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This post describes to you the nine Loire castles I visited: I leave you all the information to visit these magnificent castles rich in history. I had never visited the castles of the Loire: after visiting no less than nine castles, I must admit it was a big gap!
There are more than 300 castles in the Loire area. The history of most of the castles in the Loire dates back to the 15th century: the royals moved to Paris but, at the same time, they wanted to keep the Loire as a resort. In fact, many of the Loire castles were built as hunting lodges.
Some of the Loire castles were destroyed with the French Revolution of 1789; others, such as Chenonceau, were spared by both the revolutionaries and the Nazis during World War II.
The nine Loire chateaux are quite far apart: the distance between Chambord and Angers exceeds 200 kilometers. The Loire is also a paradise for cycling enthusiasts, as I describe in this post!
Here now is a list of the Loire chateaux I visited: the order is geographical, as they are described from east to west.
The castles of the Loire: the castle of Chambord
Chambord Castle is the largest castle in the Loire Valley. It was built starting in 1519 by order of King Francis I. Chambord Castle was built near the Cosson River, a tributary first of the Beuvron and then of the Loire. The construction of the castle cost the lives of many workers: the Chambord area, in fact, was affected by malaria.
Chambord Castle was built as a royal vacation venue, to be exact for the king’s hunting sorties. It was sacked during the French Revolution, but suffered no serious damage. Inside the chateau, the central double-helix staircase immediately stands out for its beauty and size: it was probably designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
The interior is further enhanced by the majestic royal rooms. In my opinion, however, the most beautiful part is on the second floor: here you can take a close look at the roof spires and a beautiful view of the royal gardens. Chambord Castle is open all year round except January 1, November 27 and December 25. You can buy the ticket here, at a cost of 16 euros. The recommended duration of a visit to Chambord Castle is two and a half hours; there are restaurants and bars near the ticket office.
The castles of the Loire: the castle of Cheverny
Cheverny Castle is about twenty kilometers from the Loire but is nevertheless part of the UNESCO heritage of the Loire castles. Cheverny Castle dates back to the 17th century: it is, therefore, one of the most recent castles. The TinTin cartoon is set in this castle.
Prominent among the castle’s various owners is the Hurault family: the family coats of arms can be admired in the great hall, the main staircase, and the dining room. The interiors are very well maintained: there is even a king’s chamber, never used by any king (only Henry IV passed through this castle, without stopping).
The great feature of Cheverny Castle is its immense park. During the visit you can also take a boat trip, which allows you to cross a small canal. The park is characterized by immense redwood trees. There is also the orangery, which was reserved for receptions.
Cheverny Castle housed various works of art that were threatened by the fighting in World War II.
Admission to Cheverny Castle and its gardens costs 14 euros, and is open year-round (information here).
The tour of Cheverny Castle takes about two hours.
The castles of the Loire: the castle of Blois
Blois Castle is one of the most important castles in the Loire Valley. Blois was the residence of many French royals: the castle itself was the scene of one of the bloodiest murders in history. It was built in the 13th century and over the years has been the center of important meetings, diplomatic and otherwise. In 1588, for example, the Duke of Guise and his brother, the Cardinal of Lorraine, were murdered here on royal orders. Their bodies were burned in chimneys, while the ashes were scattered nearby.
The construction of the castle needed several centuries. For this reason, the Blois castle is a mixture of various styles: gothic, flamboyant gothic, renaissance and neoclassical. Visiting the Blois chateau you can you can admire the various royal rooms, the chapel, a splendid viewpoint over Blois and the Loire. The most distinctive and most fascinating architectural element is, in my opinion, the external spiral staircase: it is reminiscent of that of Chambord Castle.
The tour of Blois Castle takes about an hour and a half: you can buy the ticket here, costing 14 euros.
The castles of the Loire Valley: the castle of Chenonceau
Chenonceau Castle is also not exactly on the Loire. In fact, this magnificent castle is located on the banks of the Cher, which flows into the Loire near Villandry.
Chenonceau Castle was built beginning in 1515 on the idea of the king’s treasurer, Thomas Bohier: the castle was built for his wife, Catherine Briรงonnet. In 1526 the Chenonceau castle passed to the royals as Bohier’s heirs were heavily in debt. Chenonceau Castle is referred to as the castle of the ladies: Henry II’s mistress (Diane Poitiers), Henry II’s widow (Catherine de Medici) and Henry III’s wife (Louise of Lorraine) lived here.
Chenonceau Castle was saved from the revolutionaries by its location: it served as a bridge along the Cher. For the same reason it was saved from Nazi destruction: the castle demarcated the area of occupied France with the area of France that was still free.
Visiting Chenonceau Castle you can see the beautiful gardens of Catherine de Medici and Diana, the royal room of Francis I (the same as Chambord), the gallery that joined the two banks of the river and a labyrinth. Certainly Chenonceau is one of the most beautiful castles in the Loire Valley.
The tour of the castle takes about two hours: unlike Chambord Castle, it is definitely recommended to book the tour, which costs 15.50 euros.
Map of the castles of the Loire
Here is a map that places the castles of the Loire. Further down you can find a map with the best places to drink, eat and sleep.
The castles of the Loire: the castle of Villandry
Villandry Castle was completed in 1536 and was the last Renaissance castle in the Loire. Unlike many other Loire chateaux, Villandry Castle does not have royal origins. It was, in fact, owned by several wealthy families: one of these, the Hainguerlot, fell into disrepair, consequently leaving the castle in poor condition.
