TORONTO — Next year marks a quarter-century since France’s Loire Valley was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Loire Valley Tourism Board and its many partners put the spotlight on the big occasion in fine style this week.

In Toronto, travel professionals gathered at the Thompson Landry Gallery in the Distillery District to hear all about the popular French destination.

The delegation kicked off its mission in collaboration with Atout France in Montreal earlier this week, and Gary Lawrence, editor of The Travelweek Group’s Profession Voyages, was there.

Organized by the Centre-Val de Loire Regional Tourism Committee (CRT), the events introduced (or re-introduced) travel advisors, tour operators, airlines and more to the region’s biggest draws, including of course – but not limited to – its countless castles.

The president of the local CRT, Pierre-Alain Roiron, noted that 2025 ushers in two major anniversaries for the Loire Valley.

First, the quarter-century mark for the destination’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Second, it’s the 20th anniversary of La Loire à Vélo (Loire By Bike), the pioneer of cycle routes in France. The 900 km. cycling route continues to attract everyone from amateur cyclists to experts to outdoor tourism enthusiasts.

Roiron also took the opportunity to highlight Les Nouvelles Renaissance(s], the cultural season that runs from March to November every year. Visitors can expect everything from “unmissable sites to little-known treasures, from a picnic in the garden to a contemporary art exhibition, from a music festival to a tasting in the vineyards,” say organizers.

Later in the season, in the fall, the third edition of the AR(t]CHIPEL festival will welcome artistic works on loan from the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The festival will also offer artist workshops and more.

During the year, other activities and events are also planned, including…

• The 12th annual Loire Festival, Sept. 24 – 28, 2025 in Orléans. Some 200 boats and 700 sailors will be at the heart of this great festive event that celebrates the Loire and Loire culture.
• The Journey Up the Loire: 80 boats will sail from Nantes to Orléans, from August to September 2025, with cultural and artistic events. Throughout the great ascent, stopovers will provide the opportunity to celebrate the culture of the Loire.
• An exhibition of unpublished photos of life on the banks of the Loire, from the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century.

Meanwhile the European Institute for the History and Culture of Food (IEHCA), in conjunction with the University of Tours, will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of UNESCO’s recognition of the Gastronomic Meal of the French.

As UNESCO puts it, “the French mark life events by coming together and sharing a good meal, all while celebrating the importance of being with family and friends and enjoying delicious food made using natural ingredients.”

The 2025 anniversary year of the Gastronomic Meal of the French offers an opportunity to celebrate the gastronomy and oenology of the Jardin de la France dear to Rabelais.

The Loire Valley Tourism Board events this week also included a mini-trade show where seven partners showcased their attractions and products, and networked with event attendees.

Bicycle tourism was represented by inbound operator RandoVélo, which has made La Loire à Vélo one of the flagships of its programming; Les Nouvelles Renaissance(s] and the AR(t]CHIPEL Festival were represented by the region and the Musée des Beaux-arts d’Orléans; gastronomy and wine tourism shone with the presence of Maison Martin-Pouret, the last house of Orléans vinegar makers, as well as Vins de Loire.

Representatives of the Loire castles were on hand too: Chaumont-sur-Loire, Azay-le-Rideau castle, which will celebrate its 500th anniversary in 2025; as well as the Château de Champchevrier and its owner, who is also president of the Association of Châteaux de la Loire, and who organizes hunting trips.

For more information see valdeloire-france.com.

This article originally ran in Profession Voyages, part of The Travelweek Group