L'Orangerie de Beauregard

Sip local vino on a tour of the nearby Vouvray wine region, less than 20 kilometres from the site. If you want to venture further afield, Vouvray isn’t the only wine-growing area nearby: you can also get uncorked on a number of tours that operate in the Loire region, including one that departs from the town of Tours, a 30-minute drive away. If châteaux are more your style, make sure to pay a visit to the town of Amboise, less than 30 minutes’ drive from L’Orangerie. Explore the royal château and pay your respects at Château du Clos Lucé, the residence and final resting place of Leonardo da Vinci. When the kids tire of the Amboise châteaux, head to the town’s Grand Aquarium de Touraine and get a peek at fish native to the Loire Valley, as well as some more exotic tropical varieties. Spot more than fish at ZooParc de Beauval in Saint-Aignan, an hour’s drive from the site, and try to time your visit to coincide with the spectacular bird display and the sea lion show. You can also explore the Loire Valley on two wheels if that’s more your speed: L’Orangerie is 30 minutes from the Loire à Velo cycle route, an 800-kilometre route following the Loire river, making up part of the 4,400-kilometre Eurovelo route across Europe.