CASTLES IN THE LOIR ET CHER

Emblem of the French Renaissance throughout the world, Chambord cannot be dissociated from its natural environment, the forest. With its 5,440 hectares and 32 km of surrounding walls, Chambord is the largest enclosed park in Europe.

In 2019 the half-millennium of the largest Renaissance castle in the world was celebrated.
It has been open to the public for more than 200 years.

Major projects have been launched to offer visitors a radically transformed and magnified Chambord, just as it was conceived by its founder, François I, and the architect who inspired it, Leonardo da Vinci.

A jewel of architecture, the castle boasts 426 rooms, 282 chimneys and of course, a very famous double helix staircase.

More info: visit the official website "Château de Chambord"

The Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire overlooks the Loire River, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and offers an exceptional view of the wild river and a natural environment that has been untouched for centuries.

The estate comprises three entities covering 32 hectares:

• The Arts and Nature Centre, which welcomes internationally renowned artists, visual artists and photographers, every year.
• The International Garden Festival, of international renown, recognised by both professionals and garden lovers. In 2021, the jury selected around thirty projects on the theme of "Biomimicry in the garden - nature as a source of inspiration".
• An exceptional château, one of the most beautiful in the Loire Valley, surrounded by landscaped parks.

Owned by Queen Catherine de Médicis, then by Diane de Poitiers, the Château has welcomed famous people throughout its history. The monument, heated in winter, furnished and decorated in the spirit of the great residences of the 19th century, is among the most welcoming of the Loire châteaux.

More info: visit the official website "Domaine de chaumont-sur-Loire"

Cheverny is worthy of the greatest chateaux of the Loire Valley and is one of the most beautifully furnished.

This private chateau, still inhabited by the same family for more than 6 centuries, has been open to the public 365 days a year since 1922.

In addition to the renown of its castle, Cheverny is now famous for its six gardens.

- a contemporary garden which extends over more than one hectare. (Apprentice garden)

- a flower garden in which vegetables, flowers, fruit bushes and vines blend harmoniously (vegetable garden)

- an English-style park with rare and majestic trees, sometimes "giants" like the redwoods and its labyrinth.

- The tulip garden (250,000 bulbs), which lights up the park in April

- The garden of love, around the pond, which presents six spectacular sculptures by the Swedish artist Gudmar Olovson, will appeal to everyone by their majesty, their splendour and their finesse

- the sweet garden: an orchard which opened in 2021.

Not forgetting the forestry park, which reveals its species by electric cart and boat

Murmurs... Did you know that the Château de Cheverny was the model for Hergé's drawing of Moulinsart? A permanent exhibition "The Secrets of Moulinsart" retraces the world of this comic strip in the château's outbuildings.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

More info: visit the official website "Château de Cheverny"

Take a trip through time and history in Blois castle!
Drama, intrigue and power plays: the scene of a succession of plots and historical events, this castle tells the story of 7 kings and 10 queens and reveals the secrets of the French Court.

At nightfall, enjoy an unforgettable experience: sound effects and large-scale video projections on its facades come to life during a spellbinding sound and light show (every evening from April to September)
Other highlights to discover on www.chateaudeblois.fr

Visit the Fondation du Doute, a unique place dedicated to contemporary art.

Dive into the world of optical illusions at the Maison de la Magie (House of Magic) and discover its amazing new show!

More info: visit the official website "Château de Blois"

A jewel of architecture and history, the elegant and refined Château de Beauregard was a former hunting lodge of François I. It is distinguished by its gallery of 327 portraits retracing over 300 years of European history.
Its 40 hectare park offers a rich and pleasant walk in the heart of the Loire Valley.

This year Beauregard offers you the 3 major themes:

• Thematic visits on the end of the Hundred Years War and Joan of Arc , linked to the return of 12 restored paintings.
• A story about the restoration of portrait paintings.
• An animation: the glasses of history (wine tasting, every Thursday and public holidays : the dates are confirmed on the web site)

More info: visit the official website "Beauregard-loire"

A shuttle service provided by the Rémi-41 bus network will take you to some of the most beautiful castles in the region: Blois, Chambord, Cheverny and Beauregard.

• Shuttle running in spring and summer and connecting with trains from Orléans and Paris Austerlitz.

Find the days and times of the shuttle by clicking here.