The 10 essential Loire Castles

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This list of best Castles of the Loire It will help you prepare a route through this area of ​​France located among the most beautiful in the world.
These more than 50 Renaissance-style castles, declared a World Heritage Site, are located near the river bank of the Loire Valley, also known as the garden of France for their beauty and they are one of the most incredible areas of the country.
In addition to visiting the interior care, with period furniture and its magnificent gardens, it is worth renting a car to travel freely through the magnificent landscapes of vineyards that surround them and thus make a route as complete as possible.
Although any time is good to visit the Loire Valley, we could say that the best time is between April and June and between September and October, when it rains less and the landscapes and gardens have the best colors, especially in spring.
The duration of a route through the valley, which includes the most beautiful castles of the Loire, can take you about a week, leaving from Paris and arriving at the first castle in about two hours. If you do not have so much time you can book this day trip with a guide in Spanish from Paris that includes the two most famous castles of the Loire Valley, the Chenonceau Castle and the Chambord Castle, or is more complete than two days.

Based on the experience of our trip to the Loire Valley in 9 days, in which in addition to all these castles we visit beautiful towns and cities such as Orleans, Tours, Blois, Montresor or Bourges, we have made this list of 10 Essential Loire Valley Castles. We start!

1. Sully-sur-Loire Castle

The vast majority of castles of the Loire Valley They are located between the cities of Angers and Orleans, so if you start with the latter, the first castle on the route will be that of Sully-sur-Loire, located two hours by car from Paris.
This fairytale castle of the late fourteenth century is surrounded by a moat of defensive character full of water and unlike many of the castles of the Loire, which functioned more as palaces or residences of the lords than as military constructions, in this In fact, we can say that it is a defensive fortress.
It is worth going around the round road that surrounds this photogenic castle, because if the day is clear and there is no air, you can see it reflected in the water. In addition it is also highly recommended to approach at night to see it illuminated.
Inside, despite suffering various damage throughout its history, some of its jewels have been preserved as a tapestry dedicated to Psyche, a cannon frame of the s. XVI, the furnished rooms and the tomb of the Duke of Sully.
For more information you can read this post of our visit to the Castle of Sully-sur-Loire.
Visiting hours: every day from 10am to 6pm from July to August, the other months from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 5pm.

Sully-sur-Loire Castle


2. Chenonceau Castle

Chenonceau Castle is one of the Most famous Loire castles, along with that of Chambord, besides being one of the most impressive castles in the world.
Known as the "ladies castle"For the changes and the beautification by different women, this 16th-century castle, with a simple white facade and beautiful gardens, impresses with the large gallery that crosses the Cher River and its turrets.
In addition to making hundreds of photos from the outside, we recommend you enter to see an important collection of paintings by great masters such as Murillo, Tintoreto, Rubens, as well as an important set of 16th-century tapestries. Inside there is also the majestic Medici Gallery and the bedroom of Luisa de Lorena.
Being this one of the most visited castles, to save your queues, especially in summer and weekend, we recommend you book this ticket in advance.
For more information you can consult this post about our visit to Chenonceau Castle.
Visiting hours: every day from 10am to 5pm from October to March, the rest of the months from 9: 15h to 18: 30h.

Chenonceau, one of the most beautiful castles of the Loire

3. Chambord Castle

Chambord Castle, isolated in a magnificent forest setting next to the Loire River used by King Francisco I to hunt, is the largest and one of the most essential castles of the Loire Valley.
This castle stands out for its majestic dimensions, it has 440 rooms, 365 fireplaces and 84 stairs, as well as being one of the best examples of the French Renaissance and one of the best preserved Loire castles. The design was carried out by great Italian master architects who filled it with classical and Renaissance details, in addition to having an impressive interior staircase to which the design is attributed to the great Leonardo da Vinci.
After touring some of the elegant rooms of the royal family and looking out on their terraces with excellent views of the surroundings, we advise you to sit or have a small picnic on the lawn overlooking the castle and the river.
For more information you can consult this post about our visit to Chambord Castle.
Visiting hours: every day from 9am to 6pm from April to October, the rest of the year closes at 5pm.

Chambord Castle

4. Azay-le-Rideau Castle

The Castle of Azay-le-Rideau, built on an island that draws the Indre River, is a masterpiece of 16th-century architecture and another of the Loire's most beautiful castles.
Surrounded by a romantic park of the nineteenth century, one of the highlights of this castle is its French Renaissance architecture of extreme beauty, which is reflected in the water on sunny days. It is also worthwhile to enter your interior care to see the living and dining room of the Marquis of Biencourt, the kitchen and the innovative straight staircase, which left behind the typical spiral stairs.
All these incentives make it one of the mandatory stops at any route through the Loire Valley, one of the best car routes in France and one of those trips, which we are sure, you will never forget.
Visiting hours: every day from 10am to 6pm. You can book tickets without queues here.

