[…] de Montpoupon in the Loire Valley, just 10 minutes from Château de Chenonceau, is an excellent example of what can be done to make a small family château attractive to the […]
[…] de Chenonceau has always been one of my favourites and is definitely among the top ten châteaux in the Loire. In recent years, we’ve cycled along the path on the opposite side several times and taken some […]
[…] is very popular in the Loire Valley. What a wonderful way to see the famous châteaux! This photo was taken late afternoon, opposite Chaumont, which is a 15 minute drive from […]
[…] This beautiful stone monumental staircase, of the octogonal turret type, with its finely sculpted newel, embrasures and capitals, graces the François I wing of the Royal Castle of Blois. […]
[…] Château de Chambord, designed as a hunting lodge by François I in 1519, has more than 300 fireplaces which are much less decorative than those of Blois Castle. Despite their dimensions, they were hard put to heat the enormous rooms […]
What a wonderful write up on the Chateaux of Loire Valley. There are so many here and one is spoilt for choice but your write up was great, and help your readers narrow down which one to visit. Great photos too!!
Rosemary Kneipp
January 28th, 2014 at 9:58 pm
Thank you so much! I’m working on a second series of lesser known châteaux now.
Pamela McDonald
April 6th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Dear Rosemary
Such beautiful photos! Bring back happy memories of years ago when we had a camping holiday in the Loire Valley. Visited all except Usse and Valencay, which look so lovely in these photos, and loved them all. Wonderful that they were so different one from another. I think my favourite, from the outside anyway, might have been Azay le Rideau, because it’s so like a little castle in a fairy tale. We camped in the grounds (there was a small proper camping area back then) and it was so romantic to wake up to. Best wishes, Pamela
Rosemary Kneipp
April 7th, 2014 at 9:36 am
Azay le Rideau is one of my favourites too. I imagine how romantic it must have been to wake up to it in the morning!
[…] gables. It was built in 1818 in the style of Louis XII and modelled on the Louis XII wing of the Blois Royal Castle combining the Gothic tradition with the early Italianate […]
This is such a great round-up of the main castles to visit and I’m ashamed to say I’ve only been to one! I’ve driven through the area many times and have been to a few weddings near by with the intention of visiting a castle on the Sunday, but somehow it’s never happened. So I’ve only been to Villandry which I loved and MUST get to some more soon. Thanks for linking up with #AllAbout France Rosemary, this is an excellent post for my linky.
Rosemary Kneipp
February 19th, 2015 at 7:21 pm
One castle out of ten! You’ll have to improve your score – and come and visit me. #AllAbout France is a great link-up and I’m sure readers are going to appreciate it.
[…] on posts about France from bloggers across the glob. I’ve contributed my post on the Ten Top Châteaux in the Loire Valley. As I’m writing she already has 16 other participants, including such diverse subjects as the […]
What a great post! My husband and I toured the Loire valley about 15 years ago and saw most of these. It was a wonderful trip and we’ve been talking about doing it again. I’ll definitely refer back to this post for guidance when we are ready to go. Thanks for sharing this!
Rosemary Kneipp
February 20th, 2015 at 6:01 pm
And when you do, Margo, I hope you’ll let me know so we can meet up!
This is such a wonderful round-up of chateaux in the Loire! I’ve been to all but Valençay and Ussé (didn’t realize it inspired Sleeping Beauty’s castle!), and you are right – each one is unique in its own way. I love the elegance of Chenonceau sweeping over the river and the sheer massiveness of Chambord. And although I never went into the chateau of Villandry, its gardens are absolutely beautiful. They are so diverse and you are right – each offers something different. It amazes me just how many there are in the Loire Valley alone to see!
Rosemary Kneipp
February 20th, 2015 at 6:00 pm
Thank you Sara. You’ve done pretty well with 8! And, as you say, there are lots more to come! Montpoupon is another of my favourites.
I was in the Loire Valley many years ago whilst inter-railing with friends. However funds were running low, the temperature was at an all time hot and we spent our limited time there trying to keep cool whilst not spending any money … so didn’t get to visit any châteaux. I so need to go back now and discover some of these wonderful buildings. #AllAboutFrance
Rosemary Kneipp
February 21st, 2015 at 9:11 pm
That sounds like my first trip to Spain. Travelling on a shoe string doesn’t always make for the best visits!
