Loire Valley chateaux: The beauty, space and spectacle of France's castle houses
Is A Spanning De Loire Castle, Valley The Chenonceau River French Cher, Chenonceaux, Chateau Near
To visit the chateaux of the Loire is to re-live history, to potter along corridors walked by royalty, to imagine romantic trysts, whispered plans for changing history and deadly embraces.
The longest river in France with a length of 1,006km, the Loire weaves its way through the garden of France punctuated with the most beautiful castles, gardens and vineyards.
There is opulence in every eyeful. Chateaux sit at commanding and defensive standpoints, surrounded by moats, parallelograms of trees on long avenues. Get closer and the devil is in the detail.
Pristine box hedging is trimmed, as if with a nail scissors, to enclose roses, herbs, medicinal plants.
Step across a moat to witness time standing still, with original tapestries, paintings, sculptures, the centuries-worn tiles and wood floors that have seen gliding, stately dancing in extravagant ballgowns.
A region with perfect weather for the growing of grapes for wine, underlines the luxury. The French know how to live in the present while honoring their past. We can do that too on a visit that will deliver food for mind and body.
Built in 1536, the chateau and gardens of is one of the grandest of the Loire valley. The many owners include Emperor Napoleon’s brother Jérôme Bonaparte.
In 1906, it was bought by current owner Henri Cavallo’s grandfather Joachim, a doctor and researcher from Spain.
By then a run-down castle, the Cavallo family added vibrant Spanish paintings and tapestries, restored elegant arcades, the polished parquet flooring and original mullioned windows which overlook the valley of the Cher and Loire rivers.
The vast classical Renaissance gardens are notable for their water garden, maze, 50km of low box hedges and yew topiary and 1,000 linden trees which line walkways.
The blend of manicured and casual gardens, managed organically, results from what Henri Cavallo describes as “allowing nature to prosper”.
Fresh fruit and vegetables from the gardens are served in the delightful chateau restaurant La Doulce Terrasse.
Located close to the entrance, there is also a kiosk for sandwiches and coffee. A World Heritage Site, it’s just 39 minutes by bus from Tours.
While the gardens open every day 9.30am-7pm except 25 December, see the website for chateau opening times and to book the restaurant.
- Chateau and gardens €13. Garden only, €8.
- chateauvillandry.fr
‘Castle Life with a touch of contemporary art’ is the description given by owner Patricia Laigneauwho, with her husband Éric, who, in 1992 bought , a 15th century medieval fortified castle.
There are royal stables where, in 1429, Joan of Arc collected her horses before battle at the Siege of Orléans. The saint is well represented in artworks throughout the castle.
Energetic and creative, this art historian has provided a haven for contemporary artists who are given space to exhibit.
It’s child friendly and has fantastical, mythical figures and space to run around. Flower beds are patrolled by white peacocks and all the roses here are fragrant, heritage species interspersed with grasses and local plants.
Good for a day’s visit with children. There are seven bedrooms/suites from €250. Le Jardin Secret restaurant and La Table des Fées are open to non-residents.
- Situated 10km from Chinon and Richelieu, taxi is easiest. €12.50, children €7.50. Open March-November.
- chateaudurivau.com
The is a 16th century privately owned embodiment of elegance.
With arches striding the river Cher, a tributary of the Loire, the bridge defines the shape of the late Gothic and early Renaissance chateau. Over the arches are galleries with chandeliers and tiled floors which echo the dances and liaisons dangereuses of its vigorous past.
Also known as The Ladies’ Chateau, residents included King Henry ll’s mistress Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Medici, Louise de Lorraine (the wife of King Henry lll) and Louise Dupin, feminist and patron of academics.
Skip a few centuries to the First World War and Chenonceau is used as a military hospital, funded by Henri Menier, the chocolate manufacturer, whose family now owns the chateau.
The castle has its own full time florist, the master craftsman of France Jean François Boucher, who gives masterclasses in flower arranging. Two hours for €80 per persom includes access to the castle and gardens. Book at chenonceau.com.
The chateau supplies produce to the restaurants and cafes including the charming Orangerie which serves a delicious blend of Franco-Italian dishes. There are also picnic areas. Open every day, all year from 9.30am. closing times vary by season.
- Château and gardens, €17 adult, €14 children.
- chateaudechenonceau.com
Château Louise de la Vallière is where the stresses of life will melt away, and pampering and total immersion in history can be taken in whatever doses you need.
Staff members are dressed in period costume, service is impeccable, and the owner — Bulgarian-born Mira Grebenstein — tells of how Louise, from humble birth, became the future Duchesse de La Vallière and King Louis XIV’s great, true love spent time in this 16th century chateau near Amboise.
Now a Relais & Châteaux hotel, she bought it in 2018 and had it renovated tastefully and accurately. Picture yourself in the Champagne bar which boasts 65 different Champagnes, a homage to the king’s penchant for bubbles. Long live the king!
