Chateau de Langeais
Chateau de Langeais
4.5
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
About
Open every day of the year ! The medieval fortress dominates the village with its austere facade. But don't be daunted: the open drawbridge is an invitation to enter into the refined lodgings of a great lord. It is the most fully furnished castle of the Loire Valley. The hushed ambiance of the rooms and the splendor of the great reception halls will plunge you into the daily life of a 15th century prince. You will relive the event that distinguished the history of the locale: the wedding of Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany, recreated with strikingly realistic wax figures.In the park, you will discover the recreated construction site of France's oldest keep. The promenade, punctuated with playgrounds and the tree house, can be followed through cedars and sequoias to the gazebo overlooking the Loire.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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4.5
1,345 reviews
Excellent
678
Very good
577
Average
76
Poor
9
Terrible
5
RYOKO
California12 contributions
Aug 2022
Smaller chateau located in a cute village. It's a different experience from the larger ones like Chambord. I would not say I'd go out of my way to visit but if you are not too far, it's definitely worth. There was an interesting show about some royal wedding but it was only in French. May be possible to get one of these listening devices.
Some nice shops around: bakery, cheese store, wine store. Friendly town. Used to tourists.
Some nice shops around: bakery, cheese store, wine store. Friendly town. Used to tourists.
Written 25 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TDH33
HANTS, UK35 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Rainy day so looking for something undercover.
You can walk around the parapets (covered) see the amazing views over the town.
Lots of things to see within the Chateau and all rooms well presented.
There are a lot of steps up and down the round towers but worth the effort.
We did not visit the gardens as it was a little too soggy for us - 11€ each well spent.
You can walk around the parapets (covered) see the amazing views over the town.
Lots of things to see within the Chateau and all rooms well presented.
There are a lot of steps up and down the round towers but worth the effort.
We did not visit the gardens as it was a little too soggy for us - 11€ each well spent.
Written 28 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stefan C
Limoges, France135 contributions
Sept 2020
Relaxed atmosphere to tour at your leisure, arrived at opening time to see the drawbridge lowered. Free to tour by yourself with a pamphlet in English. Fun grounds with a huge tree house ideal for the kids too. Put it on your list of Chateaus to visit.
Written 11 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg072
Sydney, Australia327 contributions
Sept 2014 • Couples
A very attractive Chateau set in the middle of a charming French village. The Chateau is accessed by a drawbridge which is raised and lowered each day at opening and closing time.
This is one of the nicest French Chateaux we have visited with numerous rooms open to the public and with just the right amount of furnishings and tapestries to make the tour interesting. Each room has a stand with information cards for that room in a range of different languages.
The Chateau was built by King Louis XI in 1460 to establish his authority on the north bank of the Loire. In 1491 the Chateau was used for the secret wedding of Anne of Britanny and Charles VIII of France. This wedding ceremony and the intrigues taking place in Europe at that time are brilliantly portrayed by accurate copies of the original participants and an excellent audio visual presentation in the hall in which the wedding was held. The figures constructed for this display are so lifelike that I could have sworn that one of the figures kept following me with his eyes !!
Of further interest at the top of the castle is a superb display of costumes from the early 1500’s. Also, at the very top of the castle one can still walk along the enclosed parapet which offers excellent views of the surrounding areas.
Once outside the Chateau one can walk through the terraced gardens and past one of the oldest keeps still extant in France, built in the 11th century, and then into a park that displays numerous paintings of the life of Anne of Britanny.
This is an excellent Chateau to visit with numerous rooms and many points of interest available. Allow at least two hours for your visit and photographs are allowed inside without flash.
For parking we drove straight to the front of the Chateau and then turned right and continued on for a short distance to park in a compact car park on ones left which is free.
This is one of the nicest French Chateaux we have visited with numerous rooms open to the public and with just the right amount of furnishings and tapestries to make the tour interesting. Each room has a stand with information cards for that room in a range of different languages.
The Chateau was built by King Louis XI in 1460 to establish his authority on the north bank of the Loire. In 1491 the Chateau was used for the secret wedding of Anne of Britanny and Charles VIII of France. This wedding ceremony and the intrigues taking place in Europe at that time are brilliantly portrayed by accurate copies of the original participants and an excellent audio visual presentation in the hall in which the wedding was held. The figures constructed for this display are so lifelike that I could have sworn that one of the figures kept following me with his eyes !!
