Discover and book the top La Loire sights
Beautiful 16th century château, one of the top sites to visit in the Loire
Built on the river Cher, the Château de Chenonceau is the epitome of beauty. Château des Dames, as it is recorded in the French history books, owes a large part of its charm to women.
Step back to medieval times at this traditional abbey.
The abbey in St-Benoît-sur-Loire, dates back to the 7th century. It is a well-known Benedictine abbey. The remaining abbey church is one of two originals. The second, dedicated to St Peter, was knocked down in the 18th century. The abbey is thought to contain the remains of St Benedict of Nursia, founder of the Western monastic ways of living, though this is disputed.
Tourist train in the heart of the Loire.
This train dating from 1950s travels from Thoré to Trôo taking in troglodyte dwellings, Saint-Rimay tunnel, the town of Montoire and Varennes and more.
Explore the wonderful gardens of this Renaissance château
Dating back to the 14th century, this Renaissance château was home to many royal mistresses. Nowadays it is visited more for its beautiful grounds which include a vegetable garden with a massive 650 varieties of tomato, the contemporary and colourful Dalhia garden and a medicinal garden. It is possible to stay in the château and take cookery classes there.
Read more about Chateau de La Bourdaisiere, Montlouis-sur-Loire
Visit the prior where poet Rierre de Ronsard was prior.
Founded in the 11th century, this priory has long been a place where pilgrims took shelter en route to Santiago de Compostela. In the 16th century Pierre de Ronsard, the French Renaissance poet, became the prior - the priory still features the prior's house with de Ronsard's workroom. The rose gardens pay an appropriate homage to the poet who is buried in the church apse.
Study Jean of Arc.
The adjacent Joan of Arc Centre, founded in 1974, includes some impressive collections on Jean of Arc: books, pamphlets, engravings, films, documentaries and more. This is the place to pop in, or spend a day, if you want to really study the life and times of Jean of Arc.
Explore the beautiful gardens of this 15th century château
Inhabited without interruption since the late 15th century, the Château de Beauregard is hidden behind the foliage of the forest of Russy. In the early 16th century, it was a small house which formed part of the royal domain of Louis XII and was used by François I as a hunting lodge. Jean du Thier, who worked on the château in the 16th century, is the real designer of much of the château you see today. Beauregard is now owned by the family of Cheyron du Pavilion. It is open to the public, though the family still reside there. The major attraction here is its wonderful gardens, which were declared a historic monument in 1992. A beautifully landscaped park with space dedicated to perennials and shrubs. It also has one of the largest rose gardens in the Loire Valley. Look for remnants of the old chapel amongst the trees and greenery.
Classical Louis XIII designed extravagant château with fine art collection and extensive gardens
Built in the purest Louis XIII classical style and distinguished by an extraordinarily symmetrical architecture, Château de Cheverny dates back to the first part of the 17th century. It is the masterpiece of architect, mason and sculptor, Jaques Bougier and represents the desire for this royal château to be of extreme high quality and design. Inside, it is as you would expect, ornately adorned and beautifully finished. It houses the finest artwork collection of any château in the Loire. The grounds are immaculate with magnificent flowerbeds, ancient Cedar trees and Pines. You can hop on a boat tour along the château's canal. Interestingly, it inspired Tintin author, Hergé, who designed Captain Haddock's Marlinspike Hall based on the château's central structure but with the outer wings removed. The château houses a permanent exhibition on Tintin and his friends.
Visit the house where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years
Home to Leonardo da Vinci during his final years, this house was built in the 15th century and was a gift to da Vinci from King François I. The death of Leonardo da Vinci, on 2nd May 1519, marked the end of an era in the history of the Château du Clos Lucé. Today the château is a listed monument and has been restored in an authentic style, displaying an impressive collection of da Vinci's inventions and machines.
Oldest surviving hospital in France.
This incredible Gothic hospital was constructed in the 12th century for Etienne de Marsay, a chief officer of King Henry II. It is the oldest hospital in existence in France and is an outstanding piece of Angevin history. The former orphanage on the same site is now home to the Jean Lurçat museum which houses further tapestries depicting the Apocalypse.
