Susan Walter

Your tour leader is Australian and has lived in Great Britain before settling in France. She worked for many years in one of the world's leading heritage organisations and has a particular interest in textiles and costume. To her, history is not just something abstract that happened in the past, but the story of real people living real lives.

A professional field taxonomist, she is quick to point out and identify the local wild flora and fauna. She is a keen gardener and manages her small orchard for maximum biodiversity. A fine cook, who originally trained as a hotel manager, her other passion is the food and recipes of the Touraine region.

She says "It is often forgotten that the Touraine has a history stretching back to the first humans, and a mosaic of natural habitats which shelter many rare species."

Simon Brand

Your driver is an Englishman who grew up in Australia, Formerly a professional musician and teacher, Simon has travelled extensively over the last 30 years, as a tourist and professionally. A knowledgeable photographer and photo editor, he took most of the photos on this website and is always looking for a new angle on things. This means he is always ready to stop the car for a photo opportunity - all you have to do is ask.

Simon really enjoys just gently motoring Célestine down country roads. "Most of the things we're going to see have been there for hundreds - if not thousands - of years" he says. "They won't disappear if we take 10 minutes longer to get there". He thinks the ideal speed for sightseeing is 80km/h (about 50mph), and in a classic car other motorists are perfectly willing to just let you travel at your own pace.

When not driving, Simon is restoring an 800 year old house. He say that he "likes old things, especially if they are a little tired. I empathise with that."

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Loire Valley Time Travel
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