Of further interest at the top of the castle is a superb display of costumes from the early 1500’s. Also, at the very top of the castle one can still walk along the enclosed parapet which offers excellent views of the surrounding areas.
Once outside the Chateau one can walk through the terraced gardens and past one of the oldest keeps still extant in France, built in the 11th century, and then into a park that displays numerous paintings of the life of Anne of Britanny.
This is an excellent Chateau to visit with numerous rooms and many points of interest available. Allow at least two hours for your visit and photographs are allowed inside without flash.
For parking we drove straight to the front of the Chateau and then turned right and continued on for a short distance to park in a compact car park on ones left which is free.
Written 4 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tk3232
Sugar Land, TX4,269 contributions
Sept 2022
One of the most imposing-looking fortresses of the Middle Ages, Chateau de Langeais was build mostly for show. Towering above its appealing little village, it comes with a moat, a drawbridge, lavish defenses, and turrets. Langeais tries hard to give visitors a feel for royal life in the 15th century - and it succeeds. The rooms are well-furnished and well-explained with handy information sheets. The interior of the chateau is brought alive by the outstanding quality of its decoration and furnishings. Each room has different tilling, based on original 15th century patterns. By the way, the drawbridge is raised and lowered every day (at opening and closing time of the chateau).
Of course, the main event that takes place inside the castle, which everyone notices here, is in the so-called Wedding Hall, wax figures re-create the historic marriage that gave Langeais it 15 minutes of chateau fame in 1491. It was here that King Charles VIII secretly wed 14-year-old Anne (duchess of Brittany), a union that brought independent Brittany into France's fold. The gowns are accurate and impressive, and it's interesting to see how short everyone was in the Middle Age. An eight-minute sound-and-light show explain the event- usually in English at :15 past each hour.
At the end of the visit to the castle, go outside so as not to miss Foulques' Tower - the oldest fortress in France. It is here since 994 (!!!!). Go around it, then continue your walk along the path to the park - an extraordinary hanging shed and a unique viewing place on the Loire River valley are one of the new recreational places of this original leisure park. Playground and perched hut: with six levels and perched in a majestic cedar several hundred years old, the hut offers a breathtaking view of the park and the remains of the 11th century chapel.
Cost: 11 euros, free parking nearby (on rue Foulque Nerra). Smart to combine the visit of Langleais with Tours town, Chateau d' Azay-le-Rideau or Chateau de Villandry. All these places are nearby. Worth to visit all of them.
Of course, the main event that takes place inside the castle, which everyone notices here, is in the so-called Wedding Hall, wax figures re-create the historic marriage that gave Langeais it 15 minutes of chateau fame in 1491. It was here that King Charles VIII secretly wed 14-year-old Anne (duchess of Brittany), a union that brought independent Brittany into France's fold. The gowns are accurate and impressive, and it's interesting to see how short everyone was in the Middle Age. An eight-minute sound-and-light show explain the event- usually in English at :15 past each hour.
At the end of the visit to the castle, go outside so as not to miss Foulques' Tower - the oldest fortress in France. It is here since 994 (!!!!). Go around it, then continue your walk along the path to the park - an extraordinary hanging shed and a unique viewing place on the Loire River valley are one of the new recreational places of this original leisure park. Playground and perched hut: with six levels and perched in a majestic cedar several hundred years old, the hut offers a breathtaking view of the park and the remains of the 11th century chapel.
Cost: 11 euros, free parking nearby (on rue Foulque Nerra). Smart to combine the visit of Langleais with Tours town, Chateau d' Azay-le-Rideau or Chateau de Villandry. All these places are nearby. Worth to visit all of them.
Written 21 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jeremypetty1
North Carolina217 contributions
Jul 2019 • Family
Nice visit to Chateau de Langeais! 15 richly decorated rooms to tour within the chateau displaying the architecture and furnishings of the 15th century reign of Louis XI. Fascinating history with audio guides and interactive displays. Highlight for us was climbing the hill behind the chateau and up the 1,000+ year old fortress wall for an AWESOME view of the chateau, grounds, and city beyond.
Definitely worth a visit. Recommend!
Definitely worth a visit. Recommend!
Written 18 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aqua_Uomo
Toronto, Canada8,117 contributions
Apr 2019 • Solo
April 19.
