The Castles of the Loire Valley in France

As little girls we dream of being princesses and living in a castle, I think that still holds some truth when you grown up. I mean who wouldn't want to live in a castle as beautiful as the ones in the movies or in the case of reality, in France. You probably thought last time that you watched "The Beauty and the Beast" that those places don't exist. Well, today I present you with the stunning Les Châteaux de la Loire, gosh doesn't everything just sound better in French?

The easiest way to see all of these castles and the other essential stops along the way is to grab a car, a road map and you're improvised mentality. Here's the route we did, the places we stopped to see, and the many stunning sights you have go to.

Château de Chambord

Known as one of the most recognizable in the world due to its distinctive style, this castle dates back to 1519 when its construction began. With a French renaissance architecture that blended traditional French medieval style with a classical Renaissance structure, Chambord was completed in 1547 and originally constructed by King François I of France.

It is believed that the original design of the castle was by Domenico da Cortona and Leonardo da Vinci. This is the largest castle in the Loire Valley. Chambord was by far my favorite!

Château de cheverny

In comparison to the other castles in the valley, Cheverny gives of a smaller vibe when seen from afar, still don’t be fooled since just its land and gardens are enough to make you feel like you are in a grand estate. This castle has belonged to the same family for more than 6 centuries.

Additionally, Cheverny has a precious array of flowers and even a kennel with more than one hundred tricolor anglo-french dogs that you can go visit while touring the castle grounds. Now that sounds like quite the deal for me.

In April, the castle has a gorgeous tulip garden with more than 100,000 tulips planted in different colors to dress up the castle. Lastly, the grounds have a vegetable garden and trophy room with an array of colors, and range of flowers and vegetables depending on the season.

Château de Chenonceau

This is amongst my favorite castles on the route, for its distinctive architecture and surroundings. Located on the Cher River, the Chateau de Chenonceau was built in 1514-1522 over the foundations of an old mill and later expanded over and across the river.

The architecture is a mix of late Gothic and early Renaissance, like many of the other castles in the valley. Interesting fact, this is the second most visited castle after the Palace of Versailles.

Château de VILLANDRY

Located in Villandry, this castle is mostly known for its beautiful and extensive gardens filled with fountains, flowers, and mazes. You will find it hard to resist the temptation of playing with your group and getting lost in the mazes of this castle.

Year-round, this Renaissance castle has vegetable, flower and water gardens carefully structured and always beautiful.

Château de azay- le - rideau

Located on an island in the middle of the Indre river, this picturesque castle is considered one of the best examples of French renaissance architecture. It’s unique setting makes it one of the most popular castles in the valley and probably one of the smallest as well. Overall Château Azay-le-Rideau is a very charming castle.

As seen below, on the south and west sides of the castle the river plays a mirror for the château reflecting its beautiful façade.

Apart from the Castles, there is also several cities and small towns that are an essential part of the road trip. Read on to find out where you can spend the nights, try the local cuisine, and see the history of France in these charming cities.

Orléans

On the northern end of the Loire river you will find the city of Orléans. This small picturesque city is along the route of the castles and a great place to stop and admire a piece of important history.This city is know for the famous heroine Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc) who back in 1429 saved the city from an English siege. To this day there is a re-creation of the house where she stayed during her time in Orleans.

On the main plaza in Orléans, you will find a stunning cathedral called, Cathedrale Sainte-Croix d'Orléans, in honor of the city's defender the stained glass windows in the cathedral now depict the story of Joan of Arc. In regards to how Orléans relates to New Orleans, when the French colonized America they conquered a huge territory including the entire Mississippi river, and they decided to name their capital "la Nouvelle-Orléans" in honor of the duke of Orléans.

AMBOISE

This city lies on the banks of the Loire River about 17 miles from Tours and 11 miles from Chateau de Chenonceau. It use to be the home of the French Royal court and today it is a small market town. Most famously known for the Clos Luce manor house where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died.

The other main attraction in the town is Château d'Amboise, where King François I of France lived.

BLOIS

Blois is another small town along the route between Orléans and Tours, and has a smaller castle in the city center known as the Château de Blois, a Renaissance castle where King Louis XII once lived. Blois is built over steep hills and winding paths that run through the city, similar to the castle that is known for its high altitude and steep staircases.

tours

Is the second largest city in the Loire Valley, after Orléans. While passing by make sure to see the Tours Cathedral, a 15th century Gothic cathedral with an impressive height and beautiful details in architecture. Tours is also known for its great variety of typical French restaurants, with some of the most authentic and exquisite cuisine you can try.

chinon

A region in the Loire Valley, Chinon is located in the regional area called the Touraine, that is known as the "garden of France." Chinon is known for its wine, its castle and historic town-center. The castle is very different from the others in the valley, this one resembles a fortress and at one point it was even a prison.

As you may recognize by the name, Chinon is a type of French red wine. A stop in this region is a must for trying some local wine in the vineyards that are open to the public for tasting and visits. We briefly stopped at Clos de l'Echo and even purchased some bottles to bring back home.

There is pretty much nothing else I can say to express how amazing a road trip through the Loire valley is, for me it was a pretty surreal experience seeing places and corners of the world that you don't think are real. Hope you enjoy this trip as much as I did, I'm already looking forward to going back one day. Now if only they were available to live in...