Travel Reference
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Loire Valley & Central France
In terms of architectural splendour, nowhere tops the Loire Valley. For over a thou-
sand years, this has been the favourite weekend retreat for the cream of French so-
ciety, and it's littered with lavish châteaux left behind by generations of kings, queens
and courtly nobles.
Southeast along the River Loire is Burgundy (Bourgogne in French), France's
second-most-famous wine region after Bordeaux. Unsurprisingly, it makes a fantastic
place to try and buy wine. The region's elegant capital, Dijon, is also well worth a de-
tour for its historic art and architecture.
Further west, across the mountains of the Massif Central, lies the Dordogne (known
to the French as Périgord), known for its rich cuisine and idyllic countryside. It was
once home to France's most-ancient settlers, who left behind many stunning prehis-
toric artworks in the murky caves of the Vézère Valley.
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