Destination Loire Valley
Traveling to the Loire Valley from the UK is a breeze thanks to the many options available by plane, boat, and road!
This magnificent French region, renowned for its mild climate and soft light, is nicknamed the Vallée Royale – Royal Valley because of the spectacular châteaux built by kings during the French Renaissance.
Thanks to its proximity to the UK, the Loire Valley holds an irresistible appeal for British holidaymakers looking for weekend getaways, short breaks, or summer holidays.
Below are links to the various official websites you will need.
Traveling to the Loire Valley from the UK – Air travel and car rental
Angers
Aéroport Angers Loire is situated 25km north-east of Angers.
Nantes
The Aéroport Nantes Atlantique is located 11km south of the city.
Tours
The Aéroport Tours Val de Loire is located 4km north of Tours.
You will find all the useful links regarding public transport, car rental services and other resources on their websites.
Traveling to the Loire Valley from the UK – Ferry travel information
Brittany Ferries operates from:
– Portsmouth to Caen-Ouistreham, Cherbourg, Le Havre and St Malo
– Poole to Cherbourg
– Plymouth to Roscoff
– Cork to Roscoff
Condor Ferries operates a weekly ferry service from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, from late May to early September, and Catamaran services from Poole and Weymouth to Saint Malo via the Channel Islands.
P&O operates regular crossings from Dover to Calais.
DFDS Seaways operates services from Newhaven to Dieppe and Dover to Calais or Dunkirk.
Traveling to the Loire Valley from the UK – Car travel information
Here are the distances using motorways (with tolls) and/or dual-carriage ways from:
- Calais to Nantes (600km), Angers (513km), and Tours (524km)
- Caen-Ouistreham to Nantes (305km), Angers (261km), and Tours (272km)
- Cherbourg to Nantes (339km), Angers (372km), and Tours (382km)
- Roscoff to Nantes (316km), Angers (335km), and Tours (465km)
Traveling to the Loire Valley from the UK – Rail travel information
Eurotunnel-Le Shuttle connects Folkestone to Calais in 35 minutes.
Eurostar connects London St Pancras to Paris – Gare duNord in 2h20 or 2h30, with an average of 15 trains per weekday. You’ll then have to connect on a TGV (SNCF) from Gare Montparnasse (train station) to your destination in the Loire Valley.
