Background
The Loire Valley is an outstanding cultural landscape of great beauty, containing historic towns and villages, great architectural monuments, the châteaux, and cultivated lands formed by many centuries of interaction between its people and the river. UNESCO inscribed the central stretch between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes in 2000.
Known as the Garden of France and the cradle of the French language, the valley takes in Amboise, Blois, Chinon, Orléans, Saumur and Tours, and châteaux such as Chambord, Chenonceau, Amboise and Azay-le-Rideau. Its wines run from Muscadet on the coast to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.
- Middle PalaeolithicThe valley has been inhabited since prehistory
- 15th–16th c.The Renaissance châteaux rise along the river
- 2000Inscribed as World Heritage
Find Your Way Around
The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them
- 1Château de ChambordThe largest château, with its double staircase.
- 2Château de ChenonceauThe château built out over the river Cher.
- 3Amboise and Clos LucéThe royal château and Leonardo da Vinci's last home.
- 4Villandry and Azay-le-RideauKitchen gardens and a château on the water.
- 5ToursHalf-timbered Place Plumereau and the Saint-Gatien cathedral; the base town for the GoGo guide.
- 6Blois and SaumurHistoric towns on the river, with Loire wines all around.
Know Before You Go
From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides
Chenonceau and Amboise
From the GoGo Tours guide · Open the Tours Guide ›
- 09:30Château de Chenonceau2.5 hrsThe château over the river.
- 13:30Amboise and Clos Lucé2 hrsLeonardo's last home.
- 20:00Guinguette by the Loire2 hrsSummer open-air bar on the riverbank in Tours.
Best Time to Visit
Best months: May–Sep.
Typical highs
Climate: NASA POWER
Pair It With
Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance
