Which Chateaux?
The Loire chateaux are very much part of the landscape, but the choice of which to visit is vast and bewildering, and trying to pack in the maximum can quickly dent your appreciation of their architecture, settings and historical significance. Of the most famous, Azay-le-Rideau and Chenonceau , both belong exclusively to the Renaissance period and are undoubtedly the most beautiful, rivalled only by the natural beauty of the gardens of Villandry . Blois , with its four wings representing four distinct periods, is extremely impressive, followed by the monstrously huge Chambord . For an evocation of medieval times, the citadel of Loches is hard to beat; other feudal fortresses include the lesser-known Fougeres-sur-Bievre , the ruined Chinon , Langeais , still furnished in fifteenth-century style, Meung-sur-Loire , with its vile dungeons, and Amboise . Many chateaux that started life as serious military defences were turned into luxurious residences by their regal or ducal owners: good examples are Brissac , Chaumont , with its nineteenth-century stables, Usse and Sully - Usse and Sully are most striking for their setting and exterior appearance, so you can admire them without forking out for admission. Le Plessis-Bourre is a fine example of late fifteenth-century elegant residence and strong defences combined. At Valencay , the interior of the Renaissance chateau is Napoleonic; Cheverny is the prime example of seventeenth-century magnificence; its neighbour Beauregard encloses a sixteenth-century core with seventeenth-century additions but is most famous for its portrait gallery. Other chateaux are more compelling for their contents than for their architecture: Argent-sur-Sauldre , with a brilliant ceramics collection; St-Brisson , with art exhibitions and medieval weaponry demonstrations; Cadillacs at the chateau in St-Michel-sur-Loire ; a museum of living donkeys at Gizeux ; and La Bussiere , celebrating fish and fishing in a fine lake setting with Le Notre gardens. At Saumur , a museum of the horse rivals the attraction of the castle itself, while at Angers the extremely impressive medieval castle pales into insignificance when set against the tapestry of the Apocalypse which it houses, the greatest work of art in the Loire valley. Entry prices can be pretty steep, particularly for the privately owned chateaux. There is no consistency in the concessions offered: if you're over 65, under 25, a student or still at school, check for any reductions and make sure you've got proof of age or a student card with you.
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