The Loire Valley is rich in châteaux, villages, gardens, museums...
So the question is classic: which Loire châteaux should you visit first?
But even if you've only got a few days, you can already marvel. Here are our top 5 must-see castles, depending on what you're looking for: architecture, beauty, furnishings, gardens...
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Which Loire castles to visit first: quick answer
If you don't have much time to visit the châteaux of the Loire Valley, we highly recommend it:
- Châteaux de Chenonceau, the most beautiful and harmonious castle in France
- Book your tickets - Château de Villandry, to see the most beautiful gardens
- Book your tickets - Château de Chambord, the best known and most impressive
- Book your ticket - Château de Valençay, if you're interested in furniture
- Château d'Ussé, a fairytale castle that appeals to children and adults alike
But if you have more time, check out our other selections:
- Our selection of the 12 most beautiful Loire castles
- Our tips on the best castles to see with children
- Our list of 103 castles to discover
1. The most beautiful: Chenonceau (a must!)
Why visit it?
It's simple, for EVERYTHING! Whether it is its majestic architecture over the cher inspired by the Florentine Ponte Vecchio, its rich and long galleries, or its lush gardens, it is for us the most beautiful castle of the Loire. He is the perfect embodiment of the spirit of the Renaissance, when pomp and circumstance became the norm, when Italian influence permeated France and when a wind of culture blew across Europe.
What to see - our top 3
- Commonly known as the castle above the river, its arches that let the Cher river flow through have made Chenonceau internationally famous and its charm incomparable.
- The 2 large galleries with impressive dimensions (60 meters long and 6 meters wide) let us imagine the banquets, balls and grandiose parties given during the great hours of the castle.
- In an outbuilding of the castle, theQueen's apothecary, open to the (amazed) eyes of visitors in 2019, was not missing. This magnificent achievement celebrates the role in French history of Catherine de Medici, a woman who was King.
Useful tips
- Nearest city: Amboise
- Visit time: 4h minimum.
- The castle is open all year round, including holidays.
- For the guided tours, you will have to turn to an external partner, but it can be worth it as the castle is full of treasures to discover.
- Large free parking lots are available near the castle.
- While the outside of the castle presents no particular difficulties, you will have to climb a few steps inside. The area is vast, and you're likely to travel a few miles.
- See the latest schedule details on the official website here
- Light catering in the gardens. Outside the castle you have several restaurants and beautiful terraces. We opted for an excellent meal on the go at the aptly named Epicerie du bon laboureur!
Read our full article (photos and visit tips)
WHERE TO STAY IN THE Loire Valley
Our independent picks for the accommodation of your dreams:
2. The most beautiful gardens: Villandry
Why visit it?
Even if the castle does not demerit, what makes a visit to Villandry indispensable are its gardens redesigned at the beginning of the 20th century according to the layered plans of the Renaissance. To be more precise, what is magical about Villandry is thebalance between inside and outside. It's to see how the architecture of the gardens matches that of the castle so that, wherever you are, the view is quite simply exceptional.
What to see - our top 3
- The different green rooms of the ornamental garden to be admired from thefirst floor of the castle of Villandry.
- Take a slow stroll through the vegetable garden to discover its extreme diversity and let yourself be charmed by its many colors.
- The Moorish wooden ceiling, a real puzzle of 3600 pieces, bought and reassembled by the owner of Villandry in 1905 during the dismantling of the palace of the Dukes of Maqueda in Toledo, Spain.
Useful tips
- Nearest city: Tours
- Visit time: 3h minimum.
- The castle is open from the beginning of February to mid-November, as well as in December.
- Guided tours of around 1h15 are devoted to the history of the château and its interior rooms.
- There are large, free parking lots in the village about 200 meters from the entrance to the castle.
- No particular difficulty to visit the gardens, except for the distance to cover. If you want to admire the view from the top of the dungeon, you will have to support your knees on the medieval steps.
- See the latest timetable on the official website here.
- The château offers a range of food services at the entrance, including light fare (sandwiches and crêpes) and more traditional fare at the Doulce terrasse. You know us well enough to know that we took this second option which really surprised us.
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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.
3. The best-known: Chambord
Why visit it?
The Chambord castle is the blockbuster of the Loire Valley. Imposing by its size and its compact appearance, its facades are richly decorated. The rooms of the castle with rich furniture are distributed around the very famous double revolution staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci. With its large French gardens and game-filled forests, it is a must for any stay in the Loire Valley.
What to see - our top 3
- Of course the double revolution staircase (or helix) designed by Leonardo da Vinci. It made it possible to go up and down without ever crossing each other, but also to see and be seen, 2 essential functions in this century where pomp was the rule.
