Culture & Lifestyle
France
Published on August 28, 2013
Reading for the Road: Books About Loire Valley
By Jérôme Boré
At The Slow Road we answer to many names (wanderers, bon vivants, students of life) but first and foremost, we’re a group of dedicated travellers.
That’s why we love compiling reading lists that include those books—from novels to memoirs, and everything in between—that have really opened up our favourite regions.
In this post we’ve rounded up some of our favourite books about the Loire Valley.
Must-Read Books about Loire Valley
The Road from the Past, Traveling through History in France
By Ina Caro
Time travel through France by way of its finest chateaux, cathedrals and monasteries. This unusual travelogue is an invaluable companion for traveling in Paris, southern France, the Dordogne and the Loire Valley, combining personal observation with large doses of well-presented history.
The Cathedral Builders of the Middle Ages
By Alain Erlande-Brandenburg
All over Europe, from Westminster to Rouen, the cathedrals of the Middle Ages still stand. This book explores the world of the medieval master mason. How were these structures built when only primitive machinery was available? Who initiated and designed them? Who built and paid for them?
Eyewitness Guide Loire Valley
Eyewitness Guides
Visually rich, comprehensive, and practical, this guidebook is an excellent introduction to the history, culture and attractions of the Loire Valley. Highly recommended.
Chocolat
By Joanne Harris
This charming novel set in the Loire Valley pits provincial morals against pleasure. Adapted into a popular movie.
The Sun King
By Nancy Mitford
An opulent, celebrated biography of Louis XIV. Gracefully written in a witty, conversational style, Mitford’s book brings Versailles to vibrant life.
