In the Loire Valley, chateaux and vineyards go together. Visit the famous vineyards and their wine cellars to taste the Loire Valley wines and stay at the Château to spend a royal night!

Located South of Nantes, discover the Château de la Cassemichère and one of its 3 b & b bedrooms. No doubt you will enjoy your stay in this renowned property famous  for being the craddle of Muscadet. Of course, wine-tasting is an absolute must! Then make a stop at the Coteaux-du-Layon for a tasting of the famous wines of Anjou. Stay at the Chateau Soucherie in a charming guest room decorated with style with antique pieces of furniture carefully selected. Visit the wine cellar of this exceptional vineyard made from the famous white Tuffeau stone and taste the wines of the Loire in the wine cellar or on the terrace.

In the heart of the Vouvray wine area, discover the Clos de l’Epinay, an old 18th century farmhourse and its two spacious guest rooms at the vineyard. Tasting of white wines. Walks in the vineyard. The winery is renowned for its excellent welcome.

Then head for the wines of Touraine, between Chenonceaux and Amboise, where you will taste reds, rosés and whites at the Chateau de Fontenay, before spending the night in one of the delightful guest rooms at the vineyard, surrounded by 12 hectares of vines.

On board a toue cabanée, a typical boat of the Loire River, mix the discovery of the natural heritage of this majestic river with historic monuments and tastings of the Loire Valley wines. 

With the winemaker Denis Retiveau as your captain, enjoy a timeless experience and let yourself be carried along by this majestic river. The very gentle glide of the wooden boat is perfect for the discovery of the Loire Valley vineyards, chateaux and historic monuments from a fresh angle. The boat trip turns gourmet with the tasting of Loire wines and local delicacies. A scenic and friendly experience of wine tourism.

Not far from there, in Chinon, aboard a traditional boat on the Vienne River, discover exceptional landcapes and heritage with Julien Ayrault, your captain, and taste Chinon wines and local products with the winegrower, Jean-Max Manceau.

In Nantes, come aboard a typical traditional wooden boat called « Toue cabanée ». On the Erdre river, one of the most beautiful rivers in France according to French king Francis 1, you will enjoy a comfortable journey that will enable you to marvel at beautiful landscapes while meeting up with a winemaker from the Nantes vineyards. A truly unique encounter!

And if you’re looking for a spot of relaxation, then climb aboard the Raboliot, a typical local boat, for a trip down the Loire river, at the foot of Piton de Sancerre and its vineyards. Sylvain, its captain, will share with you the secrets of the flora and fauna of the  last wild river in Europe.

Two hours away from Paris, the Pouilly-sur-Loire and vineyards of Sancerre provide an essential wine-appreciation experience and an unforgettable trip to the Loire Valley!

The first stop is Pouilly-sur-Loire, where a sensory experience in the Tour du Pouilly-Fumé reveals some of the winemakers’ secrets. Then make a stop on the wine route at Belvédère de Saint-Andelain and admire the view over the Loire River, its islands, and the vineyards. Cross the majestic river to discover Sancerre, with its unique panoramas and welcoming wine cellars. Then refine your knowledge at the Maison des Sancerre, before a dinner of local delicacies such as the famous Chavignol goat’s cheese. Afterwards, enjoy a night in one of the stylish rooms at the Hôtel des Monts Damnés. At Chavignol, put your best foot forward with a walk, a bike ride in the vineyards, or a boat trip on the Loire.   

A winemaker at Ackerman, near Saumur, Frederic Nouet tells us the secrets of his passion for the wines of the Loire Valley, the second largest producer of sparkling wines in France.

How long have you been involved in the wine industry?

I remember a coteaux-du-layon wine made in 1947 by my grandfather, matured in the cellar by my uncle and tasted by our family one day in spring. This was the first revelation of the flavours of wine and their complexity. This wine had matured for a long time and had to be drunk delicately and with appreciation. A visit to the vines often followed these unforgettable tastings of Loire wines.

Why are you so attached to the Loire vineyards?

My training allowed me to discover wine-producing countries and regions, but I was always drawn to the Loire. The colour of the river, the light which reflects the white Tuffeau limestone of the houses, the pure green of the countryside... all this makes for a contrasting landscape, just like the wines of the Loire: sparkling, red, rose, dry whites or liqueurs. I appreciate the discovery of a great wine just as much as the charm of a small village among the vines or an ornate chateau along the Loire, both of which add something special to this region. 

What does your work involve in the Ackerman cellars?

I make wines in collaboration with wine growers. Our winery tour, ‘Voyage to the centre of the bubble’, describes the land which has produced the wines. Each vintage offers a new experience. I invite you to taste our wines at the end of the tour, in particular the sparkling wines, which are made from a second fermentation in the bottle. Enjoy the magic of effervescence in each bottle! 

The oldest producer of sparkling wines in the Loire Valley, Ackerman, has established an artist in residency programme with Fontevraud Abbey. Underground historic sites are transformed by art, such as the work of Julien Salaud. House Ackerman won the gold medal in the 2019 Wine Tourism Awards in the "Art & culture" category. 

