The 10 most beautiful castles in Centre-Val de Loire (Loire Valley)
10 châteaux
Chosen among 1,013 recorded castles
What to see in Centre-Val de Loire (Loire Valley) 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
House of George Sand
Nohant-Vic
In Nohant-Vic, in the Indre department, this 18th-century residence remains tied to the name of George Sand, who lived there and welcomed many artists of her era. Listed as a historic monument, the estate feels more like a private home than a grand château.
Adult €9Hours, prices and access
No. 4
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. 5
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. 6
Château de Selles-sur-Cher (Selles-sur-Cher Castle)
Selles-sur-Cher
In Selles-sur-Cher, on the border between Berry and Touraine, this castle keeps a 13th-century tower, the remnant of a fortified complex raised in 1212 on a trapezoidal motte. The pavilions and gateway surrounding it today date from the early 17th century, when the estate belonged to the Béthune family.
Adult €10Hours, prices and access
No. 7
Château d'Yèvre-le-Châtel
Yèvre-la-Ville
Standing on a break in the Beauce plateau east of Pithiviers, the ruins of Yèvre-le-Châtel castle still form a diamond shape flanked by four round towers.
No. 8
Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil
Ainay-le-Vieil
In the heart of the Berry region, the château of Ainay-le-Vieil presents an eight-sided fortified enclosure built around 1330-1340 for Jean de Sully, whose circular layout earned it the nickname 'little Carcassonne'.
Adult €13Hours, prices and access
No. 9
Château Saint-Jean de Nogent-le-Rotrou
Nogent-le-Rotrou
The Saint-Jean castle stands above Nogent-le-Rotrou on a rocky spur overlooking the Huisne valley, at a crossing point of old roads linking Île-de-France, Normandy and Maine.
Adult €5Hours, prices and access
No. 10
Château de Beaugency (Beaugency Castle)
Beaugency
Standing on the banks of the Loire between Orléans and Blois, the château de Beaugency occupies a fortified site dating back to the 11th century.
Adult €14.50Hours, prices and access
Every castle in Centre-Val de Loire (Loire Valley) (1,013)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most beautiful castle in Centre-Val de Loire (Loire Valley)?
- The most visited in Centre-Val de Loire (Loire Valley) 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 1,013 castles recorded in Centre-Val de Loire (Loire Valley), we keep those open to the public with a photo, then rank by number of Google reviews. No castle pays to appear.