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Which Loire Valley Castle Should You Visit?
- Loire Valley castles are diverse, each with a feature unique to its own.
- While some of the Chateaux are known for their medieval period fortifications, others stand tall showing off the influence of the Renaissance in France.
- Spreading across the Loire Valley, the Chateaux has become almost synonymous with the Valley itself with time and its implications on French history.
- Chateaux De La Loire is accessible from anywhere in the region, including the capital city-Paris. Being exceptional in its own way, you have to decide which Loire Valley Chateaux you want to visit first.
How long does it take to visit the Loire Valley Castles?
If you are planning to explore Loire Valley Castles, you should at least set aside 2 and a half hours to explore one castle properly. If you can manage more time, it will be better for you as you can get to spend more time paying attention to the details. If you are planning on visiting multiple castles on the same day, choose one castle as your favorite and plan on spending more time exploring its gardens, exhibitions, and workshops.
Medieval Fortresses of Chateaux De La Loire
Being a region of the culturally rich part of France did not mean that the area was devoid of any conflicts. Being a part of the disputed territory of France, these strategic sites became the grounds of multiple conflicts of medieval Europe. This left the country with a rich heritage of strategic medieval strongholds.
Domaine du Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire
Built in the 10th century, Domaine du Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire was used to protect the land from the feudal rival of the kings. It is an immense mansion with Renaissance design elements like lavishly furnished rooms, works of art, and an English-style garden.
Visit Domaine du Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire
Château d'Angers
Built in the 9th century overhanging the river La Maine, the Romans built the fortress to use its location for strategic defense. It is an impressive fortress-styled château in the Loire Valley housing the famous 140-meter long French tapestry - Apocalypse Tapestry.
Visit Château d'Angers
Château de Blois
Located in the city center in the town of Blois, it has been the residence of several French kings throughout history. It is famous for the grand nature of its structure as its architecture is influenced by four different styles in its four wings.
Visit Château de BloisRenaissance Monuments of Chateaux De La Loire
Most of the Castles of the Loire Valley are a part of the times of peace and prosperity that followed after an era of conflicts. Built by prosperous merchants and landowners on flourishing agricultural lands and in relatively close proximity to Paris, these Loire Valley Castles make the finest group of Renaissance monuments of Chateaux De La Loire.
Château de Chambord
It is a beautiful castle that stood as a symbol of the French resistance, build inside a large park of 5,000 hectares. It has a unique architectural style with a blend of traditional French medieval forms along with classical Renaissance influence.
Visit Château de Chambord
Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
Standing as the most prominent French Renaissance architecture, Château d'Azay-le-Rideau is built on an island in the middle of the river Indre. It is A large mansion with an innovative style of architecture with a mix of classic French tradition and Italian décor.
Visit Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
Château du Clos Lucé
Previously known as Manoir du Cloux, Château du Clos Lucé had many famous owners, most notably Leonardo Da Vinci. The maestro spent his final three years in this Castle, and it currently serves as a museum housing replicas of his artwork and his interactive inventions.
Visit Château du Clos Lucé
Château Royal d'Amboise
While it initially served as a strategic structure, its Renaissance is most noticeable in its later reconstructions and expansions. It is considered one of the most important castles of France. It has been a favored place of residence of French kings for over 400 years.
Visit Château Royal d'Amboise
Château de Chenonceau
Built on the foundations of an old mill, Château de Chenonceau is an architectural wonder as in its later expansions, it spans the river, Cher. It has a late-gothic and early renaissance design, with an immense collection of rare art and period decor.
Visit Château de ChenonceauLoire Valley Castle Tickets Explained
Loire Valley Castle: Skip The Line Tickets
- Skip the long ticketing queues to get instant access to the architectural wonders of the French Renaissance period.
- Explore the prestigious Chateaux of the Loire Valley with ease, as these tickets guarantee your access with instant confirmation, mobile tickets, and incredible discounts.
- Stroll through the royal mansions of the Loire Valley Castles, vibrant, lush gardens, and immerse yourself in the artwork from the Renaissance period.
