Châteaux of the Loire Valley
Encyclopedia
The châteaux of the Loire Valley are part of the architectural heritage of the historic towns of Amboise
, Angers
, Blois
, Chinon
, Nantes
, Orléans
, Saumur
, and Tours
along the Loire River in France
. They illustrate the ideals of the Renaissance
and the Age of the Enlightenment on French thought and design in the Loire Valley
.
had shifted the center of power in France from the Loire back to the ancient capital of Paris. With him went the great architects, but the Loire Valley continued to be the place where most of the French royalty preferred to spend the bulk of their time. The ascension to the throne of King Louis XIV
in the middle of the 17th century made Paris the permanent site for great royal châteaux when he built the Palace of Versailles
. Nonetheless, those who gained the king's favour and the wealthy bourgeoisie
continued to renovate existing châteaux or build lavish new ones as their summer residence in the Loire.
The French Revolution
saw a number of the great French châteaux destroyed and many ransacked, their treasures stolen. The overnight impoverishment of many of the deposed nobility
, usually after one of its members lost their head to the guillotine
, saw many châteaux demolished. During World War I
and World War II
, some chateaux were commandeered as military headquarters. Some of these continued to be used this way after the end of WWII.
Today, these privately owned châteaux serve as homes, a few open their doors to tourist visits, while others are operated as hotels or bed and breakfasts. Many have been taken over by a local government authority or the giant structures like those at Chambord
are owned and operated by the national government and are major tourist sites, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
river or one of its tributaries (such as the Maine, Cher, Indre, Creuse or Loir). Châteaux further upstream than Gien
are generally not included, with the possible exception of the Bastie d'Urfé for its historical significance.
Châteaux on the Loire
Beaufort- Mareuil sur Cher - Lavoûte-Polignac - Bouthéon - Montrond - Bastie d'Urfé - Château féodal des Cornes d'Urfé - La Roche - Château féodal de Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire
- Saint-Pierre-la-Noaille - Chevenon - Palais ducal de Nevers - Saint-Brisson - Gien -
La Bussière - Pontchevron - La Verrerie (near Aubigny-sur-Nère
) - Sully-sur-Loire
- Châteauneuf-sur-Loire - Boisgibault - Meung-sur-Loire - Menars
- Talcy
- Château de la Ferté - Chambord
- Blois
- Villesavin - Cheverny
- Beauregard - Troussay
- Château de Chaumont
- Amboise
- Clos-Lucé - Langeais
- Gizeux
- Les Réaux - Montsoreau
- Montreuil-Bellay
- Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet - Saumur
- Boumois - Brissac
- Montgeoffroy
- Plessis-Bourré
- Château des Réaux
Château on the Maine;
Château d'Angers
Châteaux on the Cher
Selles-sur-Cher - Valençay
- Saint-Aignan - Gué-Péan - Montrichard
- Chissay - Chenonceau
- Villandry
Châteaux on the Indre
Loches
- Saché
- Azay-le-Rideau - Ussé
- Argy - Candé
- Villegongis - Isle Savary - Sarzay
Châteaux on the Vienne
du Petit Thouars Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne - Rivau
- Chinon - Champigny-sur-Veude
Château on the Loir
Châteaudun
- Fréteval - Vendôme - Lavardin
- Montoire
- Lude
- Château de Bazouges sur le Loir
Château on the Argenton/Thouet
Montreuil-Bellay
- Oiron
Amboise
Amboise is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. It lies on the banks of the Loire River, east of Tours. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court...
, Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, Blois
Blois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
, Chinon
Chinon
Chinon is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France well known for Château de Chinon.In the Middle Ages, Chinon developed especially during the reign of Henry II . The castle was rebuilt and extended, becoming one of his favorite residences...
, Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
, and Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
along the Loire River in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. They illustrate the ideals of the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and the Age of the Enlightenment on French thought and design in the Loire Valley
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley , spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. Its area comprises approximately . It is referred to as the Cradle of the French Language, and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and artichoke, asparagus, and...
.
History
By the middle of the 16th century, King Francois IFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
had shifted the center of power in France from the Loire back to the ancient capital of Paris. With him went the great architects, but the Loire Valley continued to be the place where most of the French royalty preferred to spend the bulk of their time. The ascension to the throne of King Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
in the middle of the 17th century made Paris the permanent site for great royal châteaux when he built the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
. Nonetheless, those who gained the king's favour and the wealthy bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
continued to renovate existing châteaux or build lavish new ones as their summer residence in the Loire.
The French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
saw a number of the great French châteaux destroyed and many ransacked, their treasures stolen. The overnight impoverishment of many of the deposed nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, usually after one of its members lost their head to the guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
, saw many châteaux demolished. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, some chateaux were commandeered as military headquarters. Some of these continued to be used this way after the end of WWII.
