If you love wine, France and eating…you’ll love the Vitiloire

Introducing my dad – Phil

A few weeks ago, I was chatting with my dad, and he casually and wistfully mentioned that usually in June he and my mum would head to France to celebrate his birthday at the Vitiloire, a wine festival in the heart of the beautiful Loire valley.

My parents lived and worked in France for several years, whilst renovating an old farm house. They spent many holidays and weekends touring the country in their converted van discovering those gorgeous hidden spots where few tourists tend to tread, tasting the local food and of course the wine!

The Vitiloire is virtually unknown to those outside of the region, but a firm favourite with my wine loving dad and to the Loire locals.

As my father continued to lament that for the second year running, a jaunt to France would not be possible due to the pandemic. I suggested the next best thing… that he wrote a blog post about his much-loved destination, to put into words the sights, sounds, tastes…and je ne sais quoi… (picture me shrugging, arms raised in that stereotypical manner that we attach to the French, muttering ces’t la vie papa, ces’t la vie…write me a post, it will help with your longing).

Anyway, to cut to the chase, he said he’d love to and what follows is his account of the Vitiloire in the glorious city of Tours.

Take it away papa…

Tours: the capital of the Loire Valley

Before I tell you about my favourite wine festival – Vitiloire, I’ll briefly describe its home in the beautiful historic city of Tours, a region accredited by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in the heart of the Loire Valley.

A view over Pont Wilson — Pont Wilson – Tours

The city of Tours lies on the banks of the River Loire midway between Nantes on the West Coast where the river runs into the Atlantic Ocean and Mont Gerbier de Jonc in Auvergne where the source of this famous mighty river begins its journey.

Regarded as the gateway to the Loire Valley, the centre of this charming medieval city contains several unique areas. Here are a few of my favourites:

Boulevard Béranger – there are many delightful boulevards, but the Boulevard Béranger is my favourite. It is quintessentially French and epitomises much of what I love about France. Running down the centre of two long roads, a wide pedestrianised area shaded by tall Plane trees reveals a hive of activity most days of the week – flea and antique markets, flower, and food markets. Here you can casually take in the throng of daily life.

Place des Halles – if you haven’t already guessed, I love food – buying, cooking, eating (just ask my daughter, I’m a fish aficionado!) – and here at Place des Halles, the biggest food market in the city, you can buy just about every kind of food you can imagine – be if for a simple picnic or exquisite dinner.

Fish stall at the Place des Halles — Place des Halles – a great market!

Rue de National – if you’re a wardrobe shopper, then you can’t beat the Rue de National. It boasts all the famous names and a bountiful supply of boutiques with price tags I’d rather avoid!

Historic Quarters – Tours has three distinct fascinating old quarters and, in my opinion, the area surrounding the Rue Briçonnet is the best! It is an area characterised by dozens of intermingling cobbled tiny streets, selling an eclectic array of merchandise, that converge into a small square surrounded by bars, cafes, take-aways and restaurants. The atmosphere is truly fantastic and a perfect place to stop and watch the world go by.

The River Loire – of course, we cannot forget the famous River Loire which seems as wide as it is long. Running a long side the banks of the Loire there is a famous bike route which starts near Nantes and ends in the Massif Central. If you have a few days in the area, I’d recommend hiring a bike and going for a cycle along the river. It’s a great way to see the vineyards that the region is known for.

This brings me nicely on to the not so well known, Vitiloire – an annual wine festival which takes place over one weekend every June for the wine producers along the Loire.

Vitiloire

The Vitiloire is a typically relaxing affair, in other words ‘no rush, take your time’ – enjoy a few glasses of wine, eat slowly and take in the friendly atmosphere.

Which wines are available?

There are over 150 wine producers from the Loire region covering all appellations. The wines are varied in both taste and cost, and to be able to sample at your leisure is a truly great experience!

In brief, the white wines from the Atlantic Coast, such as the Muscadet and Gros-Plant du pays Nantais are generally drier and more acidic and whilst they are of course drinkable on their own (when very chilled) they go best with seafood, especially oysters! In contrast the wines from the central regions of the Loire such as Touraine, Vouvray and Montlouis are softer and more floral, and then on the far eastern side of the Loire you have the famous Sancerre, Pouilly-Fume and Poilly-Fuisse. These wines are much more subtle and to appreciate them you need a good pallet and a few extra euros!

There are also some good reds but mainly they are light to medium bodied and drank at a cooler temperature. One that springs to mind is the Saumur Champigny.

Five reasons to visit the Vitiloire

Cost – are you ready for this? It costs 5 Euros to get in, this covers the cost of a souvenir glass to sample the wines. The sampling itself is FREE! Yes, you can sample as many wines as you like for a mere 5 Euros!

Atmosphere – even if you are not a wine lover, the atmosphere is delightfully relaxed and great for all ages, including families.

Wine at affordable prices – you get to sample before you buy and what’s more you get to buy at the winery cost. You can pick up some great bottles at great prices.

Food – we wouldn’t be in France without talking about food. The Vitiloire is surrounded by food stalls, perfect for nibbling and picking up picnic bits. The main area housing food stalls are set under cooling Plane trees in a lovely park. So, pick yourself up a rotisserie chicken, some fresh tomatoes, a baguette and you have the perfect picnic with a chilled glass of wine.

Passionate wine sellers – it’s the people here that make it. The wine sellers are eager and excited to tell you about their wine. You can learn about the wine’s history, the stories behind it and what makes it unique. I can spend hours chatting away about wine (and sampling of course). I love it, and I can’t wait to go back!

A stall at the Vitiloire - my dad, Phil chatting to the wine producers — Chatting to the passionate wine sellers at Vitiloire

My Advice

My number one tip is have a notepad at the ready. Visit and sample white wines on Saturday, put a rating 1 to 5 next to the wine producer. Repeat of Sunday with the reds. Tot up your scores, re-visit, have another sample and purchase!

Go slow – there’s no rush, take your time and enjoy the process.

Find a bottle you love? How about seeking out the winery and paying it a visit? My wife, Sharon and I loved a Touraine Sauvignon from the Vignoble, Domaine de la Chaise in St George Sur Cher so we decided to pay it a visit. I gained an even greater insight into this family run business and sampled some more of the fabulous wines!