A Slow Living Stay in the Loire Valley
A Slow Living Escape in the Loire Valley
Not everyone comes to the Loire Valley to rush from château to château.
Some guests come for something quieter. Gentler. Restorative.
They come to read in the garden, wander to the market, cook long lunches, take evening walks, and listen to church bells in the distance. They come to remember what it feels like to move slowly.
Maison de Chabris is perfectly suited to this kind of stay.
Here is how to experience the Loire Valley at an unhurried, slow-living pace.
Morning: Coffee, Light, and Stillness
Open the shutters. Let the morning light in.
Make coffee and sit by the window or in the garden before the day begins. Listen to the village waking up. Watch the swallows dart overhead.
There is nowhere you need to be.
A Walk to the Market or Bakery
Stroll into Chabris for fresh bread and pastries. If it’s a market day, wander slowly among the stalls.
Choose ingredients for the day rather than souvenirs:
Goat cheese
Ripe tomatoes
A baguette still warm from the oven
Fruit for the afternoon
This becomes the rhythm of the day.
Late Morning: Reading, Writing, Resting
Return to the house and settle in.
Read in the salon. Write postcards. Nap. Sit in the garden with a book. Listen to the quiet.
This is not lost time. This is the point.
A Long Lunch at Home
Prepare a simple lunch from the morning’s finds. Open a bottle of local wine. Eat outside if the weather allows.
Lunch stretches into early afternoon, unhurried and relaxed.
An Afternoon Wander
In the afternoon, choose one gentle outing:
A short drive to a nearby village
A walk by the river
A visit to a small château or garden
A forest path in the shade
One small excursion is enough.
Evening: Golden Light and Church Bells
Return before evening. Sit outside as the light softens.
This is when the Loire Valley is at its most beautiful — quiet fields, warm air, and the sound of bells carrying across the countryside.
Dinner is simple. Candles are lit. Windows are open.
Doing Less, Experiencing More
Guests often tell us that their favourite days at Maison de Chabris were the ones where they did the least.
No strict plans. No rushing. No pressure to “see everything.”
Just time to notice:
The quality of the light
The taste of fresh bread
The sound of the village
The pleasure of an unplanned day
Night: A Sky Full of Stars
When night falls in Chabris, something rare happens.
There is no glow from a nearby city, no traffic noise, no streetlight glare. The village grows quiet, and the sky becomes extraordinarily clear.
Step outside after dinner and look up.
You’ll see a canopy of stars that many guests haven’t seen in years — sometimes decades. The Milky Way on a clear night. Constellations sharp and bright. The occasional shooting star if you’re patient.
It’s the kind of night sky that makes you linger outside longer than you planned, wrapped in a sweater, listening to the stillness.
For many guests, this becomes an unexpected highlight of their stay: a reminder of how dark, calm, and beautiful night can be when nothing competes with it.
The Loire Valley, Unhurried
The Loire Valley rewards slow travelers. Its villages, markets, rivers, and countryside are best appreciated at a gentle pace.
If you are looking for a stay that feels restful, grounding, and quietly memorable, Maison de Chabris offers the perfect setting to slow down and simply be.
