Top Chateaux in the Loire Valley
Visit Château de Chambord, Cheverny, and Chenonceau in France
Château de Chambord, Cheverny, and Chenonceau in the French Loire Valley are among the top sights to see on a visit to France or even on a daytrip from Paris.
The Loire Valley to the southwest of Paris is famous for its wine, fine food, and numerous châteaux. These stately country residences often combine elements from castles, palaces, and manor homes as most date at least partly from the Renaissance when development in weapons meant thick walls were no longer impregnable to cannonballs. These mansions popular with the French nobility during especially the 16th century are now amongst the most popular tourist attractions in France.
- Popular Loire Valley châteaux include Chambord (the largest), Cheverny (the most elegant), and Chenonceau (the most romantic).
Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley, France
Château Chambord is by far the largest palace in the Loire Valley. Most of it was built in 1530s by King Frances I – his fire-breathing salamander emblem appears over 700 times in the decorations. However, it was only completed in 1685 by Louis XIV, the Sun King, when Chambord reached a total of 440 rooms and famously 365 chimneys.
Only 80 rooms are open to the public. If time is limited, give preference to the museum on the second floor but do not miss the roof terraces with views not only of the palace grounds but also the forest of chimneys and other roof adornments.
Château de Cheverny in the Loire Valley, France
Château Cheverny was one of the last châteaux built in the Loire Valley (completed in 1634) and is thus not surprisingly more elegant palace than protective fortress. It is still owned by the original owners – the Hurault family – who kept the lavishly furnished rooms intact.
Cheverny is derived from French terms for hunting, an activity popular for centuries with the French nobility. Cheverny’s trophy room has over 2,000 pairs of deer antlers while the kennels have around 60 hunting dogs that are fed at 5 pm.
Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley, France
Château Chenonceau is the most romantic château in the Loire Valley. It is Renaissance and rather uniquely, most of it was designed by woman. The most famous were Diane de Poitiers – mistress of King Henry II – and his wife, Catherine de Medici.
Henry II gave Diane de Poitiers the original small palace built in the Cher River. She added a 60-m (200-ft) arched bridge across the river and the formal gardens to the north of the palace. After Henry’s death in a jousting tournament in 1559, Catherine had Diane unceremoniously removed to Chaumont and moved into Chenonceau herself.
Catherine de Medici added a three-storey gallery to Diane’s bridge as well as the lovely Renaissance garden to the south of the palace but never got round to build a second palace at the far end of the river. Catherine outlived Henry by three decades and hosted lavish receptions and balls (sometimes in fantasy or cross-dress) where she employed beautiful young female spies to keep her abreast of political gossip.
- Chenonceau is hugely popular and best visited first thing in the morning or around lunch hour, when school and bus parties are less prevalent.
Transportation to and in the Loire Valley
Although public transportation to and in the Loire Valley is well developed having a car does make getting around much easier. Most châteaux can be reached by rail or bus but double check schedules as services can be limited to a few times per day. Drivers may find staying in smaller towns and country estates more pleasant. Cycling is also a sensible option as distances are relatively short.
Frequent trains from Paris take just over an hour to the Loire:
- Trains to Orleans leave from Paris Austerlitz station
- Trains to Tours leave mostly from Paris Montparnasse station
The local train from Tours to Orleans takes around 90 minutes and stops en route in Amboise (20 minutes) and in Blois (a further 20minutes).
If visiting the Loire Valley on a daytrip from Paris, it is best to take a guided bus tour that include visits to three or four châteaux – it will be exhausting but ultimately worth it.
- The historic Loire Valley towns Orleans, Tours, Blois, and Amboise make good bases for travelers relying on public transportation – guided tours to numerous châteaux depart daily from these towns.
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