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| The Loire Valley Cities |
Amboise
Amboise is a charming medieval town on the banks of the Loire River, 14 miles east of Tours. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court and the birthplace of Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years here. Château d'Amboise is a15th-century château, a combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles, often associated with Charles VIII. Other imporntant sights are: the Hotel de Ville dating from around 1500, the Tour de l'Horloge and the Church of St. Denis. | Book this City | Azay le Rideau
Built on the idyllic banks of the Indre river between 1518 to 1527, the chateau of Azay-le-Rideau is one of the earliest French Renaissance châteaux. Gilles Berthelot, Treasurer of François I, commissioned the castle. Later he was accused of misappropriation of funds and forced to flee from Azay-Le-Rideau leaving the castle uncompleted behind him forever. Nowadays it houses a museum with beautiful paintings and furniture mostly from the 18-th century. | Book this City | Blois
This town is a piece of living history, with cobblestone streets and restored white houses with slate roofs and red brick chimneys. Some of its "streets" are mere alleyways originally laid out in the Middle Ages, or lanes linked by a series of stairs. Blois is famous for its chateau, often called the "Versailles of the Renaissance," the second capital of France, and the "city of kings." The château is like an illustrated storybook of French architecture.
| Book this City | Chenonceaux
A masterpiece of French renaissance, the Chateau de Chenonceau was built in the beginning of the 16-th century by Thomas Bohier, the Minister of Finance of Francois I. After his death, Henri II gave it to one of his mistresses, Diane de Poitiers. It is one of the most remarkable castles in France, spanning an entire river and with acres of stunning gardens, peaceful cedar forests. That's why many visitors consider this their favorite château in all of France with a mystical air. | Book this City | Chinon
The Château de Chinon is one of the oldest fortress-châteaux in France and was once a major stronghold of King Henry II of England. Historically it is most famous however because it was here that Jeanne d'Arc met Charles VI and urged him to declare himself king and raise an army to liberate France from the English. Today, Chinon remains a charming village known mainly for its delightful red wines. Another sight is the house where Richard Lionheart died. | Book this City | Loches
Surnamed the "acropolis" of the Loire, the château Loches and its satellite buildings form a complex called the Cité Royale. It grew up round a monastery founded about 500 by St. Ours and belonged to the Counts of Anjou from 886 until 1205. The kings of France occupied it from the mid-13th century until Charles IX became king in 1560. The castle is always linked to legendary beauty Agnès Sorel, the mistress of Charles VII. Today, this town is one of the most picturesque in central France. | Book this City | Luynes
Endowed with a rich historical past, Luynes is on the World Heritage listing of UNESCO. The remains of a roman aqueduct, the castle, the priory, the inn, the covered market from the 15th century and diverse houses dating back from the 16th and 17th centuries can still be admired. Still inhabited and sumptuously furnished, the chateau of Luynes built from the 12th century to the 17th century has survived the centuries. The gardens and magnificent panorama over the Loire are full of charm. | Book this City | Montbazon
Located 12 km to the south of Tours, Montbazon is a favorite stop along the Route d'Espagne. It was an important fortified town that controlled the valley of the Indre. The castle of Montbazon whose remainders are visible our days, was built from 991 to 994 and is one of the first castles in France. A valley begging at Montbazon and ending at the Loire River comes into sight here, a magnificent emerald basin along whose bottom the Indre River sinuously winds its way. | Book this City | Orleans
Only an hour away from Paris, Orléans is the capital of the Loire Valley and is famous for two reasons: Joan of Arc and the "Chateaux" in the region. In 1429, Joan of Arc relieved the city from attacks by the Burgundians and the English. That deliverance is celebrated every year on May 8, the anniversary of her victory. An equestrian statue of Jeanne d'Arc stands on place du Martroi. Other important sites are the Cathedral of "Saint Croix", comparable with Notre Dame and the hotel Groslot.
| Book this City | Saumur
The region is renowned for its beautiful centuries-old homes and churches, sparkling wines, and mushroom caves. Saumur is a beautiful town that produces some 100,000 tons per year of the mushrooms in France. The city is also famous for its factory where carnivals masks are made. Other important sights are: the Château de Saumur and the Tank Museum, the largest museum of its kind in Europe, displaying a wide range of other armored vehicles.
| Book this City | St Symphorien
Saint Symphorien le Château is mostly a residential town. Dating back to the 11th century, the Esclimont Castle rests on a rich, historical past. A number of wars led to its destruction, but it was then rebuilt in 1543. Over the course of the centuries, it underwent various transformations, in particular in the 18th and the 19th centuries when it has been restored in the Renaissance style. In 1980, the Castle was transformed into a hotel by a large international chain. | Book this City | Tours
Situated at the junction of the Loire and Cher rivers, Tours is an excellent base for visiting the region's magnificent châteaux. The original home of the French language and the "art de vivre", Tours is a land of harmony and proportion. Today, it is a modern, lively centre; with a thriving university, cultivating economic development. You can taste its charm visiting the old quarter, the Gothic Cathedral of St. Gatien, Touraine Wine Museum, the fine-arts museum and Plessis les Tours.
| Book this City | Villandry
Built in the 16-th century on the location of a ruined fort, the Renaissance castle of Villandry is most famous for its gardens celebrated throughout the Touraine. Nowadays, tourists come over Villandry to admire its splendid and diversified gardens: the water garden, the decorative ornamental garden, the ornamental vegetable garden that is completely replanted twice a year. Every square of the gardens is like a geometric mosaic. The borders symbolize the faces of love: tender, tragic, and crazy. | Book this City |
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