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Castles in Indre-et-Loire — Visits, listings & practical info | Chateauxplorer

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Department · Centre-Val de Loire

Indre-et-Loire

300 monuments listed

Castles to visit in Indre-et-Loire

Château de Chenonceau, Chenonceaux, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleMust-SeeMH ★

Chenonceaux · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Chenonceau

The Château de Chenonceau, known as the Château des Dames, is a Loire château situated in Touraine, in the commune of Chenonceaux, within the département of Indre-et-Loire in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

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Forteresse Royale de Chinon, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

FortressMust-See

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Forteresse Royale de Chinon

The royal fortress of Chinon, a complex comprising three castles — the fort du Coudray, the château du Milieu, and the fort Saint-Georges — is situated in the French commune of Chinon, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, within the région of Centre-Val de Loire.

Ancien prieuré du Plessis-aux-Moines, Chouzé-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire

Chouzé-sur-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien prieuré du Plessis-aux-Moines

Tucked away in the Val de Loire, this medieval remnant — a fortified priory dating from the fifteenth century — retains its moat, arrow loops and a prioral residence adorned with Renaissance cherubs: a quietly magnificent treasure nestled between vineyard and river.

Hôpital de Loches, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Gem

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôpital de Loches

Founded in 1620 by an Augustinian nun and graced with an expiatory chapel commissioned by the duc d'Épernon, this hospital in Loches embodies three centuries of charitable architecture poised between faith and reason.

Château d'Ussé, Rigny-Ussé, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Gem

Rigny-Ussé · Centre-Val de Loire

Château d'Ussé

The Château d'Ussé is situated in Rigny-Ussé, in Indre-et-Loire. It is among the châteaux of the Loire.

Château de Loches, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Gem

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Loches

The Château de Loches is a former medieval fortress, dating from the first third of the eleventh century, which stands in the Val de Loire, within the French commune of Loches in the département of Indre-et-Loire, in the Centre-Val de Loire region, at the heart of the royal city built upon a rocky spur and encircled by a fortified wall.

Château de Langeais, Langeais, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Gem

Langeais · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Langeais

The Château de Langeais is a Renaissance residence, built by Louis XI in 1465, which stands in the French commune of Langeais in the département of Indre-et-Loire, within the Centre-Val de Loire region. It replaced a former fortress erected in the late tenth century by Foulque, Count of Anjou.

Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, Azay-le-Rideau, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Gem

Azay-le-Rideau · Centre-Val de Loire

Château d'Azay-le-Rideau

The Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, situated in the commune of Azay-le-Rideau in Indre-et-Loire, is a Renaissance château built during the reign of François Ier for Gilles Berthelot, Treasurer of France.

Château du Clos Lucé, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Gem

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Clos Lucé

The Château du Clos-Lucé, once known as the manoir du Cloux, is a residence nestled in the heart of the Val de Loire, in the very centre of Amboise. Originally conceived in 1471 as a feudal estate under the jurisdiction of the Château d'Amboise, it passed through several hands before being acquired by Charles VII.

Château Royal d'Amboise, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden GemMH ★

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Château Royal d'Amboise

Perched majestically above the Loire upon a rocky promontory, the Château Royal d'Amboise was the first royal residence of the French Renaissance. It was here that Léonard de Vinci drew his last breath, having been invited by François Ier, and here too that the conspirators of the turbulent Conjuration d'Amboise of 1560 were hanged.

Château de Villandry, Villandry, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Gem

Villandry · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Villandry

A Renaissance jewel of the Loire, Villandry dazzles as much through its sixteenth-century architecture as through its extraordinary gardens — ornamental kitchen garden, box-hedge embroideries and reflecting pools — restored in accordance with the finest traditions of French topiary.

Maison à pans de bois, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Gem

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison à pans de bois

In the heart of Amboise, this timber-framed house dating from the 15th and 16th centuries unfolds across two jetted storeys, its façade adorned with corner posts — a striking testament to the constructive art of the Loire Valley at the height of the Renaissance.

Grand Pont, dit Pont de pierre ou Pont Wilson, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Gem

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Grand Pont, dit Pont de pierre ou Pont Wilson

Majestically spanning the Loire in great sweeps of stone, the Pont Wilson in Tours unfurls its fifteen classical arches across 434 metres — making it one of the longest bridges in France at the time of its construction in the eighteenth century.

Hôtel de ville d'Amboise, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Gem

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel de ville d'Amboise

A Renaissance jewel at the heart of Amboise, the hôtel de ville unites the elegance of the sixteenth century with the meticulous restorations of the nineteenth, standing as the guardian of memory of a royal city classified as a Monument Historique as early as 1880.

MonumentHidden Gem

Montlouis-sur-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Presbytère de Montlouis-sur-Loire

Nestled in the heart of Montlouis-sur-Loire, this sixteenth-century presbytery unites the restrained elegance of the Touraine with Renaissance refinement — a rare testament to preserved civil and religious architecture in the Val de Loire.

Domaine de Chenonceaux (également sur communes de Chenonceaux et Civray-de-Touraine), Francueil, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Gem

Francueil · Centre-Val de Loire

Domaine de Chenonceaux (également sur communes de Chenonceaux et Civray-de-Touraine)

A verdant setting for the château des Dames, the domaine de Chenonceaux unfolds its formal French gardens, century-old avenues and enchanting vistas between the Cher and the forests of Touraine — a masterpiece of Renaissance landscape design.

Ancien prieuré Saint-Léonard, L'Île-Bouchard, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Gem

L'Île-Bouchard · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien prieuré Saint-Léonard

At the heart of the Val de Loire, the medieval ruins of the prieuré Saint-Léonard raise their age-old stones above the Vienne, bearing breathtaking witness to the monastic life of Touraine throughout the Middle Ages.

MonumentHidden Gem

Richelieu · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison de Richelieu

A jewel of French classical urbanism, the maisons de Richelieu embody the architectural dream of an all-powerful cardinal: harmonious façades, aligned with perfect precision by the genius of Jacques Lemercier.

Château d'Amboise, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Gem

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Château d'Amboise

A royal jewel perched upon a rocky spur overlooking the Loire, the château d'Amboise blends Flamboyant Gothic with the early French Renaissance, set within the town where Léonard de Vinci spent his final years.

Domaine de Chenonceaux (également sur communes de Chenonceaux et Francueil), Civray-de-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Gem

Civray-de-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Domaine de Chenonceaux (également sur communes de Chenonceaux et Francueil)

A verdant jewel cradling the château de Chenonceau, this exceptional estate unfurls formal French gardens, century-old avenues and secluded woodland at the heart of an enchanting Touraine.

Maison à tourelles, Chouzé-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chouzé-sur-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison à tourelles

In the heart of the Loire Valley, this house with corbelled turrets has kept its superb 16th-century Renaissance façade intact, crowned by a majestic stone dormer window of rare elegance.

Moulin à vent des Pelouses, Chouzé-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chouzé-sur-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Moulin à vent des Pelouses

Silent witnesses to the Loire Valley, the windmills of Les Pelouses embody the ingenuity of the cavier mill, a rare type of mill that combines milling with a wine cellar to protect the precious nectar of the Touraine region.

Château des Réaux, Chouzé-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Chouzé-sur-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Château des Réaux

At the gateway to the Loire, the Château des Réaux stands with its machicolated towers and two-tone brickwork characteristic of the late flamboyant Gothic style - a jewel built by the Briçonnets, a large family of merchants and prelates from Tours.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Avant, La Celle-Saint-Avant, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

La Celle-Saint-Avant · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Avant

Nestling in the heart of southern Touraine, the church of Saint-Avant in La Celle-Saint-Avant boasts a Romanesque west doorway with three arches and a sculpted apse of rare elegance dating from the 11th and 12th centuries.

Ancienne chapelle Saint-Jean, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne chapelle Saint-Jean

A medieval vestige nestling in the heart of Tours, this 13th-14th century Gothic chapel perpetuates a Christian tradition dating back to the 6th century, with its strikingly sober pointed arches.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, Ligré, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Ligré · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

Nestling in the vineyards of the Chinon region, the church of Saint-Martin de Ligré boasts a strikingly pure 12th-century Romanesque chevet: a cupola on trumpets, semi-circular apsidioles and a medieval bell tower that has survived the centuries.

Ancienne église Saint-Pierre de Marnay, Faye-la-Vineuse, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Faye-la-Vineuse · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Saint-Pierre de Marnay

A 12th-century Romanesque vestige converted into a barn, the former church of Saint-Pierre de Marnay boasts a façade with a pointed-arched portal and fragments of medieval paintings of disturbing beauty.

Ancien château des Archevêques de Tours, Candes-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Candes-Saint-Martin · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien château des Archevêques de Tours

Once the summer residence of the archbishops of Tours, this Renaissance château watches over the Loire-Vienne confluence. Its monumental semi-circular gateway and polygonal stair tower make it a discreet jewel in the Loire Valley.

Dolmen de Doux, Pussigny, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Pussigny · Centre-Val de Loire

Dolmen de Doux

A Neolithic vestige on the edge of Touraine, the Doux dolmen at Pussigny stands with its imposing sandstone slabs in a setting of Loire bocage - a listed monument since 1945, the silent guardian of five millennia of history.

Eglise Saint-Symphorien, Azay-le-Rideau, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Azay-le-Rideau · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Symphorien

At the gates of Azay-le-Rideau castle, Saint-Symphorien church reveals an 11th-century Romanesque façade adorned with exceptional sculptures, combining five centuries of architecture in a setting of Touraine tufa stone.

Eglise Saint-Martin de Vertou, Saché, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Saché · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Martin de Vertou

Nestling in the heart of the village of Saché, the Romanesque stones of the church of Saint-Martin de Vertou date back to the 12th century. Its medieval bell tower with spiral staircase turret and timber-framed porch make it a discreet jewel of Touraine.

Hôtel dit Maîtrise des Eaux et Forêts, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel dit Maîtrise des Eaux et Forêts

In the heart of Chinon, this Renaissance hotel houses a corbelled corner turret of rare elegance, a fusion of two centuries of Chinon architecture. This discreet jewel has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1920.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montrésor, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Montrésor · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste

A jewel of the Touraine Renaissance, Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Montrésor boasts a Latin cross nave adorned with exceptionally fine sculpted capitals, commissioned in 1541 by the powerful Bastarnay family.

Maison dite du Pilier, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison dite du Pilier

Disappeared in 1975, Chinon's Maison du Pilier survives only in one exceptional fragment: a 15th-century carved corner pillar, the mute guardian of a stoning of Saint Stephen, now preserved in the Musée du Vieux-Chinon.

Château du Clos-Lucé, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Clos-Lucé

Leonardo da Vinci's last home, this pink brick and tufa mansion near Amboise offers an intimate insight into the Florentine genius's last three years, between visionary inventions and royal intimacy.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Germain, Benais, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Benais · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Germain

Built in the 12th century in the heart of the Bourgueil vineyards, the church of Saint-Germain de Benais has a surprisingly elegant Angevin vault and sculpted capitals spanning three centuries of Romanesque and Gothic art.

