The 10 most beautiful castles in Indre-et-Loire
10 châteaux
Chosen among 303 recorded castles
What to see in Indre-et-Loire when you only have a weekend: the 10 most visited castles according to their visitors’ reviews, among those open to the public whose visiting conditions we checked on the official website. For each: what you see, the entry price, the link to the full entry.
Ranked by attendance, from the number of Google reviews. “Beautiful” is your word; what we measure is what visitors choose.
No. 1
Domaine de Chenonceau
Chenonceaux
Built above the Cher river, this Renaissance château owes its current form to Thomas Bohier, who had the main building erected on the piers of a former mill starting in 1512. Diane de Poitiers and later Catherine de Médicis added the gallery spanning the river, making it one of the few châteaux built directly over…
Adult €19Hours, prices and access
No. 2
Château d'Ussé (Ussé Castle)
Rigny-Ussé
In Rigny-Ussé, on the edge of the Chinon forest above the Indre valley, this fifteenth-century castle stands on a site fortified since the Middle Ages. Its towers and rooflines still recall the earlier stronghold that once overlooked the valley before being turned into a residence.
Adult €14.50Hours, prices and access
No. 3
Château-Gaillard
Amboise
In Amboise, the Château-Gaillard belongs to that string of royal residences scattered across the Loire Valley. It was commissioned by Charles VIII on his return from his Italian campaign, which accounts for the transalpine touches visible in its design.
Adult €17Hours, prices and access
No. 4
Manoir de La Perraudière
Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire
The manoir de La Perraudière, in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire, now houses the town hall. What stands out most is the landscaped park laid out in the late 19th century by an American owner with a passion for botany, who introduced plants gathered on his travels.
No. 5
Château de Gizeux (Gizeux Castle)
Gizeux
The Château de Gizeux stands on the edge of the former Anjou province, within the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park, its 250-metre façade making it one of the longest buildings in the area.
No. 6
Château de Pray (Pray Castle)
Chargé
The Château de Pray stands in Chargé, in the Indre-et-Loire department, close to Amboise. It once belonged to Georges-Charles d'Amboise, and its name, shared with a town in Loir-et-Cher, sometimes causes confusion about its actual location. Detailed information on this monument remains scarce.
No. 7
Château de Valmer (Valmer Castle)
Chançay
At Chançay, in the Indre-et-Loire, the Valmer estate is visited chiefly for its terraced gardens laid out on a hillside above the Brenne valley in the 17th century.
Adult €12Hours, prices and access
No. 8
Château Vieux de Candes
Candes-Saint-Martin
château Vieux de Candes, in Candes-Saint-Martin (Indre-et-Loire), France. Location, access and practical information.
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No. 9
Collégiale des Roches-Tranchelion
Avon-les-Roches
Collégiale des Roches-Tranchelion, in Avon-les-Roches (Indre-et-Loire), France. Location, access and practical information.
No. 10
Château de Marçay (Marçay Castle)
Marçay
In Marçay, in the Indre-et-Loire department, this château combines a defensive medieval silhouette with a residence reworked over the centuries.
Every castle in Indre-et-Loire (303)Which ones open this weekend?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Indre-et-Loire?
- The most visited in Indre-et-Loire is Domaine de Chenonceau, first in this selection according to its visitors’ reviews. All 10 castles listed are open to visitors with checked hours.
- How much does a visit cost?
- The adult entry price is shown under each castle when the official website publishes it; 0 of these castles are free.
- How is this selection made?
- Among the 303 castles recorded in Indre-et-Loire, we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.