Aptly named for being right in the center of france, this region is located just south of Paris, with its main city of Orleans only 120 km away. Its presents flat smooth spaces, with the Loire valley and many forests. It is famous for its many Loire Castles built by French Kings as summer residences during the Renaissance period. Jeanne d’Arc was born in Orléans, and it is considered to be a prime location for hunting.
Of all the major chateaux in the Loire Valley, Chateau de Langeais is probably the most "castle-like" with its drawbridge, towers and fortifications. A nice surprise is that the rooms are considerably more furnished than any other chateau, with a decent selection of 15th century furnishings in virtually all of the rooms. The salle du banquet (banquet room) in particular is pretty cool.
A mechanical re-enactment of Charles VIII and Anne of Bretagne's marriage in one of the upper rooms will only be of interest to French history buffs - no big deal, as the €8.20 admission covers all of this.
Money saving tip: If you're going to be in the Touraine area for more than a couple of days AND have a car, you can pick up a Pass Découverte – Ouest Touraine and get some discounted admission rates at 50+ attractions. This free pass covers the area immediately west of Tours and just east of Fontevraud. Simply ask for the pass when you purchase your initial admission at Chateau de Langeais and they'll hand the pass over to you. The majority of the attractions are a bit on the cheesy side (go-karting, for example), but some are must-see's: Chateau de Villandry, Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau, Chateau de Langeais (if you want to see it again) and the gardens at Chateau de la Chatonnière. There's even a reduced rate for balloon rides over the Loire Valley (€175 vs €210, as of Oct 2007).
Of all the major chateaux in the Loire Valley, Chateau de Langeais is probably the most "castle-like" with its drawbridge, towers and fortifications. A nice surprise is that the rooms are considerably more furnished than any other chateau, with a decent selection of 15th century furnishings in virtually all of the rooms. The salle du banquet (banquet room) in particular is pretty cool.
A mechanical re-enactment of Charles VIII and Anne of Bretagne's marriage in one of the upper rooms will only be of interest to French history buffs - no big deal, as the €8.20 admission covers all of this.
Money saving tip: If you're going to be in the Touraine area for more than a couple of days AND have a car, you can pick up a Pass Découverte – Ouest Touraine and get some discounted admission rates at 50+ attractions. This free pass covers the area immediately west of Tours and just east of Fontevraud. Simply ask for the pass when you purchase your initial admission at Chateau de Langeais and they'll hand the pass over to you. The majority of the attractions are a bit on the cheesy side (go-karting, for example), but some are must-see's: Chateau de Villandry, Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau, Chateau de Langeais (if you want to see it again) and the gardens at Chateau de la Chatonnière. There's even a reduced rate for balloon rides over the Loire Valley (€175 vs €210, as of Oct 2007).
Unless you've got a car with you, Chateau de Valençay is well off the beaten path for the majority of the Loire Valley visitors...and technically, it's not even part of the Loire (it's a good hour's drive southeast of Chenonceaux, where I stayed). The chateau here is mostly 19th century, very new in comparison with other French chateaux. The focus here is definitely Napoleonic - his slick and womanizing diplomat Talleyrand actually bought the place for a time.
The place is great if you have kids in tow - there's a big labyrinth and playground to keep them busy for a while, plus a small petting zoo. Re-enactments are common, with lots of personages dressed in period garb and even some fencing duels. Peacocks are free to roam the grounds here as well. Because the chateau is situated far from the tourist drag that is the Loire, you don't see a lot of buses with English foreigners either - a welcome change!
Beyond that though, I found the rooms and furnishings on display not as engaging as I would have hoped. At about €8 or €9 for entry, you'd have to be a serious chateau or Napoleon fan to make your visit at Valençay worthwhile.