Eglise collégiale Saint-Denis, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise collégiale Saint-Denis

The oldest church in Amboise, Saint-Denis has a thousand years of history in the footsteps of Saint Martin. Its Romanesque capitals and Angevin vaults make it a little-known jewel in the Loire Valley.

Eglise Saint-Martin, Lerné, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Lerné · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Martin

Nestling in the heart of the Chinon region, the church of Saint-Martin de Lerné boasts a 12th-century Romanesque apse of rare elegance, crowned by columns with hooked capitals and enriched by exquisite Renaissance bas-reliefs.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Christophe, Bléré, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Bléré · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Christophe

In the heart of Bléré, the church of Saint-Christophe reveals eight centuries of Loire architecture: its bell tower with octagonal stone spire and lierne vaults make it a Romanesque-Gothic jewel of Touraine.

Domaine de Chanteloup, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Domaine de Chanteloup

On the outskirts of Amboise, the Chanteloup estate has preserved its 44-metre Franco-Chinese pagoda, a striking vestige of a sunken 18th-century château where Choiseul reinvented the art of French gardens.

Château du Plessis-lès-Tours, La Riche, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

La Riche · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Plessis-lès-Tours

The final home of Louis XI, Le Plessis-lès-Tours is the castle where the "spider" king died in 1483. A medieval edifice steeped in history, between royal mystery and cardinal legend.

Château de la Vauguyon, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de la Vauguyon

Nestling in the Chinon countryside, this medieval château boasts 13th-century murals depicting knights in tournament - an unspoilt Gothic treasure trove in the heart of the Loire Valley.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Vincent, Panzoult, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Panzoult · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Vincent

Nestling in the heart of the Chinon vineyards, Saint-Vincent de Panzoult church boasts a thousand years of history between its Romanesque facade and its sumptuous Angevin vaults adorned with statues.

Ancienne église Saint-Antoine, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Saint-Antoine

A Romanesque vestige in the heart of Loches, the former church of Saint-Antoine boasts sculpted capitals of rare finesse and a nave that bears witness to Touraine's medieval religious architecture at its apogee.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, La Roche-Clermault, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

La Roche-Clermault · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

The Romanesque jewel of Touraine, the church of Saint-Martin de La Roche-Clermault boasts a rare octagonal apse and superb Angevin vaults, evidence of a medieval castellany under the authority of the archbishopric of Tours.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Maurice ainsi que le passage couvert qui relie l'église au logis dit du Doyenné et le jardin de l'ancien presbytère situé au lieu-dit le Bourg, Huismes, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Huismes · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Maurice ainsi que le passage couvert qui relie l'église au logis dit du Doyenné et le jardin de l'ancien presbytère situé au lieu-dit le Bourg

In the heart of the Chinon region, Saint-Maurice d'Huismes is home to the only covered gallery of its kind in the world, crossing the street to link the church to its Renaissance deanery - a stone dialogue between the sacred and the secular.

Château de Sansac, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Sansac

Nestling on the outskirts of Loches, this Renaissance manor house dating from the second quarter of the 16th century captivates visitors with the sober elegance of its tufa stone facades and the grace of its sculpted dormer windows, discreet witnesses to a refined Touraine art of living.

Maison natale de Descartes, actuellement Musée Descartes, Descartes, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Descartes · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison natale de Descartes, actuellement Musée Descartes

In the peaceful town that bears his name, the house where Descartes was born reveals the intimacy of a genius, with its medieval stair tower, bracketed gables and unspoilt 15th-century atmosphere.

Ancienne église Notre-Dame, Rigny-Ussé, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Rigny-Ussé · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Notre-Dame

Nestling in the heart of the Loire Valley, this sober 12th-century Romanesque church conceals an unsuspected treasure: an interior fountain topped by an aedicula, a vestige of a rare medieval devotion.

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame, Les Essards, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Les Essards · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame

In the heart of Touraine, the church of Notre-Dame des Essards boasts an 11th-century Romanesque nave, a Plantagenet-style apse and a Renaissance chapel, the walls of which contain the chains of a crusader rescued from captivity.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Barthélémy et Saint-Laurent, Loché-sur-Indrois, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Loché-sur-Indrois · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Barthélémy et Saint-Laurent

On the edge of deep Touraine, Saint-Barthélémy-et-Saint-Laurent in Loché-sur-Indrois reveals ten centuries of living stone: a Romanesque façade with sculpted scrolls and an archaic capital of rare authenticity.

Ancien hôtel des Monnaies, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien hôtel des Monnaies

The flamboyant Gothic jewel of Chinon, this 15th-century former mint boasts a polygonal tower with a stone spiral and medieval cellars dating from the 12th century, evidence of a royal town at the time of Charles VII.

Tour du Fort Saint-Ours, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

FortressHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Tour du Fort Saint-Ours

The stone sentinel of the Château de Loches, the Tour du Fort Saint-Ours has stood guard over the royal enclosure since the 14th century, topped by an astonishing timber-framed dome added in the classical period.

Ancien prieuré de Saint-Venant, Luynes, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Luynes · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien prieuré de Saint-Venant

Just outside Tours, this thousand-year-old priory combines Gallo-Roman remains, a 13th-century Romanesque nave and a flamboyant prioral dwelling - a rare architectural palimpsest in the heart of Touraine.

Château de Luynes, Luynes, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Luynes · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Luynes

Perched on a rocky spur overlooking the Loire Valley, the Château de Luynes boasts medieval towers that have remained intact since the 13th century - one of the best-preserved fortresses in Touraine.

Chapelle Sainte-Radegonde, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Chapelle Sainte-Radegonde

Half-built, half-hewn out of tufa rock, the Sainte-Radegonde chapel in Chinon contains rare medieval frescoes of a royal hunt, carved into the heart of the rock since the 12th century.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Braye-sous-Faye, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Braye-sous-Faye · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste

On the edge of Touraine, Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Braye-sous-Faye boasts a Romanesque portal of rare finesse and a funerary crypt linked to the powerful Richelieu family.

Ancienne église Saint-Martin d'Oizay, Bridoré, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Bridoré · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Saint-Martin d'Oizay

Nestling in the Touraine bocage, this 12th-century Romanesque chapel boasts a soberly majestic square bell tower and the ghostly remains of a painted calendar - rare evidence of medieval liturgical life.

Deux maisons du 16e siècle, Beaulieu-lès-Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Beaulieu-lès-Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Deux maisons du 16e siècle

Two 16th-century timber-framed houses, linked by a 17th-century vaulted passageway, embody the discreet charm of Touraine domestic architecture in Beaulieu-lès-Loches.

Château d'Argenson et ses dépendances, Maillé, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Maillé · Centre-Val de Loire

Château d'Argenson et ses dépendances

On the edge of Touraine, this seventeenth-century manor house brings together an unfinished castle, a classical church with a pediment and a mysterious cylindrical fuye - a unique ensemble frozen in the ambition of its builders.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, Chanceaux-sur-Choisille, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Chanceaux-sur-Choisille · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

Heir to a medieval Benedictine priory, the church of Saint-Martin in Chanceaux-sur-Choisille reveals a sober Touraine Romanesque refinement, the silent guardian of a monastic heritage listed as a Historic Monument.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, Semblançay, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Semblançay · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

Nestling in the heart of the village of Semblançay, the church of Saint-Martin boasts Romanesque and Gothic architecture typical of medieval Touraine, with a squat bell tower and a nave bathed in soft light.

Ancien couvent des Cordeliers, L'Île-Bouchard, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

L'Île-Bouchard · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien couvent des Cordeliers

In the heart of Île-Bouchard, the bewitching ruins of this former Franciscan convent reveal a 12th-century Romanesque church with capitals carved with figures and a mysterious bas-relief of mermaids.

Ancienne collégiale Saint-Ours, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne collégiale Saint-Ours

A jewel of Romanesque architecture in Touraine, the Collegiate Church of Saint-Ours in Loches is a sight to behold, with its pyramidal domes – unique in France – and its carved portal featuring motifs of exceptional finesse, bearing witness to a thousand years of Capetian history.

Château du Grand Pressigny, Le Grand-Pressigny, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Le Grand-Pressigny · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Grand Pressigny

Perched high above the River Claise, the Château du Grand-Pressigny boasts a thousand years of history, with its Romanesque keep, medieval walls and Renaissance gallery - crowned by an absolutely rare Baroque nymphaeum.

Prieuré de Lavaré, Fondettes, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Fondettes · Centre-Val de Loire

Prieuré de Lavaré

Founded around 1100 and bequeathed to Marmoutier, the Lavaré priory between Fondettes and La Membrolle conceals a spectacular medieval barn, a cousin of the one at Meslay, and a priory dwelling flanked by its stair turret.

Ancienne abbaye de Noyers, Nouâtre, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Nouâtre · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne abbaye de Noyers

Founded in the 11th century in Touraine, Noyers Abbey boasts 18th-century monastery buildings and a majestic monumental doorway emblazoned with fleurs-de-lys, bearing witness to a royal foundation.

Maison à pans de bois du 15e siècle, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison à pans de bois du 15e siècle

A medieval jewel in the crown of Chinon, this 15th-century timber-framed house reveals its sculpted corbels and moulded jambs, precious witnesses to the Gothic civil architecture of Touraine.

Eglise Saint-André, Château-Renault, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Château-Renault · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-André

Built in the heart of Château-Renault in the mid-16th century, Saint-André church features a luminous nave punctuated by five large Renaissance windows, a rare example of late Gothic art in Touraine.

Manoir de La Becthière, Druye, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Druye · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir de La Becthière

Nestling in the Touraine Loire Valley, La Becthière manor house boasts corbelled turrets and elegant 17th-century wood panelling - a late Gothic setting of rare authenticity.

Ancien couvent des Ursulines, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien couvent des Ursulines

Founded in 1619 in the heart of Tours, the former Ursuline convent still boasts a brick and stone dwelling adorned with a polygonal turret, an elegant vestige of a past combining tapestry manufacture and convent life.

Maison du 15e siècle, dite aux Dragons engoulants, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 15e siècle, dite aux Dragons engoulants

In the heart of Chinon, this 15th-century timber-framed house fascinates visitors with its corbelled upper storeys and famous carved dragons, stone guardians of an intact medieval past.

Manoir des Berthaisières, Cravant-les-Côteaux, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Cravant-les-Côteaux · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir des Berthaisières

Nestling in the heart of the Chinon vineyards, the Manoir des Berthaisières boasts a basket-handle doorway of rare elegance, flanked by decorative machicolations and watchtowers that bear witness to the seigniorial lifestyle of the Touraine Renaissance.

Manoir du Pouët, Preuilly-sur-Claise, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Preuilly-sur-Claise · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir du Pouët

Nestling in the bocage of the Touraine countryside, Le Pouët manor house boasts sober Renaissance elegance, with its carriage entrance, semi-circular tower and spiral staircase carved in tufa stone.

