Loire Valley Chateaux

The Loire Valley Between Sully Sur Loire And Chalonnes, UNESCO World Heritage Site Inscribed 2000, With Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise, Blois, Villandry And Dozens More Chateaux · Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

The Loire Valley, south-west of Paris, is where French kings and nobles built their Renaissance palaces in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and its long central stretch is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hundreds of chateaux stand along the river and its tributaries, from fortified castles to elegant country houses. A handful are famous. Chambord is the largest, with a double helix staircase often linked to Leonardo da Vinci. Chenonceau spans the river Cher on a row of arches. The royal chateau at Amboise overlooks the town where Leonardo spent his last years at Clos Lucé. Villandry is known for its formal vegetable and ornamental gardens, Blois for its mix of styles and famous spiral staircase, and Cheverny for its furnished rooms and hunting hounds. The valley is also a wine region, Vouvray and Chinon among many, and the flat Loire à Vélo route makes it ideal for cycling. Sites are spread out, so a car, a bike or a tour is needed, and two chateaux a day is plenty for most people.

The Loire Valley between Blois, Amboise and Tours, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire, France

Each chateau sets its own hours, but the pattern is similar: open every day for most of the year, with the longest hours from about April to September, shorter hours in autumn and winter, and last entry well before closing. Most of the big chateaux, including Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise and Blois, open nearly every day of the year and close only on 25 December and 1 January; some smaller chateaux close completely for part of the winter, typically from November or December until February or March. Villandry's gardens stay open longer than its house, and they change with the seasons. Several chateaux hold evening events in summer, such as light shows and night walks, on set dates, and Chenonceau and Chambord are busiest from late morning to mid-afternoon. Tickets can be bought on the day at most sites, but timed tickets online are wise for Chenonceau and Chambord in July and August. Wine cellars and tasting rooms often close at lunchtime and on Sundays or Mondays outside summer. Confirm each chateau's hours for your dates.

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