In 1906 the Villandry castle was even threatened with demolition: the intervention of physician Joachim Carvallo saved the castle. Carvallo restored the Villandry castle: in particular, thanks to his hand, beautiful gardens were created, which can still be admired today.
The beauty of Villandry Castle, in fact, lies in its beautiful gardens. It is possible to admire them from the viewing terrace at the top of the castle and, in addition, to walk through them. The opening hours of Villandry Castle honor the beauty of the gardens: you can stay in the gardens of Villandry Castle until sunset time (although the ticket office closes at 6 p.m.).
The entrance fee is 13 euros: the castle is closed only on December 25 (information here).
The castles of the Loire: the castle of Azay-le-Rideau
The castle of Azay-le-Rideau is a splendid example of a Loire Renaissance chateau. Again, however, it is not exactly a Loire chateau. In fact, the castle of Azay-le-Rideau is located on a small island in the Indre River.
The castle of Azay-le-Rideau, in addition to having a magnificent exterior, boasts splendid 16th-century tapestries.
Its interior was popular with artists and writers; Balzac, in particular, loved its staircase, characterized by straight ramps.
The visit to Azay-le-Rideau Castle is relatively short: I recommend an hour or so. The Azay-le-Rideau castle ticket costs 11.50 euros and can be purchased here.
The castles of the Loire: the castle of Ussรจ
Not far from the castle of Azay-le-Rideau is the castle most suited to fairy tales: the castle of Ussรจ, in fact, is famous for inspiring ‘Sleeping Beauty in the Woods.’
Built in the Medieval-Renaissance style, the castle boasts well-kept gardens, a Gothic chapel, a king’s room (no king came to visit the castle, however), and large rooms dedicated to gala dinners with guests. One of these was the writer Charles Perrault: during one of his visits he took inspiration from the castle’s architecture to write ‘Sleeping Beauty in the Woods.’
You can still see mannequins telling the story of the fairy tale: personally, I didn’t like them very much!
Admission to Ussรจ Castle costs 14 euros, and can be visited from mid-February to early November: here is all the information.
The visit to Ussรจ Castle is about an hour long.
Loire castles: the castle of Saumur
Welcome to the Loire castle with the most beautiful view. In fact, Saumur Castle, thanks to its privileged position above the small town of Saumur, boasts a wonderful vantage point over the Loire. I highly recommend visiting the exterior of Saumur Castle at sunset time-the views are simply fantastic!
Saumur Castle boasts a medieval and Renaissance history: its origins, in fact, date back to the 10th century. Inside the castle you can admire the defensive ramparts, a museum of decorative arts and horses, and an additional vantage point over the Loire and Saumur.
Here you can find information about visiting Saumur Castle, whose entrance fee is 8.50 euros.
Loire castles: the castle of Angers
The castle of Angers is in my opinion one of the most beautiful castles in the Loire Valley. Outwardly, it is a real defensive fortress: its mighty walls are adorned with very well-kept gardens. The interior, however, boasts the wonderful tapestry of the Apocalypse. This tapestry, which dates back to the 14th century, recounts the apocalypse of St. John: its length is impressive (140 meters) and the depictions are jaw-droppingly beautiful.
In addition to the tapestry, it is also possible to appreciate the beautiful medieval chapel. Angers Castle offers a spectacular vantage point over the old town of Angers and the Maine River.
The Angers tapestry reminded me of one I had seen in Bayonne, Normandy.
A visit to the castle is worth an hour and a half: tickets cost 9 euros and can be purchased here.
IN ADDITION TO THE LOIRE CASTLES YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ….
USEFUL INFORMATION ON HOW TO VISIT THE LOIRE CASTLES
- What are the most beautiful castles in the Loire? Chenonceau, Chambord and Azay-le-Rideau are the most beautiful castles in the Loire, in my opinion!
- How much time to devote to the Loire castles? You need at least five days to visit the Loire castles.
- The best method to visit the Loire chateaux is by car: from Italy you need to calculate at least ten hours, or fly to Paris and rent a car.
- There is also the possibility of visiting the Loire castles by bicycle. In France the ‘Loire ร velo’ project works very well: almost all the castles can be reached by bike paths. From Blois to Angers there are about 250 kilometers of bicycles, almost all of them flat: in this way it is possible to admire as many as six castles.
- If you want to visit the Loire chateaux by bike, the best thing is to reach Blois by train from Paris, ride to Angers, and then train from Angers to Paris. Detour de Loire in Blois rents bicycles.
- If you do not have a car, I recommend joining organized tours. Starting from Blois, there is a tour that also allows you to see Cheverny and Chambord. Instead, starting from Paris, there is an option to see Chenonceau, Chambord and Cheverny!
- The best season to visit the Loire chรขteaux is autumn, or spring: in summer, temperatures may be very high (though not at the levels of southern France) and the chรขteaux too crowded.
- The best places to sleep in the Loire are Blois, Amboise, Saumur and Angers. Below I leave a map with the best places to eat, sleep and drink. In particular, for drinking I recommend Food&Brew in Blois, Art is an Ale Brewing in Amboise, Pub le Saint Pierre in Saumur; for eating I recommend Poivre et Sel in Blois, le Lion d’Or in Amboise, la Ferme in Angers; for sleeping Hotel Anne de Bretagne in Blois stands out.
