How to Prioritize the Loire Valley Châteaux
The exterior facade at Azay-le-Rideau. The Loire Valley, France. September 12, 2020.
Visiting all the castles in the Loire Valley—even just the ones open to the public—would take weeks. Most travelers don’t spend that much time in one region, with so much to see in this world (and so many obligations in life).
Therefore, how can you prioritize which Loire Valley châteaux to see with the time you have to visit?
Note: If you want to visit the Loire Valley in France and don’t know how to approach the logistics of a visit, read my how-to guide on visiting the Loire Valley châteaux. And if you want to better understand why the Loire Valley has so many castles, I’ve done the research for you.
The Three Must-See Châteaux
As I mentioned in my posts about the Loire Valley’s history castles and its beauty castles, you should visit castles in both categories. Both types of French châteaux have essential features that everyone should see.
Without question, anyone with any experience in the Loire Valley châteaux will quibble with my must-see list. Most people will argue that if you visit the Loire Valley, you must see François I’s iconic Château de Chambord. (And I don’t list it in my top three.)
However, after considerable reflection and no small amount of discussion, I stand by my recommendations for the top-three must-see châteaux in the Loire Valley.
Read on for my rationale:
Forteresse Royale de Chinon: Chinon checks every box for a history castle in the Loire Valley and will absolutely charm you; the guided tour via tablet immersed us for hours with exploration and insights.
Château de Chenonceau: The only castle that features on my list of must-see history castles and must-see beauty castles, Chenonceau gives you the full experience of both perspectives on Loire Valley châteaux. You cannot miss Chenonceau. In fact, I’d say that if you can only visit one château in the entire Loire Valley, you should make it Chenonceau.
Château de Cheverny: Though Cheverny doesn’t have much history to share, its nearly unbroken line of inhabitants—the castle still has residents today—has kept it astoundingly beautiful on the inside and outside, including the castle’s extensive grounds. You can even see certain rooms and décor preserved for centuries in pristine, original condition—something we didn’t see at any other Loire Valley château.
Via this essential (yet short) list of châteaux, you’ll get a solid mix of Loire Valley history and beauty—even if you’ll have only begun to explore the possibilities.
For a more detailed rundown of these must-see castles (replete with lots of photos and video, too), visit my article on the best history castles in the Loire Valley and my write-up of the best castles for beauty.
Add these Châteaux if You Can
I tried to keep my must-see list to a bare minimum, under the assumption that many people may only have a weekend to see the Loire Valley. (If that’s you, and you allotted only a long weekend, you’ll likely decide to come back.)
If you have more time for Loire Valley sightseeing, try to add one or more of the following châteaux to your list:
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau: The interiors at Azay-le-Rideau have lovely décor and the exterior of the castle will absolutely stun you with its beauty. Though the castle doesn’t have a ton of notable history, you’ll find the location elegantly idyllic, with meandering gardens and a water-filled moat with trickling water.
Château Royal de Blois: Blois has more history than we had time to explore; we’ll need to head back for the full experience at this massive castle. Blois will give you a better understanding of the European religious wars that raged for centuries and particularly how they played out in France.
Château de Chambord: Francois I conceived of Chambord as a project of ego and a representation of power; it achieves his objectives. Chambord does not look like any other castle you will have seen, with an immense centralized staircase spiraling into four circular towers and Mediterranean styling.
Château de Langeais: Immaculately preserved and restored, Langeais will give you the most complete picture of a medieval castle and insight into a founding moment in the unification of France and Brittany through the secret marriage of Anne of Brittany to France’s Charles VIII.
Château de Saumur: You’ll enjoy Saumur for the beauty of its castle and its location in a vibrant town with additional attractions that include a riding school, calvary museum, and a museum displaying armored military vehicles.
Read more (and see more photos and video) about Blois and Langeais in my article about the Loire Valley’s history castles and get the scoop on Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau, and Saumur in my post about the region’s most beautiful castles.
Skip these Châteaux
Unless you have unlimited time in the Loire Valley or have an interest in the time period or the people connected to one of these castles, you can scratch them off your list:
Château Royal d’Amboise: Though lovely, Amboise doesn’t have much remaining of its original structure. Other castles on my list of castles to see for French history would make better use of limited time.
Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire: The gardens and grounds at Chaumont-sur-Loire have interest—though more as a modern art exhibit than anything historic or classic. Further, the interior of the castle felt like a jumbled antique shop: Furnishings of all sorts stuffed into a few rooms.
Château du Clos-Lucé: The owners did a good job of restoring the property, both house and grounds, but the Clos-Lucé has little of real historical interest and its visual effects pale in comparison to the options on my list of castles to see for beauty.
Château de Valançay: Fans of famous historic statesman Talleyrand will want to stop into Valançay; everyone else will find simply a run-down castle desperate for renovation and grounds thirsty for attention.
Château de Ussé: Though the beautiful exterior inspired the fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty,” the castle doesn’t have much history or overall beauty to compete with the other castles on offer.
Château de Villandry: The gardeners—past and present—have pulled off quite a feat at Villandry. However, the castle doesn’t hold a ton of interest or beauty; other beauty castles on my list have gorgeous gardens plus gorgeous décor and architecture, too.
There’s Always One More Château
We spent more than a week in the Loire Valley, saw châteaux every single day, and we still didn’t get “chateaux-ed out.” In fact, we’ve already talked about making a return visit to see the castles we couldn’t reach on our first trip.
I imagine that you’ll feel the same way after you visit.
However, if you need a break from châteaux sightseeing, I have a post that shares ideas for other activities to undertake while in the Loire Valley—so check that out if you and your group want a little variety on your vacation.
Also, to create as comprehensive a guide to the Loire Valley as I can, I’ve written a how-to article on visiting the Loire Valley and I’ve written a guide to the best castles for French history and another guide to the most beautiful French châteaux.
And if you can’t read enough about the Loire Valley (after all, it has endless to interest anyone!), click here for my full set of articles focused on the region.
If you read through these articles, I promise you’ll add the Loire Valley to your must-visit list.
P.S.—Did you find these articles helpful in planning your trip to the Loire Valley? Consider hat-tipping me a coffee to help me keep up my work and keep this site ad-free.