Day 1: Lloret de Mar - Sully-sur-Loire - Visit the Castle of Sully-sur-Loire
It seems incredible that just six days ago we arrived from the trip to Krakow in 5 days and today we are ready to start a new trip that will take us through the Loire Valley to know some of its most impressive castles, such as the castle of Sully-sur-Loire, which we will meet this afternoon.
If we want to be honest we have to say that today, although it would have to be the same as in other cases when we travel or make getaways, it is somewhat different and it is that yesterday although it seems a lie, we realized that the trip to the Valley of the Loire in 9 days, started today Friday, although we thought the start was on Saturday 26.
In the end we have to thank the good habit we have the day before going on a trip to review the documentation and it is that thanks to the check of hotel reservations in the Loire Valley, we have realized the error.
So after having a somewhat tight day yesterday, in which at the last minute we had to prepare the suitcase for these nine days, in addition to leaving the job more or less ready and after a dinner with friends, which as usual is it extended more than expected, when it is 5 o'clock in the morning the alarm sounds that announces that we have to set foot on the floor to leave everything ready and at seven leave home, go for the car, and of course go to have breakfast at our usual cafeteria, for when it is 7:30 in the morning, start the route through the Loire Castles by car.
As we explained in the preparations for this trip, initially this route was designed to fly to Paris or Nantes, but after valuing it and looking at everything we had planned, we sensed that living in Lloret de Mar, would be much better and more convenient to go directly in our car, since the journey to the Castle of Sully-sur-Loire, which is our first visit, is approximately 8 hours.
Against this option, if we had to fly there, between the time we have to transfer to the airport, the flight, the delays that are lately in this month of August, the collection of the rental car in the Loire Valley and go to him Sully-sur-Loire Castle, we understood that in the end this second option, despite what may seem initially, was going to be much more tired, as well as long, than the one we are going to use to go directly by car from home.
And so, fully convinced of the decision, when it is 7:30 in the morning and after breakfast, we check that we have all the documentation and everything we need and take the road to Loire Valley, to start what will be the last summer getaway we have scheduled.
The first point of this route through the Loire Valley is the town of Sully-sur-Loire, 845 kilometers or almost 8 hours away, where we will visit the town and the Sully-sur-Loire Castle, where we expect to arrive around 4 in the afternoon, according to the GPS forecast.
Being a journey of about 8 hours we decided to take turns to drive about 2 hours each, so the first section more or less we raised until we reach France and there make the first change.
The trip to the Loire Valley begins
The first part of the route is quite quiet, telling that it is practically eight o'clock between we left and not, so there is not much traffic and much less in the direction of France at the moment, so we are quite calm, reviewing the route in the Loire Valley we have planned and how could it be otherwise, talking about future trips we have in mind.
The first toll arrives an hour and a little later at our departure, a few kilometers from the entrance to France, where we have to pay 9.55 euros, which remind us again of the unusual prices that we have to pay on most highways in this country .
We continue our journey to the Loire Valley, already in France, encountering a somewhat gray sky than in Spain but maintaining a temperature of 26 degrees that we expect, continue during these days of the trip to the Loire Valley.
More practical information to prepare your trip to the Loire Valley
- The 10 essential Loire Castles
- The best tips for traveling to the Loire Valley
It's 10 in the morning when we make the first change of driver, already in France, taking the opportunity to stretch the piers and continue with the journey, going through the second toll where we pay 10.10 euros and after half an hour reach the third , the Milleu Viaduct, where we paid 12.20 euros for this sector, passing near Albi, which reminds us of our trip to Midi-Pyrenees, now with a radiant sun and a super clear sky.
Milleu Viaduct
It is 1 noon when we make the next change of driver, also taking advantage to eat in a service area, a couple of more brown menus for 39 euros, which although expensive for what it is, we have to say that they fix our day.
Eating in a service area in France
After lunch and a couple of double coffees we continue our journey, just a little more than 4 hours from what will be the view today, the Sully-sur-Loire Castle.
As we travel kilometers in France, we are amazed by its roads with service and rest areas every few kilometers, which are a luxury and also a great tranquility in driving, something we have to say, we did not remember from previous trips to neighboring country.
45 minutes from our destination, we go through the fourth and last toll of the day, where we pay 22.30 euros.
A few kilometers later and already off the highway, we begin to pass through charming villages, such as Vouzon, which begin to give us images that remind us where we are going, a place of story.
Vouzon Loire Valley
As we said before, the idea was to go directly to the Sully-sur-Loire Castle, but since this is next to the Henri IV Hotel, where we will stay tonight, we prefer to go before check-in, park the car, so that we can be more calm and be able to walk around the castle, which We have read, they are also beautiful.
