We traveled through the Loire Valley from east to west, heading from Burgundy to Brittany, with a fairly simple plan – a few castles, some good food and a few beautiful stops along the way. But the journey quickly turned into so much more. Driving through the Loire Valley is as much a lesson in French royal history as it is an insight into everyday life in France today.
A good thing to know is that the central part of the Loire Valley, between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes-sur-Loire, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the name “Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes.” It is not a single monument, but an entire cultural landscape encompassing the river, villages, vineyards, and hundreds of castles. As you can probably imagine, our trip was not just about visiting “a few castles,” because the Loire is so much more. To see everything on the list, you would need at least three full days, but I would recommend at least five if you want to avoid feeling rushed.
Join us on a road trip to my 10 favourites along the Loire Valley – starting with a grand, show-stopping château and ending with mushrooms in the hills.
1. Chateau de Chambord
There are houses and buildings that impress from a distance – and then there areChambord CastleWith its 440 rooms, 282 chimneys, and a silhouette of spires and towers, Chambord is one of the most spectacular and extraordinary buildings I have ever seen in Europe.
But the most fascinating thing is that this gigantic palace was never built to be a home – not even for the French king. François I had the castle built solely to impress. It was a hunting lodge and a grand backdrop for the king’s power. The castle is a “must-see” for all visitors to the Loire, so it’s wise to book tickets in advance during high season.
Read more about a visit to the castle in Château de Chambord – Amazing, huge and almost completely unused
2. Blois
The city of Blois is just a 20-minute drive from Château de Chambord and is a perfect stop for a bite to eat or an ice cream after visiting Chambord. The city is also home to the royal castle Château de Blois, a slightly “simpler” castle, which has nevertheless been inhabited by seven French kings and ten queens throughout the ages.
Blois is known for its charming old quarters with well-preserved houses from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. One of the city's most famous features is the impressive large Denis-Papin Staircase which leads up through the town towards the castle. The staircase has become something of a symbol of Blois, and its pattern often changes several times a year. When we visited Blois, the staircase was covered in a sports-inspired theme, but here the Mona Lisa herself has also been allowed to adorn the steps.
3. Chateau de Chenonceau
If Château de Chambord is a monument to royal male power, Chenonceau Castle stands as its counterpart. Often called the château des dames—the ladies’ castle—its history was largely shaped by women, most notably the famous rivals Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de’ Medici. Within its walls, stories of love, grief, jealousy, and political intrigue unfold.
What makes Chenonceau so special is that the castle is built over the river and almost appears to float above the water when viewed from a distance. Today, Chenonceau is one of France's most beloved castles and the second most visited in France (after Versailles, of course).
Read more about a visit to the castle here: Château de Chenonceau – A castle, a mistress and an angry queen
4. Chateau Ambroise and Ambroise
Amboise may not be the largest or most magnificent town in the Loire Valley, but few places can boast having been home to Leonardo da Vinci himself. Here in Ambroise he retired in 1516 at the invitation of King François I – who was probably France’s most enthusiastic da Vinci fan. Da Vinci’s final home, Clos Lucé, is today a charming museum where you can see models of his inventions, walk through the garden and be reminded that the man invented almost everything.
High above the city lies Château d'Amboise, the castle where François I grew up. It is considerably smaller and more low-key than his magnificent Chambord, but all the more cozy and with better views. Here you can wander through the royal halls and visit the Saint-Hubert Chapel, where Leonardo da Vinci is said to be buried.
Amboise is a city that combines Renaissance romance and small-town charm in a way that makes it very hard not to like.
5 Tours
Tours is the Loire Valley's only real city. A truly vibrant city filled with students, markets, wine bars and restaurants that actually feel made for people who live there all year round. It's immediately noticeable that Tours is the natural center of the region, and during our trip we ended up here for dinner not just one, but two evenings.
The heart of the city is Place Plumereau – or just “Place Plume”, as the locals call it. The square is surrounded by crooked and leaning half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets that make the whole place feel like a postcard you’ve just stepped into. Restaurants and bars are located wall to wall here, the outdoor terraces are full well into the evening and the pace is just that pleasantly French without being overpriced.
6. Chateau de Villandry
Château de Villandry is not trying to compete with the gigantic size of Chambord or the fabulous silhouette of Chenonceau across the water, Villandry is the best at gardens and that is a superior win.
