Luynes A castle at the heart of the landscape

15 kilometres west of Tours, the imposing Château de Luynes overlooks 15th-century covered market halls, pretty houses and shops. Come and discover this harmonious little town centre, which has also benefited from the recent restoration of the Grange cultural centre and the Hôtel-Dieu. Having recently joined the network of “Petites Cités de Caractère”, Luynes is definitely worth a visit.

Walks with views

Starting in the market town, three walks reveal several facets of the area.

To the west, a superb landscape adds up the 8 hectares of vines owned by Thimotée Delalle (who welcomes you to the estate on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings) and the château des ducs de Luynes. Along the way, a natural lookout overlooks the Val de Luynes.

Towards the north-east, a walk via the rue des lapidaires takes you to the Gallo-Roman aqueduct built in the 2nd century. The origins of Luynes in fact date back to the Roman Empire, when Luynes was called Malliacum (which evolved into “Maillé”, then took the name of the Duc de Luynes, a title created by Louis XIII for his favourite Charles d’Albert).

To the south, the promenade des Varennes (particularly fertile alluvial plains) leads you to rue Saint-Venant, then via a path climbing the hillside, to the prieuré Saint Venant. Opposite the priory, take the small path on the right: a hundred metres further on, the Château de Luynes offers you one of its most beautiful views!
NB: although you can admire the imposing silhouette of the Château de Luynes, it is not open to the public

Luynes à l’assaut de l’Amérique / In September, Luynes à l’assaut de l’Amérique is the biggest free American festival in France, with 50,000 spectators turning out for concerts, country dancing, Harley Davidsons, stalls, food trucks… in short, a “So great” weekend!

Things to see and do around Luynes

Staying in Luynes

The Flower camping Les Granges*** attracts a loyal clientele every year who appreciate the family atmosphere. Not far away, the hotel-restaurant of XII de Luynes is also a safe bet, including a pretty troglodyte suite with spa. Prefer a gîte? Check out Le Coteau Fleuri, Jacqueminière and Maison Neuve.

As for activities, the piscine Les Thermes, the escape game le secret des Ducs, and a traditional boat tour on the Loire (from the Bouge au Vin slipway) are all good ideas, in addition to bike rides (bike hire available at the campsite), or even… an introduction to boule de fort!

🎧 En route vers Terre Libérée

Plunge into a captivating sound walk through Luynes and let yourself be carried away by the astonishing story of Louis Rimbault, a visionary of veganism who founded his Terre Libérée school in 1923.
As you stroll along, eight sound bubbles will guide you through the village’s alleyways and landscapes, revealing an adventure as unusual as it is inspiring. Two hours of immersion between heritage and utopia to discover Luynes differently.

I discover

@tourainevaldeloire The ideal place for a little weekend with your other half ❤️ 📍le XII de Luynes à Luynes #touraine #saintvalentin #amor❤️#love #weekend #ideecadeau #couple #loirevalley #valdeloire #fyp #tours #ideeweekend #stvalentin ♬ L O V E – Michael Bublé

Staying in Luynes

Select the perfect accommodation to make the most of every moment.

Hôtel-Le XII de Luynes

Le XII de Luynes is ideally located in the heart of the Loire Valley and its châteaux, around 11 km west of Tours. In a completely renovated early...

A few words on the history of Luynes

A first castle was destroyed at the end of the 10th century during a war between the counties of Anjou and Touraine. A new building was erected at the beginning of the 12th century, then transformed over the following centuries. In the 15th century, the proximity of the Barons of Maillé to the Kings of France attracted wealthy merchants. A few decades later, silk manufacturers fleeing the Wars of Religion made the town’s fortune.

At the beginning of the 17th century, following an excursion to the Loire Valley by King Louis XIII and his favourite Charles d’Albert, the latter bought the château. Major works overhauling the town’s urban planning were then undertaken by the second Duke of Luynes, Louis Charles d’Albert de Luynes.