Natalie
February 22nd, 2015 at 2:11 am
I was so pleased to find your blog and this article (along with many others). My family and I are travelling from Australia to the Loire Valley and Paris this year so you have provided some wonderful information!
Rosemary Kneipp
February 22nd, 2015 at 8:51 pm
Hello Nathalie, and welcome to Aussie in France. I do hope you enjoy your trip to the Loire Valley and Paris. Tomorrow, I’m publishing a second post on 4 lesser known chateaux.
Hi Rosemary! Love this post! We did a Loire Valley road trip for Christmas 2013, and hit about half of these chateau. We didn’t have a ton of time, so we skipped several of the interiors, but we like to say that we’re saving them for later! The exteriors are so incredible and overwhelming, that it was really enough for us the first time around. We’re excited to go back someday and really invest in some of our favorites from before and some new ones as well! Thanks for this list of 10, and the beautiful photos!
Our “Chateaux Hopper Passes, Please” experience can be found here: http://whatupswags.blogspot.fr/2013/12/chateaux-hopper-passes-please.html
Rosemary Kneipp
February 22nd, 2015 at 8:49 pm
Hi Christy, glad you enjoyed it. There are so many qhâteaux (and you’ll find another 4 in my post tomorrow) that you need to come back several times. Thanks for the link to “Chateaux Hopper Passes”.
[…] is very popular in the Loire Valley. What a wonderful way to see the famous châteaux! This photo was taken late afternoon, opposite Chaumont, which is a 15 minute drive from […]
[…] and châteaux you are interested in. I have written several posts that might help you particularly Ten Top Châteaux in the Loire Valley and Secret Châteaux of the Loire : Langais, Montsavin, Montpoupon and […]
[…] am not a great fan of sound & light shows but I think I should go to the one at Blois Castle so I can recommend it (or not) to visitors. As residents of Blois, we have free passes to the […]
Thanks for this compilation. We have gone to see the Loire castles and bring back some of the essentials to integrate in modern day inspirations of French architecture. The compromises must be great unless one currently has the resources of the French kings during the Renaissance and beyond. The walls are thick, the stone work and detailing amazing, the windows are heavy carved wood frames, tall ceilings, and then there are the furnishings. The fireplaces are especially inventive. To see what I have been able to translate for modern period houses, please see my portfolio here: http://www.dreamhomedesignusa.com/
Rosemary Kneipp
December 16th, 2016 at 9:23 pm
Our own walls are 70 centimetres thick (the house is 400 years old) and we have a beautiful Renaissance fireplace we renovated a few years ago. You might like to have a look at http://www.closeriefalaiseau.com. It’s very special to live in such an historical home even though it was only a bourgeois dwelling.
Loire Valley is such a landmark with its various, elegant and authentic castles. Each time I read about it I get more tempted to make the trip and this time is no exception. Rejoicing about the idea of a castle tour, that would be fantastic!
Thank you for sharing, Rosemary!
Rosemary Kneipp
January 18th, 2017 at 9:51 pm
Thank you, Frederic, we love the area we’ve chosen to live in and Blois is ideally situated :).
[…] (9/9/17) One more chateau visit today, before heading farther south. This is Chateau de Chenonceau, which is really beautiful because it spans the River Cher. It is nicknamed “The Ladies Castle”, because it was “built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, decorated by Diane de Poitiers, extended by Catherine de Médicis and saved by Louise Dupin during the French Revolution.” (quote is from a blog post about the top ten Chateaux in the Loire Valley) […]
[…] offers a host of possibilities. A four-night stay is probably the minimum you would need to see the major châteaux which fall into two groups: Chenonceau, Chambord, Cheverny, Chaumont, and the royal castles of […]
Top Ten Chateaux in the Loire Valley http://t.co/bvzoamRFWA
RT @AussieFrance: Top Ten Chateaux in the Loire Valley http://t.co/wXHOQKbJZ7 #France
The photo of Chenonceau reflected in the river is really lovely. A great overview of the chateaux.