- The terraces offer an incredible view of the park and the surrounding forests, but above all they allow you to admire in detail the roofs and the famous Lantern Tower, the highest point of the castle (56 meters).
- In the northwest tower of the castle, you will find the sober chapel, with its Romanesque vaults of the 16th century and its subtle stained glass windows of the 19th century. A little bit of calm and contemplation, that's good!
Useful tips
- Nearest city: Blois
- Length of visit: 1 day minimum.
- The castle is open all year round.
- Guided tours are offered and last about 1 hour. No registration in advance, but when you arrive at the reception.
- Several large capacity paying parking lots are available within 500m of the castle.
- Even if the castle does not present any specific difficulty, its gigantic size can be a source of exhaustion even for the most resistant.
- See the latest timetable on the official website here.
- The castle has 3 offers, a savory and sweet Autour du puits, a more substantial offer at the Café d'Orléans and a gastronomic offer at the Relais de Chambord.
Read our full article (photos and visit tips)
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4. The most beautiful furniture: Valençay
Why visit it?
It's the least well-known of the châteaux listed in this article, but in our opinion, if your interest lies in the interiors and their furnishings, a visit is a must!
This rather imposing renaissance style castle, with its square pavilion and its towers with an imperial dome, could have been just one of the many castles of the Loire. But it enters the history of France at the beginning of the XIXth century after its purchase by the Prince of Tayllerand, one of the greatest French foreign ministers who served no less than 6 regimes in the heart of a troubled period of French History. Richly furnished and refurbished, it offers a real immersion in the life of the castle when the Minister Tayllerand officiated with the Emperor Bonaparte.
What to see - our top 3
- In the King of Spain's room, you can admire a beautiful empire set, but also a Louis XVI style bed specially made for the future king of Spain Ferdinand VII. On the walls, the wallpaper in grisaille is splendid.
- The prince was very attached to the art of the table and to gastronomy, and the dining room , which could accommodate up to 36 guests, remains a model of its kind. Having had the opportunity to dine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a previous life, we can assure you that the attachment of our diplomats to"French service" remains intact.
- In the forest, we particularly enjoyed the natural ballroom that hosted groups of dancers, including captive Spanish princes.
Useful tips
- Nearest cities: Blois or Tours
- Visit time: 2h minimum
- The château is open from mid-March to mid-November.
- Guided tours of the castle and the theater are offered. You can even opt for a "speed visit" if necessary!
- Free parking is available outside the castle, especially at the tourist office, which is located about 100 meters from the castle.
- The walk in the park is not difficult, especially since you can use an electric cart to discover the forest and its various remarkable elements. The castle is also easy to access, you will just have to climb up one floor and down 2 to reach the kitchens, but with wide stairs.
- See the latest timetable on the official website here.
- The château features a restaurant-tea room, l'Orangeraie, where you can dine in the spirit of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand. A picnic area is also available in the park.
Read our full article (photos and visit tips)
HAVE FUN WITH THESE activities
5. The most fun for kids: Château d'Ussé
Why visit it?
The castle of Ussé is so magical that it inspired Charles Perrault in the 17th century for his prose tale"Sleeping Beauty". Its harmonious architecture, its human size, its gardens overlooking the Indre, everything is an invitation to romantic reverie. Who knows, maybe you'll meet Prince Charming!
There are also a few medieval fortresses that are very well organized for children, but this is the only romantic castle with such an experience for children.
What to see - our top 3
- The construction of the castle having spread over 3 centuries, thearchitecture mixes medieval and gothic inspiration with the renaissance style. A real patchwork of stones exciting to decipher.
- The large gallery of the castle, once open to the courtyard, now houses a fine collection of 18th-centuryBrussels tapestries based on the drawings of the prolific painter David Teniers, known as the Younger.
- The dungeon shelters at its top a wax doll reconstitution of the tale "Sleeping Beauty". An opportunity to dive back into this dreamlike universe that rocked our childhood.
Useful tips
- Nearest city: between Tours and Saumur
- Visit time: 2 hours minimum.
- The castle is open from mid-February to mid-November.
- No guided tour, but possibility to have a visit document.
- Free parking is available at the entrance of the castle.
- As the entire château grounds are on a (modest) hillside, there's a bit of a natural slope. Inside the château, climb the grand staircase designed by François Mansart (architect of Château de Blois). And to get to the Sleeping Beauty tale, you'll need to climb the spiral staircase in the dungeon.
- See the latest timetable on the official website here.
- The castle does not have any catering facilities, but you will find a light catering facility (sandwiches, quiches, salads and waffles!) right across the street.
Read our full article (photos and visit tips)
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Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
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