Château de Chenonceau Touraine Val de LoireChâteau de Chenonceau Touraine Val de Loire
©Château de Chenonceau Touraine Val de Loire|ADT Touraine - Tom Besse

The Loire Valley châteaux Take a trip down to history

Royal visits!

Do you love beautiful architecture, remarkable gardens, romantic or family walks exploring French history, but also… Christmas decorations in the land of châteaux? Whatever the season, welcome to Touraine!

The thousand personalities of the Loire châteaux

Each monument tells a singular story. This is often conjugated in the feminine in Touraine, with the decisive meeting of Jeanne d’Arc and Charles VII at the royal fortress of Chinon, the presence in Loches of Agnès Sorel (first official court favourite), the marriage of Anne de Bretagne at the château de Langeais (with the key event being the attachment of Brittany to the kingdom of France), and the rivalry between Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis at the château de Chenonceau.

At Amboise, the Renaissance could have had no better ambassadors than François 1er and Léonard de Vinci. Closer to our own time, the love affairs of Rodin and Camille Claudel at château de l’Islette and the epic wedding of a Windsor at domaine de Candé open a page that could almost be described as… “people”!

Castles with a difference

As well as the temporary exhibitions which renew the visits, you will love:

Family castles

Some châteaux are still inhabited by their owners, who generation after generation make it a point of honour to maintain this heritage and perpetuate a singular legacy. Push open the doors of the châteaux of Gizeux, Champchevrier, Ussé and Islette!”

Insolute and exceptional: you too can experience the life of a château for one or more nights, in châteaux hotels or bed and breakfasts.

When is the best time to visit the châteaux of the Loire Valley?

Whenever you come, you can be sure of a royal welcome. The period from May to September is ideal for enjoying thegardens in full bloom and summer events (the nights of a thousand lights at Villandry, tasting under the stars at the château de Chenonceau, evening events at château de l’Islette, the Amboise Destinées Royales strolling show at the royal château of Amboise…).

The autumn and winter months reveal a different face, with a hushed atmosphere and slightly fewer people… except for the events during Halloween and Christmas in castle country. Give yourself a great gift for the festive season!

Good to know for your visit

Book your tickets in advance. Via the online ticketing service offered on Tourist Office websites, you benefit from a reduced rate.

Also, on Heritage Days, free admission is offered to the Royal City of Loches, the Royal Fortress of Chinon and the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau. Admission to the latter is also free on the first Sunday of the month in low season.

Family-friendly entertainment

There’s plenty of material for young audiences to enjoy, so kids and parents alike can have a great time.

How can I visit the châteaux of the Loire without a car?

If you’re into touring holidays, the GR®3, La Loire à Vélo, but also the Cyclo Bohème rallies many of them. Biking is also a good option for the following sites:

  • the château du Rivau: bike hire in Chinon, then a few kilometres to cycle on the Richelieu-Chinon greenway;
  • the château d’Ussé: bike hire in Chinon then a few kilometres to pedal on La Loire à Vélo.
  • the château de Valmer and the fortress of Montbazon: bike hire in Tours, and ride a few kilometres on Saint Jacques à Vélo, north or south.

Several railway stations are also less than 20 minutes’ walk from these monuments. This is the case for the châteaux of Amboise, the châteaux of Langeais, Chenonceau and l’Islette, for the royal fortress of Chinon and the royal city of Loches. Not forgetting… the château de Tours, where the Jeu de Paume organises some fine photographic exhibitions.

The châteaux of the Loire, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance

As early as the Neolithic period (9000 BC to 3000 BC), the Amboise promontory was fortified by the Turones, who took advantage of its 40-metre overhang on the banks of the Loire. At the end of the Roman Empire, the rocky promontory of Chinon was also fortified.