Azay-le-Rideau Castle, one of the essential Loire Castles

5. Chaumont Castle, one of the best Loire Castles

Another of the Most important castles of the Loire and beautiful is the Castle of Chaumont-sur-Loire, built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and belonged to Catherine de Medici.
This castle surrounded by 32 hectares of nature where English-style gardens and works of art are combined, has an exterior architecture with large towers reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty's castle and although its interior is very restored, from the castle's terrace You have a fantastic panoramic view of the Loire Valley and its river that justify the visit.
You also have to take into account to choose the best time of the visit, which from June to October, landscape designers from all over the world gather in it to celebrate the International Garden Festival.

Keep in mind that all the Loire Castles that are located outside the city have parking in the surrounding area and, in addition, the vast majority are free or pay very little. If you are going to see many castles during the route it is advisable to visit the interior of some essentials such as Chenonceau, Cheverny or Chambord. It is also convenient to keep in mind that many of the castles will not be able to see them from outside, so it is necessary to buy the ticket, for around 10 euros per person.
Visiting hours: every day from 10am to 6pm, except in winter that closes between 4pm and 5pm.

Chaumont Castle


Recommended travel cards

Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.

6. Cheverny Castle

Cheverny Castle, especially known to Tintin comic lovers, since it was one of the places that inspired its creator Hergé, is one of the Most visited castles of the Loire.
This classic-style castle and surrounded by a huge botanical park, has an interior perfectly decorated with exceptional pieces of the time and is incredibly preserved thanks to the careful work of the owner family, who has been living in this building for more than 6 centuries. Some of its most amazing rooms are the Chamber of the King and the Hall of Arms as well as the experience of taking a walk through the gardens, which are one of the most beautiful in the Loire Valley.
Before leaving, we recommend you to go through the permanent exhibition of the Adventures of Tintin, taking into account that many of them took place in the castle of Moulinsart (Cheverny).
For more information you can consult this post about our visit to Cheverny Castle.
Visiting hours: every day from 9: 15h to 18: 30h from April to September, the rest of the months from 10am to 5pm.

Cheverny, one of the essential castles of the Loire

7. Villandry, one of the essential castles of the Loire

Villandry Castle was the last of the great Loire Castles that were built during the Renaissance and impresses with its fantastic gardens, located among the most beautiful in France.
These stand out for each of them having a different design and theme, adorned with plants and flowers, which form geometric and all kinds of figures on 3 levels of terraces.
Although the castle impresses, the gardens are its fort and the best way to see them is by climbing to the terraces at the top or booking this helicopter ride from Tours to see the most beautiful Loire Castles, including Villandry.
For more information you can consult this post about our visit to Villandry Castle
Visiting hours of the gardens: every day from 9am to 7pm, in winter it closes earlier.

Villandry Castle, another of the essential Loire Castles

8. Langeais Castle

Taking into account that the Castle of Langeais is one of the best preserved and least restored, they are from the castles of the Loire Valley, as you have imagined, it is an essential stop on the route.
This ancient castle, which has its origins at the end of the 10th century, is formed by the tower of Foulques, the oldest tribute tower in France, and the Castle of Louis XI, which during the visit will allow you to get an idea of ​​its stage glorious, with fifteenth-century furniture, mosaic floors and the wedding hall, where the link between King Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany was celebrated in 1491.
At the end of the visit you can take a quiet walk through the castle park and climb to a viewpoint with excellent views of the Loire Valley.
Visiting hours: every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Langeais Castle

9. Castle of Ussé

The castle of Ussé, built in the 15th century, inspired the French writer Charles Perrault to write his famous fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty". The castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance era to make it the incredible jewel that is now and that is of course, another of the must-see castles of the Loire.
Its white stone Renaissance facade harmoniously combines with the French-style gardens and a beautiful Renaissance chapel, which denote its past as a royal residence. Inside you will find rooms decorated with antique furniture, 18th century paintings and Flemish tapestries.
For more information you can consult this post about our visit to the Castle of Ussé.
Visiting hours: every day from April to September from 10am to 7pm, the rest of the year closes at 6pm.

Ussé Castle

10. Saumur Castle

The Castle of Saumur was one of the last castles of the Loire that we visited on our trip and from the distance we could see that it was an authentic fairytale castle, with its magnificent slate turrets.
Built in the eleventh century and rebuilt at the end of the twelfth century in Gothic style, this castle has had several functions throughout its history, from fortress, palace or jail to weapons store. In addition to its interior, its situation stands out, being perched on top of its promontory, which allows you to enjoy panoramic views of the city of Saumur and the Loire Valley incredible.
Visiting hours: every day from 10 am to 6:30 pm from June 15 to September 15. The rest of the year from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 1pm and from 2pm to 5pm.

Saumur Castle, one of the essential Loire Castles

If you have more time we recommend that you add to the route through the Loire Valley, the castle of Angers with its impressive Tapestry of the Apocalypse, the Castle of Clos Lucé, the last residence of Leonardo da Vinc, or the Castle of Amboise, where his remains rest, and the Castle of Montrésor.

If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 essential castles of the Loire, add yours in the comments ...

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