Chateaux of the Loire Valley
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Top 10 Most Beautiful Chateaux of the Loire Valley

Last Updated: 17 January 2024

In 2000, Unesco added the chateaux of the Loire Valley to its World Heritage list. The area extends from Sully-sur-Loire to Chalonnes along the banks of the River Loire and its tributaries. In the Renaissance era, the French Kings preferred to reside in the Loire region, hence the hundreds of châteaux. It’s always tough to rank these beautiful castles… but I tried, and here is a list of my Top 10. And if you have any ideas about other beautiful chateaux, please leave a comment below with your Top 10! In the meantime, check out all available accommodation in the Loire Valley on cozycozy.

 

My Top 10 Most Beautiful Castles of the Loire

The fairy-tale chateaux of the Loire were built or renovated during the Renaissance era (16th century).

Most of them are located between Gien and Nantes.

They welcome millions of visitors each summer and represent major tourist sites in France.

Some ‘star chateaux’ are well-known names such as Chambord or Azay-le-Rideau.

Most of the châteaux are found along the Loire River or one of its tributaries, such as the:

  • Cher,
  • Indre,
  • Loir,
  • Maine, and
  • Vienne.

A great number of the chateaux are within two hours from Paris.

All these castles are open to visits. For some, you can book your tickets online with our Partner Tiqets (click on the link for more info):

 

What about a roundtrip from Paris to the Loire?

If you stay in Paris for a little week, why not visit the Loire Valley?

This is a great opportunity to explore two French Renaissance castles and taste real French aristocracy from the 16th and 17th centuries.

You can opt for a live guide to take you on a tour or walk around the charming castles on your own with audio commentary.

You can also choose to visit the Chateau of Chambord with a wine-tasting experience and experience the unique, fruity tastes of the Loire Valley

>> Click here to find out more about entrance tickets << to the Chateaux de Chenonceau and Chambord (or Amboise, depending on the season and day)

Roundtrip transport from Paris on an air-conditioned coach.

Map of the 10 most beautiful chateaux of the Loire by French Moments
Map of the 10 most beautiful chateaux of the Loire by French Moments

 

Chambord

Chambord Castle © Arnaud_Scherer - licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Chateaux of the Loire: Chambord © Arnaud_Scherer – licence [CC BY-SA 4.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Prestigious, majestic, colossal, extravagant…

These adjectives may not be enough to describe the splendour of Chambord fully.

The largest chateau of the Loire Valley is indeed full of surprises for those lucky enough to explore its domain. This remarkable piece of architecture is certainly more than just a castle: it is the dream of a King transformed into reality.

Find out more about Chambord.

> Get your entrance ticket to the château of Chambord <

Instant ticket delivery + Skip the line + Smartphone tickets accepted

 

Blois

Blois Castle © Tango7174 (CC BY-SA 4
Chateaux of the Loire: Blois © Tango7174 (CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0) via Wikimedia Commons

Of all the Royal Châteaux in France, Blois is certainly not to be missed when visiting the Valley of the Loire.

Organised around the main courtyard, Blois Castle is a fabulous palace with several wings totalling 564 rooms and 75 staircases, 100 bedrooms and a fireplace in each room!

Find out more about Blois Castle.

> Get your entrance ticket to the château of Blois <

Instant ticket delivery + Skip the line + Smartphone tickets accepted

 

Cheverny

Cheverny Castle © Jean-Christophe BENOIST - licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Chateaux of the Loire: Cheverny © Jean-Christophe BENOIST – licence [CC BY 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Cheverny Castle was built in the first half of the 17th century in a perfectly symmetrical design.

The façade is made up of gleaming white stones from the local quarries of the Cher Valley. A beautiful English-style garden surrounds the castle.

Cheverny lent its traits to the fictional “Château de Moulinsart” (Marlinspike Hall) in Hergé’s Tintin comic books.

 

Amboise

Amboise Castle © Christophe
Chateaux of the Loire: Amboise © Christophe.Finot – licence [CC BY-SA 2.5] from Wikimedia Commons

Amboise lies on the Touraine province’s eastern borders, symbolising for many a “douceur de vivre” and the Garden of France.

The chateau is on a high rocky promontory that dominates the city and the River Loire.

Its name is closely associated with Leonardo Da Vinci, who resided in the nearby mansion of Le Clos-Lucé.

Find out more about Amboise Castle.

> Get your entrance ticket to the château of Amboise <

Instant ticket delivery + Skip the line + Smartphone tickets accepted

 

Chenonceau

Chateaux of the Loire - Chenonceau © Ra-smit [GFDL (http-::www.gnu.org:copyleft:fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
Chateaux of the Loire: Chenonceau © Ra-smit [GFDL (http-::www.gnu.org:copyleft:fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

With its arches spanning the River Cher, the castle of Chenonceau is arguably one of the most famous and romantic chateaux of the Loire.

