Loire |

Nowhere else in Western Europe are the cultural fruits of the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment on such public display as the chateaux that dot this verdant river valley southwest of Paris, The most famous of its castles is perhaps the Chateau de Chambord, constructed in the 16th century as a hunting lodge for King Francois I. The region is also celebrated for its superb white wines, with appellations such as Sancerre, Saumur and Touraine among the best known.