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The châteaux of the Loire Valley (Val de Loire) number more than 300. They represent a nation of builders starting with the necessary castle fortifications in the 10th century to the splendor of those built a thousand years later. When the French kings began constructing their huge châteaux here, the nobility, not wanting or even daring to be far from the seat of power, followed suit. Their presence in the lush, fertile valley with its moderate climate, began attracting the very best landscape designers. Before long, and to this day, the valley of the Loire is known as the "Garden of France".1 History
By the middle of the 16th century, King Francois I, had shifted the center of power in France from the Loire back to the ancient capital of Paris. With him went the great architects, but the Loire Valley continued to be the place where most of the French royalty preferred to spend the bulk of their time. The ascension of King Louis XIV in the middle of the 17th century made Paris the permanent site for great royal châteaux when he built the Palace of Versailles. Nonetheless, those who gained the king's favour and the wealthy bourgeoisie, continued to renovate existing châteaux or build lavish new ones as their summer residence in the Loire.
The French Revolution saw a number of the great French châteaux destroyed and many ransacked, their treasures stolen. The overnight impoverishment of many of the deposed nobility, usually after one of its members lost their head to the guillotine, saw many châteaux demolished.
2 The châteaux today
Today, these privately owned châteaux serve as homes, a few opening their doors to tourist visits, while others are operated as hotels or bed and breakfasts. Many have been taken over by a local government authority or the giant structures like those at Chambord are owned and operated by the national government and are major tourist sites, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
3 Some châteaux
- Château d'Amboise
- Château d'Angers
- Château d'Apremont
- Château d'Azay-le-Ferron
- Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
- Château de Beauregard
- Château de Blois
- Château de Bouges
- Château de la Bourdaisière
- Château de Brissac
- Château de Chambord
- Château de ChaumontThe Chateau de Chaumont is a French castle The first chateau at Chaumont-sur-Loire, Loir-et-Cher, France, originated in the 11th century, built by Eudes II, Count of Blois. In the 15th century, the castle's owner was part of the unsuccessful rebellion aga
- Château de ChenonceauThe Chateau de Chenonceau near the small village of Chenonceaux, in the Indre-et-Loire departement of the Loire Valley in France, was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before its first mention in writing in the 11th century.
- Château de ChevernyThe Chateau de Cheverny is located at Cheverny, in the departement of Loir-et-Cher in the Loire Valley in France. The lands were purchased by Henri Hurault, Comte de Cheverny, and Treasurer for War under King Louis XI. Lost to the Crown because of fraud t
- Château ChinonChinon is a town and commune of the Indre-et-Loire departement in France. Population (2001): approx. Geography Chinon is located in the Vallee de la Vienne (Vienne River valley). It is situated on the banks of the Vienne River. Chateau Sitting high on a p
- Château de Craon
- Château de FontainebleauThe Royal Chateau of Fontainebleau (in the Seine-et-Marne departement , the largest of the French royal chateaux, introduced to France the Italian Mannerist style in interior decoration and in gardens, and transformed them in the translation. The French M
- Château de LangeaisChateau de Langeais Indre-et-Loire, France Le chateau de Langeais was originally built as a fortress in the 10th century by Foulques Nerra on a promontory created by the small valley of the Roumer River at the opening to the Val de Loire. Under the Planta
- Château du Lude
- Château de LochesCheverny The Chateau de Loches is located in the departement of Indre-et-Loire in the Loire Valley in France and is a very ancient castle first constructed in the 9th century. Built more than 1,600 feet above the Indre River, the huge castle, famous mostl
- Château de MalmaisonThe Chateau de Malmaison is a country house (or chateau) in the city of Rueil-Malmaison about 12 km (7 mi) from Paris. History Josephine de Beauharnais purchased the manor house in April 1799 for herself and her husband, Napoleon I of France, at that time
- Château de Montgeoffroy
- Château de Montreuil-Bellay
- Château de Montsoreau
- Château d'Oiron
- Château du Plessis-Bourré
- Château de Rambouillet
- Château de Saumur
- Château d'Ussé
- Château Vaux-le-Vicomte
- Royal Château Versailles
- Château de Valençay
- Château de Villandry
- Château de Villesavin
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