The château was inhabited by great women such as Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de’ Medici, who added the famous wing spanning the river.

> Get your entrance ticket to the château of Chenonceau <

Instant ticket delivery + Skip the line + Smartphone tickets accepted

 

Villandry

Chateaux of the Loire - Villandry © Craig Rettig
Chateaux of the Loire: Villandry © Craig Rettig

Villandry is a Renaissance estate and castle best known for its beautiful formal gardens made up of endless geometric parterres edged in carefully manicured and clipped boxwood.

Villandry contains one of the last of the grand Renaissance chateaux built in the Loire Valley and today attracts more than 350,000 visitors per year who come here to admire the beautiful, diverse and harmonious estate’s delicate setting.

Find out more about Villandry.

> Get your entrance ticket to the château of Villandry <

Instant ticket delivery + Skip the line + Smartphone tickets accepted

 

Ussé

Chateaux of the Loire - Ussé © Manfred Heyde - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Chateaux of the Loire: Ussé © Manfred Heyde – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The château of Ussé is also locally known as Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

Indeed, French fairy-teller Charles Perrault had the castle of Ussé in mind when writing the classic fairytale.

In the 15th century, the medieval fortress was partly rebuilt to incorporate some Renaissance features. With its medieval towers, dormant windows, roofs pierced with elegant chimneys and Renaissance courtyard, Ussé will leave an unforgettable souvenir to its visitors.

 

Azay-le-Rideau

Chateaux of the Loire - Azay-le-Rideau © Aubry Françon - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Chateaux of the Loire: Azay-le-Rideau © Aubry Françon – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

Azay-le-Rideau certainly stands in one of the most romantic places in the Loire Valley.

The chateau is set on an island of the Indre River, whose water reflects its fine façade.

This masterpiece of Renaissance architecture features all the refinement, elegance and grace expected of a Loire château. The surrounding garden has been landscaped in the English style.

Find out more about Azay-le-Rideau.

> Get your entrance ticket to the château of Azay-le-Rideau <

Instant ticket delivery + Skip the line + Smartphone tickets accepted

 

Chinon

Chateaux of the Loire - Chinon © Franck Badaire — Fonds documentaire du Conseil Général d'Indre-et-Loire - licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons
Chateaux of the Loire: Chinon © Franck Badaire — Fonds documentaire du Conseil Général d’Indre-et-Loire – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The medieval castle of Chinon was built in the 12th century on a rocky outcrop above the Vienne River.

Chinon is closely associated with the great History of France, particularly from the 12th to the 15th centuries.

This is where Joan of Arc met the French king, claiming to have heard heavenly voices to deliver the kingdom of France from the English occupation.

Although not a typical Renaissance château of the Loire Valley, Chinon Castle is nevertheless one of the greatest fortresses in France and is being restored to its former glory.

> Get your entrance ticket to the château of Chinon <

Instant ticket delivery + Skip the line + Smartphone tickets accepted

 

Saumur

Chateaux of the Loire - Saumur © Coucouoeuf - licence [CC BY-SA 3
Chateaux of the Loire: Saumur © Coucouoeuf – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The château of Saumur overlooks the confluence of the Loire and the Thouet Rivers. It also offers a fine view of the town of Saumur, which lies at its foot. It was initially built in the 10th century, which makes it one of France’s oldest castles.

The fortress was depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry as it appeared in 1410.

Saumur Castle was one of the few fairytale castles in Europe to inspire Walt Disney for his Sleeping Beauty castle.

 

Where to stay near the chateaux of the Loire?

This map will help you find your accommodation in the Loire Valley according to location and prices. It is anchored in the city of Tours, so you’ll have to zoom it out to display the whole region:


Booking.com

 

 

Pin it for later

Did you like what you read? Pin it on Pinterest:

My Top 10 Most Beautiful Chateaux of the Loire

Discover my top 10 chateaux of the Loire © French Moments

Gems of Paris by French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of Discovery Courses and books about France.

Like it? Leave a comment!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. A little bit off the beaten track (on the edge of the Loire Valley) you will also find this special castle:

    https://youtu.be/GaApN9e2e2s

    The name of this castle is Chateau de Courtanvaux. It is located in the Loir Valley (so without -e), a tributary of the Loire River.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

Transparency: Some blog posts and pages may contain affiliate or sponsored links. If you are planning a trip, the use of these links helps us to run the site. There is no additional cost to you. All you have to do is click on the link and any booking you make is automatically tracked. Thank you for your support!

Escape to France with every email! Get insider insights, travel guides, cultural gems delivered and exclusive offers to your inbox twice a week. Your journey to Paris and France begins when you sign up!

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER AND GET THE FREE EBOOK

20 OFFBEAT PLACES IN PARIS

Ebook 20 amazing offbeat places in Paris front cover