The Castles of the Loire Valley

When the Black Plague took over Paris in the 1300s, the royals and nobles escaped the city and built castles in the lush Loire Valley. As a result, there are some 300 amazing castles in the area today. Many of them operate as hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, allowing travelers to live like kings and queens, even for just a few days.

 

Many of the castles are available for tour, and you can fill an entire vacation exploring these old-world residences. Tours is the main city in the area, and it is a good place to set up camp if you want to do some sightseeing.

 

A few of the most interesting castles include the Chateau d’Azay-le-Rideau, which was commissioned by Francois I’s finance minister, and Chateau d’Amboise, the first castle in France to reflect the Italian Renaissance style. Also in the village of Amboise is Clos-Luce, a 15^th century manor containing a museum dedicated Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci actually lived in the manor for three years, dying there in 1519.