Cathédrale Saint-Gatien, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Cathédrale Saint-Gatien

The Gothic jewel of the Loire Valley, Saint-Gatien de Tours cathedral boasts three centuries of stone lacework, two flamboyant towers and the finest collection of medieval stained glass in central France.

Château de Velors, Beaumont-en-Véron, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Beaumont-en-Véron · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Velors

Nestling in the Loire Valley, Château de Velors blends medieval stone and brick with classic 18th-century elegance, with its moat, polygonal tower and carved coat of arms.

Maison dite de la Chancellerie, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison dite de la Chancellerie

The architectural jewel of Loches, the Maison de la Chancellerie combines medieval fortifications with a Renaissance façade of rare boldness circa 1550, an exceptional example of Loire civil architecture.

Ancienne église Saint-Patrice, Saint-Patrice, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Saint-Patrice · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Saint-Patrice

Perched high above the Loire, this former 11th-century Romanesque church - once the heart of a priory founded before 1032 - still conceals the remains of a medieval fresco of Saint-Georges slaying the dragon.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Quentin, La Croix-en-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

La Croix-en-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Quentin

Nestling in the heart of the Touraine region, this 12th-century Romanesque church boasts a rare octagonal bell tower over a transept and soberly elegant rib vaults. A jewel listed as a Historic Monument.

Château de la Marbellière, Joué-lès-Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Joué-lès-Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de la Marbellière

On the outskirts of Tours, La Marbellière boasts an elegant, monumental classical gateway guarding centuries-old parkland - a discreet jewel in the Loire Valley that has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1947.

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame, La Ville-aux-Dames, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

La Ville-aux-Dames · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame

At the gateway to Tours, Notre-Dame church in La Ville-aux-Dames reveals eleven centuries of stonework: a Romanesque apse, a flamboyant portal of rare finesse and a medieval framework that is still standing.

Château de Champchevrier, Cléré-les-Pins, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Cléré-les-Pins · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Champchevrier

Emerging from its 17th-century moat, Champchevrier displays its Renaissance elegance and well-preserved interiors - Gobelins tapestries on cartoons by Simon Vouet, wood panelling from Richelieu's château - in a setting of unspoilt Touraine.

Château de l'Islette, Cheillé, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Cheillé · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de l'Islette

Nestling in the heart of the Indre valley, Château de l'Islette's cylindrical Renaissance towers and painted joist ceilings are set in intimate greenery, off the beaten tourist track.

Ancien manoir de Crouzilles, Crouzilles, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Crouzilles · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien manoir de Crouzilles

A discreet flamboyant Gothic jewel in the Touraine region, this 15th-century manor house in Crouzilles features a unique hexagonal turret and a gateway crowned with a cabbage-leaf brace of rare finesse.

Château de Chavigny, Lerné, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Lerné · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Chavigny

An eloquent vestige of a masterpiece of the Grand Siècle, Château de Chavigny was built by Pierre Le Muet for a superintendent of finance under Louis XIII - an architectural treasure that has now disappeared, but has been immortalised in engravings.

Ancienne maison canoniale, Candes-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Candes-Saint-Martin · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne maison canoniale

In the heart of Candes-Saint-Martin, this 12th-century canonical house boasts an exceptional medieval façade, punctuated by semi-circular arches with columns and hooked capitals, a rare example of canonical architecture in the Loire Valley.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Etienne, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Etienne

The flamboyant Gothic jewel of Chinon, Saint-Étienne church was built at the end of the 15th century for Philippe de Commines, with a double-door basket-handle façade and exceptional stained glass windows by Lobin.

Ancienne hôtellerie du Panier Fleury, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne hôtellerie du Panier Fleury

Nestling in a discreet courtyard in the old town of Tours, this former Renaissance inn conceals a spiral staircase with balusters of rare grace - and a sculpted sign that has stood the test of time.

Château du Rivau, Lémeré, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Lémeré · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Rivau

A medieval sentinel in the heart of the Veude valley, Château du Rivau blends Gothic austerity with the grace of the early Renaissance, with its legendary royal stables and enchanting gardens reputed to have inspired Rabelais.

Ancienne église Saint-Laurent, Langeais, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Langeais · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Saint-Laurent

A thousand-year-old Romanesque vestige in the heart of Langeais, the former church of Saint-Laurent reveals the strata of a religious history dating back to the earliest Carolingian times, between an 11th-century nave and a 12th-century apsidal choir.

Tour Chevalot (ou Chevaleau), Beaulieu-lès-Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

FortressHidden Treasure

Beaulieu-lès-Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Tour Chevalot (ou Chevaleau)

The ultimate medieval sentinel of Beaulieu-lès-Loches, the Tour Chevalot stands with its Romanesque and Gothic stones on a rocky outcrop of mysterious caves, a silent testimony to eight centuries of feudal history in the Loire Valley.

Château de la Chatonnière, Azay-le-Rideau, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Azay-le-Rideau · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de la Chatonnière

Nestling on the outskirts of Azay-le-Rideau, this Renaissance manor house with its H-shaped floor plan features medieval towers and 16th-century elegance around a striking square courtyard, the setting for Touraine's flower-filled gardens.

Eglise Saint-Symphorien-les-Ponceaux, Avrillé-les-Ponceaux, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Avrillé-les-Ponceaux · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Symphorien-les-Ponceaux

Nestling in the bocage of the Touraine countryside, this 11th-12th century Romanesque church charms visitors with its façade adorned with a herringbone archivolt and its rare gabled bell tower with two arches, a discreet vestige of a centuries-old parish.

Hôtel de la Gravière, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel de la Gravière

A discreet 17th-century classical gem in Loches, the Hôtel de la Gravière features an elegant curved pediment gateway, a well-kept courtyard and a stone baluster staircase overlooking a terraced garden overlooking the River Indre.

Ancienne église Notre-Dame de la Haye, Descartes, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Descartes · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Notre-Dame de la Haye

Founded in 1104, this Romanesque chapel houses exceptional medieval frescoes and the baptistery where René Descartes was anointed in 1596 - a discreet jewel in the heart of Touraine.

Hôtel de Beaune-Semblançay, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel de Beaune-Semblançay

A fragmentary jewel of Renaissance Towers, the Hôtel de Beaune-Semblançay reveals two galleries and two medieval façades that have survived the bombs - unique testimony to a vanished financial splendour.

Eglise Notre-Dame, La Celle-Guenand, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

La Celle-Guenand · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Notre-Dame

In the heart of southern Touraine, the 12th-century Romanesque domes of Notre-Dame church in La Celle-Guenand display a rare elegance. Its ovoid dome on pendentives, an architectural singularity almost unique in Indre-et-Loire, makes it a little-known gem of medieval heritage.

Château de Grillemont et ses communs, La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Grillemont et ses communs

A medieval fortress transformed into an exceptional residence, Grillemont features three 15th-century towers framing a classically refined main courtyard, nestling in the Touraine bocage.

Château de la Guerche, La Guerche, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

La Guerche · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de la Guerche

Standing on the banks of the Creuse River, the Château de La Guerche displays its Gothic-Renaissance facades between the cobbled courtyard and the river. Its Villequier main building, whose foundations plunge into the very bed of the Creuse, is an architectural feat without equal in Touraine.

Ancienne abbaye de Saint-Martin, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne abbaye de Saint-Martin

In the heart of Tours, the islet of Saint-Martin reveals the remains of a thousand-year-old abbey: a 13th-century Gothic cloister and Renaissance canonical houses, witness to a major centre of medieval Christianity.

Eglise abbatiale Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul, Beaulieu-lès-Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Beaulieu-lès-Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise abbatiale Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul

Built on the ruins of an abbey founded by Foulques Nerra, this medieval church in Touraine houses a strikingly sober 11th-century Romanesque bell tower, a silent witness to one of the most feared counts of Anjou in the Middle Ages.

Chapelle Saint-Jean, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Chapelle Saint-Jean

A 12th-century Romanesque gem from Anjou, this chapel of the Knights of St John conceals beneath its sober exterior a masterpiece of Gothic vaulting with carved and painted keys of rare finesse.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Gilles, L'Île-Bouchard, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

L'Île-Bouchard · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Gilles

In the heart of the Val de Vienne, Saint-Gilles church boasts a 12th-century Romanesque nave crowned by a bell tower set on a rare cupola on horns, a stone jewel listed since 1908.

Eglise collégiale Saint-Martin, Candes-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Candes-Saint-Martin · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise collégiale Saint-Martin

Watching over the confluence of the Vienne and Loire rivers since the 13th century, the collegiate church of Saint-Martin de Candes is the place where Saint Martin of Tours died in 397 - an Anjou Gothic masterpiece with soaring vaulted ceilings.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Médard, Cinq-Mars-la-Pile, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Cinq-Mars-la-Pile · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Médard

Consecrated in 1091, the church of Saint-Médard in Cinq-Mars-la-Pile features an exceptionally rare barrel-vaulted crossing, a sober yet powerful masterpiece of Touraine Romanesque art.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Vincent, Antogny le Tillac, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Antogny le Tillac · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Vincent

Watching over the Chinonais region since 638 AD, Saint-Vincent d'Antogny-le-Tillac boasts an octagonal tower in the Poitevin Romanesque style and a dome with pendentives of rare elegance - a little-known jewel of the 11th century.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Maurice, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Maurice

In the heart of Chinon, Saint-Maurice church boasts five centuries of sacred architecture, from the austere Romanesque of the 12th century to the Plantagenet vaults, crowned by a low Renaissance nave added in 1543.

Ancien prieuré Saint-Thomas, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien prieuré Saint-Thomas

A Renaissance vestige nestling in the heart of Amboise, the former Saint-Thomas priory reveals its 16th-century dwelling with elegant cross-headed windows and its rare octagonal brick roof, evidence of a thousand-year-old convent.

Manoir de Montfort, Chançay, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Chançay · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir de Montfort

Nestling in the Loire Valley, Montfort Manor reveals the discreet elegance of the Touraine Renaissance: pedimented dormers, cylindrical towers with loopholes and decorative merlons make up a fortified complex of rare coherence.

Bâtiment dit Maison des Templiers, Beaulieu-lès-Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Beaulieu-lès-Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Bâtiment dit Maison des Templiers

An exceptional medieval vestige, the House of the Knights Templar at Beaulieu-lès-Loches has stood with its thick Romanesque walls since the 12th century, a rare testimony to the Templar presence in Touraine.

Gare de Tours, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Gare de Tours

A Beaux-Arts masterpiece by Victor Laloux, Tours station (1896) boasts a monumental façade adorned with allegorical statues and Sarreguemines ceramics, a foretaste of the future Musée d'Orsay.