Regal château on the banks of the Loire and resting place of Leonardo da Vinci
This emblematic monument and its landscaped gardens offer one of the most remarkable panoramas of the Loire Valley. A regal heritage, the Château d'Amboise has been home to Charles VII, Louis XI and Charles VIII. The château is registered as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Still incredibly impressive, the current buildings are just one fifth of the original palace which was destroyed and neglected over the years. Leonardo da Vinci is buried in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert in the château's grounds.
Visit the extensive troglodyte caves used to produce mushrooms and sample the local speciality dish.
Between Saumur and Chinon, on the hillside along the Loire River, you will find Le Saut aux Loups. It was favoured in prehistoric times by men and wolves who found a home here. Since the Middle Ages, there have been limestone quarries in the hillside for the stone required to build the châteaux the region is so famous for. The quarrymen also built the troglodyte houses as lodgings and these have been preserved in their original state here at Le Saut aux Loups. The caves are now home to extensive mushroom production lines and here you can visit their 800 metres of underground galleries before trying the speciality of the house, galipettes, delicious stuffed mushrooms, in their restaurant.
Read more about Champignonniere Le Saut aux Loups, Montsoreau
Take time out in the beautiful Floral Park.
The Floral Park on the outskirts of Orléans came to being in 1963 thanks to architect Louis Arretche, as part of the creation of the district of La Source. Within its 35 hectares of grounds, on the edge of the Loire river, it's a perfect spot for garden lovers, walkers or if you just want to escape the city.
Largest Japanese-themed park in Europe.
This 29-hectare park was part of the Château Colbert at the beginning of the 20th century and was designed with a Japanese theme over the first 15 years of the century. This oriental park became the property of the Maulévrier council in 1980 who began its full restoration. It is the largest Japanese-inspired park in Europe. From May to September you can visit the park at night and experience the magic created by the imaginative lighting.
Discover this world of medicinal plants.
To show how important the medicinal plant sector activity is in the district, a group of producers decided to create a garden of medicinal plants using the garden of Chemillé's town hall. Its name, Camifolia, is inspired by the camomile which was the first medicinal plant to be introduced into the area. Chemillé, where 60 per cent of the Pays de la Loire production is concentrated, is the first French centre for medicinal plants with more than 70 species cultivated over approximately 600 hectares.
This elegant 15th century château remains unaltered since construction
Jean Bourré acquired the estate of Plessis-le Vent in 1462, having been made wealthy by his important position as treasurer and chief advisor to King Louis XI. In 1468, he started building the current château on the site of this ancient manor. It is located between the Sarthe and Mayenne rivers. It only took five years for the building of this masterpiece to be completed and it remains today as it was then. Le Plessis-Bourré is the perfect example of the Transition style. Its imposing defensive system, including its impressive double draw-bridges, its very wide moats, its corner-towers and its keep, classify it as a stronghold dating from the end of the Middle Ages. However, its elegance, its majestic courtyard, its covered promenade, its large rooms lit by high mullioned windows, its sumptuous decoration and the comfort of its interiors, all speak of the Renaissance. The château was opened to the public in 1955 and has been used in the shooting of a number of French films.
Visit the listed frescoes in the chapel of this lovely château
This picturesque 14th century château, set close to the town of Sully, has beautiful grounds with century-old trees and a typical 'English' garden. Owned by the Barons of Sully, then the Dukes of La Trémoïlle and finally Maximilien de Béthune, it became the property of the department of the Loiret in 1962. Its chapel features listed frescoes and walls pierced with miniature gun ports. The château moat sits on a fork in the Loire and features the classic towers, keep and rampart. The impressive interior contains excellent tapestries and paintings in some of the grand château rooms.
Fortified royal city
The château at Loches really forms this fortified royal town. It houses an impressive 36 metre high dungeon, built by the Count of Anjou, which was once Louis XI's royal prison. Built in the 11th century, it is a striking example of Norman architecture. The royal apartments in the château are decorated in Renaissance style.