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Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau, Azay-le-Rideau

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#1 of 8 in Things to do in Azay-le-Rideau

Set on an island in the middle of the Indre river, Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau is considered one of the foremost examples of early French Renaissance architecture. Built between 1518 and 1527, this picturesque château maintains the fashionable Italian renaissance style in its long proportions and ornate sculptural decorations.

Venture into the interior to view a significant collection of artwork, including "Dame au Bain" (possibly depicting Diane de Poitiers) by François Clouet and several portraits of French monarchs, including Francis I, Henry III, and Catherine de Médici. A climb into the attic provides an insight into the charpente, the handcrafted wooden frame supporting the roof, which was recently restored and available for your view. Put Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau into our Azay-le-Rideau trip app to see other points of interest to visit during your vacation in Azay-le-Rideau.

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Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau Tours

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Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

1,846 reviews

Google

4.3

facebook

4.5

744 likes

sybarite4

October 6, 2017

We loved this chateau and thought it ranked within our top two favorites. It was charming, set up well for tourists, and is situated in a lovely little village. It had a more intimate feel than many o... more »
Fabyenne L

October 5, 2017

A beautiful not too big Loire castle in a great park and some particular articulated furniture! Beautiful place full of history, Do not miss the last floor under the roof! more »
Susan B

October 5, 2017

We initially arrived here on the Historical weekend in September 2017 and it was extremely busy even late in the afternoon so we decided to wait a day. I'm so please we did, we could visit without the... more »

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Ruth Rigby

September 27, 2017

A beautiful fairy tale castle surrounded by calm garden spaces with lawn chairs. A room elaborately decorated as a feast of table foods complete with dance and music adds to the surprise. Explore the festive village to take in peaceful French life.

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Michael Day

September 17, 2017

Visited in early August 2017 and really enjoyed the experience of the chateau and the wonderful grounds. My reason for only awarding three stars is that when I required the loo I discovered the only men's cubicle in quite a mess! I did the right thing in approaching the guy at the entrance desk informing him of the situation and assumed that he would put a cleaner into action only to get his response that it was a busy time of year?! We then spent some time (1-2 hours) wandering around the grounds and I checked the toilet before we left and nothing had been done! Clearly this is a problem and should be urgently rectified.

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Jean-Paul Audouy

September 25, 2017

Not to big but beautifully restored chateau. the scenography is amazing. And after the visit, you can relax in a nice little park.

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Vincent de vries

August 21, 2017

Very nice château situated in a cute village. Can get a little bit crowded in comparison to some other nearby chateau but it's not too bad. I recommend getting coffee at the on-site cafe; nothing beats good coffee with the view of such a beautiful castle.

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Dina Mohamed-Aly

June 11, 2017

Truly an underrated castle. It has some of the most interesting interior architecture I've sewn in all the chateaus I've visited and the grounds are lovely. Unfortunately, a large part was under construction when I went but the town it's in and the architecture haven't ceased to amaze me!

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