The castle was built in the early 16th century by Jean Le Breton, finance minister to King François I. There used to be a medieval castle on the site, and one of the towers was left standing during the construction. But let's talk about the gardens. They spread over nine hectares and are divided into several different parts with fountains, water channels, flower beds, tree alleys and an enormous kitchen garden. Here everything is planted in perfect geometric patterns and blocks of color. Incredibly beautiful to walk through, but even more beautiful to admire from the castle's tower.
Read more about my visit to Château Villandry here: Villandry Castle – The Loire Valley's most beautiful castle garden
7. The Troglodytes
Some of the Loire Valley's most fascinating buildings have neither turrets nor towers, as they are hidden right inside the mountain.
Along the Loire River, they appear everywhere along the way. They can be small windows carved into the limestone or chimneys sticking out of nowhere. These are real cave people – and in the middle of our modern society. It all starts with the light limestone tuffeau, which was used in large quantities to build the castles of the Loire Valley. When the stone was quarried, what was left were large caves and cavities in the rock and the people in the area quickly realized that the caves maintained an even temperature all year round. Not so cold in the winter and cool and pleasant in the summer. Natural air conditioning, completely free of charge. Today, the Loire Valley has the most cave caves in all of Europe and they are there everywhere – even if you may not notice them.
During our trip we visited Souzay-Champigny, a small village where cave dwellings and an underground restaurant (!) completely blend into the landscape and make the whole place feel like something out of a hobbit movie.
8. Loire wines
The wines of the Loire Valley are not as common on the systembolaget as the larger regions of Bordeaux or Burgundy. Yet this is where some of France's most special wines are produced – wines that often feel more personal than perfect.
Most of it is about the river and the caves. The Loire winds its way through a wide variety of soils and climates, and grape varieties change along the way. The best known are the crisp Sauvignon Blanc wines from Sancerre, but sparkling wines are also produced here from Chenin Blanc using the traditional Champagne method, particularly around Saumur.
During the trip we visited Maison Darragon in Vouvray, a family-owned vineyard of 45 hectares where Chenin Blanc is the focus and where wine production still feels genuinely small-scale. After days of castles, history and parks, it was quite nice to stand with a glass of wine in hand and talk about soil, vintages and cave storage. We also got a tour of the caves, because here on the farm the wines are stored in classic troglodyte caves with cool underground passages that have been used as wine cellars for centuries. Very cool if I do say so myself.
A tip: If you want to stay in a slightly original accommodation, the vineyard has a gîte where they rent out a troglodyte apartment.
9. Chateau de Saumur
Château de Saumur is towering over the Loire like a fairytale castle that someone placed a little too perfectly on the hill above the city, the castle has all the classic details you would expect from a Loire castle – battlements, towers, moat and vineyards.
The Château de Saumur has had more lives than most buildings. It began as a castle for the Counts of Anjou and later became the property of the House of Plantagenet, before becoming a royal fortress under Louis IX in the 13th century. In the 14th century, it received a major upgrade to a palace by Duke Louis I of Anjou, and later became the home of King René, the last Duke of Anjou. In the 16th century, when Saumur became a Protestant stronghold, it was also extended with new defensive walls, some of which still stand today.
The town of Saumur itself is strongly associated with horses and equestrianism. It is home to the famous riding school Cadre Noir and the city's equestrian tradition is strong. Since 2011, Cadre Noir has been part of UNESCO's cultural heritage.
10. Musee de Champinjon
Musee de Champinjon is the kind of place that sounds like a joke the first time you say it out loud. When I suggested to my family that we go there, I was met with the same kind of looks you get when you propose visiting a museum dedicated to drying paint. But it turned out to be one of the most unexpectedly fascinating stops of the entire trip.
The museum is located in old troglodyte caves outside Saumur, where the soft limestone has created kilometers of cool tunnels. An environment that happens to be the perfect environment for mushroom cultivation. Dark, humid and with a temperature that remains constant year-round. The museum is not just a museum, but mushrooms are still grown here. An opportunity to both learn more and also have a little giggle.
Read more about our visit to the museum here: Crazy mushrooms at the Musée du Champignon in the Loire Valley
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