Thank you. I love that photo too. The light was just perfect that day as we rode along the river bank opposite the château.
Top Ten Chateaux in the Loire Valley http://t.co/bpgXmShJxQ via @aussiefrance
RT @destinationeu: Top Ten Chateaux in the Loire Valley http://t.co/bpgXmShJxQ via @aussiefrance
I thought Ussé was known as Sleeping Beauty’s castle primarily because it inspired Perrault, rather than Walt Disney (although perhaps him too).
Hello Gwan. Yes, you’re perfectly right. Perrault stayed at Ussé several times in the early 1700s. My information was not complete.
[…] de Montpoupon in the Loire Valley, just 10 minutes from Château de Chenonceau, is an excellent example of what can be done to make a small family château attractive to the […]
[…] de Chenonceau has always been one of my favourites and is definitely among the top ten châteaux in the Loire. In recent years, we’ve cycled along the path on the opposite side several times and taken some […]
[…] is very popular in the Loire Valley. What a wonderful way to see the famous châteaux! This photo was taken late afternoon, opposite Chaumont, which is a 15 minute drive from […]
[…] This beautiful stone monumental staircase, of the octogonal turret type, with its finely sculpted newel, embrasures and capitals, graces the François I wing of the Royal Castle of Blois. […]
[…] Château de Chambord, designed as a hunting lodge by François I in 1519, has more than 300 fireplaces which are much less decorative than those of Blois Castle. Despite their dimensions, they were hard put to heat the enormous rooms […]
[…] is an island opposite the Royal Castle of Amboise called Ile d’Or or the Golden Island. Today it shone under the combined effect of sun and […]
What a wonderful write up on the Chateaux of Loire Valley. There are so many here and one is spoilt for choice but your write up was great, and help your readers narrow down which one to visit. Great photos too!!
Thank you so much! I’m working on a second series of lesser known châteaux now.
Dear Rosemary
Such beautiful photos! Bring back happy memories of years ago when we had a camping holiday in the Loire Valley. Visited all except Usse and Valencay, which look so lovely in these photos, and loved them all. Wonderful that they were so different one from another. I think my favourite, from the outside anyway, might have been Azay le Rideau, because it’s so like a little castle in a fairy tale. We camped in the grounds (there was a small proper camping area back then) and it was so romantic to wake up to. Best wishes, Pamela
Azay le Rideau is one of my favourites too. I imagine how romantic it must have been to wake up to it in the morning!
[…] gables. It was built in 1818 in the style of Louis XII and modelled on the Louis XII wing of the Blois Royal Castle combining the Gothic tradition with the early Italianate […]
This is such a great round-up of the main castles to visit and I’m ashamed to say I’ve only been to one! I’ve driven through the area many times and have been to a few weddings near by with the intention of visiting a castle on the Sunday, but somehow it’s never happened. So I’ve only been to Villandry which I loved and MUST get to some more soon. Thanks for linking up with #AllAbout France Rosemary, this is an excellent post for my linky.
One castle out of ten! You’ll have to improve your score – and come and visit me. #AllAbout France is a great link-up and I’m sure readers are going to appreciate it.
It’s a plan!
[…] on posts about France from bloggers across the glob. I’ve contributed my post on the Ten Top Châteaux in the Loire Valley. As I’m writing she already has 16 other participants, including such diverse subjects as the […]
What a great post! My husband and I toured the Loire valley about 15 years ago and saw most of these. It was a wonderful trip and we’ve been talking about doing it again. I’ll definitely refer back to this post for guidance when we are ready to go. Thanks for sharing this!
And when you do, Margo, I hope you’ll let me know so we can meet up!
This is such a wonderful round-up of chateaux in the Loire! I’ve been to all but Valençay and Ussé (didn’t realize it inspired Sleeping Beauty’s castle!), and you are right – each one is unique in its own way. I love the elegance of Chenonceau sweeping over the river and the sheer massiveness of Chambord. And although I never went into the chateau of Villandry, its gardens are absolutely beautiful. They are so diverse and you are right – each offers something different. It amazes me just how many there are in the Loire Valley alone to see!