A Viking ruler, Guelduin II of Saumur (975 – 1040) chose the site of today’s Château d’Ussé to build his first fortress. This was followed by hostilities between the Houses of Anjou and Blois, who were fighting for control of Touraine. Foulques III Nerra, Count of Anjou, had dungeons and medieval fortresses built, notably at Loches, Montbazon, Langeais and Montrésor.

During the Hundred Years’ War, the English conquests led Charles VII to take refuge in Chinon. The royal fortress would thus be the seat of the court until 1450. His successor, Louis XI, was raised successively in Loches and Amboise, before reigning from the manor of Le Plessis, just outside Tours. As for his son Charles VIII, he would remain the only king to be born and die in a Loire castle: that of Amboise. And while his successor Louis XII would make the Château de Blois his residence, it was still Amboise that would see the growth of the future Francis I, who would stay there regularly, alongside Leonardo da Vinci.

Progressively, the defensive contingencies of castles would no longer have any reason to exist. With kings and court nobility a regular presence in the Loire Valley, the Renaissance would transform the Loire castles into ceremonial residences, whose aestheticism was borrowed from Italy. The austere ramparts gave way to beautiful facades with large symmetrical windows, from which visitors could admire carefully designed gardens, conceived as veritable outdoor living rooms.

Which châteaux in the Loire Valley are a must-see?

Medieval monuments 

Below, some key information (history of the monument, hosting a French king, remarkable features…) to help you make your choices of self-guided or guided tours on the route of the Loire Valley’s most beautiful châteaux and gardens. Most of these buildings have been modified over time. Some have elements of both medieval and Renaissance architecture, or even come from other styles. For ease of understanding, however, we have classified them into two main categories. Only you can decide which castles are not to be missed!

Royal fortress of Chinon. Henry II Plantagenet, Jacques de Molay (last master of the Knights Templar, who was later executed in Paris), Charles VII not forgetting Joan of Arc have all passed through this superb medieval fortress on the banks of the Vienne. It comprises three castles: Fort du Coudray, Château du Milieu and Fort Saint-Georges. Between Azay-le-Rideau and Saumur, a trip to Chinon will also give you the chance to visit a winery in this appellation, whose reputation extends far beyond France’s borders.

Fortress of Montbazon. Beneath its impressive 11th-century keep, a host of events take visitors into the medieval world. The guided tour, the skits (hygiene in the Middle Ages, etc.) and the stands (the herbalist, the blacksmith, the master of arms, etc.) are particularly popular with families: on this beautiful stage of the Indre à Vélo, you can learn about history while having fun!”

Cité royale de Loches. Owned by the Conseil départemental d’Indre et Loire, the site comprises two châteaux: the keep built by the Count of Anjou Foulques Nerra, and the royal dwelling with its Renaissance architecture. The latter was visited by Agnès Sorel, Joan of Arc and Anne of Brittany. There is also a pretty medieval garden at the foot of the keep. Each year, a new exhibition is offered alongside augmented reality tours on Histopad tablets.

Château du Rivau. Its silhouette leaves no room for doubt: it comes straight from the Middle Ages. But it’s also furiously reminiscent of the castles in fairytale books! So much so, in fact, that its owner, Patricia Laigneau, has taken great pleasure in creating superb themed gardens with evocative names: “the garden of Little Thumb”, “Alice’s labyrinth” or “the garden of Princess Rapunzel”. You can also visit the stables, where Joan of Arc collected her fighting horses for the siege of Orléans. Add to that a hotel and two restaurants (including the secret garden), and this is definitely a must-see stop-off on the Richelieu-Chinon greenway!”

Château de Langeais. A fortified castle façade (drawbridge, towers, machicolations…), but on the garden side, a residence marked by the Renaissance style! In this château 200 metres from the Loire, the marriage between Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany sealed Brittany’s attachment to the kingdom of France. Richly furnished, this monument belongs to the Institut de France.

Renaissance castles 

Château Gaillard. Louis XII entrusted it to Dom Pacello, a famous Italian Renaissance landscape gardener, who acclimatised the first orange trees in France. Magnificent gardens are revealed along the “seven paths of paradise”. You’ll have the chance to round off the visit by savouring a tasty cake… with orange!”