The excellent 40-seater restaurant uses produce from the garden and is open to non-residents. Stuffed artichokes are sublime.
Formal gardens, horseback riding, rental of the Morgan parked outside, swimming pool and spa are all on offer to guests. Only children over 14 are accepted to stay. Dogs are welcome.
- Open all year, including Christmas Rooms from €300.
- chateaulouise.com
From the symmetry of vast formal chateau gardens, visit the free-form Jardins Haute Couture where creations of Paris-born Coral Miles are bursting with energy.
An Oxford graduate of Russian and French, she turned to her passion for plants and design, studying garden architecture and indulging her other passions for history and art.
The unkempt manor house and barren gardens with huge potential for regeneration was a perfect project for her.
“We wanted to show the aesthetics of a gravel garden, planting Italian cypresses, creating ponds and hidden gardens with scented flowers and herbs, building beehives, for a sensory experience with nods to historical figures,” Ms Miles shared.
Seven bedrooms enjoy views of Loire Valley with Coral’s mother’s artwork peppering the house.
- Bed & Breakfast is €125 with access to the gardens and swimming pool. Cocktails and main meals are made from chemical-free garden produce.
- Garden visits from €5. Open May to September. Bed & Breakfast open all year, except Christmas and New Year period.
- Locates in Huismes, 12 minutes by road from Chinon, no children under 12 can be accommodated and no dogs due to delicate fabrics in the house.
- jardinshautecouture.fr.
Château de Rochecotte is less a castle experience, more a very good four-star hotel and gourmet restaurant, and the spot to chill and enjoy being spoiled.
The Duchess of Dino and the Prince of Talleyrand walked these gardens and wooded parks, but today there is a more hedonistic feel with luxurious rooms, spa treatments, terraces for enjoying drinks, looking down at the outdoor heated pool.
The gourmet restaurant delivers fresh produce and an exceptional cheeseboard devised by third generation three sisters of the welcoming Pasquier family, Emmanuelle, Isabelle and Christelle.
- Located at Saint Patrice, 35 minutes from Tours and Saumur. Open all year, rooms from €149.
- chateau-de-rochecotte.com
Between Vouvray and Amboise Château de Noizay is a five-star hotel in a 16th century castle.
With 19 bedrooms, a pool and beautiful gardens it is the height of luxury with exceptional food. Rooms from €230.
Restaurant Les Jardiniers, garden and Domaine du Moribot truffle farm. Chef Martin Bolaers was recently awarded a prestigious Michelin Green Star for his sustainable approach to gastronomy.
The freshest of fruit, aromatic plants, edible flowers and vegetables from the 5000 square metres of garden zing with clean flavours which excite. Biodynamic wines accompany.
The restaurant uses truffles from the adjoining farm, and Chef Bolaers gives truffle cookery classes in the adjoining Cookery Academy.
Richard Galland nurtures 20,000 truffle plants on 12 hectares nearby at Domaine du Moribot. Spores are injected at the base of mainly oak trees for black truffles in winter, white in summer. Dogs are used to snuffle out the truffles. Fascinating.
- Restaurant open Wednesday – Saturday. restaurantlesjardiniers.fr
- For truffle events and cookery demonstrations: academiedelatruffe.com
- 11 rue des Douces, Ligré, 5km from Chinon
8 km from Tours, wines produced here can be tasted, and gardens tours include a walk through Italian style hanging gardens and a 1524 troglodytic chapel. A large kitchen garden includes edible flowers and pears growing in bottles (that’s how they do it).
€12. Open end April – end September, Wednesday – Sunday 2-8pm, other times by appointment.
Tasting and cellar tours take you through 3km of troglodytic galleries with explanations of production of still and sparkling wines.
- Entrance: €5
- 38 rue de la Vallée Coquette, Vouvray
- For seasonal opening hours: cavedevouvray.com
Geoffrey Nivard pairs wine with top local charcuterie, and local beers with local cheeses in various locations.
Run by Galway native Niamh Dignam, €65 pp for daytime tours.
- €100 for aperitif or dinner tours.
- foodtoursintours.com
- : Try their figs stuffed with foie gras.
- Superb cheeses, but also try the escargots in bread shells.
- Fabien Heller sources good charcuterie, cheeses, wines. Domaine de Mouton Noir Vouvray very good.
- are open-air cafés with good, casual food, reasonably priced wines and beer, and DJs to dance, dance, dance. Usually dotted along quay walls throughout Touraine area
- Fly from Dublin with Aer Lingus and from Cork with Air France to Paris CDG. Take the TGV directly from the airport to Tours.
- Ferry distance to Tours: from Roscoff, 4.5 hours' drive; from Cherbourg, 3.5 hours.
- Hotel Oceania Universe 4-star in Tours has pool, spa, hammam. 5 Boulevard Heurteloup. Rooms around €150, oceaniahotels.com
- Roz was a guest of Touraine Loire Valley: touraineloirevalley.com