Detailed map of Châteaux de la Loire

The Loire Valley and its castles

Most of the Châteaux de la Loire were built during the First and Second Hundred Years' Wars, on the banks of the Loire or its tributaries.
They were then redeveloped during the Renaissance, when they lost their defensive vocation.
Between Orléans and Angers, the Loire Valley boasts an exceptional concentration of châteaux with rich and remarkable architecture.
The châteaux of the Loire Valley are spread over an area 240 km long, between the Château de Serrant at Saint-Georges-sur-Loire in the west, and the Château de Sully-sur-Loire in the east, stretching across the regions of Touraine, Centre Val de Loire, Indre et Loire, Loire Atlantique and Pays de la Loire.
The most northerly of the Loire châteaux is Le Lude, 45 km from the river, halfway between Tours and Angers.
The southernmost château is Le Rivau in the commune of Lémeré, 10 km from the Loire between Tours and Saumur.

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Detailed map of the Châteaux de la Loire

The châteaux of the Loire Valley include some internationally renowned sites. Most of them are royal castles located around the city of Tours, the former capital of the French kingdom: Amboise, Chenonceau, Chambord and Blois are all Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Other royal castles are scattered along the Loire west of Tours: the fortress of Chinon, the Château de Langeais with its working drawbridge, as well as the Château de Saumur and the Château d'Angers, both residences of King René d'Anjou.

Other famous Loire châteaux boast exceptional architecture, even though they are not royal castles. These include

The masterpiece château of Azay-le-RideauThe château de Brézé, with the deepest moat in EuropeThe château de Brissac, the highest château in FranceThe château de Chaumont-sur-Loire, successively owned by Catherine de Médicis and Diane de PoitiersThe château de Cheverny, the inspiration for Hergé's MoulinsartThe Clos Lucé in Amboise, Leonardo da Vinci's last homeThe Château de Montsoreau, built in the very bed of the LoireThe Château d'Ussé in Rigny-Ussé, which inspired Perrault to write his fairy tale Sleeping BeautyThe Château de Villandry for its internationally renowned gardens. The region is also ideal for strolling along the many cycle routes along the banks of the Loire.

There are many other châteaux de la Loire to discover, which may not always have welcomed the greatest historical figures, but are nonetheless of immense architectural interest. These include the Château de Montreuil-Bellay near Saumur, for its elegance above the Thouet river and the fascinating anecdotes that await visitors; the Château de Talcy in the Loir-et-Cher region, for the surprises that await visitors every time they open their doors; the Château du Rivau in Lémeré, for its offbeat exhibitions, chivalry tournaments and unusual gardens; and the Château du Plessis-Bourré in Écueillé, for its incredible moat that gives it the appearance of rising out of the water.