Loire Valley (By Train), france
Attractions Guide
Introduction
The scenic Loire Valley stretches along the Loire River, which is located to the southwest of Paris. The many castles and chateaus of the Loire Valley are among the most magnificent in France. Along the Loire River between the cities of Tours and Orleans are the region's most popular and finest chateaus.
The Loire Valley makes up a massive UNESCO world heritage site, and is also among the world's foremost wine-producing regions, with many wineries along the valley.
If you'd like to fully enjoy this area and see a majority of the chateaus, be sure to spend at least 2-3 days in the region. The following attractions are listed in order from west to east along the Loire Valley, beginning in the city of Amboise (just east of Tours) and ending in Orleans.
Amboise, France Chateaus
Amboise hosts two incredible chateaus, including the 15th century Chateau Royal d'Amboise, which is among the most impressive castles in the Loire Valley and was a former royal residence of several French kings. This massive castle is surrounded by fortified walls, and inside the castle you'll find pompous historic interiors.
Within the Chateau Royal d'Amboise's walls is the Chapelle Saint-Hubert, a lovely embellished chapel which contains the tomb of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Leonardo Da Vinci's Chateau
In Amboise you'll also find the 16th century Chateau du Clos Luce, the former and final home of the great Leonardo Da Vinci. The chateau now serves as a museum hosting era-appropriate furnishings from Da Vinci's time, as well as many models of machines created by Da Vinci. This smaller chateau is surrounded by beautiful woodland.
Transportation to Amboise
To reach the chateaus of Amboise from the city's train station, you'll need to walk about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) to the first chateau, crossing the bridge over the Loire River. When crossing, be sure to stop and enjoy the stunning views of the Chateau Royal d'Amboise castle complex, which is best admired from the island in the middle of the Loire River.
Chateau de Chenonceau
One of the most gorgeous castles in the Loire Valley is the 16th century Chateau de Chenonceau, which is located just southeast of Amboise.
This amazing castle is the second most popular chateau to visit in all of France, after the Palace of Versailles. The breathtaking Chateau de Chenonceau spans atop a river, without any island to support it. This makes the castle a truly magnificent sight, as the river is quite wide.
Within the castle you'll find extravagant historic rooms, and outside the castle are beautiful island gardens and expansive woodlands. Be sure take in views of this castle from across the river as well.
Transportation to Chenonceau Chateau
In order to reach the Chateau de Chenonceau you'll need to take the train from Amboise to Tours and then change trains to reach Chenonceau. To reach the other chateaus you'll need to go back through Orleans to get back to the train that runs along the Loire River. Alternatively, you might consider taking a taxi or Uber, since the driving distance from Amboise to Chenonceau is less than 8 miles (12.5 km).
Chateau de Chaumont & Chateau Royal de Blois
Beyond Amboise and Chenonceau is the fairytale-like Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire, a marvelous Renaissance-style castle with highly elaborate majestic interiors. The castle is known to have hosted the famous Nostradamus and previously belonged to the Italian Medici family. You might like to spend some time enjoying the beautiful gardens surrounding this castle.
Transportation to Chaumont-sur-Loire Chateau
Similarly to the Chateau de Chenonceau, the Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire is a bit challenging to reach. The best option is to take a taxi or Uber to Chaumont-sur-Loire from Chenonceau, which is less than 30 minutes away by car, but over 2 hours away by train which only runs a few times a day. The walking distance from the Chateau de Chaumont-sur-Loire to the nearest train station in Onzain is about 1.4 miles (2.3 km), and it is much easier to reach the next chateau in the city of Blois from this train station.
Chateau Royal de Blois
Further along the Loire Valley is the stunning Chateau Royal de Blois, which contains many decadent rooms and fascinating architectural features. This massive and elaborate gothic palace was constructed in the 14th century and remodeled during the 16th century with several Renaissance features. Today the Chateau Royal de Blois hosts a fine art museum along with many extravagant rooms you can explore.
Chateau de Chambord
The massive Chateau de Chambord is an architectural masterpiece blending Renaissance and medieval styles into a unique and truly gorgeous structure. This fantastic royal palace was built as a hunting lodge, however the grandeur of the palace would lead you to believe it was a permanent royal residence. The Chateau de Chambord is surrounded by vast woodlands, and the chateau is extremely photogenic.
Transportation to Chambord Chateau
The Chateau de Chambord is among the most gorgeous of the Loire Valley and is highly recommended to visit, however this chateau can only be reached via car, so you'll need to take a taxi or Uber about 20 minutes from Blois to reach Chambord.
Chateau de Cheverny
One more chateau to consider in the Loire Valley if you're willing to take another taxi or Uber is the smaller 17th century Chateau de Cheverny with its grand Renaissance-era interiors. Interestingly, the chateau is home to over 100 French hunting dogs, which reside within part of the chateau's gardens.
Transportation to Cheverny Chateau
This chateau is approximately 20 minutes away from the Chateau de Chambord by taxi or Uber, and about 15 minutes away to return by car to Blois. From Blois you can easily take the train to Orleans, which is about 1 hours away.
Orleans, France
The top sight within the city of Orleans is the medieval Sainte-Croix Cathedral. This cathedral is famous for its association with Joan of Arc, who is now features in the church's stain glass windows. The cathedral is gigantic and showcases complex gothic architecture.
Adjacent to the cathedral is the Hotel Groslot, a lovely medieval building with ornate era-appropriate furnishings.
Transportation to Paris
If travelling to Paris from Orleans, the train takes approximately 1.5 hours.
Google Maps Attraction Lists
Save Loire Valley (By Train) Attraction Lists to your Google Maps Account:
1. Click Link above while logged into Google account on your device.2. Click Follow, and the attraction pins will be saved in your Google Maps.
