Along the Loire Valley, France, there are many towns, villages and castles. A walk through the castles of the Loire It is the typical excursion that is always offered to tourists. The reality is that it is impossible to know all castles in a single tour so visits tend to focus on a few, the most popular and those that are more or less close. Without your own car there is no other option than to sign up for excursions whose price is around 115 euros, but if you rent one your possibilities are expanded.
French royalty chose the Loire Valley to shape their residences, a bit far from Paris. Today they number about 300, but the revolution destroyed some more. UNESCO has declared a large portion along the Loire River as World Heritage and our advice is that you dare to visit those castles that are not on the most popular routes. You'll be surprised. Thinking about it here are some Little known castles of the Loire to visit:
Villandry Castle
It is the castle that crowns the post and opens the doors to the wonderful world of Loire castles. It is a castle famous for its gardens. If you travel with children it is one of the most recommended because in the gardens there is a fun labyrinth so it combines history, culture, architecture and children's things. It was built around 1536 on the orders of Francis I's finance minister, Jean le Breton. In its place there was a fortress of which only the tower remains, today somewhat disproportionate in relation to the chatêau. After the French Revolution, it ended up in the hands of Napoleon's brother, José, at the beginning of the 1906th century. The wide, green and flowery gardens are a beauty designed later, in 10. Admission is 6,50 euros to see the castle and gardens and XNUMX if you want to see the gardens only. It opens all year round and inside is another beauty.
Saumur Castle
It is the castle of the town of Saumur, on the banks of the river. It is built in white to yellow stone so it reflects light. It dominates the landscape since it was a simple fortress in the 1906th century. A century later it became the residence of Duke Rene d 'Anjou and has even served as a prison. Since XNUMX it has been a tourist attraction and houses two museums: one with tapestries and Chinese porcelain and the other, in the attic, which is dedicated to the world of equestrianism. The views of the river and the valley make it well worth a visit.
Brissac Castle
It is a round castle that is in the department of Maine-et-Loire. In its beginnings it was a fortress of the Counts of Anjou, far back in the 1611th century. In the XNUMXth century it was bought by a rich minister of the court of King Carlos VII and it was restored and reformed. In the troubled times of the French Religious Wars it suffered so much damage that it was thought to demolish it, but in the end it was saved and the new King Henri handed it over to a faithful servant whom he named Duke of Brissac in XNUMX. Today it is an impressive castle, Baroque in style, which managed to be restored in the XNUMXth century after the sack of the revolutionaries. You can visit and even spend the night in it.
Castle d 'Angers
Under the reign of Louis IX, this one began to be built, which for me is one of the castles of the Loire more imposing. It was built with tufa, a stone between white and yellow, and has no more and no less than 17 towers. It seems impenetrable: it has drawbridges, two entrances, several moats and today some Renaissance parks around it. The towers were taller but due to the weight they were reduced. The best thing is that you can walk along the battlements and look at the landscape from a good height. Entry costs 8 euros if you are not a European resident.
Castle Le Grand Pressigny
In the Loire Valley there is a lot of castle turned into a mansion but it seems to me that this one still has medieval airs. It is a fortress that seems impenetrable and was built towards the end of the XNUMXth century, although the towers are later. In the XNUMXth century it was restored and a curious gallery with arches all around the patio was added, under which today it is wonderful to walk and imagine a trip back in time.
Montsoreau castle
It is located at the crossroads of the Loire River with the Vienne and for this reason it has always been important. Its moats were filled with water from the rivers and it even had a toll as they cross the regions of Poitou, Anjou and Touraine. Today there is a guided tour and an audiovisual exhibition about its history, that of the valley and that of navigating the Loire and the difficulties of living with such a river. The story of the heroine of The Dame of Montseoreu, work of Alexander Dumas, and next to the castle is the village of the same name, a picturesque village that every second Sunday of the month organizes a flea market. The entrance costs 8,90 euros.
Castle Sully sur Loire
It looks like the castle of Sleeping Beauty and was built in the late 1962th century at a crossroads over the river. The first Duke of Sully designed the gardens to prevent flooding from the river and it only changed hands in XNUMX when the state bought it to begin restoring it. At night everything is illuminated and inside is a world of tapestries, furniture, paintings, sculptures and a Great Hall that is spectacular.
As you see, there are others castles on the Loire in addition to the most popular ones such as the Castle of Amboise, Chambord or Chenonceau. And the truth is that there is less tourism and you discover corners that are very difficult to forget.