Group activities in Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Chambord

The largest of the Loire châteaux, Chambord is a masterpiece of the French Renaissance. Commissioned by Francis I, it was built between 1519 and 1547 at the heart of an enclosed forest park of about 50 km², surrounded by a…

Château de Chenonceau

A château spanning the Cher, nicknamed the Ladies’ Château. Built from 1513 to 1521 by Katherine Briçonnet, it was enriched by Diane de Poitiers, who had a bridge built to the opposite bank, then enlarged under Catherine de’ Medici with…

Château de Cheverny

A furnished classical château that inspired Hergé’s Marlinspike Hall. Built in the 17th century in a strictly classical style, the Château de Cheverny, in Sologne, is a listed historic monument. It is still the residence of the Marquis de Vibraye…

Château d’Amboise

A royal residence overlooking the Loire, linked to the last years of Leonardo da Vinci. Owned by the House of Amboise for more than four centuries, the château passed to the Crown in 1434. During the Renaissance it was home…

Le Clos Lucé

Leonardo da Vinci’s last home, with gardens and models of his inventions. In the centre of Amboise, the former manor of Le Cloux was a residence of the kings of France before Francis I placed it at Leonardo’s disposal in…

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres

Gothic masterpiece famous for its 13th-century stained-glass windows. Largely rebuilt in some thirty years in the early 13th century, after the fire of 1194, Chartres Cathedral is considered one of the best-preserved Gothic cathedrals, thanks to its sculptures, stained glass…

Château royal de Blois

The royal château of Blois spans five centuries of French architecture and was a residence of kings. Located in the heart of the town, on the right bank of the Loire, it was the favourite residence of the kings of…

Château et jardins de Villandry

Famous for its terraced Renaissance gardens and its ornamental kitchen garden. The last of the great châteaux built along the Loire in the 16th century, Villandry lies about fifteen kilometres west of Tours. Its gardens were recreated from 1906 onwards…

Grand Aquarium de Touraine

Europe’s largest freshwater aquarium, with species from rivers all over the world. Formerly known as the Aquarium du Val de Loire, it is now called the Grand Aquarium de Touraine. Located in Lussault-sur-Loire, between Tours and Amboise, near the Loire,…

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,…

Parc floral de la Source

Vast floral park with free-flying butterflies and themed gardens. Created in 1963 in the La Source district of Orléans, it covers 35 hectares and holds the “Jardin remarquable” label. The Loiret river rises here, at the Bouillon spring. The park…

Château de Valençay

Château once owned by Talleyrand, with fine Empire-period furniture. Located in Valençay, in the Indre, in the Berry region, its architecture links it to the châteaux of the Loire, Chambord in particular. Its rebuilding was begun in the 16th century…

Muséum d’Orléans (MOBE)

The Muséum d’Orléans, formerly the Muséum d’Histoire naturelle d’Orléans, presents natural science collections and temporary exhibitions suitable for families. Opened in 1823, it was renovated between 2015 and 2021 and is now called the Muséum d’Orléans pour la biodiversité et…

Château de Sully-sur-Loire

A medieval fortress on the Loire, once the residence of Sully. Construction of the present château began in 1396, to plans by Raymond du Temple, the king’s architect. In 1602, Maximilien de Béthune, the future Duke of Sully, became its…

ZooParc de Beauval

The ZooParc de Beauval is a zoological park located in Saint-Aignan, in the Loir-et-Cher. Founded in 1980 by Françoise Delord and still run by her family, it is home to around 35,000 animals over 45 hectares. It has often been…