Top 3 Castles to Visit in The Loire Valley
Ohhh the blissfulness of the French Countryside. One of the most amazing things about France is that there are so many amazing destinations that you can frequent as little as an hour outside of Paris. I think this is why the country is such a tourist hot spot. That or the baguettes. I’ll never know which wins out frankly. The Loire Valley however is one of my favorite countryside locations. When my husband and I last visited in 2019, we took a TGV train from Paris to the medieval city of Tours. It is a quick hour and a half ride from Paris. Can you imagine? In the time it would take you to commute from Seattle to Tacoma, or Santa Monica to Irvine… you go from the city of lights to provincial paradise. Ugg… the transit system in Europe can’t be beat, I’m telling you. Since we knew we wanted to visit several castles, we rented a car in Tours to zip from castle to castle. It was marvelous. These castles are so stunning and are scattered throughout dreamy fields and forestry of the valley. It’s most definitely worth a stop on your next trip to the country of baguettes. So here are a few tips and my favorite castles of the Loire Valley.
City center of Tours, Medieval building turned restaurant.
City of Tours: Since I mentioned this was the town that we stopped at prior to renting our car to tour the broader region, we couldn’t resist a quick pit stop in the town to see the medieval buildings and the local cathedral. The buildings are all jumbled up on top of each other, showing their splendor and age… Some are literally tilted. It is very charming, and a great place to at least grab a few snacks at a grocery store so you’re all set with food before you hit the road.
Cathedral in Tours.
Château de Chenonceaux
Château de Chenonceaux: This castle is what dreams are made of. Nestled in the core of the Loire Valley. It sits on the beautiful babbling river Cher, with gardens surrounding the castle grounds. I lovingly deemed it the lady castle, due to it’s rich history entrenched with fierce females that have kept it alive and running throughout the centuries. First built in the 12th and 13th centuries, majority of the existing castle as it stands today was built between 1513 and 1517. One of the things I loved the most about our visit was the floral arrangements. They even offer floral arranging classes on site that you can take during your visit if it aligns with your schedule. The arrangements are scattered eloquently in every nook and cranny of the castle, and I oogled over them every chance I could. They were rustic, elegant, and so unique. I couldn’t get enough. Apparently, an all female team puts them together and uses flowers grown and harvested from the castle grounds. There can be moments when you visit historical monuments that make them feel cold, and relics of the past. But with fresh flowers piled in every room, it made each room feel so much more inviting and alive. (I’ve included a copious amount of photos of the floral vibes for your viewing pleasure, if it’s not your thing feel free to scroll past to the next castle.) The structure was also converted into a military hospital during WWII so it has a rich history that makes a visit well worth it. There is a cafeteria and picnic grounds near the river to cozy up and get a bite to eat before you take off to your next stop. I wish I could have stayed here for the entire day based on how much I loved everything about this location. But that just means I have to visit again next time we’re in the area. Which means you should too!
A tiny snip of the gardens from the rooftop.
Lovely garden view of the swans.
Château de Chambord.
Château de Chambord: I have lovingly deemed this the ‘bubble castle’ only because of the endless turrets and rounded edges. This is probably one of the most famous castles of the Loire Valley, or France really besides Versailles and Mont Saint Michel. This 16th Century gem is what French Renaissance dreams are made of. Originally commissioned by François I, and completed by Louis XIV. It was primarily used as a hunting lodge, and known for its double helix staircase inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. That staircase is something else…I think I just stood there in awe for a minute and then fumbled around trying to figure out how to go up and down simultaneously. Needless to say, I didn’t capture a photo worth sharing. It isn’t as well furnished as some of the other castles in the area, due to it being ransacked during the French Revolution. So majority of the furniture was either stolen or sold off. But what they do have is fun to explore while you’re touring the interiors. We’re just lucky that the exterior stayed intact at least, the architecture of this place is really unmatched, a true marvel to relish in while you visit. It felt like every turn had more splendor than the next. Make sure to stop for a photo when you check out the rooftop deck of the gardens. It’s a beautiful view of the forestry surrounding the Château, and well manicured gardens.
Not the double helix staircase, but another twisty marvel on the exterior of the Château.
View of the gardens from the rooftop of Chambord.
Another architectural shot from the rooftop. Love the details of this Château!
Château de Cheverny: Aymeric and I had toured this castle the year prior on a trip passing through the Loire Valley. I somehow managed to either not take any pictures while here, or couldn’t find them. So unfortunately, I can’t share that portion of the trip. However, this does not take away from this being a worthwhile stop! This is a unique location because it is actually a private residence that has been in the same family for 6 generations. They didn’t open to the public until 1922. It is much smaller than Chambord or Chenonceaux, but is really well maintained and plenty to tour. The interiors are very well furnished with lots of splendor to soak in, as well as lovely gardens and even a small boutique hotel if you’re interested in staying overnight. We particularly enjoyed the wine tasting room that they had in the gardens. It was the perfect place to sit and relax after a long morning of touring the grounds. We even bought an ‘Ice Bag’ while we were there that we still use today for dinner parties. Our friends always marvel at the simplicity of it, but it was one of the most practical purchases we’ve made. If you’re not familiar with the concept, it’s what it sounds like, a wine bottle sized bag, that you fill with ice and water to keep your bottle of rose, white or champagne cold at your table without taking up the same amount of room as a traditional champagne bucket. It also has handles so you can carry it with you if you’re headed to a park or friends house. It’s one of the fun touches that we have really enjoyed! Here is a link to something similar. Also a great bougie hostess or housewarming gift!
There are several other castle that I would love to visit the next time we head to this area. I’m a big Escape to the Château fan and Château de la Motte-Husson is also in the Loire Valley. Unfortunately, it was about an hour away from the nearest castle that we were touring and we didn’t have the ability to add it as a stop. However, it is on my bucket list to at least see it from the street one day. As far as I’m aware they don’t have it open to the public to tour the property, however I’m curious if at some point they may do this now that they have completed filming of the show. I even went as far as to reach out to see if we could do our 10 year anniversary 'vow renewal’ here, but they had a full schedule and were unable to accomodate the dates I had requested that far in advance due to the pandemic. Alas… that could have been a real dream come true! Perhaps our 20 or 30 year anniversary we could make it happen! Anyhow, the next time you’re looking for a place to adventure outside of Paris, please do yourself a favor and fit in a few days in Loire Valley. I promise it won’t disappoint!
