Châteaux of the Loire Valley
Château Commune Département Notes
Azay-le-Rideau Azay-le-Rideau Indre-et-Loire Masterpiece of the first French Renaissance
Armaillé Loches Indre-et-Loire Loches Château of Count Arthur de Marsay
Beauregard Cellettes Loir-et-Cher Art gallery
Brézé Brézé Maine-et-Loire Artifacts of Troglodytes under the château Deepest moats in France
Brissac Brissac Loire Aubance Maine-et-Loire Tallest château in France
Chanteloup Amboise Indre-et-Loire Property of Duke of Choiseul ( 1760-1785 )
Châteaudun Châteaudun Eure-et-Loir Property of Jean de Dunois ( 1439-1468 )
Chaumont-sur-Loire Chaumont-sur-Loire Loir-et-Cher Property of Catherine de ' Medici ( 1550-1559 ) et Diane de Poitiers ( 1559-1566 )
Cheverny Cheverny Loir-et-Cher Inspiration for Hergé 's Marlinspike Hall
Clos-Lucé Amboise Indre-et-Loire Home to Leonardo da Vinci ( 1516-1519 )
Ducs de Bretagne Nantes Loire-Atlantique Located near the River mouth of the Loire Residence of the Dukes of Brittany
Meillant Meillant Cher Contains the famous Tour du Lion
Montsoreau Montsoreau Maine-et-Loire Only Château in the Loire Valley constructed in the Loire riverbed Château de Montsoreau-Museum of Contemporary Art has the world 's largest holding of Art & Language works
Richelieu Richelieu Indre-et-Loire Property of Cardinal Richelieu ( 1621-1642 )
Sully-sur-Loire Sully-sur-Loire Loiret Property of Maximilien de Béthune , Duke of Sully ( 1602-1641 )
Ussé Rigny-Ussé Indre-et-Loire Inspiration for Charles Perrault 's Sleeping Beauty
Valençay Valençay Indre Property of Talleyrand ( 1803-1838 )
Villandry Villandry Indre-et-Loire Famous for its French formal gardens
List of châteaux of the Loire -- Châteaux of the nobility
The Châteaux of the Loire Valley (French: Châteaux de la Loire) are part of the architectural heritage of the historic towns of Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Montsoreau, Nantes, Orléans, Saumur, and Tours along the Loire River in France. They illustrate Renaissance ideals of design in France. The châteaux of the Loire Valley number over three hundred, ranging from practical fortified castles from the 10th century to splendid residences built half a millennium later. When the French kings began constructing their huge châteaux in the Loire Valley, the nobility, drawn to the seat of power, followed suit, attracting the finest architects and landscape designers. The châteaux and their surrounding gardens are cultural monuments which stunningly embody the ideals of the Renaissance and Enlightenment. Many of the châteaux were built on hilltops, such as the Château d'Amboise, while the only one built in the riverbed is the Château de Montsoreau. Many had exquisite churches on the grounds or within the château.