One of our favorite châteaus to visit - Château d'Amboise is a royal castle in the Loire Valley in…read moreAmboise, France. Built on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Loire River, it transitioned from a medieval fortress into a Renaissance palace and was a favored royal residence in the 15th and 16th centuries. The château is known for its Gothic and early Renaissance architecture and its association with notable historical figures. The history is incredible, and worth a tour with a tour guide or the self guided audio guide. One of the nicest surprises of the château, it's the Final resting place of Leonardo da Vinci: Da Vinci is buried in the Chapel of Saint-Hubert, located on the château grounds. I have visited three times and never get tired of seeing it!

this was very beautiful and had great views. honestly the actual chateau itself was kinda small and…read moreunderwhelming compared to others but the garden and views made up for it

The house in the Tintin comics is based on this chateau so they had a Tintin exhibit on the…read moregrounds. The comic series was never that big in the US so the exhibit meant little to me. I learned though that Tintin was huge in France so all the French fam were oohing and aahing. Afterward we took a tour of the chateau. Lots of very ornate decorations and paintings of dead folks. Considering we've got small kids the pieces they had relating to child care were pretty interesting but the jackpot, the real money shot, at least for this dude, was the war room on the second floor. Lots of spears and lances and armor. Even several early firearms and a couple of crossbows. It was amazing to consider that every piece was unique and handmade and that every repair or alteration was a custom job. So much work! And just when you thought the fun was over you read a little more about that massive head in the stairway. It's a prehistoric Moose fossil. This dude was given the head of a bleeping prehistoric moose because some dude in Russia knew he was interested in geology?! And the thing's mounted 10 feet off the ground and they think that that was about the correct living height of the animal. Now that right there was worth the price of admission!!

A great chateau with a treasure trove of period furniture that is still occupied by one of the…read moreoriginal families - the count of something and his young family. Unlike many of the other places in the valley, this one escaped much of the destruction and looting that stripped most chateau to their bones. Here you can see ornately painted rooms and furnishings and even the current Countesses' wedding dress (that's one clever way to recycle your dress!). One of the other big attractions are the kennels of hunting dogs. I am not sure of the breed but they are much taller than what I was expecting sort of the size of coon hound with the markings of a beagle. Several dozen reside together in a large enclosure and are managed by one guy who knows all their names. Each has a "V" snipped with tiny scissors on its side sort of like branding a steer, to identify their ownership. A great spot for a visit.

This is one of the most visited château in the Loire Valley and one of the largest! Château de…read moreChambord is a famous French Renaissance castle, ordered by King François I in 1519, known for its distinctive architecture and the spectacular, interlocked double-helix staircase, which may have been inspired by Leonardo da Vinci. It was built as a hunting lodge as many of the châteaus were in the valley rather than a permanent residence. The château is immense, containing 400 rooms. The most notable - historic double helix staircase, and the incredible 13,000-acre estate, which is the largest enclosed forest in Europe. They have improved the infrastructure around the château within the past 10 years which have many places to park for busses and cars. Allow yourself time to park and walk to the château as it can take a bit of time. Depending on how much you want to see, give yourself ample time to explore as there is much to see: art jewelry, furniture, etc. Additionally, this is one of the most visited châteaus in the valley.

This historic French Renaissance castle in the Loire Valley of France is an astounding sight. Built…read moreunder King Francis the 1st as a grand hunting lodge and a symbol of royal power incorporates medieval and classical styles. This chateau inspired the castle in Beauty and the Beast. It is massive with over 440 rooms. It housed the most iconic art from the Louvre from 1939-1945 including the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. A truly mesmerizing experience.

This chateau here is one of the most beautiful in the Loire Valley. Really picture perfect example…read moreof a fairytale castle. Easy to access with parking closeby. Public restrooms, restaurants, many exhibitions, a wonderful park with valley views and amazing gardens. Well worth the entrance fee of 20 Euros. There's lots to see and do. The castle was built as it is today in the late 15th / early 16th Century. But was originally founded in the 10th century. Protected as a monument historique since 1840, the château was given into state ownership in 1938 and is now open to the public. It belonged to the Amboise family for five centuries. Pierre d'Amboise unsuccessfully rebelled against King Louis XI and his property was confiscated, and the castle was dismantled on royal order in 1465. It was later rebuilt by Charles I d'Amboise from 1465 to 1475 and then finished by his son, Charles II d'Amboise de Chaumont. The chateau itself is such a wonderful sight. And despite many visitors it's easy possible to get some great views and pictures of it. The grounds are very big, so it never feels crowded. It's just a beautiful piece of art and history. Besides the chateau there is a wonderful park area with picnic spots, many options to sit down and rest to enjoy the views of the castle and the valley. Makes a lovely circular walk through the park. Then there are the gardens. An amazing place - with its many paths and ways it feels like a maze at times. Nice to just wander around and to get lost a bit. Wonderful trees, bushes, flowers and more. Some greenhouses as well. It's a lovely place to be and to walk around. This Chateau and grounds are really impressive. One of the best castle experiences we've had yet. You can spend easily a whole day here. Always something new to explore. And: Dogs are welcome as well here. Our Bulldog enjoyed. And so did we. Highly recommended.

This chateau is about 4.5 star. The visit need 4 hours. It is because the compound has several…read moreregions to visit. The area includes the castle, middle garden, herb garden, front garden and the stable. This chateau is established in early 10 century. Later it was burn down and rebuilt at 15 century. Later the chateau was bought by Catherine de Medici at mid 15 century. The castle is beautiful for the round tower make up the beauty of the chateau. Since it was own and decorated by Catherine de Medici, the interior decoration is beautiful. I like the creative tile floor with tapestry. There is room like library but the book is make from luminaire stone. There is a beautiful chapel in the castle. The stable is beautiful and comfortable for each horse. There are some art display in the stable. The herb garden is interesting. But the garden on the front is more beautiful. The compound actual has more buildings to explore.