Not every little girl wanted to grow up to be a princess.

As I can’t really remember much from my young childhood, so I can’t tell you what I wanted to grow up to be. But knowing what I am like now I can assure you I definitely didn’t want to be a princess.

I had most likely wanted to be one of the Transformers. Bumble Bee. Or someone with super powers.

Although, when royalty is forced on me, I wasn’t going to say no!

Two weeks ago I went on a press trip with five other journalists to the Loire Valley. It is one of those glorious regions in France that will make you want to be a prince or a princess just for a day, to be able to fit in to the many beautiful chateaus dotted around the valley.

We were bussed around from chateau to chateau, speed walking through each while trying to take notes of all the information unloaded onto us.

Let me tell you about French chateaux, for those who haven’t been around the Loire: they are just works of fairytales, specifically when they all have these round towers with pointy roofs that just made me want to shout: “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let your hair down!”

The trip was all about the 500 years since the beginning of the French Renaissance period in 2019, as well as 500 years since the death of Leonardo da Vinci, who spent his last years in Chateau du Clos Lucé in Ambroise, finished off the Mona Lisa while there (that’s why the painting is in France, not in Italy) and his grave can be visited in the chapel at Chateau d’Ambroise.

For 5 days we visited Chateaux, sailed the Loire and got fed really really well. Three course meals for both lunch and dinner! Even I was starting to feel fat!

The main attraction of the Loire are the chateaux and we visited chateaux big and small, from the biggest Chambord, to the ‘floating’ Azay-le Rideau, the beautiful Chenonceau, enjoyed a fantastic light show at Blois and…. *drum roll*…. we went to a Renaissance ball at Ambroise!

Yes, I got dressed up in Renaissance ball gown, and actually learned how to dance at a ball as if it’s 16th Century.

Tell you what, the dances were seriously lacking moves. It was like a Renaissance-style line dancing. Left left, right right, left hop, left left, right right…. not all that exciting, but then again, it WAS the 16th Century, and everyone was wearing a curtain….

Oh the things we do for a story….

While we were on the road, I had found it hard to concentrate on the sights. My eyes were averted elsewhere, to the silhouettes on two wheels, and I watched as cyclists cruise through those nice flat tarmac beside our van.

“Are you a cyclist?” Asked the tourism board representative.

“Can you tell?” I laughed.

“You should have told me!” She reached into her bag and produces a pamphlet. “I think next time we bring you back for some cycling to write about?”

It was like being given the golden ticket. The La Loire à Vélo cycling route runs through almost the length of the Loire river, cris-crossing chateaux and picturesque ancient villages. And it is almost, entirely flat. Just what I needed because seriously I am not one for hill climbs!

“Yes, yes please.” I flash a wide smile at her, and began to plan my story ideas in my head to send to editors.

Because I am definitely going back.