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  Château de Chenonceau
Location: On D40, 30km E
of Tours (North side of River Cher).
General Info: Open all year. Tel No: 0(2) 47 23 90 07.
2006 prices were €8 for adults and €6.50 for 7-15 year olds. Additional charges apply for
extra attractions.
Description: This
French Renaissance chateau is the most visited chateau in France after
Versailles. It is often called ‘le Château des Dames’ because of the
association with many of France’s famous ladies! It is particularly
beautiful due to its setting and design over the Cher river. During
the Second World war its unique setting meant you could enter one side
from unoccupied France and the other from occupied France depending on
which side of the river you were on! Both the chateau and the
grounds are immaculately maintained with lots of furnished rooms to look
at in the chateau and vast gardens to walk around.
Our recommendation: Expensive, so plan a whole day here - there's
plenty to do. Look out for the summer Son et Lumière spectacle and
the "night walks" when the garden paths are lit with lights.
For the children: There is a unique ipod audio tour available for
use by 7-12 year olds as they tour the chateau, helping to make what
might be a rather ‘dry’ visit a bit more interesting. There is also a
childrens’ play area for younger children, a maze, a 16th century farm
and the opportunity to go boating on the River Cher as a family. |
Our favourite Chateaux in
the
Loire valley:
- Angers Castle
- Château de Brézé
-
Château de Chambord
-
Château
de Chenonceau
-
Château de Villandry
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Best
Loire Chateaux
When
it comes to chateaux the Loire valley gives the Dordogne a good run for
its money! However whereas the Dordogne chateaux are generally
situated on craggy cliff tops, many of the most impressive Loire chateaux
are majestically set in river valleys, in forest clearings or, in the case
of Chenonceau, straddling the river! Unlike the
Dordogne chateaux, the Loire chateaux were
built with luxury and pleasure as their raison d'être!