Château de Marçay, Marçay, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Marçay · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Marçay

Set in the heart of Touraine, Château de Marçay's two cylindrical crenellated towers and Gothic wings are set against a backdrop of centuries-old moats - a medieval silhouette of rare coherence.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Paul, Chambon, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Chambon · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Paul

A Romanesque and flamboyant jewel of the Chinon region, Saint-Paul de Chambon church reveals seven centuries of history in a single glance: a massive medieval bell tower, a seigniorial chapel with a coat of arms and a chevet with elegant Gothic ribbing.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne-de-Chigny, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Saint-Etienne-de-Chigny · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Etienne

In the heart of the Loire Valley, this 15th-century church boasts an exceptional timber-framed bell tower and thirty coats of arms in bas-relief: a late Gothic setting of rare coherence, listed as a Historic Monument since 1942.

Hôtel du 16e siècle, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel du 16e siècle

A refined vestige of the Charles Guinot College in Amboise, this 16th-century mansion retains a soberly elegant Renaissance portal, a discreet reminder of urban life in Tours at the height of the Valois period.

Chapelle des Chanoinesses, Luynes, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Luynes · Centre-Val de Loire

Chapelle des Chanoinesses

Discreet but precious, the Chapelle des Chanoinesses de Luynes reveals the elegance of 15th-century Touraine flamboyant Gothic architecture, nestling in the heart of a medieval village overlooking the Loire.

Eglise (église Saint-Pierre et collégiale Saint-Michel réunies), Bueil-en-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Bueil-en-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise (église Saint-Pierre et collégiale Saint-Michel réunies)

In the heart of Touraine, this double medieval church conceals a rare architectural secret: a former parish church transformed into the narthex of a Gothic collegiate church, and a remarkably fine sculpted baptistery dating from 1521.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, Ligueil, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Ligueil · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

In the heart of southern Touraine, the church of Saint-Martin de Ligueil reveals a 12th-century Romanesque apse with six groin vaults of rare elegance, an intact testimony to a thousand years of sacred art.

Eglise Saints-Gervais et Protais, Jaulnay, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Jaulnay · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saints-Gervais et Protais

A flamboyant Gothic pearl in Touraine, Saints-Gervais-et-Protais church in Jaulnay boasts a rare architectural homogeneity: an octagonal spire, a seigniorial chapel and a basket-handle portal make it a rural jewel of the 15th century.

Hôtel des Gouverneurs, ou du Gouvernement, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel des Gouverneurs, ou du Gouvernement

In the heart of Chinon, this 17th-century town house boasts a Renaissance courtyard of rare elegance, with an arcaded gallery, stone balusters and a soberly magnificent mascaron gate.

Cimetière d'Amboise, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Cimetière d'Amboise

In the heart of Amboise, this listed cemetery is home to three monumental tombs dating from the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, including that of the powerful Duke of Choiseul, a minister under Louis XV – a true masterpiece of marble and stone, bridging history and memory.

Ancienne abbaye de la Trinité, Beaulieu-lès-Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Beaulieu-lès-Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne abbaye de la Trinité

A Mauritian gem from the early 18th century, the former Trinité de Beaulieu-lès-Loches convent boasts an exceptional stereotomy and remarkable wood panelling in its council chamber.

Eglise Saint-Mandé-Saint-Jean, Ferrière-Larçon, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Ferrière-Larçon · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Mandé-Saint-Jean

The Romanesque and Angevin jewel of the Chinon region, Saint-Mandé-Saint-Jean church in Ferrière-Larçon boasts a Gothic choir of rare proportions, crowned by an 11th-century Romanesque bell tower with four slender belfries.

Maison du 12e siècle (ancienne cure de l'église Sainte-Croix), Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 12e siècle (ancienne cure de l'église Sainte-Croix)

An exceptional Romanesque vestige nestled against the church of Sainte-Croix de Tours, this 12th-century house boasts sculpted columns, human-headed arches and an elegant Gothic stone screw.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Catherine, Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Catherine

Founded by Charles VII in the 15th century, this Gothic church blazes with sacred history: it housed the legendary sword that armed Joan of Arc before Orléans, forever linking this sanctuary to the destiny of France.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Antoine, ancien couvent des Ursulines, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Antoine, ancien couvent des Ursulines

Built within the walls of a 17th-century Ursuline convent, this Loch church combines classical sobriety with post-Revolutionary fervour, and houses a remarkable repository of regional sacred art.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Georges, Faye-la-Vineuse, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Faye-la-Vineuse · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Georges

The Romanesque jewel of the Chinon region, Saint-Georges de Faye-la-Vineuse reveals a crypt with historiated capitals of rare intensity, hidden beneath a 12th-century ambulatory choir listed as a Historic Monument.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Laurent, Boussay, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Boussay · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Laurent

In the heart of the Touraine bocage, Saint-Laurent de Boussay reveals a 13th-century Gothic choir with radiating ribs and a seigniorial funeral chapel of rare flamboyant elegance, witness to a centuries-old faith.

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame, Richelieu, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Richelieu · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame

A jewel of French classicism built in the 17th century, Notre-Dame de Richelieu features a façade with two superimposed orders and chapels adorned with sculptures and painted ceilings of rare elegance.

Eglise Saint-Maurice, Crissay-sur-Manse, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Crissay-sur-Manse · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Maurice

A flamboyant Gothic jewel in the Chinon region, Saint-Maurice church in Crissay-sur-Manse boasts a 15th-century nave and 16th-century vaulted choir in one of the most beautiful villages in Touraine.

Maison du 16e siècle, dite de Justice des Bains, et le portail contigu, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 16e siècle, dite de Justice des Bains, et le portail contigu

In the heart of the old town of Tours, this 16th-century Renaissance residence boasts a sculpted portal of rare elegance, a vestige of the architectural effervescence that made the Loire the stage for the royal arts.

Château des Lions, Preuilly-sur-Claise, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Preuilly-sur-Claise · Centre-Val de Loire

Château des Lions

The Château des Lions, the first barony of Touraine, stands with its medieval silhouette in the heart of Preuilly-sur-Claise. A fortress with a history of resilience spanning centuries, linked to Charles VII and the secret shadow of Agnès Sorel.

Pavillons de l'octroi, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Pavillons de l'octroi

The stone guardians of the classical Tours, the four octroi pavilions on Place Choiseul have stood guard over the approaches to the great royal bridge since the 18th century, a rare testimony to the urban planning of the Ancien Régime.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Germain, Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Germain

Nestling in the heart of the Val de Vienne, Saint-Germain church is home to a rare medieval treasure: a broken barrel vault ribbed with lunettes, a masterpiece of 13th-century Gothic masonry, listed as a Historic Monument in 1908.

Passage du Coeur Navré, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Passage du Coeur Navré

A bewitching medieval alleyway in the heart of Tours, the Passage du Cœur Navré takes its mysterious name from a sign depicting a heart pierced by an arrow, a living vestige of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Manufacture des Trois-Tours, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Manufacture des Trois-Tours

A living survivor of the silk industry in Tours, the Manufacture des Trois-Tours has been perpetuating the art of Jacquard silk fabric on working handlooms since 1829 - a striking anachronism in the heart of Tours.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Saturnin, Marcilly-sur-Maulne, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Marcilly-sur-Maulne · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Saturnin

Nestling in the heart of the Loire Valley, this 12th-century Romanesque church boasts sumptuous Angevin vaults and a bell tower with twin bays of rare elegance, testimony to a preserved medieval heritage.

Eglise Saint-Martin de Vertou, Lublé, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Lublé · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Martin de Vertou

Nestling in the heart of the village of Lublé, the church of Saint-Martin de Vertou boasts a strikingly sober 11th-century Romanesque apse, crowned by a rare timber-framed bell tower that has defied the centuries.

Monument à Rabelais, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Monument à Rabelais

Built in Tours at the end of the 19th century, this monument celebrates François Rabelais, the prodigal son of Touraine. A sculptural work of rare eloquence, in the heart of the birthplace of the humanist genius.

Monument à Jeanne d’Arc, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Monument à Jeanne d’Arc

Bronze equestrian statue donated by sculptor Jules Roulleau, erected in 1893 on the very spot where Joan of Arc practised her quintaine, in Chinon's Saint-Mexme meadow.

Château de Montrésor, Montrésor, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Montrésor · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Montrésor

Perched on a rocky spur overlooking the Indrois river, Montrésor castle combines medieval ruins, Renaissance dwellings and Polish collections in a natural setting of rare poetry.

Halle de Richelieu, Richelieu, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Richelieu · Centre-Val de Loire

Halle de Richelieu

One of the jewels of 17th-century Richelieu, these wooden covered market halls are among the largest and best-preserved in France, testifying to exceptional carpentry skills in the heart of an ideal city.

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame, Sepmes, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Sepmes · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame

In Sepmes, the church of Notre-Dame boasts a three-vaulted choir of rare elegance, punctuated by capitals carved with plant motifs and cul-de-sacs adorned with human busts dating from the late 12th century.

Domaine de La Martinière, Neuvy-le-Roi, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Neuvy-le-Roi · Centre-Val de Loire

Domaine de La Martinière

Nestling in the Fare valley in northern Touraine, the Domaine de La Martinière reveals the discreet elegance of a Touraine country manor house, recently listed as a Historic Monument in 2024.

Ancienne colonie agricole et pénitentiaire, Mettray, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Mettray · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne colonie agricole et pénitentiaire

On the outskirts of Tours, the former Mettray penal colony fascinates visitors with its troubled history: the world's first laboratory for the re-education of children, conceived in the 19th century between philanthropic utopia and confinement.

Château de Valesne, Saché, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Saché · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Valesne

Somewhere between Gothic and Renaissance Touraine, Château de Valesne boasts an elegant H-shaped floor plan, flamboyant bay windows and art deco murals by Raphaël Delorme - a rare heritage setting nestling on the outskirts of Saché.

Château de Baudry, Cérelles;Chanceaux-sur-Choisille, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Cérelles;Chanceaux-sur-Choisille · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Baudry

Tucked away discreetly on the outskirts of the Touraine region, the Château de Baudry, situated between Cérelles and Chanceaux-sur-Choisille, is a listed monument that captivates visitors with its harmonious proportions and the gentle beauty of its natural setting.

Ancienne chapelle des Filles de l'Union Chrétienne, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne chapelle des Filles de l'Union Chrétienne

A discreet jewel of Touraine's Baroque style, this 17th-century chapel harbours a dual memory: that of a fervent Catholic congregation and that of a Protestant community that made it its temple in 1844.

Ancien prieuré de Saint-Genest, Perrusson, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Perrusson · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien prieuré de Saint-Genest

The enigmatic remains of a Carolingian priory in Touraine, the polygonal apse of Saint-Genest in Perrusson reveals a thousand years of sacred architecture, crowned by an exceptional Renaissance well with sculpted mascarons.

Ancien prieuré Saint-Pierre de Vontes, Esvres, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Esvres · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien prieuré Saint-Pierre de Vontes

Nestling in the Indre valley, the former priory of Saint-Pierre de Vontes reveals a little-known gem: medieval wall paintings in three superimposed layers, including a rare miracle of Saint Éloi on the central bay of its 13th-century chapel.

Hôtel du 16e siècle, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel du 16e siècle

In the heart of Tours, this 16th-century town house boasts a well-preserved inner courtyard and a rib-vaulted room with sculpted grotesque figures, a rare example of Loire civil art.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Léger, Nouâtre, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Nouâtre · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Léger

Nestling in the heart of Nouâtre, this 15th-century flamboyant Gothic church contains a rare treasure: wall paintings recounting the legendary life of Saint Révérend, an exceptional testimony to an iconography that has almost disappeared.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Julien (ancienne église de l'abbaye bénédictine Saint-Julien), Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Julien (ancienne église de l'abbaye bénédictine Saint-Julien)

A 13th-century Gothic abbey church in the heart of Tours, Saint-Julien combines a striking Romanesque bell tower and porch with a nave restored after the 1940 bombardments, a thousand-year-old witness to the faith of the Loire Valley.

Vestiges de l'abbaye de Turpenay, Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt · Centre-Val de Loire

Vestiges de l'abbaye de Turpenay

Nestling in the forest of Chinon, the remains of Turpenay Abbey offer an intimate medieval journey to the heart of a site that Rabelais and Balzac immortalised in their works.

Ancien prieuré bénédictin de Chanceaux-sur-Choisille, Chanceaux-sur-Choisille, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Chanceaux-sur-Choisille · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien prieuré bénédictin de Chanceaux-sur-Choisille

Founded in the 11th century under the aegis of Saint-Julien Abbey in Tours, this Benedictine priory boasts rare Romanesque geminated bays and precious medieval wall paintings, discreet witnesses to a thousand years of monastic life in Touraine.

Propriété de Calder, Saché, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Saché · Centre-Val de Loire

Propriété de Calder

In the heart of the Touraine region, Alexander Calder's studio and home in Saché bear witness to the unique relationship between the artist and light: generous glass roofs, a platform for displaying his stabiles, raw creation amidst the vines.

Eglise Saint-Martin, Lignières-de-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Lignières-de-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Martin

The Romanesque jewel of Touraine, the church of Saint-Martin de Lignières contains a series of medieval frescoes of rare integrity, rediscovered in 2008 under centuries of plaster. A pictorial treasure trove that illuminates the choir and apse.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, Tauxigny, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Tauxigny · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

In Tauxigny, the church of Saint-Martin boasts a twelfth-century Romanesque bell tower crowned by a fifteenth-century Gothic spire, all carved in freestone: a condensation of six centuries of Touraine sacred art.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre, Villiers-au-Bouin, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Villiers-au-Bouin · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre

Nestling in the heart of the Touraine region, Saint-Pierre church in Villiers-au-Bouin is home to a La Vallière coat of arms and mysterious remains of a medieval Last Judgement, striking reminders of a noble and spiritual past.

Château du Vivier des Landes, actuellement hôtel, et ferme dite Le Carrefour, Courcelles-de-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Courcelles-de-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Vivier des Landes, actuellement hôtel, et ferme dite Le Carrefour

In the heart of Touraine, Le Vivier des Landes blends medieval elegance and 19th-century neo-Gothic fantasy in a green setting. A château-hotel where history is reflected in every stone.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre, Neuillé-Pont-Pierre, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Neuillé-Pont-Pierre · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre

In Neuillé-Pont-Pierre, Saint-Pierre church blends medieval Gothic sobriety with Renaissance elegance, with its twin basket-handle doors adorned with shells - a discreet jewel in the Upper Anjou region of Touraine.

Immeuble, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Immeuble

In the heart of Tours, this 14th-century medieval building houses a cross-vaulted cellar of rare elegance, a discreet example of the Gothic civil architecture of Tours.

Ancienne chapelle du Petit-Saint-Martin, actuellement annexe de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Tours, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne chapelle du Petit-Saint-Martin, actuellement annexe de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts de Tours

Discreet and precious, this flamboyant Gothic chapel in the heart of Tours spans five centuries of history before becoming a living showcase for the arts. A little-known jewel, listed as a Historic Monument.

Eglise abbatiale bénédictine Saint-Pierre, Preuilly-sur-Claise, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Preuilly-sur-Claise · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise abbatiale bénédictine Saint-Pierre

Founded in 1009, this Benedictine abbey church conceals beneath its Romanesque vaults a thousand-year-old crypt and carved capitals of exceptional refinement — among the most intact examples of Romanesque art in southern Touraine.

Manoir du Bas-Cousse, Vernou-sur-Brenne, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Vernou-sur-Brenne · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir du Bas-Cousse

Nestling in the Brenne valley, the Manoir du Bas-Cousse boasts a flamboyant Gothic chapel of rare sophistication, with its ribbed vaults decorated with cherubs.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre, Perrusson, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Perrusson · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre

Nestling in the heart of the Touraine region, Saint-Pierre de Perrusson church reveals a jewel of early Romanesque art: a 10th-century nave and a strikingly sober facade with projecting arches.

Manoir de Thomas Boyer, Saint-Martin-le-Beau, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Saint-Martin-le-Beau · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir de Thomas Boyer

A rare vestige of the genius of Thomas Bohier, the builder of Chenonceau, this François I façade distils the elegance of the Loire Renaissance in the heart of the Touraine vineyards.

Ancienne maison canoniale de Saint-Gatien, dite du Curé de Tours, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne maison canoniale de Saint-Gatien, dite du Curé de Tours

Facing the cloister of the Psalette, this 15th-century canons' residence boasts sculpted pediments, a wrought-iron banister and 18th-century woodwork - a discreet jewel of Vieux-Tours listed as a Historic Monument.

Monument à Paul-Louis Courier, Véretz, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Véretz · Centre-Val de Loire

Monument à Paul-Louis Courier

Erected in Véretz in honour of the pamphleteer Paul-Louis Courier, this late 19th-century monument pays tribute to one of the sharpest writers of the Restoration period; it was listed as a Historic Monument in 2025.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre, Chisseaux, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Chisseaux · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre

On the edge of the wine-growing region of Touraine, the Church of Saint-Pierre in Chisseaux spans ten centuries of history, from its thousand-year-old Romanesque wall to the ghostly 12th-century murals still visible on the bare stone.

Monument à Descartes, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Monument à Descartes

Erected in the heart of Tours in the second half of the 19th century, this monument to René Descartes honours one of France’s greatest philosophers, a native of the Loire Valley, in an academic sculptural style characterised by elegant solemnity.

Ancienne abbaye Saint-Sauveur, Villeloin-Coulangé, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Villeloin-Coulangé · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne abbaye Saint-Sauveur

Born in the heart of Carolingian Touraine, Saint-Sauveur de Villeloin Abbey blends Romanesque sobriety, Renaissance elegance and classical rigour - a compendium of monastic history along the Indrois river.

Hôtel de la Croix Blanche, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel de la Croix Blanche

Once the palace of the Dukes of Touraine, nestled in the heart of Tours, this 15th-century Gothic hotel captivates visitors with its octagonal tower featuring a flamboyant vault and its guard room perched on a corbelled projection.

Fort Saint-Georges, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

FortressHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Fort Saint-Georges

The silent guardian of Chinon's rocky spur, Fort Saint-Georges has stood guard since the 12th century at the eastern end of the royal castle, a privileged witness to the fate of Joan of Arc.

Château du Petit-Thouars, Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Petit-Thouars

Dating back to the 15th century and situated on a medieval fiefdom in the Vienne Valley, Le Petit-Thouars boasts a striking neo-Gothic silhouette and has been inhabited continuously by the same family since 1636.

Maison dite du Pilori ou de Justice, Beaulieu-lès-Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Beaulieu-lès-Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison dite du Pilori ou de Justice

Situated in the heart of Beaulieu-lès-Loches, this 16th-century corner house intrigues visitors with the enigmatic ring embedded in its façade, which popular tradition links to the torture of condemned prisoners.

Château du Val d'Auray (ou d'Aulnay), Azay-le-Rideau, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Azay-le-Rideau · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Val d'Auray (ou d'Aulnay)

A discreet Renaissance jewel nestled in Azay-le-Rideau, the château du Val d'Auray captivates with its corbelled turrets and its façade punctuated by seven harmonious bays, an intact testament to the tastes of the 16th century.

Ancienne auberge à pans de bois, Saché, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Saché · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne auberge à pans de bois

In the heart of Saché, this 15th-century timber-framed inn is one of the finest examples of Touraine medieval architecture, with its carved corbels and wooden mullioned windows of rare authenticity.

Théâtre municipal ou Grand Théâtre, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Théâtre municipal ou Grand Théâtre

An eclectic jewel of the 19th century, the Grand Théâtre de Tours displays its Second Empire splendour in the heart of the city, with paintings by Georges Clairin and an interior of rare elegance restored after a fire.

Ancienne église Saint-François, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Saint-François

A striking vestige of the Touraine Renaissance, the tower of the former church of Saint-François stands with its classical pilasters on the ruins of a district that was martyred in 1940, a stubborn guardian of the memory of Tours.

Domaine de la Donneterie et Ferme industrielle de Platé, Neuvy-le-Roi, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Neuvy-le-Roi · Centre-Val de Loire

Domaine de la Donneterie et Ferme industrielle de Platé

In the heart of the Touraine countryside, the Donneterie estate and its industrial farm at Platé showcase a rare combination of aristocratic rural architecture and 19th-century agricultural innovation.

Prieuré des Roches-Saint-Paul, Ligré, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Ligré · Centre-Val de Loire

Prieuré des Roches-Saint-Paul

Nestling in the Vienne valley, this 16th-century Loire priory boasts two Renaissance wings adorned with spiral towers and sculpted braces, a rare example of Touraine conventual architecture.

Ancienne abbaye de Saint-Julien, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne abbaye de Saint-Julien

In the heart of Tours, the former Abbey of Saint-Julien reveals its 13th-century vaulted medieval cellars and its majestic chapter house — a rare monastic complex, listed as a Historic Monument, of exceptional architectural integrity.

Hôtel dit de Choiseul, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel dit de Choiseul

An elegant 18th-century Touraine town house, where the Duc de Choiseul is said to have taken refuge during his famous exile. With its triangular pediment, painted woodwork and scrolled banister, this is a majestic example of French art de vivre.

Château de la Noue, Villedômer, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Villedômer · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de la Noue

Set between two Renaissance-style cylindrical towers, the Château de la Noue showcases its 17th-century wood panelling in the unspoilt setting of Touraine, a listed historic monument in the heart of the Loire Valley.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Nicolas-des-Motets, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Saint-Nicolas-des-Motets · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Nicolas

Tucked away in the heart of the Touraine countryside, this Renaissance church conceals, beneath its carved portal featuring guardian angels, a medieval interior adorned with rare 16th-century frescoes – a true hidden gem of the Touraine region.

Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Petit Séminaire, ou la Petite Bourdaisière

A jewel of brick and stone from the late 15th century, La Petite Bourdaisière conceals behind its polygonal turret the story of the first tapestries from Tours and the intrigues of the court of François I.

