The Loire Castles: Essential Jewels of French Heritage

Treasure troves of beauty attracting several million visitors each year, the Loire castles have adorned our historical heritage for centuries. These architectural marvels sometimes originated from transformed Benedictine abbeys or forts built to wage the numerous battles of the Middle Ages, while others were erected during the Renaissance to impress the kings and their court. A look back at an era when the ferocity of war gradually gave way to refinement and the arts.

An origin marked by the will of kings

To understand why so many castles adorn the regions around the Loire, we must go back nearly ten centuries, to the heart of a history tormented by constant battles. At that time, the houses of Anjou and Blois contested** the County of Tours**, finally conquered by the Angevins after more than fifty years of war. This was followed between the 12th and 15th centuries by the two Hundred Years’ Wars pitting France against England, during which many fortresses were also built.

At the end of this period, Charles VII and Louis XI made Tours the capital of the Kingdom of France (before its move to Paris in 1594). The Renaissance therefore began with the King’s court sitting in this region, where as a consequence many minor nobles built their own dwellings. The Battle of Marignan won in 1515 by Francis I marked a turning point following which work was initiated in many castles,** Chambord being the first.**

The same Francis I and his successors intended to increase the prestige of the Kingdom of France worldwide. This resulted in many Italian artists and craftsmen coming to the Loire Valley, among whom Leonardo da Vinci. The arts developed, particularly music and painting. Existing castles were transformed, vying in luxury and architectural richness, to correspond to the more festive than warlike lifestyle of the period. While somewhat neglected when the kings migrated to the Paris region (obviously Versailles, as well as Fontainebleau and the Louvre), the castles of the Loire regions were taken over by other nobles through purchase or gift.

Ultimately, the name “Loire Castles” does not refer to a precise set of dwellings. It rather has a tourist character linked to the richness of the monuments in this region classified as World Heritage by UNESCO in 2000 under the name “Loire Valley”. While constructions may share common features, mostly built in tuffeau or brick with tuffeau quoins, there is nevertheless no list cataloguing them. Even the geographical zone is debated: the departments of Sarthe and Mayenne are sometimes included, sometimes not, and some would even extend the designation to the Nièvre.

Chateau de Langeais

Magnificent royal castles from history

Numbering 11, the so-called “royal” castles obviously owe this appellation to the fact that they were built and owned by kings. Here is a brief overview of their origins.

• Chambord: the largest castle in the Loire regions, built in the heart of the largest forest park in Europe, Chambord impresses with unmatched architectural richness. It was Francis I who had it built as we know it in the 16th century, in place of the castle of the counts of Blois. Originally conceived as a hunting lodge built to the glory of the king, the project evolved under the guidance of great names in architecture. Learn more about Château de Chambord: (re)live the renaissance!

• Chenonceau: located in Indre-et-Loire, the castle of Chenonceau was built in its current form from 1513 onwards. It is nicknamed the Ladies’ Castle as it was successively built and embellished by several great female names from French history: Katherine Briçonnet, Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Médicis among others. Note that it was annexed to the Crown in 1535 by Francis I in payment of debts.

• Langeais: rebuilt by Louis XI in 1465 on the foundations of a medieval fortress destroyed by Charles VII (except for the keep, which is one of the oldest stone keeps in existence), the castle of Langeais overlooks the Loire in Indre-et-Loire. It was in its walls that Charles VIII married Anne of Brittany on 6 December 1491 at seven in the morning. Learn more about Château de Langeais: A gem of the Loire Valley.

• Saumur: annexed to the French Crown by Philip Augustus, the castle of Saumur is built on a height in Maine-et-Loire that makes it visible for kilometres. Constantly fortified in the context of medieval wars, it remained a warrior’s fortress during the Renaissance before being briefly transformed into a prison by Napoleon, then into an arms depot by Louis XVIII. In 1862, it was classified as a historical monument.

• Amboise: attached to the Crown in 1434 to become a residence of the Kings of France, the castle of Amboise overlooks the Loire in Indre-et-Loire and possesses a sumptuous collection of Gothic furniture. While it was the scene of the Conspiracy of Amboise in 1560, the first act of the Wars of Religion, the castle of Amboise had previously been the residence of Leonardo da Vinci invited to this place by Francis I.

