Summary
Exploring Glamping in the Loire Valley
Until recently, travelers to France’s Loire Valley focused on the region’s fairy-tale castles, Michelin-starred restaurants, and world-famous wines such as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. However, the destination can now add glamping in tree houses to its list of attractions. This innovative lodging option allows visitors to connect with nature without sacrificing comfort.
Unique Experience at Loire Valley Lodges
While there are plenty of quaint inns and hotels in the area—an easy one-hour train ride from Paris—Loire Valley Lodges (LVL) offers a distinctive experience, one immersed in the beauty of a 740-acre forest sprinkled with striking modern sculptures. Opened in July 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, LVL was a passion project for Anne-Caroline Frey, a former Paris art dealer. She envisioned creating an environment that elegantly blends art with the natural world.
Each of the lodge’s 18 tree houses, built on stilts, is decorated by a different contemporary artist and features floor-to-ceiling windows, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
Activities and Amenities
Equipped with an outdoor terrace that boasts furniture and a hot tub—several tree houses even include their own sauna—each accommodation serves as a blissful retreat for relaxation. Breakfast is delivered daily in a charming wicker basket. To enjoy this delightful morning meal, guests simply pull on a rope to raise the basket filled with freshly prepared croissants and café au lait, savoring it en plein air.
For those eager to explore, bicycles are available to navigate the property’s scenic paths. As you cycle, take a moment to enjoy the wildlife that inhabits the area, including birds, owls, deer, and the occasional wild boar. Guests can also visit vegetable and flower gardens, a glass-enclosed “bee house” for observing honey-making, and partake in a forest bathing experience led by a knowledgeable local naturalist. Moreover, guests can even hire an opera singer to perform enchanting arias in the nearby woods.
Design and Environmental Focus
When designing the main lodge, Frey maintained the exterior walls of the centuries-old structure while renovating the interior to house a reception area, an art and wellness shop, a bar, and a restaurant that serves lunch daily and dinner three nights a week. Additionally, an inviting pool outside the main lodge offers a refreshing escape after exploring the nearby villages, chateaus, and wineries.
The attention to detail regarding the environment, guest comfort, and artistry is evident throughout the property. From eco-friendly Aesop products to an array of books on trees, walkie-talkies for nighttime communication, and imaginative design elements like the unique light fixtures in the tree houses, every aspect has been thoughtfully curated.
Overall, Loire Valley Lodges presents a modern twist with creature comforts to nature lovers in a region rich in history. Here, the history is palpable in the presence of the 200-year-old trees, offering a genuine retreat that delights the senses and the spirit.