Château de Champigny-sur-Veude, Champigny-sur-Veude, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Champigny-sur-Veude · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Champigny-sur-Veude

Champigny-sur-Veude is a Renaissance gem that escaped destruction at the behest of Richelieu, and is home to a chapel with some of the finest 16th-century stained glass in France, miraculously spared thanks to the intervention of Pope Urban VIII.

Ancien archevêché, actuellement musée des Beaux-Arts, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien archevêché, actuellement musée des Beaux-Arts

The former residence of the archbishops of Tours, this stratified palace combines Gallo-Roman remains, 17th-century classical elegance and Enlightenment refinement - today the setting for the Tours Museum of Fine Arts.

Ancien couvent des Carmes, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien couvent des Carmes

A medieval relic in the heart of Tours, the former Carmelite convent stands with its tuffeau stone walls dating from the 15th to the 17th centuries, a quiet testament to a spirituality deeply rooted in the resurgent Touraine region.

Maison du 16e siècle, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 16e siècle

A 16th-century Touraine residence with sculpted corner posts and galleries with straight banisters, a discreet jewel of Renaissance civil architecture in the heart of the royal Loire.

Maison du 15e siècle, dite de Saint-Louis, Ligueil, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Ligueil · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 15e siècle, dite de Saint-Louis

Situated in the heart of Ligueil, this 15th-century residence is said to have hosted Saint Louis on his way to Taillebourg. Its ceiling beams, adorned with medieval paintings, make it a rare gem of Touraine’s Gothic civil architecture.

Manoir de Vonnes, ou Vonne (ancien prieuré), Pont-de-Ruan, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Pont-de-Ruan · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir de Vonnes, ou Vonne (ancien prieuré)

Immortalised by Balzac as Clochegourde in Le Lys dans la Vallée, this Touraine manor house dating from the early 17th century is a delight to behold, with its acanthus-bracketed dormer windows and exceptionally elegant floral pediments.

Ancienne maison canoniale, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne maison canoniale

In the heart of Tours, this 15th-century canons' house boasts a Renaissance façade of rare finesse: windows with prismatic mouldings, sculpted cherubs and a round-arched door with chiselled volutes.

Maison de Tristant l'Hermite, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison de Tristant l'Hermite

In the medieval heart of Tours, this 15th-century brick and stone house stands with its fascinating crenellated gable on the street, preserving the legendary memory of the feared Tristan l'Hermite, Louis XI's sword-wielding arm.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, Mosnes, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Mosnes · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

In Mosnes, the church of Saint-Martin weaves together eight centuries of architecture: Romanesque apse, 16th-century flamboyant chapels and Louis XV-capped bell tower form a dialogue of stone and light that is unusual in the Loire Valley.

Château de Chinon, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Chinon

A royal fortress overlooking the Vienne River, Chinon Castle was the scene of the legendary meeting between Joan of Arc and Charles VII in 1429. Three interlocking medieval walls bear witness to a thousand years of power.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre, Parçay-sur-Vienne, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Parçay-sur-Vienne · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Pierre

A Romanesque gem in the Val de Vienne, Saint-Pierre de Parçay boasts a portal with ornate columns and a 16th-century crossing tower that rises in the heart of this village near Tours like a millennial stone beacon.

Site castral de Montbazon, Montbazon, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Montbazon · Centre-Val de Loire

Site castral de Montbazon

A stone sentinel that has stood on a promontory overlooking the Indre valley since the year 1000, the keep at Montbazon is one of the oldest keeps in France still standing, a striking vestige of Romanesque military architecture.

Ancien hôtel du Doyenné de Saint-Gatien, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien hôtel du Doyenné de Saint-Gatien

In the heart of Tours, the Hôtel du Doyenné de Saint-Gatien boasts classic eighteenth-century elegance, with its grand panelled drawing room, vaulted private chapel and unspoilt garden in the shadow of the cathedral.

Ruines du château et vestiges de ses moyens de défense, Betz-le-Château, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Betz-le-Château · Centre-Val de Loire

Ruines du château et vestiges de ses moyens de défense

A medieval sentinel in Touraine, Betz-le-Château castle reveals its grandiose ruins: a cylindrical tower with a cupola, a polygonal staircase and secret underground passageways mark out this 14th-15th century fortress.

Manoir d'Andigny, Saint-Etienne-de-Chigny, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Saint-Etienne-de-Chigny · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir d'Andigny

Tucked away in the heart of Touraine, the Andigny manor house reveals its Renaissance frescoes and its rock-hewn chapel — a hidden gem from the 15th century with deep medieval echoes.

Château, actuellement Musée Balzac, Saché, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Saché · Centre-Val de Loire

Château, actuellement Musée Balzac

Tucked away in the Indre Valley, Saché Castle is the quintessential Balzacian sanctuary: it was within these walls that the genius behind *La Comédie humaine* penned his greatest masterpieces, from *Father Goriot* to *The Lily of the Valley*.

Château de Boisbonnard, Villeperdue, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Villeperdue · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Boisbonnard

A medieval fortress converted into a stately home, Boisbonnard unfurls its five circular towers and ancestral moat in the gentle Touraine countryside - a rare testimony to seven centuries of uninterrupted history.

Ancienne abbaye de Bois-Aubry, Luzé, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Luzé · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne abbaye de Bois-Aubry

A Romanesque and Gothic vestige nestling in the Touraine bocage, Bois-Aubry Abbey unfurls its thousand-year-old stonework between a sculpted church and a strikingly sober chapter house.

Eglise Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, actuellement chapelle Saint-Georges, Rochecorbon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Rochecorbon · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, actuellement chapelle Saint-Georges

Nestled within the tuffeau stone of Rochecorbon, this partly cave-like chapel houses 12th-century Romanesque murals of rare vibrancy, silent witnesses to a medieval parish lost to history.

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame, Rochecorbon, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Rochecorbon · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame

Nestled in the Loire Valley, the Church of Notre-Dame de Rochecorbon showcases a thousand years of history, from its 11th-century Romanesque nave to its murals by Lobin, a veritable treasure trove of light and colour.

Château de Jallanges, Vernou-sur-Brenne, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Vernou-sur-Brenne · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Jallanges

On the outskirts of Amboise, Jallanges boasts Gothic dormer windows and a Renaissance polygonal tower in a Touraine setting that bears rare witness to a royal castellany shaped over three centuries.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Germain, Civray-de-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Civray-de-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Germain

The Romanesque jewel of Touraine, Saint-Germain de Civray is home to an unsuspected treasure: the remains of a Merovingian baptistery and 13th-century stained glass windows miraculously saved from the bombs of 1944.

Préfecture de Tours, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Préfecture de Tours

A classic 18th-century jewel in the heart of Tours, the Indre-et-Loire Prefecture houses a sumptuous wrought-iron gate inherited from Beaumont Abbey and the precious woodwork of the Choiseul Salon.

Pile romaine, Cinq-Mars-la-Pile, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Cinq-Mars-la-Pile · Centre-Val de Loire

Pile romaine

A mysterious Gallo-Roman tower dating back to the 2nd century, the Pile de Cinq-Mars towers 30 metres above Touraine, its brickwork and ornamental niches an age-old enigma whose function is still debated.

Château du Pressoir, Panzoult, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Panzoult · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Pressoir

A hidden gem of Tours’ second Renaissance, the Château du Pressoir in Panzoult boasts striking transitional architecture: a quadrangular courtyard, a gatehouse with a drawbridge, and sculpted decoration of remarkable integrity.

Immeuble dit le Nouveau Logis, Candes-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Candes-Saint-Martin · Centre-Val de Loire

Immeuble dit le Nouveau Logis

A former holiday residence of the Archbishops of Tours, the Nouveau Logis de Candes-Saint-Martin is an elegant blend of medieval tower, Baroque pediment and moat, on a site that has been inhabited since Gallo-Roman times.

Château de Couzières, Veigné, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Veigné · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Couzières

A stone testament to the royal reconciliation of 1619, Couzières combines Renaissance towers, an Ionic grotto and a pool bearing the coat of arms of François I, all set within a Touraine setting of rare intimacy.

Chambre de Commerce, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Chambre de Commerce

In the heart of Tours, this 18th-century consular hotel conceals, behind its unassuming façade, a medieval vaulted cloth hall and drawing rooms adorned with ceremonial paintings of classic elegance.

Ancien palais du Bailliage, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien palais du Bailliage

In the heart of Chinon, this 15th-century Gothic mansion, crowned by an elegant corbelled turret, bears witness to the former royal justice system in the Loire Valley.

Maison du Cerisier, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du Cerisier

A rare medieval vestige of old Tours, the Maison du Cerisier takes its name from a carved sign that no longer exists. Its Gothic ashlar facade, crowned by a half-timbered gable, epitomises 15th-century Touraine civil architecture.

Abbaye de Beaumont, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Abbaye de Beaumont

The last remaining vestige of a thousand-year-old medieval monastery, the Abbots’ House in Beaumont displays its classic 18th-century elegance in the heart of Tours, bearing witness to a monastic past that is as illustrious as it is forgotten.

Hôtel du 16e siècle, Restigné, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Restigné · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel du 16e siècle

In Restigné, this 16th-century mansion captivates with its polygonal stone spiral tower and its extraordinary sculpted roof finial: a grotesque figure perched upon two bulls, a true curiosity of the Renaissance in Touraine.

Hôtel, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel

The jewel of Tours' Louis XIII style, this brick and stone town house offers an elegance that is rare in Touraine. Its two perpendicular wings and square lantern tower make up an exceptional architectural ensemble listed as a Historic Monument.

Ancienne église Saint-Pierre, Beaulieu-lès-Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Beaulieu-lès-Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Saint-Pierre

A striking medieval vestige of Beaulieu-lès-Loches, the former church of Saint-Pierre boasts a 13th-century Romanesque-Gothic choir and rare traces of 15th-century wall paintings, silent witnesses to a thousand years of Touraine history.

Ancien Hôtel-Dieu, Montbazon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Montbazon · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien Hôtel-Dieu

Built around 1476 on the route to Compostela, this former Hôtel-Dieu in Montbazon boasts a rare ship's hull frame and a bas-relief bearing the La Rochefoucauld coat of arms, silent witnesses to medieval hospitality.

Maison du Dauphin, Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du Dauphin

In the heart of the pilgrimage village of Sainte-Catherine-de-Fierbois, the Maison du Dauphin perpetuates the memory of the future Charles VII, who made this place a royal stopover on the road to his destiny.

Hôtel de ville de Tours, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel de ville de Tours

A majestic Belle Époque façade guarded by stone Atlantes, Tours Town Hall combines institutional grandeur with an allegorical sculptural programme of rare richness for a municipal building.

