Just as it's difficult to say goodbye to a great book, so it was hard for me to end my four-part series about exploring France's Loire Valley chateaux.
I loved every minute of my September trip and writing about it to share with News-Herald readers was just as much fun. Thanks to the internet you can catch up with those stories online.They are:   Steampunk meets tomorrow in Jules Verne’s French hometown at http://tinyurl.com/d4qc6g3; Choose different perspectives to discover 900 years of Loire Valley life at http://tinyurl.com/7svb7wc; Walk with daVinci’s genius at http:// /tinyurl.com/cnf6ftc; and Meet Renaissance women rivals who lived in chateaux 12 miles apart at http://tinyurl.com/6nr7op4
Call me a romantic but I can't imagine a more wonderful Valentine trip than this part of the world. And with Discover France you can stay in castle hotels, have a vintage car and driver take you around, enjoy a chocolate tasting,  wine tasting and cooking class. Take romantic walk over cobbled streets of an ancient village or two, sample fresh caught oysters from a market stall and visit vineyards and troglodyte dwellings. Gourmet meals and visits to Chenonceau are important elements.
The experience combines the best of a self-guided tour with privileged access to places only the experts know about. Visit http://www.discoverfrance.com or call them at 800-960-2221.