Château royal d’Amboise. The man behind the construction of the Château de Chambord, Francis I spent part of his childhood in Amboise, before succeeding Charles VIII and Louis XII. The chapel of Saint-Hubert houses the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci, and a garden honours the memory of the Emir Abd el-Kader, a prisoner for 4 years at Amboise.

Château du Clos Lucé. Welcome to Leonardo da Vinci’s last home. On the programme, discover the many models of his inventions, both in the château and in the grounds. Engineering, but also art, science, botany, town planning: the genius of Leonardo da Vinci tackled many fields!”

Château de Chenonceau. The famous château des dames, notable for its arches elegantly spanning the Cher, was notably marked by the rivalry between Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis. On the death of Henri II, the latter reclaimed Chenonceau castle and offered Diane the estate of Chaumont-sur-Loire, near Blois.

Château d’Azay-le-Rideau. Visit a masterpiece of the early French Renaissance, reflected in a mirror of water fed by the Indre River. Built by Gilles Berthelot, Treasurer of France, the château was later confiscated by François I and given to Antoine Raffin, captain of his bodyguards! On site, you’ll particularly appreciate the pretty English-style park and its majestic trees (Sequoia, Cedar, Virginia Tulip…).

Château de Villandry. The short-lived property of Jérôme Bonaparte, the Château de Villandry is best known for its splendid gardens, in particular its Sun Garden and Renaissance kitchen garden. Like the Royal Château of Amboise, the estate is also a refuge for the French League for the Protection of Birds. The art of living takes on its full meaning here as you stroll along the avenues, and is also extended to the interior of the château, through its furniture, décor and atmosphere.

Château d’Ussé. Built on the banks of the River Indre, this castle inspired Charles Perrault to write Sleeping Beauty! In fact, the tour includes some scenes from the fairytale. But above all, this monument will be remembered for its great elegance, just like the gardens created by André Le Nôtre, Louis XIV’s famous gardener, to whom we also owe the gardens of Versailles, Vaux le Vicomte and Chantilly.

Château de Montrésor. Marked by the presence of Xavier Branicki, a wealthy Polish count in exile and friend of Jérôme Bonaparte, this historic monument hides a large collection of objects that immerse us in multiple stories. An Ali Baba’s cave in a beautiful setting, in the centre of one of France’s most beautiful villages.

Château de l’Islette. The favourite rendezvous of Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin, who made perfect love here in the peace and quiet, lulled by the current of the Indre. Boats are available for hire, so you can enjoy the pleasures of canoeing in the heart of a beautiful, romantic park.

Château de Montpoupon. Where we discover castle life at the beginning of the 20th century, in the footsteps of Louise, the chambermaid. Although it is not haunted (a priori!), the scenography suggests that its former inhabitants are likely to return at any moment. A pleasant forest walk completes the visit, as does a museum devoted to venery.

Château de Gizeux. Patiently maintained and restored by the de Laffon family, Gizeux has a very pleasant visit in store for you, including its spectacular gallery of castles. There are plenty of activities on offer for families, starting with a treasure hunt.

Château de Champchevrier. Particularly well furnished, King Louis XIII nevertheless slept here on straw! This elegant château stands in the middle of a large forest, which in the 19th century was home to many wolves. That’s how its hound-hunting team came to be. During your visit, you’ll see the pack of dogs that are a cross between English Fox Hounds and French Poitevins.

Domaine de Candé. The son of a wealthy Cuban sugar cane planting family, Jacques Drake del Castillo inherited the estate. He played a key role in rebuilding the vineyards in Touraine after the phylloxera invasion and attacks of mildew. In 1930, a Franco-American businessman, Charles Bedaux, acquired the estate. He equipped the chateau with the most modern facilities of the time, which led to it being able to host the wedding of the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson. As at the fortress of Chinon, this Loire château also plunges us into the history of England!

