Traveling Solo in Paris, the Loire Valley Brittany

If no advice is forthcoming, I suggest, since you have two months in Angers, that you pay a visit to the Angers Tourism Office about tours, etc. They may even be able to connect you to local artists.

Join Meetup or other social networking sites that sponsor social events in the cities you are visiting--might be a great way to connect with other artists (http://www.meetup.com). For Paris, Turin, and Venice, city walking tours are an easy opening to meet other travelers. Also in big cities, consider taking a cooking class or a wine tasting class--meet people and enjoy good food and company. For the Loire, consider joining a day tour that will pick you up at the train station in Tours or Amboise--you'll enjoy the sights with other travelers. Also, search this forum for threads about meeting people while traveling solo.

Hi Carol,

Please, please, please do not ignore the Loire Valley near you! So many times I have read the postings of people here who concentrate on the Loire Valley west of Tours (Amboise, Chambord, Chenonceau, etc.) which should not be missed but it is not the be all to end all of the Valley. I once started my Loire Valley exploration in Nantes and headed west through Angers, to Saumur (loved this town & chateau!), visited Chateau Azay-Le-Rideau (which I understand has construction going on it currently but some would argue is one of the prettiest chateaux in the Valley), Chateau Villandry and its gardens (not sure what it is like in the winter) and other chateaux and churches along the way. Yes, I went to Tours to move on to the more famous chateaux but I will never forget my first glimpse of the Loire Valley was from the eastern end and the beauty there.

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions! I'm writing this in Saumur, in the Loire Valley overlooking the Chateau Saumur! This is my second solo road trip to the valley and I'll be here for a week, - the first time I took 4 days and I saw Chateau Chinon, Chateau Villandry and Chateau Chenanceau- still my favorite one!
I've stayed in Airbnb lodging and have had a fabulous experience, especially staying in troglodyte cave homes! They are so unique and cozy- I highly recommend them! You can see my photos on my Facebook pages- Carol Houghton Art for art I've done while I've been here and my Facebook blog, Chez Moi Chic, for photos ( I need to update that one but I've been too busy to take care of it!).
This trip has been so artistically inspiring, especially my trip to Venice! Actually I sold a painting of it the day I painted it and posted it online!
This time I'm planning on staying in a converted farmhouse with beautiful gardens, a B&B I stayed in at Chinon last time and became friends with the owner (I'll be doing some art for her!) and Amboise. I'm learning that just because I'm on vacation that doesn't mean I need to keep rushing around, so I'm looking forward to just relaxing and doing art!
I've learned so much about myself on this trip and will be adding it to my blog! I've really tested my comfort zone and found out that I really love traveling, but I really, really love where I live in the San Francisco Bay Area!
Thanks again!

The area around Angers is lovely. Take a train and visit Le Mans. From Le Mans you can take a train to Chartres and stop for an afternoon in Nogent-le-Rotrou along the way.

No suggestions, as I am just researching our summer 2016 trip, but I hear you...I love to travel but it is great to have the Bay Area to come home to! What an amazing place to call home.

In Paris, I recommend checking the schedule for Paris Walks (paris-walks.com). They offer many walks, based on history, literature, food, Paris' neighborhoods, etc.). Most are only 12 euros and you just meet at the appointed time/place and pay your fee, no reservations required. A few are more expensive (35 euros) and need a reservation - chocolate walk (miam!), foodie tour, etc. They publish their schedule for the current and next month online. I've done 8-10 over the years and learned a lot on each. The guides are knowledgeable and fun. Also, if you're in Paris at the right time, there are several expat groups which meet weekly/monthly that are very friendly. I, too, am a senior female and would be glad to share any info you might need. I won't be back in Paris until Fall 2016 or we could meet up! Bon Voyage!

Oh I forgot. If you like to take cooking classes, I highly recommend La Cuisine in Paris. I've taken many classes there and always enjoyed them!

As an artist, you probably would enjoy the walking tours by Context Travel. I've used them in both Paris and Venice, and the art-focused tours were led by PhD-level art historians. And the small group size--no more than 6--allowed the guide to adapt the tour to individual interests and engage in dialog. I learned so much, even at sites I had visited multiple times on my own or with another tour. I think they refer to them as walking seminars, and that's an apt description.