Discover one of the Loire Valley's most photogenic châteaux, with its beautiful gardens, extensive tapestry collection and medieval scenes.
Here are our practical tips for planning your visit to the Château de Langeais.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Is a visit to the Château de Langeais worthwhile?
Yes, a visit to the Château de Langeais is well worth it.
Its architecture is surprising: from the front (outwards), it's a typical medieval defensive castle. On the other side (facing the gardens), it's a typically Renaissance royal dwelling. This castle is very photogenic, especially from the gardens!
And you can even attend a wedding re-enactment. of Anne de Bretagne and Charles VIII inside. Royal, right?
It's not on our list of the 12 most beautiful Loire castles, but it wasn't far off (see our more exhusive list ).
What you can see
Porte et Pont-Levis
As you approach the castle, you'll discover a typical medieval defensive facade with 2 huge towers around a drawbridge. We love entering castles via drawbridges, it really gives us the impression of traveling back in time!
Once inside, you can choose between the outdoor area and the gardens. We recommend that you allow time for both.
Gardens and Renaissance architecture
From the gardens, you can enjoy a typical Renaissance atmosphere.
The gardens alternate trimmed bushes and flowerbeds. They highlight the façade of the royal dwelling. This castle is really photogenic and we loved walking around it.
View from medieval scaffolding
Our favorite activity at Château de Langeais was climbing up the wall on the medieval scaffolding. From the top, between the battlements, you have the best view of the château, its gardens and the surrounding town of Langeais. It's a typical Loire landscape that transports us into a dream world!
Giant trees and tree houses
If you continue further into the park, you'll also find some magnificent trees, including people's redwoods. Claire being a tree fan, she was delighted.
In one of the other trees, you can also climb into cabins, which appeal to children and adults alike.
See our list of the most beautiful gardens in the Loire Valley.
View of the Pont de Langeais
From the château's grounds, you also have a magnificent view of the Pont de Langeais, which spans the Loire River. Inaugurated in 1849, it was destroyed by lightning in 1859, then rebuilt and destroyed many times.
The suspension bridge is 359m long.
Tapestries and furniture
Inside you can visit 16 rooms. They are all furnished with original pieces of furniture.
And you'll see tapestries in almost every room. The château's collection is extensive, with well-preserved tapestries from the 15th and 16th centuries.
And don't miss the magnificent colorful paving on the floors. They are inspired by medieval motifs.
The royal wedding scene
Several rooms have been designed to show the daily life of a great lord in the Middle Ages.
The best-known piece shows the wedding scene between Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany.
The art of tapestry
You can also learn more about tapestry, with explanations on colors and weaving.
You'll see the various stages of production and a large loom.
Museum of Sacred Art
The château also houses a small museum dedicated to sacred art. Here you'll find statues, tapestries and paintings.
In the photo above, you can see a 13th-century reliquary shrine.
Salle des Preux
And finally, the Salle des Preux.
All but one of the tapestries were woven between 1525 and 1540.
They represent the nine Preux, the elite knights who embody wisdom, prudence, courage and piety...
Château de Langeais: access
Where is the Château de Langeais?
- In the town of Langeais
- Halfway between Tours and Langeais
- From Tours to Langeais castle = 30 min drive
- From Saumur to Langeais castle = 40 min
- From Angers to Langeais castle = 1h
- From Blois to Langeais castle = 1h05
Access by car and parking
Langeais is easily accessible by car via the D952 road along the Loire.
There's plenty of free parking close to the castle and town center.
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Loire
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
- Think aboutfull insurance (parking in big cities is really tight).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Public transport access
The town's train station is just a 5-minute drive from the château. It's a train stop between the towns of Tours and Angers.
Visiting difficulties
The park is fairly easy to visit (apart from the scaffolding climb).
There are stairs inside, but it's not very intense to visit physically.
DISCOVER Tours
- Things to do in Tours
- Where to sleep in Tours: best hotels
- Where to eat in Tours: best restaurants - coming soon
- Rent a car in Tours
- Best castles around Tours
- Visit the Tours Museum of Fine Arts - coming soon
- Visit the Basilica of Saint Martin in Tours - coming soon
- Visit the Botanical Garden of Tours - coming soon
- Visit Saint-Gatien Cathedral
- Visit the Companionship Museum - coming soon
Practical tips for visiting the Château de Langeais
Schedules and prices
- Price: 11.50 euros for adults, free for children under 10and prices vary for different ages.
- Open all year round, at least from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (but longer in summer).
- Last admission 1 hour before closing time
See the latest news on the official website here.
Direction of visit
Start your visit with the interiors. There's a numbered tour route to space people out in the castle. Then explore the gardens and park.
How long
Allow at least 2 hours to explore the castle and its grounds
Best moment
As with all the Loire castles, there are more visitors in the late morning and early afternoon.
Visiting with children
Children should enjoy their visit to this castle, thanks to the staging in certain rooms, and the wooden huts in the park. But some rooms will be difficult for them to get to grips with.
Eating out
The castle is right in the heart of the city. You'll find a number of restaurants nearby. If you're just a little hungry, we recommend the patisserie opposite the château. You'll find cakes, cookies and chocolates. Maiam!
Hotels
Hotel accommodation in the town of Langeais is limited.
But you can find some very nice establishments in the surrounding countryside (20min drive); for example:
- Château de Rochecotte towards Saumur - see prices, photos and availability
- Hotel de Haut des Lys, near Villandry - see prices, photos and availability
- The Troglododo hotel with troglodytic rooms in Azay-le-Rideau, unique! - see prices, pictures and availability
- L'Auberge Pom'Poire with its excellent restaurant - see prices, photos and availability
PLAN YOUR TRIP IN
Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
Other places to explore
Practice