Duration: Flexible Hours
Loire Valley Castle: Ticket Combos
- Loire Valley has several prestigious castles with distinctive features, so why keep yourself limited to one? Buy the Loire Valley Castle Combo tickets to get access to multiple Chateaux with one pass.
- These passes are available at amazing discounted rates, and it lets you zoom past the long ticketing queues and provides you access to the Loire Valley Castles.
- Get features like fast access, instant confirmation, and mobile tickets on your booking and begin your adventure.
Discounted Price: Upto 30%
Loire Valley Castle: Guided Tours
- Explore architectural wonders of the French Renaissance period with a professional guide.
- Get to know about the historical facts about the architectural wonders and the prestigious castles of the Loire Valley from the guide, and make your visit all the more eventful.
- Get free time after the guided tour to explore the attraction, stroll through the royal mansions of the Loire Valley Castles, hallways and its beautiful gardens.
Duration: 12 hours
Loire Valley Tours from ParisLoire Valley Castles Map
Chateaux De La Loire
- Domaine du Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire
- Château de Chambord
- Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
- Château du Clos Lucé
- Château d'Amboise
- Château de Chenonceau
- Château Royal de Blois
- Château d'Angers
Plan Your Visit To Loire Valley in France
Before you start your journey to Loire Valley, these are some crucial pieces of information that can help you in your travel.
- Time Zone: Central European Standard Time (GMT+1)
- Currency: Euro – EUR – €
- Country Code: +33
- Emergency Numbers: Dial 112 and ask for the service (police, fire service, or ambulance.
- Nearest Airport: Tours St Symphorien (TUF) Airport (3.8km)
- Nearest Train Station: TGV stations- Tours St Pierre des Corps (TGV) or Angers St Laud (TGV).
Best Time To Visit Loire Valley Castles
April - June: Spring Season
September- October: Autumn Season
- The Loire Valley has something unique to offer all year round. But, if you want to experience the best of the place, spring, late summer, or autumn would be the perfect time to visit.
- The crowd is comparatively less during spring and autumn, giving you ample time and space to explore.
- The summer is the peak season, with Loire valley castles being crowded by tourists from all over the world.
- Winter is the off-season for Loire Valley as most of the gardens of the Castles are closed for public visits.
Distance: Paris To Loire Valley- 215kms
By Car: Duration: Around two and half hours.
- Most tourists prefer a comfortable car ride to visit the Loire Valley Castle.
By Train: Duration: Over an hour (TGV trains)
- The fastest way to reach Loire Valley from Paris is by train. You can avail of the shuttle service to reach the Châteaux from the nearest train station.
By Bus: Duration: Around three hours
- Direct bus service from Paris to Loire Valley runs once a day.
Guided Tours: Book Loire Valley Castle Guided tours to leave everything up to the professionals.
There are two types of tickets to Loire Valley Castles that you can choose from that can help you get the best experience.
- Skip The Line Tickets To Loire Valley Castles: Skip the long ticketing queues and guarantee your entry to the castles with these tickets. Get access to the castles, their interiors, lush green gardens, and temporary exhibitions held at the time of your visit. Take your time to explore the attraction.
- Loire Valley Combo Tickets: Get access to multiple Loire Valley Castles at a discounted rate with the combo pass. Save time and skip past the long ticketing queues on each site, and start exploring the attraction straightaway. Enjoy priority access to the castles and their interiors. Explore the prestigious castles at your own pace.
Spanning a region of over 170 miles, these are some of the best accommodation options in the Loire Valley.
- Château de Chambord gîtes: A value for money stay for family and group of friends
- Hotel Le Fleuray, Amboise: A 24 room hotel in the countryside.
- Le Grand Monarque, Azay-le-Rideau: An 18th-century mansion with contemporary furnishings.
- Le Mouton, Blaison Gohier: A 17th-century toll house for boats remodeled as a bread and breakfast hotel.
