The Château d’Azay-le-Rideau is one of the most famous châteaux in the Loire Valley and not to be missed during your stay. It belongs to the French State.
The Azay-le-Rideau Château was built in the reign of King Francis I by Gilles Berthelot (treasurer of France, and former counsellor to Louis XII). It conveys all the charm of the early Renaissance, blending the French architectural tradition and the influence of Italian art in the decoration and the design of the façades.
This 16th century masterpiece is encircled by a romantic 8-hectare park. It stands on an island shaped by the Indre. This river also feeds a reflecting pool, as desired by the Marquis Charles de Biencourt, owner of the monument from 1791 to 1824. He modernised the château and had magnificent exotic trees (sequoia, cedar, etc.) planted in the English-style park.
Inside, the Azay-le-Rideau Château is adorned with prestigious historic decorations retracing four centuries of French history, as well as exquisite collections of objects, tapestries and furniture.
To preserve this wonderful heritage, the Azay-le-Rideau Château underwent major restoration work from 2015 to 2017, involving the masonry, sculptures, wood elements, frameworks and roofs. During a visit to this unique site, you can see:
- a recreation of the interior decoration and atmosphere of the château in the 19th century on the ground floor (the Marquis de Biencourt room, the kitchen, dining room, library, etc.).
- on the first floor: the king's room, the Renaissance room, the great hall...
- the 16th century attic and building framework.
The romantic park features a range of views of the monument, and an interpretation area is open to the public (Le Pressoir).
The Azay-le-Rideau Château is located in the town of the same name (265 km from Paris). It is on the the Loire by bike between Tours and Chinon.
As part of the "Christmas in the land of chateaux" operation, a scenography specially dedicated to the end-of-year celebrations is proposed from the beginning of December to the beginning of January.
Description
Rating / Labels
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Accueil Vélo site de visite et de loisirs
- Ambassadeur Val de Loire
- Parcs et Jardins en région Centre
- Vignobles et Découvertes
Languages spoken
- French
- English
Comfort / services
Opening
Jours | Horaires |
---|---|
Lundi | 10h00 à 17h15 |
Mardi | 10h00 à 17h15 |
Mercredi | 10h00 à 17h15 |
Jeudi | 10h00 à 17h15 |
Vendredi | 10h00 à 17h15 |
Samedi | 10h00 à 17h15 |
Dimanche | 10h00 à 17h15 |
Extra reception info
Des nocturnes sont proposées du 10 juillet au 24 août 2024, les mercredis, jeudis, vendredis et samedis, de 19h à 23h (dernier accès à 22h) : https://www.azay-le-rideau.fr/agenda/visite-nocturne-du-chateau-et-de-l-exposition-habiller-le-merveilleux.-costumes-de-scene
Fermeture les 1er janvier, 1er mai et 25 décembre.
Rates
- Full adult price : 13,00 €
- Group rate : 11,50 € - 20 pers. mini.
- Free rate : - 18 ans (hors scolaires) et - 26 ans (ressortissants UE, hors scolaires)