Thank you Sara. You’ve done pretty well with 8! And, as you say, there are lots more to come! Montpoupon is another of my favourites.
I was in the Loire Valley many years ago whilst inter-railing with friends. However funds were running low, the temperature was at an all time hot and we spent our limited time there trying to keep cool whilst not spending any money … so didn’t get to visit any châteaux. I so need to go back now and discover some of these wonderful buildings. #AllAboutFrance
That sounds like my first trip to Spain. Travelling on a shoe string doesn’t always make for the best visits!
I was so pleased to find your blog and this article (along with many others). My family and I are travelling from Australia to the Loire Valley and Paris this year so you have provided some wonderful information!
Hello Nathalie, and welcome to Aussie in France. I do hope you enjoy your trip to the Loire Valley and Paris. Tomorrow, I’m publishing a second post on 4 lesser known chateaux.
Hi Rosemary! Love this post! We did a Loire Valley road trip for Christmas 2013, and hit about half of these chateau. We didn’t have a ton of time, so we skipped several of the interiors, but we like to say that we’re saving them for later! The exteriors are so incredible and overwhelming, that it was really enough for us the first time around. We’re excited to go back someday and really invest in some of our favorites from before and some new ones as well! Thanks for this list of 10, and the beautiful photos!
Our “Chateaux Hopper Passes, Please” experience can be found here:
http://whatupswags.blogspot.fr/2013/12/chateaux-hopper-passes-please.html
Hi Christy, glad you enjoyed it. There are so many qhâteaux (and you’ll find another 4 in my post tomorrow) that you need to come back several times. Thanks for the link to “Chateaux Hopper Passes”.
What a fabulous post and beautiful photos, thank you
[…] top ten châteaux and castles in the Loire Valley are the four “Cs” – Chenonceau, Chambord, Cheverny and Chaumont – […]
[…] is very popular in the Loire Valley. What a wonderful way to see the famous châteaux! This photo was taken late afternoon, opposite Chaumont, which is a 15 minute drive from […]
[…] and châteaux you are interested in. I have written several posts that might help you particularly Ten Top Châteaux in the Loire Valley and Secret Châteaux of the Loire : Langais, Montsavin, Montpoupon and […]
[…] am not a great fan of sound & light shows but I think I should go to the one at Blois Castle so I can recommend it (or not) to visitors. As residents of Blois, we have free passes to the […]
Thanks for this compilation. We have gone to see the Loire castles and bring back some of the essentials to integrate in modern day inspirations of French architecture. The compromises must be great unless one currently has the resources of the French kings during the Renaissance and beyond. The walls are thick, the stone work and detailing amazing, the windows are heavy carved wood frames, tall ceilings, and then there are the furnishings. The fireplaces are especially inventive. To see what I have been able to translate for modern period houses, please see my portfolio here: http://www.dreamhomedesignusa.com/
Our own walls are 70 centimetres thick (the house is 400 years old) and we have a beautiful Renaissance fireplace we renovated a few years ago. You might like to have a look at http://www.closeriefalaiseau.com. It’s very special to live in such an historical home even though it was only a bourgeois dwelling.
Loire Valley is such a landmark with its various, elegant and authentic castles. Each time I read about it I get more tempted to make the trip and this time is no exception. Rejoicing about the idea of a castle tour, that would be fantastic!
Thank you for sharing, Rosemary!
Thank you, Frederic, we love the area we’ve chosen to live in and Blois is ideally situated :).
[…] (9/9/17) One more chateau visit today, before heading farther south. This is Chateau de Chenonceau, which is really beautiful because it spans the River Cher. It is nicknamed “The Ladies Castle”, because it was “built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, decorated by Diane de Poitiers, extended by Catherine de Médicis and saved by Louise Dupin during the French Revolution.” (quote is from a blog post about the top ten Chateaux in the Loire Valley) […]
[…] and Ten Top Châteaux in the Loire Valley http://www.aussieinfrance.com/2013/04/top-ten-chateaux-in-the-loire-valley/ for further […]
[…] offers a host of possibilities. A four-night stay is probably the minimum you would need to see the major châteaux which fall into two groups: Chenonceau, Chambord, Cheverny, Chaumont, and the royal castles of […]