‘Bubbles are transient, emotions are eternal’, declared Jean-Baptiste Ackerman, who founded the oldest sparkling winery in the Loire Valley in 1811. In the pleasure and emotion of sparkling wines, Ackerman naturally associates with an art of living which is particular to the Loire Valley. That is why the famous Saumur brand has committed itself, since 2007, to supporting contemporary art. This can be seen, firstly, in L’eXplosition, an installation by the artist Yorga in the vast underground cellars, where an informative and entertaining scenographic display has been built for visitors.

A partnership that has led to the creation of an artwork which has transformed the vast underground cellars that are so characteristic of the Loire Valley, a region classified as a Unesco World Heritage site.

In 2015, Ackerman reached another stage in its artistic programme through a collaboration with the prestigious Fontevraud Abbey to jointly establish an artist in residency programme. This has led to the creation of an artwork which has transformed the vast underground cellars, that are so characteristic of the Loire Valley, a region classified as a Unesco World Heritage site.  

The labyrinthine underground cellars, a natural showcase for the display of monumental artworks

To inaugurate this concept, the selection panel of the artist in residency programme, gave the internationally acclaimed artist, Julien Salaud, the opportunity to create a massive artwork (60 m long, 5 m high!) built with 65,000 nails and 45 km of cotton thread. The Celestial River spreads out like a canopy of stars over the rocky walls of the Ackerman underground cellars. Light and fragile, it which merges with the whiteness of the sheer Tuffeau limestone walls. The effect is delicate, its lines boldly drawn and powerful. Overwhelmed by the immensity of the work, the eye gradually focuses on the patterns which appear. Then suddenly you are immersed in a river where wings, fins, froth and luminous beings mix together, hand in hand with the rock.

Vincent Mauger is the residence's second selected artist. Very active on the French art scene, he has decided to plunge into the history, light and atmosphere of this very unique monumental galleries of Maison Ackerman. When it comes to both art and wine alike, perfection is born from an alchemy between different elements. This is a temporary work of art, that will be on display for a duration of three years, starting on April 2016. He uses everyday material (glass, tiles, bricks, wood, PVC pipes…) to offer differ dimensions, and makes fun of the paradoxes between real life and virtual reality, landscape and architecture, drawings and huge works of art, traditional techniques and high tech, volume and lightness, materialization and dematerialization.He is both physically and mentally in tune with the exhibition areas, as he has established a genuine relationship with them. “I hardly intervene in the actual gallery. I don’t want to attack it full on, as I prefer a more strategic or tactical approach,” he explained. Vincent Mauger adds dimension to these creative places, with visibly assembled installations, boasting proliferating forms, inviting the spectator to continue to use his imagination.

In total, three different artists will exhibit at this historic site between 2015 and 2017, for a period of three years. Each new temporary artwork will be on show in the Ackerman cellars in the month of April each year.

Relive the saga of Jean-Baptiste Ackerman, a pioneer of the sparkling wines of the Loire Valley, at Saumur. Descend into the heart of the monumental white limestone wine cellars, and discover the secrets of the traditional method of producing effervescent wines.

Ackerman, 1811.  Writ large on the hillside, these letters and numbers reveal a saga set among historical sites, but most of all they reveal one individual’s soul. If the street, on the banks of the Thouet, a tributary of the Loire, is home to most of the sparkling wine producers of Saumur, the Ackerman winery is at the origin of the traditional method which allowed for its development in the Loire Valley, during the nineteenth century. The Loire Valley has thus become the second largest producer of sparkling wines in France, after the Champagne region.

A dynamic scenographic display takes the visitor on a unique and fascinating voyage into to the heart of the highest underground cellars in the Saumur region. Enchanting, fun and educational.

Since 2011, the bicentenary year, a dynamic scenographic display takes the visitor on a unique and fascinating voyage into the heart of the highest underground cellars in the Saumur region. Enchanting, fun and educational, this ‘Voyage to the centre of the bubble’ begins in the vast caves dug into the Tuffeau limestone, the characteristic white stone which was extracted to construct the chateaux of the Loire Valley. Dedicated to the blending and maturing of fine sparkling wines, this vast underground cellar enjoys natural light thanks to its huge glass roof. It is here, through the presentation of the vintages and the portraits of the wine growers, that we uncover the secrets of the traditional method of producing these sparkling wines.

The magic of art in a labyrinth of underground cellars

Enjoy an artistic experience among the art installations created specially for the galleries of this vaste underground maze. With this exhibition, the artist Yorga has created a colourful, aerial and original artwork within this monumental, 20 m-high space. Julien Salaud, the first laureate of the Ackerman Fontevraud La Scène residency, produced the artwork Fleuve celeste (Celestial River), a delicate, ephemeral work which spreads out in the underground gallery like a canopy of stars. The third part of the tour invites the wine tourist to take a voyage along the Loire River: projections allow the viewer to contemplate the World Heritage landscapes, taste the lifestyle of the Loire and enjoy its subtle light. Or learn how to play la boule de fort, a typical regional game similar to bowls, before the expert-led wine tasting commences!