Loire Valley & Central France - Discover France: Experience the Best of France - page 383

CHAMBORD TO AZAY-LE-RIDEAU CHÂTEAU
CLASSICS
For maximum freedom you'll want your own car in the Loire, although organised
minibus trips can be good if time is short. This tour of the Loire's top châteaux be-
gins with the biggest, boldest and best, (1) Château de Chambord . Tour the interi-
or with an audioguide before scaling the double-helix staircase to the rooftop for
sweeping views of the grounds, surrounded by a Tolkienesque jumble of cupolas,
domes, chimneys and lightning rods. Overnight in (2) Blois .
You should have time to squeeze in at least two châteaux on day two, starting
with Renaissance elegance at (3) Château de Cheverny , followed by medieval
heritage at (4) Château de Chaumont . (5) Amboise makes an ideal place to end
the day, with lots of luxurious sleeps to choose from: one of our favourites is Le
Pavillon de Lys.
On day three, visit Château Royal d'Amboise and get to know original Renais-
sance man Leonardo da Vinci at Le Clos Lucé. In the afternoon, head west to see
the remarkable ornamental gardens of (6) Château de Villandry . Wrap up with a
night-time visit to the Loire's oldest and best son-et-lumière (sound and light show),
projected directly onto the walls of moat-encircled (7) Château d'Azay-le-Rideau .
AZAY-LE-RIDEAU TO SARLAT-LA-CANÉDA CASTLES TO
CAVE ART
Head west from (1) Azay-le-Rideau along the Loire. You'll find a quintessential me-
dieval castle at (2) Langeais , ramparts, drawbridge and all. Spend the afternoon at
(3) Fontevraud Abbey and overnight in (4) Saumur .
On day two, head south towards the Dordogne. You'll reach the riverside village
of (5) Brantôme by afternoon, where you could stop for a late lunch or a canal
cruise before heading on to (6) Sarlat-la-Canéda . Sarlat makes an ideal base for
exploring the Dordogne region, but it deserves a day in its own right - don't miss its
buzzy morning market and medieval architecture.