The Centre Region to the southwest of Paris is located, unsurprisingly in central France. Its name is intentionally bland as it consists of several old provinces such as Orleanais, Touraine and Berry that have distinct historic identities. 
Centre actually contains most of the famous chateaux of the Loire Valley that you would otherwise expect to find the Region of Pays de la Loire. The Loire River is around 1,000 km in length and passes through several regions and spawning a many different wines. 
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The central Loire Valley between Maine and Sully-sur-Loire is now a UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The committee said that the Loire Valley is: "an exceptional cultural landscape, of great beauty, comprised of historic cities and villages, great architectural monuments - the Châteaux - and lands that have been cultivated and shaped by centuries of interaction between local populations and their physical environment, in particular the Loire itself." Getting to Centre doesn’t need to be via Paris either as there are daily flights between the UK and Tours for example. The region is also within striking distance of Paris (less than an hour by TGV) so you can have a peaceful (and cheaper) stay in the country, but still get to experience the bright lights of Paris. | 
Centre Quick Facts Population: 2,538,000 Departments: Cher (18), Eure-et-Loir (28), Indre (36), Indre-et-Loire (37), Loir-et-Cher (41) and Loiret (45) Major Centres: Orleans, Tours, Blois, Chartres, Bourges and Chateauroux What to see and do: - Chateaux of the Loire
- Ancient cities of Orleans, Tours and Bourges
- Sample Loire Valley wines
What to eat: The Loire Valley is one of the most bountiful areas of France. Its produce including meat, fish, poultry, cheeses, fruit and vegetables are among the best available. What to drink: Loire Valley wines - Bourgueil, Chinon, Vouvray, Valençay, Reuilly, Menetou-Salon, Sancerre Airport: Paris, Tours Centre Region Official Tourism Site Region Wikipedia Article |