Once we rested for a while in the room, something necessary after the journey has practically taken us 10 hours counting the stops until we reach Sully-sur-Loire, where we will start this route, visiting the Sully-sur-Loire Castle, what they say is one of the 10 essential Loire Castles that you cannot miss.
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
As soon as we begin to walk around the town we begin to intuit that this journey through the Loire Castles It will become one of our favorite routes in France and probably in Europe and although the town is very small, we have to say that it is beautiful and charming, and much more when we turn and meet the Sully-sur-Loire Castle, right in front and we received the gift of the day.
Start at sunset in Sully-sur-Loire
Sully-sur-Loire Castle
In addition we could not have chosen a better moment and it is beginning to be sunset, at which time the sun begins to reflect in the back of the castle and gives it an incredible image. If we add to that that right now there is absolutely no one and the whole environment of the castle remains with an impressive tranquility and peace, it is at this moment that we forget the 10 hours of driving to give way to enthusiasm for having Started this amazing route in the best possible way.
Sunset at the Castle of Sully-sur-Loire
Recommendations to visit the Castle of Sully-sur-Loire
This beautiful and also small castle, built in the late fourteenth century, located in the town Sully-sur-Loire, is completely surrounded by a moat full of water, which acted as a method of defense and is that this castle, unlike many others that we can find in the Loire Valley, was a defensive fortress.
Sully-sur-Loire Castle
- Visiting hours: Every day from 10 to 18 (July to August). Guided tours at 11, 14:30 and 16h.
From Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 18 April to June and September and guided tours at 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
From Tuesday to Sunday from 10 to 12 and from 14 to 17 February to March and from October to December and guided tours at 3pm.
- Price: 10 euros entry per person.
Visit the Castle of Sully-sur-Loire
- It is not necessary to pay the entrance to be able to see the castle on the outside, since not being in a closed enclosure, it is possible to see it outside without acquiring the entrance.
- Although access to the castle is on the main street, in the parking area, we recommend you access from the rear, to have a perspective, at least in our opinion, much more interesting, and then completely surround it.
If you want to follow our recommendation, the beginning of this tour should be done by number 1 of the Rue du Maréchal Foch, to continue surrounding the Sully-sur-Loire Castle until returning to the same point, as we show on the map.
- If you can, visit the castle Sully-sur-Loire, in the afternoon or early morning it would be the best option, since it is very worthwhile to see this spectacular corner at a time when there are not many people and with La Luz so incredible that they leave these two moments of the day .
If we have to choose, we will undoubtedly stay with the sunset, in addition, to enjoy the Sully-sur-Loire Castle illuminated when night falls, another of the moments that we are sure, you will not forget.
Visit the Sully-sur-Loire Castle
After completely surrounding the Sully-sur-Loire Castle, stopping in hundreds of occasions and in practically every corner, we cannot resist taking another complete turn, delighting now of the landscapes and the castle, without looking so much in the camera and in taking us images that remind us of this incredible moment that We have had the immense luck of being able to live at the beginning of this, we know, impressive route.
Panoramic Castle Sully-sur-Loire
Sully-sur-Loire Castle
The best tours and excursions in the Loire Valley in Spanish
If you prefer to forget about preparations or have little time, you can book the following tours in SPANISH
- Excursion to the Loire Castles
- Normandy and Loire Valley in 3 or 4 days
- 2-day tour of the Loire Castles
Visit the Sully-sur-Loire Castle
After this second round and enjoying an indescribable first sunset in the Loire Valley, we decided that there is no better place to dine than the Restaurant Le Café des Ars, which although it does not have the best opinions, has a privileged location, just opposite to the castle and to which we cannot resist, putting the location before the gastronomy.
We ordered a pizza and a grilled salmon, more beer and water for 28.50 euros, which we have to confess we did not find excessively expensive and more considering the unique and unrepeatable views, which we have been able to enjoy.
Dinner at Le Café des Ars
If we add to that, at least for our palate, everything was great, we can only recommend it if you are in the area and want to eat with the best views of Sully-sur-Loire.
And so, after dinner and when a few minutes past 9 at night, we get lost again around the Sully-sur-Loire Castle, now to enjoy the views at dusk, another unique moment of the day, that we don't want to miss for anything in the world.
Sully-sur-Loire Castle
We return to the Henri IV Hotel when it is 10 pm, at which time after such a full day today, we fall like children, waiting for tomorrow to come back to enjoy these dreamlike landscapes that have welcomed us with open hands in the incredible Loire Valley.
Day 2: Sully-sur-Loire Castle - Orléans - Visit Chambord Castle - Blois