Today, these privately owned châteaux serve as homes, a few open their doors to tourist visits, while others are operated as hotels or bed and breakfasts. Many have been taken over by a local government authority or the giant structures like those at Chambord
Château de Chambord
The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures.The building, which was never...
are owned and operated by the national government and are major tourist sites, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
List
There is no universally accepted definition for inclusion in "proper society" as a "Château of the Loire". The main criterion for inclusion is generally that the château must be sited on the LoireLoire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
river or one of its tributaries (such as the Maine, Cher, Indre, Creuse or Loir). Châteaux further upstream than Gien
Gien
Gien is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Gien is on the Loire River, from Orléans. The town was bought for the royal property by Philip II of France. The town is twinned with Malmesbury in England.-Sights:*Faience de Gien...
are generally not included, with the possible exception of the Bastie d'Urfé for its historical significance.
Châteaux on the Loire
Beaufort- Mareuil sur Cher - Lavoûte-Polignac - Bouthéon - Montrond - Bastie d'Urfé - Château féodal des Cornes d'Urfé - La Roche - Château féodal de Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire
Saint-Jean-Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire
Saint-Jean-Saint-Maurice-sur-Loire is a commune in the Loire department in central France.-References:*...
- Saint-Pierre-la-Noaille - Chevenon - Palais ducal de Nevers - Saint-Brisson - Gien -
La Bussière - Pontchevron - La Verrerie (near Aubigny-sur-Nère
Aubigny-sur-Nère
Aubigny-sur-Nère is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:An area of forestry and farming surrounding a small light industrial town, situated in the valley of the river Nère some north of Bourges at the junction of the D940, D924, D30 and the D923...
) - Sully-sur-Loire
Château de Sully-sur-Loire
The Château de Sully-sur-Loire is a castle, converted to a palatial seigneurial residence, situated in the commune of Sully-sur-Loire, Loiret, France.-History:...
- Châteauneuf-sur-Loire - Boisgibault - Meung-sur-Loire - Menars
Château de Menars
The Château de Menars is a château associated with Madame de Pompadour situated on the bank of the Loire at Menars in France.-History:...
- Talcy
Château de Talcy
The Château de Talcy lies on the left bank of the Loire River, in the Loire Valley, famous for its 16th-century châteaux. It was commissioned toward 1520 by Bernardo Salviati, a Florentine banker with connections to the Medici family...
- Château de la Ferté - Chambord
Château de Chambord
The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable châteaux in the world because of its very distinct French Renaissance architecture which blends traditional French medieval forms with classical Renaissance structures.The building, which was never...
- Blois
Château de Blois
The Royal Château de Blois is located in the Loir-et-Cher département in the Loire Valley, in France, in the center of the city of Blois. The residence of several French kings, it is also the place where Joan of Arc went in 1429 to be blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before departing with her...
- Villesavin - Cheverny
Château de Cheverny
The Château de Cheverny is located at Cheverny, in the département of Loir-et-Cher in the Loire Valley in France.-History:The lands were purchased by Henri Hurault, comte de Cheverny, a lieutenant-general and military treasurer for Louis XI, whose descendent the marquis de Vibraye is the present...
- Beauregard - Troussay
Château de Troussay
The Château de Troussay is one of the smallest Châteaux of the Loire Valley, and is situated in Cheverny, in the Loir-et-Cher.- History :If the first stone of the mansion was placed around 1450, the oldest existing parts of the structure date from the Renaissance...
- Château de Chaumont
Château de Chaumont
The Château de Chaumont is a French castle at Chaumont-sur-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, France.The first château-fort on this site between Blois and Amboise was a primitive fortress built by Eudes II, Count of Blois, in the 10th century with the purpose of protecting Blois from attacks from his feudal...
- Amboise
Château d'Amboise
The royal Château at Amboise is a château located in Amboise, in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France.-Origins and royal residence:...
- Clos-Lucé - Langeais
Château de Langeais
The Château de Langeais is a castle in Indre-et-Loire, France, built on a promontory created by the small valley of the Roumer River at the opening to the Val de Loire...
- Gizeux
Château de Gizeux
The Château de Gizeux is an important edifice, dating from the Middle Ages and much altered over the centuries, notably during the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment....
- Les Réaux - Montsoreau
Château de Montsoreau
The Château de Montsoreau, in the market town of Montsoreau, Maine-et-Loire, France, was constructed in 1455 by Jean de Chambes, a senior councillor to King Charles VII. Erected on the bank of the Loire river, it was a strategic fortress, controlling river traffic between Chinon and Saumur...
- Montreuil-Bellay
Château de Montreuil-Bellay
The Château de Montreuil-Bellay is a historical building in the town of Montreuil-Bellay, département of Maine-et-Loire, France, first built on the site of a Gallo-Roman village high on a hill on the banks of the Thouet River...
- Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet - Saumur
Château de Saumur
Located in the French town of Saumur, in the Maine-et-Loire département, the Château de Saumur was originally constructed in the 10th century by Theobald I, Count of Blois, as a fortified stronghold against Norman predations. It overlooks the confluence of the Loire and the Thouet. In 1026 it came...