The château de la Bourdaisière (hotel) is also part of the family of Renaissance châteaux. Its park and tomato conservatory are open to the public, as are the magnificent terraced gardens of the château de Valmer (the château was destroyed by fire in 1948).

On the road to the châteaux in the Loire Valley

The great collection of Loire châteaux is not limited to Indre-et-Loire. Many others can also be visited in neighbouring departments:

  • In the Loiret: château de Sully-sur-Loire, château de Meung-sur-Loire, château de Chamerolles…
  • In the Loir-et-Cher: château de Chambord, domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire, château royal de Blois, château de Cheverny…
  • In Indre: château de Valençay, château d’Azay-le-Ferron…
  • In Maine-et-Loire (Anjou): château de Montsoreau, château de Saumur, château de Brézé, château de Brissac, château d’Angers…
  • Downstream of the Loire Valley, in Loire-Atlantique: château de Nantes.

The Loire Valley a world heritage site

Since 2000, the listing has highlighted the interactions between the royal river and the people, in both rural and urban areas. The tufa stone houses, the troglodytic caves, the gardens, the wineries and of course the châteaux of the Loire make up a unique ensemble. Classification as a “cultural landscape” recognises that human activity here over the centuries has been carried out in harmony with the environment.

On the agenda, in September 2025: the Grande Remontée!

Frequently asked questions

What’s the most beautiful Loire château to visit?
Although this is one of the most frequently asked questions, the answer is highly subjective, so it’s up to each person to make up their own mind. However, if the virality of the photos posted on social networks is anything to go by, the Château de Chenonceau, the Château d’Ussé and the Château Royal d’Amboise are favoured by a wide audience.

What to do around Tours and which Loire château to visit nearby?
One that often comes to mind is Villandry, surrounded by its magnificent gardens. And it’s a good idea, especially as you can cycle the whole way. Two other châteaux are also nearby: the Domaine de Candé and the Fortress of Montbazon. Note also that the Château de Tours hosts photographic exhibitions.

Which châteaux offer temporary exhibitions?
Owned by the Indre-et-Loire Departmental Council, the royal city of Loches and the royal fortress of Chinon hold major exhibitions every year from April to November (on the Templars, Joan of Arc, Agnès Sorel, the legend of King Arthur, King Francis I and Emperor Charles V, royal armour, fantastic animals of the Middle Ages…).

At the heart of the Leonardo Da Vinci Park, the Halle muséographique du Clos Lucé also hosts an annual exhibition linked to the emblematic figure of the site: Leonardo da Vinci.

Do you have to buy your entrance tickets in advance?
With the exception of certain very popular sites such as the Château de Chenonceau, this is not necessary.

Where can you buy tickets to visit the Loire châteaux?
Most of the châteaux offer online ticketing on their websites. Local tourist offices also offer online ticketing, but you can also buy tickets directly on site. Finally, there are also international websites that sell tickets online (Viator, GetYourGuide, Tiqets, etc.).

Which Loire châteaux are best visited with children?
In the Loire Valley, Leonardo da Vinci’s inventions often attract a large family audience to the Château du Clos Lucé in Amboise. That said, most of the châteaux have offers tailored to young visitors and families.

There are Histopad tablets on offer at the Royal Château of Amboise, the Royal City of Loches, and the Royal Fortress of Chinon. Younger visitors can also dress up as princes and princesses during visits to the Château du Rivau and the Château de l’Islette. There’s also the treasure hunt at the château de Gizeux, and the large tree house at the château de Langeais, which are a great success, as is the Monument Game at the fortress of Chinon.

As a complement, events tailored to children also enliven the school holiday periods. For more information, visit the “Family events” page.

What is the last château on the Loire?
In Touraine, the château de Villandry is the one of the great châteaux that was built last.

What is the oldest keep in France?
It would appear to be that of the fortress of Montbazon, erected in the 9th century!