From the terraces there is a spectacular and unique view: lanterns, chimneys, staircases and dormer windows mingle, hewn by the sculptor’s chisel. The royal imagery is extensive: François I’s monogram, crowned salamanders, flaming candelabras, fleurs..

Displayed in Angers Castle , the Apocalypse Tapestry is believed to have been created between 1373 and 1383. Originally 133m long and 6m high, it was composed of 6 sections, each comprising a figure seated on a dais looking onto two cycles of 7 scen..

Around Plumereau square , we find pedestrian streets, often lined with old houses and restored blocks of buildings. An abundance of cafes, restaurants and terraces, in old Tours which has been restored, makes it a particularly pleasant area for stro..

Laid out over four terraces, Villandry’s gardens are the epitome of Renaissance architectural convention. On the upper level the garden of the sun is a former meadow surronded by lime trees and dominates the whole ensemble. The water garden is th..

Built by Count Hurault de Cheverny from 1604 to 1634, this château is unusually harmonious in stylistic terms, both architecturally and decoratively. The symmetry and harmony of the façade are typical of the Louis XIII style. The dazzling interior ha..

Started in 1231 by Blanche de Castille, regent and mother of St Louis, this is a fine example of medieval architecture, covering 25 000m2 within its ramparts (bordered by a dry moat or the cliff edge) which links 17 towers. In a purpose-built gallery..

This original medieval castle belonged to the Serrant family. The Renaissance château, begun in 1546 by Charles de Brie, has decorative and architectural similarities with the main spire of the cathedral at Angers. The apartments are beautifully ..

Dominated by turrets redolent of the Middle Ages, this marvellously graceful white château was built by Gilles Berthelot between 1518 and 1527. Part of it looms over the River Indre; this architectural gem has one of the earliest sloped staircases in..

Chambord’s original medieval layout, a central keep, four towers and perimeter wall was an impressive structure, later embellished in the style of a Tuscan villa with a cross-plan hall and a double helix staircase by Leonardo da Vinci. The Renaissanc..

Built by Katherine Briçonnet, remodelled by Diane de Poitiers, Catherine de Médicis and Louise de Lorraine, and resued by Mme Dupin, this château bears the imprint of many eminent women. Famous men have left their mark too in the fine furniture and d..

4,000 sculpted people, 5,000 in the stained glass windows, built following the fire which ravaged the previous building in 1194, teeming with details, such that a single visit, no matter, how long can only give a brief overview! The two tall spires a..

The plot against Gaston d’Orléans, escape of Marie de Médicis, assassination of the Duke of Guise; such are the episodes making up the legendary history of this fabulous castle blending Flamboyant Gothic and Italian Renaissance in a classical style, ..

The two quintessentially French-style gardens of Chenonceaux have a dreamlike beauty and fine views of the château . Inspired by Italian gardens and their use of hydraulic engineering, the garden of Diane de Poitiers (1551) has at its centre a fou..

An unassuming doorway off the courtyard of the Château de Brézé leads into a 15C gallery carved out of the rock which takes the visitor down to an extensive network of underground passages (over 1km) steeped in history and mystery. Their uniqueness..

An ancient fortress on the banks of the River Thouet; behind its barbican (a rare survival), moat and fortified gateway is a 15C castle. Visit the medieval kitchen with perfectly preserved chimney, the canon’s lodgings with stove, and vaulted ..

Cunault was founded in 847 by monks from Noirmoutier who in 862 had to flee to Tournus in Burgundy. Subsequently it became a rich Benedictine priory. Only the church (11C-13C) remains, its massive tower (11C) topped by a 15C stone steeple. Inside, on..

The backdrop for numerous films, on account of its wide moat, double drawbridge and towers, redolent of a bygone age. Beyond the vaulted entryway, the fortress transforms into a pleasure palace, with spacious courtyard, arcaded gallery, tower stairca..

Construction of the church began in 1450 and culminated with the building of its chancel in 1596. Its sculpted exterior incorporates Renaissance elements, and the chevet has italianate embellishments. Of rare elegance, slender arcading rises in the ..

Less frequented by the tourists than the old town of Tours, with private residences, gardens, the Archbishops' Palace , (which houses the Fine Arts Museum ) and of course, the Cathedral . The area is full of charm. At the corner of rue Petit-Cupid..

A huge cedar of Lebanon stands in the main courtyard of the former archbishop's palace (17C-18C). The interior, embellished by Louis XVI woodwork and Tours silk, displays works sourced from castles destroyed by Richelieu and Chanteloup, and importa..