- Boumois - Brissac
Château de Brissac
The Château de Brissac is a noble mansion in the commune of Brissac-Quincé, in the département of Maine-et-Loire, France. It was originally built as a fortified castle by the Counts of Anjou in the 11th century. After the victory over the English by Philip II of France, he gave the property to...
- Montgeoffroy
Château de Montgeoffroy
The Château de Montgeoffroy is an 18th century manor house located in the commune of Mazé , France.In 1676, Érasme de Contades acquired the property. In 1772, the Marshal Louis Georges Érasme de Contades, governor of Alsace, decided to rebuild the château as a retirement home...
- Plessis-Bourré
Château du Plessis-Bourré
Château du Plessis-Bourré is a château in the Loire Valley in France, situated in the commune of Écuillé in the Maine-et-Loire department.Built in less than 5 years from 1468 to 1472 by Finance Minister Jean Bourré, the principal advisor to King Louis XI, the château has not been modified...
- Château des Réaux
Château on the Maine;
Château d'Angers
Château d'Angers
The Château d'Angers is a fortress style château located in the Loire Valley that is home of the Apocalypse Tapestry.- Building description :...
Châteaux on the Cher
Selles-sur-Cher - Valençay
Château de Valençay
Château de Valençay is a residence of the d'Estampes and Talleyrand-Périgord families in the commune of Valençay, the Indre département of France. Although geographically it is part of the province of Berry, its architecture invites comparison with the Renaissance châteaux of the Loire Valley,...
- Saint-Aignan - Gué-Péan - Montrichard
Château de Montrichard
The Château de Montrichard is a ruined 11th century castle located at the heart of the commune of Montrichard in the Loir-et-Cher département of France. The property of the commune, it has been listed since 1877 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.The castle was constructed...
- Chissay - Chenonceau
Château de Chenonceau
The Château de Chenonceau is a manor house near the small village of Chenonceaux, in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France. It was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before its first mention in writing in the 11th century...
- Villandry
Château de Villandry
The Château de Villandry is a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.The lands where an ancient fortress once stood were known as Colombier until the 17th century...
Châteaux on the Indre
Loches
Château de Loches
The Château de Loches is a castle located in the département of Indre-et-Loire in the Loire Valley in France; it was constructed in the 9th century...
- Saché
Château de Saché
The Château de Saché is a stately home built from the converted remains of a feudal castle. It is situated in Saché, Indre-et-Loire, the heart of the French Touraine, in the valley of the river Indre...
- Azay-le-Rideau - Ussé
Château d'Ussé
The Château d'Ussé is located in the commune of Rigny-Ussé in the Indre-et-Loire département, in France. The stronghold at the edge of the Chinon forest overlooking the Indre Valley was first fortified in the eleventh century by the Norman seigneur of Ussé, Gueldin de Saumur, who surrounded the...
- Argy - Candé
Château de Candé
The Château de Candé is a castle located in the commune of Monts, Indre-et-Loire, 10 km to the south of Tours on the border of the département of Indre in France....
- Villegongis - Isle Savary - Sarzay
Château de Sarzay
The Château de Sarzay is a 14th century castle in the village of Sarzay in the Indre département of France.This imposing medieval fortress comprises 38 towers and three drawbridges. Numerous furnished rooms maintain their historical authenticity. From the tops of the towers, with their superb...
Châteaux on the Vienne
du Petit Thouars Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne - Rivau
Château du Rivau
Le Rivau is a castle-palace in Lémeré , in the Touraine region, France. In Rabelais' Gargantua, it was given to captain Tolmere as a reward for his victories in the Picrocholean Wars....
- Chinon - Champigny-sur-Veude
Château on the Loir
Châteaudun
Château de Châteaudun
The Château de Châteaudun is a castle located in the town of Châteaudun in the French département of Eure-et-Loir.- History :The castle was built between the 12th and 16th centuries....
- Fréteval - Vendôme - Lavardin
Château de Lavardin
The Château de Lavardin is a ruined castle in the village and commune of Lavardin in the Loir-et-Cher département of France. The property of the commune, it has been classified since 1945 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.-Description:The remains of the Château de Lavardin...
- Montoire
Château de Montoire
The Château de Montoire is a ruined castle in the commune of Montoire-sur-le-Loir in the Loir-et-Cher département of France.Construction began the 11th century; there were further building works in the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries....
- Lude
Château du Lude
The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. The chateau is situated in the commune of Le Lude in the Sarthe department in the region of Pays-de-la-Loire and stands at the crossroads of Anjou, Maine and Touraine.-History:The original fortress was built...
- Château de Bazouges sur le Loir
Château on the Argenton/Thouet
Montreuil-Bellay
Château de Montreuil-Bellay
The Château de Montreuil-Bellay is a historical building in the town of Montreuil-Bellay, département of Maine-et-Loire, France, first built on the site of a Gallo-Roman village high on a hill on the banks of the Thouet River...
- Oiron