Discover Chançay: Gardens, Wine Cellars and Wine Culture

When looking for a hotel in Chançay, it is worth considering different travel interests: historic garden design, wine and a hilly terroir. The gardens of Château de Valmer, visitor experiences at two wineries and the Sentier de la Tourette each offer a different focus. Visiting arrangements also vary, from a self-guided visit to an appointment by prior arrangement.

Gardens of Château de Valmer

With their architecture, terraces and covered walkways, the gardens of Château de Valmer form a typical 16th- and 17th-century ensemble. The focus is therefore not just on one design feature, but on how these elements work together. The gardens can be visited independently, and a free brochure is available in nine languages. You can plan your visit yourself and use the brochure for guidance. Check the current visiting arrangements before travelling.

Wine cellars and visitor experiences

At Caves Cathelineau, the guided tour has an educational focus: it takes visitors through tuffeau stone cellars and ends with a tasting of the winery’s wines. A museum about viticulture, wine and cooperage is also included in a visit to the tuffeau caves. The experience therefore goes beyond the tasting, combining a cellar visit with topics related to wine and barrel-making.

Vignoble Alain Robert welcomes visitors for tours of its cave cellars and wine tastings. Private visitors can book a cellar tour and tasting by prior arrangement. The practical difference when choosing between the experiences is that the educational tour and museum are part of the visit described at Caves Cathelineau, while private visitors to Vignoble Alain Robert should make an appointment in advance. Confirm visiting arrangements before travelling.

Viticulture, appellations and Chenin

The family-run Vignoble Alain Robert farms 37 hectares of vineyards in Chançay and Noizay, classified as AOC Vouvray and Touraine. Caves Cathelineau offers Vouvray wines in dry, off-dry, sweet and lightly sparkling styles. They are made from the Chenin grape variety. This means you can distinguish the selection not only by the name Vouvray but also by style: the terms dry, off-dry and sweet indicate the respective taste profile, while lightly sparkling adds another style to the range.

Hilly countryside along the Sentier de la Tourette

The Sentier de la Tourette passes through hilly terroir that benefits from the microclimates of the Loire and Brenne valleys. This adds a landscape perspective to the garden and wine themes. When comparing your travel interests, you can choose between different highlights: a historic garden ensemble, visits to wine cellars or the hilly landscape described here.

Discover more destinations: Truyes, Tavant, La Riche, Seuilly, La Ville-Aux-Dames, Fondettes, Dolus-Le-Sec, Mettray.

For the broader travel overview: Indre-Et-Loire.