Loire chateau, Saumur vs Ussé?
 

We are heading out of the Loire Valley for the north with two young school-age children. Looking for advice on one last chateau to visit before we shift venues. Torn between Ussé or Saumur.
Thanks ahead!

I think Usse is more romantic looking than Saumur - called the Sleeping Beauty Castle. Usse is very close to Villandry too and its great gardens. Chinon is just down the road - a really neat town to look around in.

Ussé has a very nice silhouette and it's exterior is charming. The interior however is not worth the the price of admission. A simple drive-by is all that one need to do to see Ussé.

Not sure where you are in the Loire Valley, but I agree about Ussé, seeing the outside and taking a brief stop would be enough. In that general neck of the Loire Valley, perhaps Angers instead? Very impressive chateau and from the castle you can walk through the medieval quarter of the city (lots of nice casual inexpensive restaurants, esp when you get a few blocks from the chateau), and then the kids can run around the Jardin des Plantes, which has an aviary, a carousel, a children's play area, and a little enclosure with goats (not a petting zoo, but the goats are pretty friendly).

Chateau Ussé is worth a photo when you are approaching it from the road. The silhouette is very beautiful.

From an architectural point of view, Ussé is not first rank in the Loire Valley (IMO, the most beautiful/interesting castles are Chenonceaux, Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau). But Ussé has exhibitions with displays of sceneries from the Sleeping Beauty and period costumes. It might be fun for the kids.

Saumur has a spectacular silhouette too, but inside it is not too interesting.

A problem of most Loire castles is that you have to take a lenghty tour through the rooms which will be boring for the kids (and some adults too).

For something different, visit the exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci's machines at Clos Luce near Amboise.