Loire - Chateaux to stay in
 

Hello, Does anyone have know a fabulous chateau to stay in when visiting the Loire valley. I will have a car.

Merci

Most of the fabulous châteaux are the ones you pay to visit these days. But there are some that are now hotels; you could check out the Domaine de Beauvois, near the town of Luynes.

For something a bit more private, where you can imagine yourself as a guest of the owners, have a look at this web site:
http://www.au-chateau.com/ There are any number of privately owned châteaux that take paying guests to help with the upkeep of the ancestral home. Most speak at least some English, and it's a wonderful experience.

The chateau we stayed in (Chateau des Reaux) was amazing - really a 15th century castle built specifically for military defense. The bedrooms (all up one or more flights of original stone stairs) ranged from simple to quite charming, there was a ground floor room with sofas, tables etc set aside for guests use, and the housekeeper served a beautiful included breakfast in the dining room each morning (fresh croissants, other bread/rolls with butter, honey and jam, coffee, tea, juices, fruits, cereals, yogurts and boiled eggs.) There was a terrace for relaxing and gardens for wandering.

This was near Chinon - so maybe too far east for you - depending on what you want to see. And it was fabulous to us - in the sense of being real - but not super luxurious. There are a few (newer) ones that are true luxury hotels - it depends on what you're looking for.

Hi Josey,
Several years ago we stayed in and enjoyed Chateau de Rochecotte (Saint Patrice - 37130 Langeais).

You can check it out at www. chateau-de-rochecotte.fr.

Byrd

We stayed at the Domaine de la Tortiniere in Montbazon, France near Tours. It was beautiful. Charming rooms, lovely staff and beautiful gardens. I couldn't believe the cyclamen growing wild under the trees. It is not far from Chinon, Saumur and Chenonceaux.
We also stayed at the Chateau de Vault de Lugny, Avallon, France. Very old world with beautiful public rooms and wonderful food. It was a bit more formal than the Domaine de la Tortiniere and quieter. It is near Vezelay which is a very lovely town with a beautiful cathedral. It is from there that the pilgrims who walk to Santiago de Compostella in Spain begin their pilgrimage.

Domaine de la Tortinière is a lovely place; the view down to the river is beautiful. But if you're going in the summer, ask for a room with a/c; not all have it, or at least they didn't when we were there.

The other two suggestions are also very nice, but they're actually in Burgundy, not the Loire Valley. But if you have the time, seeing Vézelay would be a very good thing to do--lots of history connected with the church (1 crusade preached, excommunication of Henry II of England by St. Thomas à Becket, among other events). It's set in lovely country.

Two more. In the Loire Valley is the famous Château d'Artigny--very elaborate, very expensive, but said to be a great experience. The other is on the way back up to Paris, in Ablis, is the Château d'Esclimont, with beautiful grounds.

Ch d'Artigny was a disappoinment..stayed there a few years ago and not one of the better R&C places...it may have changed..but.......

Do check out the Ch website from Underhill...they do have some nice places...received their latest special edition newsletter and one of the newest additions to their group is in the Loire....Le Vieux Manior..owned by Americans. website.http://www.le-vieux-manior.com....check it out

I've stayed at these two wonderful
chateau on a walking tour:

The Prieure
http://www.jpmoser.com/leprieure-loire.html
Chateay Marcay
http://www.jpmoser.com/chateau_de_marcay
.html
And I'll be staying at this chateau
near Chantilly this May:
http://www.chateau-chaumontel.fr/english
.htm
Bon Voyage!

We stayed at the Chateau de Marcay (near Chinon) quite a few years ago and loved it--wonderful room (a suite, actually), great food, and my daughter loved the ponies stabled on the grounds. Can't comment on the a/c because it was March. It turned out to be nicely located for exploring the Loire Valley. (Liked Chinon Castle, too.)

Just to add one to the list. I stayed at Chateau de Jallanges in Vouvray, near Tours. We really loved it. If you have a mold allergy you might not want to go this route. These places are old.

That's a very good point and something you wouldn't think about until it happened to you. Same goes for those beautiful old churches.

Castles can also be hard on the knees--few have elevators.