• Plessis-lèz-Tours: previously called Montils-lez-Tours, this castle was acquired by King Louis XI, who died there fifteen years later, in 1483. Initially enriched and embellished, it was eventually abandoned until the Revolution, after which it was almost entirely destroyed. Only the southern part of the former dwelling has been renovated and survives today.

• Angers: built in Maine-et-Loire on a promontory dominating the Maine, the castle of Angers is also called Castle of the Dukes of Anjou. It benefits from a strategic position but Henry III wanted to demolish it following the troubles of the Wars of Religion. Only the upper part of the towers was destroyed, and the castle served more recently as a prison, garrison and arms depot during the Second World War.

• Chinon: controlling the Vienne, the castle of Chinon is built on a site occupied for several millennia. Held by the counts of Blois from the 10th century, it is progressively divided into three very distinct parts: the Coudray fort, the Middle Castle, and Saint-Georges fort, each with its own enclosure and moats. It is attached to the French Crown during its conquest in 1205 by Philip Augustus.

• Blois: a favourite residence of the kings of the Renaissance, the castle of Blois was built in Loir-et-Cher to become a royal residence under the reign of Louis XII, where he was born in 1462. Its rich history caused it to be destroyed during a Viking attack in the 9th century, then pass between the hands of several families. Joan of Arc was blessed there before her departure to lift the siege of Orléans in 1429.

• Loches: built in the Loire Valley in the 11th century, the castle of Loches was conquered by Richard the Lionheart at the end of the 12th century then retaken by Philip II of France, who annexed it to the royal domain. It was subsequently used as a prison from the 15th century to 1926, notably to imprison English captives during the American Revolution

• Tours: a royal residence since the 15th century but built in the 11th century before undergoing several expansions, the castle of Tours lost its splendour during massive destruction in the 18th century. Two remaining towers were then enriched with a new building to serve as barracks, before beneficial restoration in the last century and truly productive work thanks to archaeological excavations begun in 1980.

Chateau Azay-le-Rideau

Noble castles that multiplied

The presence of royalty in the Loire Valley for several centuries encouraged the construction in this location of many often fortified dwellings, later embellished to impress the court of the kings. Their number is estimated at 3,000, mostly located in the Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire regions. We cite here 12 of the most important castles.

• Châteaudun overlooks the Loir in Eure-et-Loir. It is one of the first French castles of leisure architecture. It is perfectly preserved and classified as a historical monument.

• Azay-le-Rideau became a historical monument in 1905, following its sale to the State that same year. It is now managed by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux.

• Beauregard is open to the public and classified as a historical monument since 1840. It is notably known for its Gallery of Illustrious Figures.

• Brézé stands out for the troglodytic network of its subsurface and moats, historically composed of various rooms with different uses, both civil and military. It was classified as a historical monument in 1979.

• Valançay is located in the Berry but shares features with Chambord. From a feudal fortress, it was transformed into a modern castle at the initiative of Louis d’Etampes in the 16th century. The embellishment work lasted over 100 years.

• Brissac is a fortified castle with a rich history that saw it change owners several times. It is now open to the public and was classified as a historical monument in 1958 and 1966.

• Chanteloup is an 18th-century castle that was unfortunately destroyed by property developers in 1823. Several parts of the estate have since been classified as historical monuments, such as the pagoda or the gardener’s house.

• Chaumont-sur-Loire was built in the 10th century by Eudes I, before passing for five centuries to the Amboise family. The castle then changed hands several times before being sold to the State in 1938.

• Cheverny, built in the 17th century, is remarkable in that it inspired Hergé for the creation of Moulinsart Castle, which is a replica of its central section. Learn more about Château de Cheverny, a concentration of treasures to admire.

Chateau de Cheverny

• Clos-Lucé, previously called Manoir du Cloux, was built in the 15th century. Leonardo da Vinci lived there for three very productive years for his work.

• Dukes of Brittany was founded in the 13th century to defend Nantes. A ducal residence, it became a royal fortress when Brittany was officially attached to the kingdom of France by edict signed at the castle in 1532. Learn more about Château des Ducs de Bretagne, a Nantais wonder.

• Villandry is the last of the great palaces on the banks of the Loire, built in the 16th century. It has remarkable gardens spanning over six hectares, patiently reconstructed from 1906 by Dr Joachim Carvallo.

Many other residences and monuments deserve to be admired in a region that has seen many twists and turns at the origin of our country as we know it today. One thing is certain: lovers of History and stone will certainly not be bored during a stay in the Loire Valley!