Great pics with interesting info to tempt. I haven’t visited for more than 20 years so it’s time I went back.
Rosemary Kneipp
April 4th, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Thank you! We’ve just revisited most of the major châteaux. The changes are amazing. Chaumont and Cheverny are absolute musts, particularly Chaumont in May/June when the annual garden festival will probably be at its best. Cheverny has an extraordinary number of bulbs, so April is probably the best time – if it ever warms up!
Good thing you pointed out the staircase error. The Centre National des Monuments Historiques has put my post on their FB page.
Pamela
April 4th, 2013 at 3:34 pm
Dear Rosemary
How lovely! We visited Azay-le-Rideau in April 1970 and were able to camp in the garden at that time. After seeing the majestic wonders of Chambord, Amboise, Langeais etc it was a lovely jewel box, like a traditional fairy tale castle. Early in the morning we went for a walk in the garden and there was still a little mist above the water and drifting by the towers. We were quite alone. It was as though we had stepped back in time into a fairytale world. Our favourite too. Best wishes, Pamela
Avis Darlow
October 27th, 2013 at 11:17 am
This château is really superb. Very much doubt if you actually camped in the gardens of the château – more than likely you camped in the adjoining Municipal Campsite. Whilst at the campsite it is wonderful to hear the son et lumière which is performed at the château each evening. We visited Azay-le-Rideau this September on a memory lane trip – we were last there with caravan at the campsite 32 years ago so it was very “moving” to walk round the campsite again after all those years – this time without caravan as we were touring
Avis
Rosemary Kneipp
October 27th, 2013 at 2:12 pm
Yes, thank you for making a comment. It’s beautiful isn’t it? Only Pamela can tell us if she stayed in the gardens. Your memory lane trip must have been lovely.
Caroline
December 16th, 2013 at 2:41 am
I was at Azay in the summer of 1967, and it was all very casual back then. There were official tours with a guide, but we were also able to wander all over the place; it was not regimented like a lot of the other larger chateaux I visited. Its still my favourite.
Rosemary Kneipp
December 16th, 2013 at 8:57 pm
Hello Caroline and thank you for stopping by. Azay is beautiful, isn’t it? You can still visit it freely although there are a lot of people these days.
[…] by many to be a “jewel of the French Renaissance”, Château d’Azay le Rideau was built on an island in the Indre River by a rich financier in the early 16th century during the […]
[…] like Azay-le-Rideau, is on the banks of the Indre. Château de Loches, which consists of the 10th to 12th century […]
Lexi
May 14th, 2013 at 3:04 am
Do you know how many rooms are in the castle? I’m doing a project on it and none of the websites I’ve seen say.
Just so you know I’ve put this page down as one of my sources so thank you! 🙂
Hello Lexi, I’ve just received an answer from Azay-le-Rideau via their facebook page: Azay-le-Rideau consists of 15 furnished rooms opened to visitors. There are also 300 sq.m. of 16th century informal gardens – not to mention the tea room and shop which have a surface area of 200 sq.m.
[…] Azay-le-Rideau has always been one of my favourite châteaux in the Loire Valley because of it’s stunning location on an island in the Indre River, although it doesn’t have the majesty of Chambord, Chaumont or Chenonceau, It was built by a rich financier in the early 16th century during the reign of François I. […]
[…] by the royal castles of Amboise and Blois, all of which are located in the same general area, then Azay le Rideau, Ussé and Villandry, which form another geographical group, and Valençay, out on its […]
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau http://t.co/0Za4K6kCCK
I love that fireplace! Will have to go next time we’re down there. Are you familiar with the 15th Century Château d’Ainay-le-Vieil (on the Cher)?
Hi Daisy, no, I don’t know Ainay-le-Vieil, but I’ll put it on my list! I see it’s quite far from us though.
Under the third photo, you’ve called a fireplace a staircase!
Thank you Will! I should have you reread my translations!
Très bel article sur le Château d’Azay le Rideau ! Nous l’avons partagé sur notre page facebook.
Merci!
le Centre des monuments nationaux liked this on Facebook.
Great pics with interesting info to tempt. I haven’t visited for more than 20 years so it’s time I went back.
Thank you! We’ve just revisited most of the major châteaux. The changes are amazing. Chaumont and Cheverny are absolute musts, particularly Chaumont in May/June when the annual garden festival will probably be at its best. Cheverny has an extraordinary number of bulbs, so April is probably the best time – if it ever warms up!
#Azay-le-Rideau is one of my favourite châteaux in the Loire Valley http://t.co/19ITCiUKql
Good thing you pointed out the staircase error. The Centre National des Monuments Historiques has put my post on their FB page.
Dear Rosemary
How lovely! We visited Azay-le-Rideau in April 1970 and were able to camp in the garden at that time. After seeing the majestic wonders of Chambord, Amboise, Langeais etc it was a lovely jewel box, like a traditional fairy tale castle. Early in the morning we went for a walk in the garden and there was still a little mist above the water and drifting by the towers. We were quite alone. It was as though we had stepped back in time into a fairytale world. Our favourite too. Best wishes, Pamela
This château is really superb. Very much doubt if you actually camped in the gardens of the château – more than likely you camped in the adjoining Municipal Campsite. Whilst at the campsite it is wonderful to hear the son et lumière which is performed at the château each evening. We visited Azay-le-Rideau this September on a memory lane trip – we were last there with caravan at the campsite 32 years ago so it was very “moving” to walk round the campsite again after all those years – this time without caravan as we were touring
Avis
Yes, thank you for making a comment. It’s beautiful isn’t it? Only Pamela can tell us if she stayed in the gardens. Your memory lane trip must have been lovely.
I was at Azay in the summer of 1967, and it was all very casual back then. There were official tours with a guide, but we were also able to wander all over the place; it was not regimented like a lot of the other larger chateaux I visited. Its still my favourite.
Hello Caroline and thank you for stopping by. Azay is beautiful, isn’t it? You can still visit it freely although there are a lot of people these days.
[…] by many to be a “jewel of the French Renaissance”, Château d’Azay le Rideau was built on an island in the Indre River by a rich financier in the early 16th century during the […]
[…] like Azay-le-Rideau, is on the banks of the Indre. Château de Loches, which consists of the 10th to 12th century […]
Do you know how many rooms are in the castle? I’m doing a project on it and none of the websites I’ve seen say.
Just so you know I’ve put this page down as one of my sources so thank you! 🙂
Hi, if you go onto the official website, you’ll find a document to download which has a floor plan. The public can visit 13 rooms on the ground and first floors.
http://www.monuments-nationaux.fr/fichier/m_docvisite/184/docvisite_fichier_cha.teau.azay.le.rideau.en.2012.pdf
HTH.
Hello Lexi, I’ve just received an answer from Azay-le-Rideau via their facebook page: Azay-le-Rideau consists of 15 furnished rooms opened to visitors. There are also 300 sq.m. of 16th century informal gardens – not to mention the tea room and shop which have a surface area of 200 sq.m.
[…] Azay-le-Rideau has always been one of my favourite châteaux in the Loire Valley because of it’s stunning location on an island in the Indre River, although it doesn’t have the majesty of Chambord, Chaumont or Chenonceau, It was built by a rich financier in the early 16th century during the reign of François I. […]
[…] go to Azay le Rideau, you need to take a 40-minute trip to Tours by train from Blois (€11.20) and allow another ½ […]
[…] by the royal castles of Amboise and Blois, all of which are located in the same general area, then Azay le Rideau, Ussé and Villandry, which form another geographical group, and Valençay, out on its […]