The Valley’s greatest attraction is of course the castles, famous and admired by visitors from all over the world. Counting also the towers, palaces and fortresses there are about 300: legacy of kings, nobles and rich courtiers who, seduced by the enchantment of the landscape, from the tenth century onwards they built feudal fortresses and country residences calling the best artists and landscape architects in the world. The protagonists of this territory are many, and all rich in talent: the Valley has met Joan of Arc, Leonardo da Vinci, Richard I of England, Catherine de’ Medici, Descartes and François Rabelais, just to name a few.
Places steeped in history, the castles bear witness to a civilization that exalted the "joie de vivre" and represent in a very comprehensive way the evolution of the architectural tastes of the French elite over more than a thousand years. Jewels of elegance and refinement, surrounded by ponds and lush gardens, they reveal fundamental chapters of French history.
Among them, 20 castles belong to the network of " Grands Sites du Val de Loire" among them the most famous and visited castles of the Loire: Royal Castle of Blois, Castle of Chambord, Castle of Chenonceau, Castle of Amboise and residence of Leonardo da Vinci of Clos-Lucè, Castle of Cheverny, Castle and gardens of Villandry. Not unlike the castles are the wonderful gardens that surround them (in particular those of Villandry Castle), where you can breathe the most authentic and passionate soul of France. French or English style, geometric or disorderly, they contain a certain "art de vivre" vegetal, as in the Renaissance.
But why are so many residential castles in this territory? There are many reasons, but mainly because the Valois dynasty, which reigned on the throne of France from the 14th to the 16th century, returning from the wars in Italy (which lasted from 1494 to 1559) acquired a new concept of residence and court: it had assimilated the Italian model in which royal power was no longer measured by armed force but by culture, elegance and magnificence. Until then, their castles were nothing more than fortresses, but once internal peace was assured, these castle-fortresses were transformed into residential castles where to live immersed in luxury.
In addition to the splendid residences, the Valley is also a place where nature offers magnificent views, in fact, it is rich in natural environments of exceptional beauty, some of which are classified as Réserves Naturelles Régionales (Regional Nature Reserves – RNR) or Nationales (Nationales – RNN). For those who love adventure, the Valley can be explored on foot, by bicycle (900 km of cycle paths " Loire à velo"), by boat and even by hot air balloon or kayak. For wine lovers, the Loire Valley is also perfect for a food and wine trip.