I learned not to expect much from the castles in the middle of the city due to the real estate issues, but this is actually a decent one. Still not very big but is nice and stands in very good conditions. It looks small from the outside, but this is a poor judgement, it is much bigger when you get in and exposed to the gardens, which, again, are unexpectedly beautiful. Langeais is a gorgeous town itself! Split in two by a creek with houses and mills on it. Small patios and bakeries make this town a must hit destination!
I learned not to expect much from the castles in the middle of the city due to the real estate issues, but this is actually a decent one. Still not very big but is nice and stands in very good conditions. It looks small from the outside, but this is a poor judgement, it is much bigger when you get in and exposed to the gardens, which, again, are unexpectedly beautiful. Langeais is a gorgeous town itself! Split in two by a creek with houses and mills on it. Small patios and bakeries make this town a must hit destination!
Written 29 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Miss-elaine-eous89
Dubuque, IA61 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
One our favorite chateaux. The display depicting Charles VIII’s wedding to Anne of Bretagne was so lifelike and told the story well. The art and floor tiles are amazing. We ran out of time to fully explore the grounds behind the fortress, but enjoyed what we could. Seeing the drawbridge pulled up at closing was a special treat.
Written 11 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cabinlassie
Perth, UK144 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
This small chateau set in the very attractive town/village of Langeais is well worth a visit.
Unlike the large sprawling grand chateaus of the Loire - this one is more homely. It has a fascinating story - make sure you watch the short 10 minute video presentation half way through the tour. It is in English at 15 minutes past the hour, only.
Every room of the 15 rooms has descriptions in several languages including English. Towards the end of the self guided tour you climb 4 steep steps into what looks like a corridor. However it is actually a walk around the ramparts of 3 sides of the castle giving fabulous views of the town, church and the bridge over the Loire. This is very child friendly with questions & answers on the wall in French & English about things you learnt on the visit.
Once back at ground level there is a small formal garden leading to a tree shaded park behind the ruins of the old chateau. Here you will find some elaborate wooden scaffolding to climb (behind the ruins) and a fabulous multi story treehouse to explore as well as swings & slides.
The town has lots of little cafes & eateries including a patisserie with the most gorgeous pastries just in front of the chateau drawbridge.
This is a leisurely half day visit. Totally uncrowded.
Can highly recommend.
Unlike the large sprawling grand chateaus of the Loire - this one is more homely. It has a fascinating story - make sure you watch the short 10 minute video presentation half way through the tour. It is in English at 15 minutes past the hour, only.
Every room of the 15 rooms has descriptions in several languages including English. Towards the end of the self guided tour you climb 4 steep steps into what looks like a corridor. However it is actually a walk around the ramparts of 3 sides of the castle giving fabulous views of the town, church and the bridge over the Loire. This is very child friendly with questions & answers on the wall in French & English about things you learnt on the visit.
Once back at ground level there is a small formal garden leading to a tree shaded park behind the ruins of the old chateau. Here you will find some elaborate wooden scaffolding to climb (behind the ruins) and a fabulous multi story treehouse to explore as well as swings & slides.
The town has lots of little cafes & eateries including a patisserie with the most gorgeous pastries just in front of the chateau drawbridge.
This is a leisurely half day visit. Totally uncrowded.
Can highly recommend.
Written 5 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adrian W
Hertford, United Kingdom258 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
This is a small chateau with a big history, especially if you come from Brittany as it is the place where Ann of Brittany married Charles VIII and thus the Bretons became French! The audioguide was first class, the displays well laid out and the grounds were excellent and very child friendly, containing a huge tree house! It's also the only chateau (as far as I know) where the drawbridge is raised every night!
Written 16 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bonjour, Je voudrais savoir combien de temps il faut compter pour visiter le château et si les chiens sont autorisés. Merci d'avance à ceux qui pourront me répondre.
Written 16 May 2021
Bonjour est il possible de faire des photos du château de l'extérieur sans devoir payer une visite ou un parking merci
Written 31 October 2018
Oui mais vous ne pourrez prendre que la façade côté ville (type moyen âge- forteresse) au demeurant avec une possibilité de recul limitée ne permettant que des vues partielles. Vous ne pourrez pas prendre la façade d'ensemble côté cour (type Renaissance) qui est la plus belle
Written 1 November 2018
How far is the walk between the train station in Langeais and the castle?
Written 24 September 2017
5 mins - but with all respect you could have looked it up on Google maps, it's what I did and it took no time at all to do!
Written 24 September 2017
Public transport from Tours today
Written 25 December 2014
We had a rental car when we visited the region.
Written 26 December 2014
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