Château de Genillé, Genillé, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Genillé · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Genillé

On the borders of Berry and Touraine, Château de Genillé boasts medieval cylindrical towers and a graceful octagonal staircase tower, evidence of an architectural transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Eglise Notre-Dame, Rivière, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Rivière · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Notre-Dame

Nestling in the heart of the Touraine region, Notre-Dame de Rivière church reveals a Poitevin Romanesque style of rare purity, and was listed as one of France's first historic monuments in 1862.

Hôtel de Jean Galland, ou Babou de la Bourdaisière, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel de Jean Galland, ou Babou de la Bourdaisière

In the heart of Tours, this Renaissance town house (c. 1520) reveals its pilastered facades, scalloped dormers and rib-vaulted loggia - a jewel of the early Loire Renaissance.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Etienne, Reignac-sur-Indre, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Reignac-sur-Indre · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Etienne

On the border of the Indre-et-Loire department, the Church of Saint-Étienne in Reignac-sur-Indre boasts a thousand-year-old chancel and an ancient bell tower of rare authenticity, silent witnesses to the Romanesque faith in the Loire Valley.

Ancienne église Sainte-Catherine, Razines, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Razines · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Sainte-Catherine

A Romanesque and Gothic relic in the heart of Touraine, the former church of Sainte-Catherine de Razines boasts a 12th-century façade of rare delicacy, adorned with festoons and a chequerboard pattern carved into the stone.

Chapelle troglodyte de l'Echeneau, Vouvray, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Vouvray · Centre-Val de Loire

Chapelle troglodyte de l'Echeneau

Carved out of the Touraine tufa rock, this 18th-century troglodyte chapel conceals a strikingly elegant sculpted altarpiece, where bare stone meets Baroque art in a unique underground setting.

Domaine de la Bourdaisière, Montlouis-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Montlouis-sur-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Domaine de la Bourdaisière

On the outskirts of Tours, La Bourdaisière blends the Renaissance of the Loire with the romanticism of the Restoration, on an estate where Gabrielle d'Estrées charmed Henri IV - and where today the largest collection of tomatoes in Europe grows.

Ancienne église Notre-Dame-des-Echelles, Preuilly-sur-Claise, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Preuilly-sur-Claise · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Notre-Dame-des-Echelles

A 11th-century Romanesque gem nestled in the heart of southern Touraine, Notre-Dame-des-Échelles features a trefoil choir with archaic capitals and rare medieval murals of singular poignancy.

Oratoire des Briçonnets, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Oratoire des Briçonnets

A discreet Renaissance jewel nestling in the old town of Tours, the Briçonnets oratory boasts a ribbed vault decorated with coats of arms testifying to the alliance between two great families of the French court.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Etienne, Villandry, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Villandry · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Etienne

Tucked away in the heart of Villandry, this Romanesque church conceals beneath its domed vaults an exceptional stained-glass window dating from 1543 depicting the Last Judgement — a Renaissance masterpiece often overshadowed by the famous neighbouring gardens.

Château de Verneuil-sur-Indre, Verneuil-sur-Indre, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Verneuil-sur-Indre · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Verneuil-sur-Indre

On the outskirts of the Lochois region, this 15th-century medieval castle combines crenellated machicolations and a cylindrical tower with an elegant classical pavilion topped by a lantern-domed roof — two centuries of architectural grandeur brought together in a single glance.

Prieuré Saint-Eloi, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Prieuré Saint-Eloi

Deeply rooted in the medieval fabric of Tours, the Priory of Saint-Éloi combines a 12th-century Romanesque chapel with an elegant Renaissance residence featuring corbelled turrets — a rare testament to ten centuries of monastic life.

Chapelle de Tous-les-Saints, Preuilly-sur-Claise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Preuilly-sur-Claise · Centre-Val de Loire

Chapelle de Tous-les-Saints

Nestling in the corner of an ancient Touraine cemetery, this 15th-century chapel is home to a painted danse macabre of rare intensity, where queens, abbesses and musicians rub shoulders with Death in a striking Gothic roundelay.

Enceinte de la ville, Richelieu, Centre-Val de Loire

FortressHidden Treasure

Richelieu · Centre-Val de Loire

Enceinte de la ville

A jewel of 17th-century absolutist urban planning, the Richelieu ramparts encircle a model town laid out with surgical precision by Lemercier for the all-powerful Cardinal — an intact stone utopia in Touraine.

Eglise Saint-Vincent, Neuvy-le-Roi, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Neuvy-le-Roi · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Vincent

The Romanesque and Gothic jewel of the Val de Loir, Saint-Vincent church in Neuvy-le-Roi boasts five centuries of sacred architecture, from the 12th-century Romanesque choir to the elegant 16th-century Renaissance chapels.

Maison du Préchantre, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du Préchantre

A hidden gem of Renaissance Tours, the Maison du Préchantre reveals a 16th-century canon’s residence nestled against the cathedral’s former cloister, reflecting a refined ecclesiastical way of life.

Ancienne église Saint-Jean-de-Beaumont, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne église Saint-Jean-de-Beaumont

An unusual relic nestled in the heart of Tours, the former Church of Saint-Jean-de-Beaumont conceals its 12th-century Romanesque nave within the walls of an ordinary house — an architectural anomaly that defies the eye.

Château de Noizay, Noizay, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Noizay · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Noizay

Set against the backdrop of the turmoil of the Amboise Conspiracy, this château in Tours combines Renaissance-style dormer windows and gables with a 17th-century balustrade staircase — a rare testament to the Wars of Religion in the Loire Valley.

Hôtel Gouin, dit aussi hôtel Barguin, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel Gouin, dit aussi hôtel Barguin

A Renaissance gem in Tours, the Hôtel Gouin captivates visitors with its extraordinarily rich sculpted façade, combining foliage, pilasters and medallions in an ornamental profusion that is unique in Touraine.

Maison rouge, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison rouge

Situated in the heart of Chinon, this 14th–15th-century half-timbered house is a delight with its two corbelled storeys and red-brick infill, a rare example of medieval civil architecture in the Touraine region.

Ancien château de Richelieu, Richelieu, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Richelieu · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien château de Richelieu

A grandiose vestige of cardinalial excess, Richelieu's former château reveals the absolute ambition of a statesman who wanted to rival Versailles - and all that remains are sumptuous ruins steeped in silence.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Epain, Saint-Epain, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Saint-Epain · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Epain

Standing in the heart of the village of Tourangeau, Saint-Épain Church combines the austere Romanesque style of the 12th century with the flamboyant Gothic elegance of its 15th-century vaults; it has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1913.

Ancienne maison canoniale de Saint-Martin, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne maison canoniale de Saint-Martin

A understated and elegant example of 17th-century architecture in Tours, this former canon’s house in Saint-Martin offers a glimpse into the refined daily life of the cathedral clergy in the heart of one of the most cultured cities in the Loire region.

Château de la Folaine, Azay-sur-Indre, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Azay-sur-Indre · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de la Folaine

A discreet 15th-century jewel nestling in the heart of Touraine, Château de la Folaine captivates visitors with its angled layout, medieval corner tower and history shared by the Marquis de Lusignan and Lafayette himself.

Maison du 15e siècle, Montrésor, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Montrésor · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 15e siècle

A rare 15th-century timber-framed house nestling at the foot of the towers of Montrésor, this listed medieval residence is an exceptional example of late medieval civil architecture in the Loire Valley.

Maison de Juste de Juste, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison de Juste de Juste

The Renaissance mansion of Juste de Juste in Tours: a door carved with Florentine foliage motifs and a chiselled coat of arms bear witness to the genius of a family of Italian sculptors who won over the French court.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Thibault, Francueil, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Francueil · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Thibault

Set in the heart of the Touraine wine-growing region, the Church of Saint-Thibault in Francueil displays a simple Loire Romanesque style enhanced by Gothic elements, bearing witness to a remarkably authentic form of rural religious art.

Eglise Saint-Saturnin (ancienne église des Carmes), Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Saint-Saturnin (ancienne église des Carmes)

In the heart of Tours, the church of Saint-Saturnin is a blend of 15th-century flamboyant Gothic and 19th-century neo-Gothic, with choir stalls from Cormery Abbey and rare stained-glass windows from Chenonceau Castle.

Le Vieux Château, Saint-Michel-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Saint-Michel-sur-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Le Vieux Château

Perched on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Loire, the Old Château of Saint-Michel-sur-Loire boasts an intact 15th-century entrance gatehouse, a mysterious vaulted underground passageway and a magnificent view over the Loire.

Basilique Saint-Martin, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Basilique Saint-Martin

Built over the tomb of the holy evangeliser of Gaul, the Basilica of Saint Martin in Tours was one of the most important pilgrimage sites in medieval Christendom; it was rebuilt in the Neo-Byzantine style in the late 19th century.

Abbaye de Gastines, Villedômer, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Villedômer · Centre-Val de Loire

Abbaye de Gastines

In the heart of Touraine, Gastines Abbey unfolds nine centuries of Augustinian history among its medieval ruins and 18th-century buildings, a striking vestige of a community founded by an archbishop of Tours.

Maison de Tours, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison de Tours

A jewel of Touraine's civil Gothic style, this 15th-century timber-framed house retains its corner posts sculpted with cherubs, a rare example of medieval bourgeois elegance in the heart of Tours.

Maisons du 15e siècle, Tours, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Tours · Centre-Val de Loire

Maisons du 15e siècle

In the heart of Tours, these three 15th-century Gothic houses reveal interior courtyards, timber-framed galleries and a sumptuous wrought-iron balcony - an intact fragment of the medieval city.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Loup, Rillé, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Rillé · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Loup

Nestling in the heart of the Touraine bocage, the church of Saint-Loup in Rillé unfolds a thousand years of sacred architecture, from the small Romanesque structures of the 11th century to the sumptuous cross and tierceron vaults of the Renaissance.

Château de la Côte, Reugny, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Reugny · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de la Côte

At the gateway to the Loir Valley, Château de la Côte displays its elegant Renaissance architecture in the heart of the Touraine vineyards. The chapel, dovecote and classical gateway make up a seigniorial ensemble of rare coherence.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Saint-Jean-Saint-Germain, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Saint-Jean-Saint-Germain · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste

Nestling in the heart of Touraine, this 11th-century Romanesque church boasts a thousand-year-old nave, a rib-vaulted choir and an elegant Gothic seigneurial chapel - a compendium of medieval sacred art.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Laurent, Charentilly, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Charentilly · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Laurent

Discreet but tenacious, Saint-Laurent church in Charentilly unfolds eight centuries of Touraine history between its timber-framed porch, its Romanesque façade and its walls, which were enhanced in the 18th century.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Cyr et Sainte-Julitte, Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Cyr et Sainte-Julitte

Built in the heart of Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire, this church, dedicated to the martyrs Cyr and Julitte, is a true example of Loire Romanesque architecture, with its squat bell tower and sculpted capitals of rare finesse.

Ancien hôtel de la Prévôté, Candes-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Candes-Saint-Martin · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancien hôtel de la Prévôté

A civil vestige of medieval justice in Candes-Saint-Martin, this 15th-16th-century hôtel de la Prévôté embodies the authority of the lords at the confluence of the Loire and Vienne rivers, in a town that is listed as one of the most beautiful in France.

