Showing posts with label Loire Valley Chateaux. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Loire Valley Chateaux. Show all posts

Monday, 29 June 2026

Monday's Chateau - Chateau de Saumur.

Château de Saumur viewed across open lawns and flower beds with towers and pale stone walls beneath a bright sky.

From this angle, Château de Saumur appears almost theatrical, framed by open space and summer planting rather than defensive walls. It is easy to forget that behind the elegant outline sits a fortress with centuries of changing roles.

The château began as a medieval fortress before becoming a residence for the Dukes of Anjou. Its distinctive silhouette became so admired that it is thought to have inspired illustrations in medieval manuscripts depicting ideal castles, helping shape the image of what a French château should look like.

Château de Saumur rises dramatically on its hill overlooking the Loire river and the town below.

Bon lundi dans la vallée de la Loire !

“Each château tells a story — of kings, of artists, and of the dream of France itself.”


Part of the “Châteaux of the Loire” Series

Every Monday, we explore one of the Loire Valley's legendary châteaux — from royal residences to riverside retreats — each revealing a different chapter of the region's story.

Discover more about the Loire Valley

Browse the full series

 © Experience Loire — Châteaux of the Loire · ,

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Monday, 15 June 2026

Monday's chateau - Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire

Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire with pale stone towers, slate roofs and formal lawns beneath a dramatic sky.

Some Loire châteaux impress through scale, others through ornament. Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire manages both, its towers and steep slate roofs creating the sort of silhouette that seems designed for storybooks.

Yet today many visitors arrive not only for the château but for what surrounds it. Each year the grounds host the International Garden Festival, where contemporary landscape designers create temporary gardens that contrast with the permanence of the historic setting.

It is an unexpected pairing that works remarkably well, a château rooted in history alongside gardens that change from season to season.  


Bon lundi.

“Each château tells a story — of kings, of artists and of the dream of France itself.”


Part of the “Châteaux of the Loire” Series

Every Monday, we explore one of the Loire Valley's legendary châteaux — from royal residences to riverside retreats — each revealing a different chapter of the region's story.

Discover more about the Loire Valley

Browse the full series

 © Experience Loire — Châteaux of the Loire · ,

Back to Home



Monday, 11 May 2026

A peaceful discovery in the southern Loire Valley — Château d’Azay-le-Ferron.

The charming Château d’Azay-le-Ferron framed by leafy trees and bushes, showcasing its historic tower, slate roof, and manicured French gardens on a peaceful day in the Loire Valley.

Tucked away near the Brenne Regional Natural Park, Château d’Azay-le-Ferron offers a wonderful mix of architectural styles spanning from the late 15th to the 18th century. Its elegant tower, classic façades, and beautifully maintained formal gardens create an intimate and romantic atmosphere.

Often less crowded than its more famous neighbours, this château feels like a true hidden gem. The view through the foliage in spring, as captured here, perfectly highlights its harmonious blend of medieval, Renaissance, and classical elements.

The charming Château d’Azay-le-Ferron framed by leafy trees and bushes, showcasing its historic tower, slate roof, and manicured French gardens

The château remains fully furnished, giving visitors a rich glimpse into centuries of French aristocratic life. Its gardens combine both French formal design and English landscape influences across 25 hectares.

A lovely, tranquil spot to add to your Loire Valley itinerary.

Bon lundi dans la vallée de la Loire !

“Each château tells a story — of kings, of artists and of the dream of France itself.”


Part of the “Châteaux of the Loire” Series

Every Monday, we explore one of the Loire Valley's legendary châteaux — from royal residences to riverside retreats — each revealing a different chapter of the region's story.

Discover more about the Loire Valley

Browse the full series

 © Experience Loire — Châteaux of the Loire · ,

Back to Home




Monday, 23 March 2026

Monday's Chateau – Chateau du Rivau.

Château de Rivau in Lémeré, Touraine, Loire Valley: white stone medieval-Renaissance castle with conical towers and slate roofs viewed from the formal gardens, green lawns, hedges, trees, and pathways in foreground, visitors visible, clear blue sky.
Château de Rivau , a medieval fortress turned Renaissance castle in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley, near Lémeré between Chinon and Richelieu. 
Building started in 1445 by Pierre de Beauvau, chamberlain to Charles VII, the château has ties to the Hundred Years' War, it's where Joan of Arc reportedly stopped in 1429 to collect horses for her troops en route to Orléans. 
The site combines fortified medieval elements (towers, drawbridge) with Renaissance features. Today it is known for its remarkable gardens, designated 'Jardin Remarquable', with fairy-tale themes, organic plantings, rose collections and contemporary art installations. 
The château remains privately owned but open to visitors, with exhibits, a hotel and a restaurant on site. A Loire Valley stops blending history, architecture and peaceful landscaped grounds.

For those interested in owning their own château in the Loire Valley (you can dream!), there are specialist agencies focused on historic properties in the region.

“Each château tells a story — of kings, of artists, and of the dream of France itself.”


Part of the “Châteaux of the Loire” Series

Every Monday, we explore one of the Loire Valley's legendary châteaux — from royal residences to riverside retreats — each revealing a different chapter of the region's story.

Discover more about the Loire Valley

Browse the full series

 © Experience Loire — Châteaux of the Loire · ,

Back to Home


Friday, 13 November 2020

Friday from a different angle - a revisit to Chateau de Breze

 
Chateau de Breze, you actually get two chateaux for the price of one - the Renaissance chateau above ground plus its subterranean counterpart.

       If you haven't already visited this chateau then you should!

 


Monday, 25 November 2019

Monday's Loire Valley chateau - Chateau du Grand-Pressigny - November



Image
November sunset behind the dunjon at Chateau du Grand-Pressigny. This, the oldest part of the chateau partially collapsed one morning in February 1988 after standing for centuries.

Monday, 28 October 2019

Monday's chateau...Chateau de La Celle-Guenand



Today's image is of the 15th/17th century Chateau de La Celle-Guenand nestling in the small village of the same name in Southern Touraine. This, now private chateau, is the former ancestral home of the baronies of Preuilly and Sainte-Maure.

Sunday, 14 July 2019

Loire Valley church on Sunday...the chapel at Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire



During our annual visit to the International Garden Festival at Chateau de Chaumont -sur-Loire at the beginning of the month we had a stroll through the chateau rooms to check for updates but more specifically to revisit the somewhat whimsical permanent art installation (G.Steiner & J Lenzlinger) within its small chapel.




It is rather magical!


It is worth climbing up to the balcony above and take it in from a different perspective.



Monday, 29 April 2019

Monday's Loire Valley chateau -Chateau d'Amboise- it's all in the detail



Monday's Loire Valley chateau - Chateau d'Amboise, which, along with Clos Luce is very much in focus with the up and coming celebration of the Renaissance and acknowledging the 500th anniversary of Leonardo's death on May 2nd.




Monday, 1 April 2019

Monday's Loire Valley chateau - Chateau de Cande



Chateau de Cande probably most famous for its link to the history of the British Royal family and a scenario played out here that was to change its course forever.