2002-09-12 FR The Loire castles until Sep17*

Updated:2025 03.17

the French LOIRE Valley

.Castle of Chambord ****
The most beautiful castle of the Loire. In 1519 at the age of 25, Francois I realised a dream by having built this wonderful palace. Attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, its design is dinguished by its magnificient staircase.
The facade of the castle is 156m long and 56m heigh. The Château was completed by Louis XIV in 1685.
Our comment: This is the highlight of the castles. Good to visit over lunch. Several restaurants inside the park.

Castle of Amboise *** - Home of Leonardo Da Vinci
A memorial plate is placed for Leonardo da Vinci who lived and died here in Amboise
Our comment: A small but very recommendable town to reside. *** Several small restaurants in the pedestrian area next to the castle.

Castle of Chenonceau **** - le Chateau des Dames
a present of Henri II to Diana of Poittiers. Henris wife Cathrine de Medici got this castle back after Henri's death in 1599
Garden and Bedroom of Cathrine de Medici. Our comment: This is another highlight of the castles. **** Good to visit over lunch. Self service restaurant inside the park.

Town and Castle of Bloie *** - Le Château Royal
Louis XII rebuilt his castle, blending the late gothic style with italian art. Cathrine de Medici and her son Henri III often resided here during the second half of the 16th century. Son et lumière, night show
Our comment: a castle with a recommendable combined ticket for the castle in the afternoon and an entry after sunset for the 'son et lumière' show *** We recommend the Ibis downtown.(5 walking minutes of the castle)

Castle of Loches ***
Built arround a monastry founded in he 5th century by St. Ours, the fortress of Loches passed into the hands of the Counts of Anjou at the end of the 9th century. They undertook he construction of the keep. In 1193 Jean sans Terre (King John of Robin Hood fame) yielded his seat to Phillippe Auguste. Since 1205 the city remained in the hands of the french crown. Later Louis XI decided to convirt it into a state prison... until 1926...!

Castle of Villandry **
The most beautyful garden of France ****
1260 lime trees, 52 km box hedge, 250'000 flower and vegetable plants are raised each year in the greenhouses and planted out in the gardens by hand. Villandry was cempleted in 1536 and was the last of the large Chateau built on the banks of the Loire during the Renaissance. Built by Jean Le Breton who also built Chambord. In 1906 the Chateau was bought by Joachim Carvallo He created the gardens we see today, which are in the complete harmony with the Renaissance architecture of the Chateau.
Our comment: The most beautyful garden of France **** an absolute must to visit

Castle of Chaumont **
The castle was rebuilt in the late 15th century. The property of 'Cathrine de Medici' in 1560, it passed to her rival, 'Diane de Poitiers'.
Our comment: ** free access to the parc to see the castle from the outside as shown below.
Entry fee to visit the castle. This castle is known for his huge garden.

Castle of Azay-le Rideau ***
The castle with the romantic parc. This castle was built by in the reign of Francois I. The decor of the fully furnished rooms , recounts the life of the occupants of the house over the century.
Our comment: *** a must to visit,, half an hour west of Amboise, village next to the castle with several local restaurants

Castle of Ussé The castle of the Sleeping Beauty
Château de La Belle au Bois Dormant / This castle was built in 15th and 16th century on foundations of an 11th century fortress. A beautiful garden contains some orange trees dated back to 1789. Various pieces of furniture already listed on an inventory of 1781 are still placed in the same rooms throughout the castle.
Our comment: a castle with a recommendable guided tour through a fully furnished castle with wax figures and original silk clothes.

Todays beauty ..................at the castle of Ussé...................and the room of the Sleeping beauty

Castle of Chinon - Le Chateau de Jeanne d'Arc
The history goes back to of the 5th century. It was in the XVth century that Chinon becomes the most important castle in the kingdom. Charles VII lived in Chinon almost continuously from 1427 to 1450 with his wife Marie d'Anjou and daughter Yolande d'Aragon and Agnes Sorel, Dame de Beauté, she was also the first official mistress of a French King and was the mother of some of Charles VII's leggitimate daughters.The beautyful Agnes lived at the foot of the castle walls and linked to the royal apartments by an undergroud passage.
In 1429 Charles VII was visited by 'Jeanne d'Arc'. For almost one century Chinon had become the Capital of the Kingdom. Charles VII, Louis XI, Charles VIII and Louis XII all considered Touraine (Chinon) their favorite place of residence, but gradually, Paris was to become the capital.

Castle of Saumur **
(Capital of the wine country of Anjou) The castle was converted into a prison under Napoleon 1st
Our comment: This is a good place to come over lunch time. The small city with pedestrian areas is recommended for an additional walk.
Chateau-Musée de Saumur is a wonderful castle to take pictures from the outside ***.

created: 2002 09.08

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updated::2025 03.08