Loire Valley Châteaux

Traveling through the Loire Valley gives the impression of stepping into a children's storybook. Turreted fairy-tale castles grace the enchanting countryside of dense woodlands and gently flowing rivers. The entire area of the Loire Valley, a lush area known as the "Garden of France," is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some of the Loire castles are medieval fortresses built on hilltops and surrounded by ramparts. However, the most famous Loire châteaux are sumptuous Renaissance palaces that were designed purely for enjoyment and entertaining, as an extension of court life outside of Paris.

The Château de Chambord, built for King Francis I, is the most magnificent château; Château de Chenonceau has a distinctive feminine style; and the Château de Cheverny is a Neoclassical-style manor house in idyllic surroundings.

It is also wOrth visiting the UNESCO-listed cathedrals in Chartres and Bourges as well as the city of Orléans, where Joan of Arc helped defeat the English army in 1429, and the Château Royal d'Amboise, the residence of French kings for five hundred years.