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 renown: how often their name is searched on Google each month, and how many reviews visitors have left. “Beautiful” is your word; what we measure is what visitors choose.
No. 1
Château de Chenonceau (Chenonceau Castle)
Francueil
Chenonceau spans the Cher river with a two storey gallery built on a bridge, an architectural feature that sets it apart among the Loire châteaux.
Adult €19Hours, prices and access
No. 2
Château de Villandry (Villandry Castle)
Villandry
At Villandry, a few kilometres from Tours, a Renaissance château is best known for its reconstructed gardens. The 14th century keep, the sole remnant of the former fortress of Colombiers, stands alongside the residence built in 1532 by Jean Le Breton, secretary of state to François I.
No. 3
Château d'Amboise (Amboise Castle)
Amboise
The Château d'Amboise stands above the Loire on a rocky spur, a former residence of French kings where several royal heirs were raised.
Adult €17.30Hours, prices and accessTickets and guided tours
No. 4
Clos Lucé
Amboise
In Amboise, the Clos Lucé château is the house where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final three years, until his death in 1519, after being invited by King François I.
Adult €20Hours, prices and access
No. 5
Château de Langeais (Langeais Castle)
Langeais
In Langeais, in the Indre-et-Loire department, stands a château commissioned by Louis XI in 1465 on a rocky spur above the Loire.
No. 6
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. 7
Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
Azay-le-Rideau
Standing on piles in the bed of the Indre river, Azay-le-Rideau castle is a landmark of Renaissance architecture as it developed in Touraine under Francis I. Built from 1518 for the treasurer Gilles Berthelot, it has kept its L-shaped layout despite later alterations.
No. 8
Château de l'Islette (Islette Castle)
Azay-le-Rideau
Set on the banks of the Indre, two kilometres from Azay-le-Rideau, the Islette shows a Renaissance silhouette often compared to its famous neighbour, with two round towers flanking a main building raised around 1530. The castle is still lived in by its owners, who open part of it to visitors, including the painted…
Adult €12Hours, prices and access
No. 9
Château de Loches (Loches Castle)
Loches
Perched on a rocky spur above the Indre valley, Loches castle brings together an 11th century keep, a royal lodge and a collegiate church within a fortified town.
No. 10
Château du Rivau (Rivau Castle)
Lémeré
Standing above the Veude valley at Lémeré, the château du Rivau combines medieval defensive architecture with Renaissance alterations, later enriched by contemporary gardens and modern art installations. The site is linked to Joan of Arc, who came here in 1429 to collect warhorses.
Adult €13.50Hours, prices and access
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 Château 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.