Welcome to the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau!

Last week I've been invited by Le Centre des Monuments Nationaux to visit the beautiful Castle of Azay-le-Rideau, for a private visit, taking pictures, and a great lunch outside in the gardens.

The first very good surprise was the lovely weather! At this period of the year, you cannot be sure about that ^^ 

The second one, was to discover in real this stunning castle who seems coming straight from a fairytale! A big part of the château was closed the last three years for restorations, but now it's over, and the result is phenomenal!

The Château d'Azay-le-Rideau is located in the town of Azay-le-Rideau in the French département of Indre-et-Loire. Built between 1518 and 1527, this château is considered one of the foremost examples of early French renaissance architecture. Set on an island in the middle of the Indre river, this picturesque château has become one of the most popular of the châteaux of the Loire valley.

Let's start the visit together!

The exterior

Set on an island in the middle of the Indre, the château of Azay-le-Rideau seems to rise straight out of the waters of the river, which reflect the castle's façades so that the château appears to float in its own image. The writer Balzac described it as "a facetted diamond, set in the Indre". This striking setting has helped Azay-le-Rideau to become one of the most famous of the Loire's many châteaux.

The interior

The château's richly sculpted interior decoration once again reflects the influence of the Italian renaissance. It is made up of several drawing rooms and stately apartments, most of which are decorated in the neo-renaissance style popular during the 19th century. Many of these rooms display 16th- and 17th-century Flemish tapestries. The château also houses a significant collection of artwork, including several portraits of French monarchs, as François 1er, Henry III and Catherine de Medici.

Also of note are the attics, where the charpente, or the hand-crafted wooden frame supporting the roof, has been recently restored and can be viewed alongside an exhibition explaining the complex techniques of its construction.

Did you enjoy the visit ?!

Want to see more and by yourself ? Here's some informations

• CHÂTEAU D'AZAY-LE-RIDEAU 19, rue Balzac
  37190 Azay-le-Rideau Ph. : 33 / (0)2 47 45 42 04 Fax : 33 / (0)2 47 45 26 61

• BY CAR

  From Tours : sortie n° 11, D 751 vers Chinon From Poitiers : N 10 to Sainte Maure, then D 760 & D57 to Azay-le-Rideau

• BY TRAIN

  From Paris, train at Montparnasse Station direction St Pierre des Corps, around an hour/an hour and half