- Hotel la Roseraie, Chenonceaux: Hotel converted from an 18th-century stone-walled mansion with a history of famous visitors like Winston Churchill.
These are some of the best places to eat in Loire Valley - starting from French cuisine to vintage wines.
- L’Aigle d’Or, Azay-le-Rideau: For delicate French cooking.
- Auberge du Cheval Rouge, Chisseaux: For modern French Cuisine.
- Café de la Promenade, Bourgueil: For delicious French dishes with a wine list.
- Casse-Cailloux, Tours: For contemporary French dishes.
- Le Caravage, Loches: For lounge-bar culture.
- Le Cercle Rouge, Angers: For limited production vintage wines.
While Loire Valley is mostly famous for its castles, garden, and vineyards, there are lots of fun activities that you can indulge yourself in.
- Loire Valley Castle & Palace Tours
- Loire Valley Gardens & Flowers
- Wine Tasting: Maisons des Vins de Loire in Nantes, Angers, Saumur and Tours
- Loire Valley Balloon Tours: Hot air balloon ride above Loire Valley from Chenonceau
- Loire Valley Air & Helicopter Tours
- Loire Valley Food & Drinks
- Loire Valley Sightseeing: Chartres Cathedral, ZooParc de Beauval and the local markets.
- Visitors & tourists are advised to follow the COVID-19 French government recommendations to know more about the health and travel measures.
- A health pass has been made compulsory to get access to certain places, venues, or events.
- Wearing a mask is compulsory in public places, and a fine of €135 will be charged for non-compliance.
- Wearing a mask is compulsory in public transport, taxis, and rideshares.
Find more information about the COVID-19 protocol on the official website.
Booking Loire Valley Castle Tickets: FAQs
A. On-site tickets are subject to availability. To avoid chances of tickets being sold out and to avoid physical contact, tourists are advised to buy the Loire Valley Castle tickets online and avail of the fantastic discounts and offers.
A. Yes, discounts are available on some of the Loire Valley Castle online tickets. Check your ticket details before purchase. Make sure to bring a valid Government ID to avail of the offer.
A. With Chateaux being a broad term, there are over a 1000 in France, with the most prominent ones being in the Loire Valley. The most popular ones of the Chateaux De La Loire are Château de Chambord, Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, Château du Clos Lucé, Château Royal d'Amboise, Château de Chenonceau, Domaine du Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, Château d'Angers and Château de Blois.
A. Château du Clos Lucé and Château Royal d'Amboise are the two castles that played a significant role in Leonardo Da Vinci’s life. He spent the final 3 years of his life at Château du Clos Lucé, while Château Royal d'Amboise is designed by the maestro. Both the castles have gardens with replicas of Da Vinci’s works and models on display.
A. The design and the structure of castles like Château de Chambord, Château ‘Azay-le-Rideau, Château du Clos Lucé, Château Royal d'Amboise and Château de Chenonceau shows a significant influence of the Renaissance period of France.
A. Loire Valley is a vast stretch of area, which is located about 280km south of Paris.
A. The Loire Valley Castles are located about 100 kilometers south of Paris. Most tourists prefer taking a comfortable car ride to the Loire Valley castles as only a handful of train stations are close to the sites.
A. If you are planning to visit the Loire Valley Castle and want to avoid crowds, try to plan your visit between the months of April and June or between September and October.
A. It depends on the kind of trip you are looking for. Most tourists prefer to spend an entire day in a castle as all of the Loire Valley Castle has lots of things to explore, activities and exhibitions taking place. If you want to make the most of your visit, you can buy a combo ticket to save time and visit multiple castles in the same day while making the most of it.
A. Children aged 6-18 enjoy a discounted price on the Loire Valley Castle tickets., while infants aged 5 can visit the castles for free. Make sure to check the ticket information before you purchase.
A. Yes, Loire Valley Castles have combo tour tickets which can be beneficial for those who are looking to visit multiple Loire Valley Castles in a day. The combo tickets offer up to 30% discount, which can be a huge money saver option for visitors.