Heritage, Art of Living and Tourism in the Loire Valley

About

ESTHUA-INNTO France, National Institute of Tourism of the University of Angers, is the leading European institution for higher education in tourism.

This year, we are delighted to organise a two-week Summer School offering an intensive immersion in the fields of tourism, heritage, and gastronomy. The programme combines in-class presentations and various tours and workshops, all conducted in English, and provides an in-depth exploration of the Loire Valley through its history, plant life, cuisine, oenology, architecture, and equestrian culture.

Each day is dedicated to a specific topic. Here is what awaits you:

• Week 1
- Urban architecture: in-class presentation and guided tour of Angers old town
- Gastronomy and liqueurs (2 days): in-class presentations, cooking workshop and visit of Carré Cointreau liqueur distillery
- Equestrian culture: horse show at the Cadre Noir of Saumur and in-class presentation
- Wine culture: in-class presentation and visit of a wine estate

• Week 2:
- Between history and legends: visit of the Puy du Fou, France's best historical theme park
- Religion and caves: visit of the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud and the mushroom farm Le Saut aux Loups
- The prestigious castles of the Loire Valley (2 days): in-class presentation and visit of the castles of Serrant and Chambord
- The Loire Region, where nature and culture are intertwined: introduction to the Lore tuffeau stone/visit of Le Mystère des Faluns and final boat cruise on the Loire river

We are looking forward to sharing all these moments with you!

Target group

Our Summer School is open to all participants aged 18 and over, regardless of their field of study or professional background.

Course aim

This programme allows participants to gain both general theoretical knowledge and practical experience on tourism whilst getting an immersive perspective of the Loire region.
With this Summer School, we also aim to provide a concrete and relevant response to the challenges of future tourism: valuing heritage, enhancing green tourism and developing teamwork with local partners.

Fee info

includes: Summer School tuition - classes and workshops - lunches at restaurants during weekdays - transport between ESTHUA and tour sites - unlimited public transport in Angers for one month