the many troglodyte villages, and it would be a real shame to do so. We chose to visit Turquant, an adorable flower-filled village.
As you stroll through the troglodyte alleyways, you’ll discover numerous artisans, each with their workshop in troglodyte houses. Turquant is even nicknamed the Valley of Artisans. Sculptors, potters, glass painters, seamstresses, jewelers, woodworkers—more than a dozen artisan shops where you can watch them create their masterpieces, as their workshops are in their stores.
Cleverly, the town has set up a treasure hunt for children to pique their interest in discovering these trades. For each workshop, the child must find a mystery tool related to the craft and record it in a booklet, a wonderful way to engage with the artisan. At the end, the little detective receives a reward!