Maison du 15e siècle, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 15e siècle

In the heart of Chinon, this 15th-century residence boasts elegant late-Gothic facades: finely sculpted columns, moulded sills and foliate capitals bear witness to the bourgeois refinement of medieval Touraine.

Château de Vaujours, Château-la-Vallière, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Château-la-Vallière · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Vaujours

A medieval fortress drowned in its moat, Vaujours combines 13th-century military power with royal romance: Louise de La Vallière, Louis XIV's favourite, held her destiny here.

Remparts et fossés gaulois, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Remparts et fossés gaulois

An exceptional vestige of the Iron Age, the Gallic ramparts of Amboise bear witness to a major oppidum in Celtic Gaul, whose imposing ditches cut into the tufa limestone are still visible after two millennia.

Eglise Notre-Dame, Crouzilles, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Crouzilles · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Notre-Dame

In the heart of the Touraine region, the church of Notre-Dame de Crouzilles reveals a fascinating dialogue between Romanesque and Anjou Gothic, crowned by a bell-tower decorated with blind arcatures of rare elegance.

Maison du 16e siècle, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 16e siècle

In the heart of Loches, this 16th-century house boasts a remarkable Renaissance facade, adorned with pilasters, a moulded eaves and cornice, a precious testimony to the art of building in Touraine during the Renaissance.

Manoir de la Fuye, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir de la Fuye

On the outskirts of Chinon, the Manoir de la Fuye, with its high Gothic gables and polygonal staircase tower, strikes a rare balance between seigneurial residence and late medieval defensive fortress.

Château de Montpoupon, Céré-la-Ronde, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Céré-la-Ronde · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Montpoupon

Perched on the wooded hillsides of the Cher, Montpoupon displays its medieval towers and Renaissance châtelet with rare elegance - a secret jewel of deep Touraine.

Château de Paviers, Crouzilles, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Crouzilles · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Paviers

On the edge of Touraine, the Château de Paviers, with its medieval towers and fortified gateway, stands in a setting of dry moats: a little-known Renaissance jewel in the Loire Valley, listed as a Historic Monument.

Maison du 16e siècle, dite des Pages, Chenonceaux, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chenonceaux · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 16e siècle, dite des Pages

Nestling in the heart of Chenonceaux, this 16th-century Renaissance residence, known as the Pages, is a rare example of courtly civil architecture, just a stone's throw from the Château des Reines.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, Cangey, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Cangey · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

In the heart of the Loire Valley, the church of Saint-Martin de Cangey reveals a thousand years of history in a single vessel: Romanesque capitals with bird mermaids and 16th-century Renaissance stained-glass windows stand side by side in an inhabited silence.

Manoir de Fontenay, Lignières-de-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Lignières-de-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir de Fontenay

On the edge of the Touraine region, the manor house of Fontenay rises its two cylindrical towers above a centuries-old moat, a discreet vestige of a medieval castellany where five centuries of Loire history can be read.

Château de Gizeux, Gizeux, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Gizeux · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Gizeux

On the borders of Anjou and Touraine, Gizeux displays five centuries of architecture in a setting of moats and flowerbeds. Its gallery of 18th-century paintings, featuring the royal châteaux and the residence itself, is unique in France.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin, La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Martin

Nestling in the heart of the Touraine region, the church of Saint-Martin in La Chapelle-Blanche reveals eight centuries of architectural stratifications, from the sober Romanesque of the 12th century to the rib vaults of the Renaissance.

Porte des Cordeliers, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Porte des Cordeliers

A medieval vestige of the Loches city walls, the austere silhouette of the Porte des Cordeliers stands in the heart of the royal city - the silent guardian of seven centuries of Touraine history.

Eglise de Parilly (ancienne église Notre-Dame de l'Epine de Parilly), Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise de Parilly (ancienne église Notre-Dame de l'Epine de Parilly)

A Romanesque jewel nestling on the outskirts of Chinon, the church of Parilly features a transept crossing with carved capitals of rare integrity, a striking example of 11th and 12th century Romanesque art in the Loire Valley.

Maison de Loches, Loches, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Loches · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison de Loches

In the heart of Loches, this 16th-century Renaissance residence conceals an ancient tower from the medieval walls, a silent vestige of one of the best-preserved fortified towns in Touraine.

Ancienne abbaye Saint-Mexme, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Ancienne abbaye Saint-Mexme

Founded in the 5th century by a disciple of Saint Martin, Saint-Mexme Abbey in Chinon was the spiritual heart of the town for a thousand years. A Romanesque sanctuary with a tumultuous destiny, it witnessed the passage of Joan of Arc.

Eglise Notre-Dame-du-Bout-des-Ponts ou Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise Notre-Dame-du-Bout-des-Ponts ou Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Nestling in the heart of the suburb of Amboise, this Loire Renaissance church, founded in 1521, combines a majestic square tower with a soberly elegant nave that bears witness to the millennia-old flooding of the Loire.

Abbaye bénédictine de Saint-Pierre de Bourgueil, Bourgueil, Centre-Val de Loire

AbbeyHidden Treasure

Bourgueil · Centre-Val de Loire

Abbaye bénédictine de Saint-Pierre de Bourgueil

Founded in 990 by a Duchess of Guyenne, this Benedictine abbey in the Loire Valley combines medieval austerity and Maurist elegance around its famous Grands Greniers, silent witnesses to ten centuries of monastic history.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Saturnin, Limeray, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Limeray · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Saturnin

In the heart of the Loire Valley, the church of Saint-Saturnin in Limeray reveals a 12th-century Romanesque building that has been superbly transformed, with slender Angevin vaults, a Renaissance portal and a cul-de-four apse of rare purity.

Fontaine de Max Ernst, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Fontaine de Max Ernst

In the heart of Amboise, Max Ernst's Fountain is a surrealist masterpiece in bronze and stone, a poetic gift from a giant of modern art to the town that granted him French nationality.

Hôtel Joyeuse, Amboise, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Amboise · Centre-Val de Loire

Hôtel Joyeuse

The Renaissance jewel of Amboise, the Hôtel Joyeuse boasts a façade adorned with rosettes, cordelières and twisted decorations of rare elegance, a precious testimony to the art of living in the Loire Valley in the 16th century.

Maison à pans de bois, Chinon, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Chinon · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison à pans de bois

On the corner of two Chinese streets, this medieval timber-framed house hides a secret from history beneath its slates: Joan of Arc is said to have set foot here during her triumphal entry into Chinon in 1429.

Manoir de la Boissière, Athée-sur-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire

ManorHidden Treasure

Athée-sur-Cher · Centre-Val de Loire

Manoir de la Boissière

A discreet jewel in the crown of 16th-century Touraine, the Manoir de la Boissière features a hexagonal turret with loopholes and elegant proportions, an intact example of Loire Valley pleasure architecture.

Croix du cimetière, Le Louroux, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Le Louroux · Centre-Val de Loire

Croix du cimetière

In the heart of the Le Louroux cemetery, this 15th-century Gothic cross features a rare iconography: Christ sculpted on each side, flanked by the Virgin Mary and Saint John, on a base used as an altar.

Château de Bridoré, Bridoré, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Bridoré · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Bridoré

A 15th-century medieval fortress nestling in Touraine, Château de Bridoré's imposing keep flanked by turrets stands in the Indre-et-Loire countryside, the silent guardian of forgotten frescoes.

Château de Crissay, Crissay-sur-Manse, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Crissay-sur-Manse · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Crissay

Still in its unfinished medieval state, Château de Crissay reveals an intact 15th-century great hall, with its original door frames and monumental fireplace - a rare example of Touraine seigneurial architecture.

Ruines du château de Bonaventure, Huismes, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Huismes · Centre-Val de Loire

Ruines du château de Bonaventure

A ghostly vestige of a royal hunting lodge built by Louis XI, the Château de Bonaventure in Huismes still preserves a few sections of wall and a crenellated tower that still whisper of the splendours of the travelling court of the Valois.

Château de Mesvres, Civray-de-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Civray-de-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Mesvres

A medieval fortress with centuries-old walls, the Château de Mesvres in Civray-de-Touraine boasts a square 13th-century keep and mysterious underground passageways that bear witness to a forgotten defensive power.

Ruines du château, Hommes, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Hommes · Centre-Val de Loire

Ruines du château

Perched in the Touraine bocage, the ruins of the Château d'Hommes exude the elegance of the Loire Renaissance: windows with sculpted pilasters, cylindrical towers and moats evoke a fascinating seigniorial past.

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame, Cigogné, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Cigogné · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Notre-Dame

Born of an archiepiscopal foundation in the 10th century, Notre-Dame de Cigogné boasts a Romanesque portal of rare finesse, crowned with quatrefoils and foliage carved with Touraine virtuosity.

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Aignan, Epeigné-les-Bois, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Epeigné-les-Bois · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise paroissiale Saint-Aignan

Nestling in the heart of Touraine, the church of Saint-Aignan in Épeigné-les-Bois is a soberly elegant 12th-century Romanesque, crowned by a semi-circular apse of great purity of line.

Maison du 16e siècle, Candes-Saint-Martin, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Candes-Saint-Martin · Centre-Val de Loire

Maison du 16e siècle

A former 16th-century canonical presbytery in Candes-Saint-Martin, with its polygonal staircase tower and majestic triangular roof dormer, a discreet reminder of collegiate life in the Loire.

Château du Paradis, La Croix-en-Touraine, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

La Croix-en-Touraine · Centre-Val de Loire

Château du Paradis

Just outside Amboise, Château du Paradis combines Renaissance elegance and 18th-century refinement, with wood panelling and a fireplace from prestigious Touraine hotels.

Château de Boussay, Boussay, Centre-Val de Loire

CastleHidden Treasure

Boussay · Centre-Val de Loire

Château de Boussay

On the edge of Touraine, Château de Boussay reveals seven centuries of metamorphoses, from the medieval keep with its trefoil machicolations to the grand classical structure of the 18th century.

Moulin Bleu, Bourgueil, Centre-Val de Loire

MonumentHidden Treasure

Bourgueil · Centre-Val de Loire

Moulin Bleu

A 16th-century cave mill in Bourgueil, a legacy of the Benedictine monks and a testament to seven centuries of milling in Touraine. Its patented Berton wings and masonry mound make it a rare part of the Loire's wind energy heritage.

Eglise du cimetière (église Saint-Léger du Vieux-Bourg), Cravant-les-Côteaux, Centre-Val de Loire

ChurchHidden Treasure

Cravant-les-Côteaux · Centre-Val de Loire

Eglise du cimetière (église Saint-Léger du Vieux-Bourg)

A Carolingian vestige nestled in a Touraine cemetery, the church of Saint-Léger du Vieux-Bourg boasts some extremely rare interlaced pilasters, silent witnesses to the dawn of the Middle Ages in the Loire Valley.

Eure-et-Loir

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