Getting Married in the Loire Valley

June combines long daylight with moderate temperatures and gardens at their fullest. July and August are hot without often becoming severe. October brings autumn colour across the Sologne forests. The season runs from May to October, and most venues are dormant in winter.

Recommended wedding months

June and September

Peak season is July and August, and the shoulder months are May and October.

Private château. The defining Loire venue type. Most offer exclusive residential hire for the whole weekend, with rooms in the main house and converted outbuildings.

Domaine viticole. Wine estates in the Touraine and Anjou appellations, smaller and more agricultural than the major châteaux, and usually easier on price and availability. Chenin Blanc estates in Vouvray and Montlouis are well regarded.

Manoir. A smaller country house, usually from the sixteenth to eighteenth century, in private grounds. The category covers the widest price range and some of the most characterful properties.

The TGV from Paris Montparnasse reaches Tours at Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, with Angers a little further. Coach transfers from the stations at Tours or Blois are the standard way to move a wedding party. The A10 motorway serves guests who drive.

Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG). The main international gateway, with a TGV to Tours from the airport's own station. Best for intercontinental guests.

Paris Orly (ORY). Linked to Tours by TGV from Massy-TGV, with stronger connections from southern Europe and North Africa.

Tours Val de Loire (TUF). A small regional airport with very few scheduled routes, relevant only for charter arrivals.

Accommodation ranges from grand Renaissance châteaux to small maisons de maître, mostly around Tours, Angers and the wine villages of Vouvray and Sancerre.

Large house-party châteaux. Some châteaux are landmark venues for large wedding house parties.

Hunting lodge near Onzain. A former hunting lodge with a private lake and elegant rooms, suited to intimate ceremonies and small groups.

Tours and Amboise. Boutique hotels, spa retreats and converted manor houses within reach of the main château circuit, for guests who prefer a town base.

Wine village chambres d'hôtes. Family-run guesthouses in Vouvray, Chinon and Bourgueil, among the vineyards, suited to wine-focused weddings.

Loire cooking is defined by river fish, mushrooms grown in the valley's tufa caves, Touraine goats' cheese and wines from bone-dry Sancerre to honeyed Vouvray.

Rillons and Rillettes. Slow-cooked pork eaten cold with bread: rillons are caramelised belly chunks, rillettes a spreadable pâté. Both suit a wedding aperitif.

Sandre au Beurre Blanc. Pike-perch fillets with beurre blanc, a white butter sauce made with Muscadet and shallots, the signature dish of Loire river cooking.

Crottin de Chavignol. A small, firm goats' cheese from the Sancerre appellation, eaten young and creamy or aged and nutty.

Getting there. Tours Val de Loire Airport has limited connections, so Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly are the main gateways, each linked to Tours or Angers by TGV. Driving from Paris on the A10 is the alternative.

Cycling the valley. The Loire à Vélo route follows the river on dedicated paths past major châteaux. Many couples build a guided cycling day into the wedding week.

Château season. Most venues and attractions are fully open from April to October. Outside that window access is limited and some boutique properties close.

Wine and appellation diversity. The Loire makes sparkling Crémant de Loire, red Chinon and sweet Coteaux du Layon. A Loire-only wine pairing sets a wedding here apart.

The legal requirements for marrying here, and who needs a visa, are being checked and are not published yet. Confirm both with the official authority that will marry you before you book.