Tours, the « not to be missed » capital of the Loire Valley, opens its doors of the greatest chateaux such as Chenonceau, Villandry, Amboise and more than fifty other castles situated less than 100km away from Tours. Take advantage of our preferential rates to visit the castles and gardens of the Loire Valley.
The favourite residence of the Kings of France during the Renaissance, the Royal Château of Blois is a true architectural and historical synthesis of the Châteaux of the Loire. Its four wings, each in a different style, and its monumental staircase around the same courtyard, offer an astonishing panorama of French architecture from the Middle Ages to the Classical period. In the royal flats, the magnificent restored polychrome decorations, furniture and paintings evoke the daily life of the Court and power during the Renaissance. The private chambers of François I and the royal chambers of Catherine de Medici and Henri III, where the Duke of Guise was murdered in 1588, are steeped in the major events of French history.
A private chateau still inhabited by the same family, it is open to the public every day of the year. Cheverny is considered to be the most magnificently furnished château in the Loire Valley. Tapestries from the Gobelins, Flanders, Louis XIV and Louis XV chests of drawers, Louis XV Regulator, the King's room... and a thousand other wonders will enchant you. The castle of Cheverny was used as a model by Hergé to draw the castle of Moulinsart. The permanent exhibition "The Secrets of Moulinsart" allows visitors to relive the events that took place in this mythical place.
In 1516, Leonardo da Vinci accepted the invitation of Francis I and moved to the Château du Clos Lucé in Amboise, where he worked on numerous projects for the King. From Rome he brought his notebooks and three of his major works: the Mona Lisa, the Saint Anne and the Saint John the Baptist, now in the Louvre. Prolific and inspired, he worked as an engineer, architect and stage director, organising sumptuous festivities for the court. On 2 May 1519, he died in his bedroom. The house, its park - a veritable open-air museum - and the Leonardo da Vinci Painter and Architect Galleries invite you to discover the many facets of this genius through his restored workshops, models of his inventions and an immersive show presenting his 17 masterpieces...
The Fortress of Montbazon, the stronghold of the terrible Count of Anjou, Foulques III Nerra, dominates the Indre valley and the town of Montbazon from the top of its rocky spur. It is one of our oldest military constructions. Home to the oldest keep in France still standing, its history stretches from the end of the 10th century to the 15th. As well as a particularly immersive guided tour, you can discover the trades of the Middle Ages through skits and demonstrations: war machines in action, weapons master, stone cutter, potter, herbalist, calligrapher... Children can try their hand at a host of medieval games, and leave with their knight of the fortress diploma! The fortress tavern serves fouées, salads, planks and other delicacies.