Château d’Azay-le-Rideau

A Renaissance château built partly on piles in the bed of the Indre, surrounded by water. It was built from 1518 to 1524, during the reign of Francis I, for Gilles Berthelot, treasurer of France, and his wife Philippe Lesbahy, on the site of an earlier fortress.

Restored and remodelled in the 19th century in the neo-Renaissance style, the château was bought by the State in 1905 and listed as a historic monument in 1914. Balzac compared it to “a faceted diamond set in the Indre”. Visitors discover a main building flanked by turrets, a grand staircase opening onto loggias and a landscaped park with two reflecting pools mirroring the façades.

For groups : The group rate applies from 20 paying adults, with no minimum for groups accompanied by a tourism professional. Groups can visit on their own or book a lecture tour for up to 30 people, with a possible supplement for certain languages. Self-guided time slots are booked and paid for in advance on the Centre des monuments nationaux professional ticketing platform, where options can be held up to 30 days before the visit. Picnics are not allowed within the monument grounds, and the Le Lavoir restaurant and tea room is open from Easter to the end of September.

Château d’Azay-le-Rideau – Allée Nord, 37190 Azay-le-Rideau

On request – preferential group rate (please contact us)