Castles & tourist sites

Chambord, a symbol of French Renaissance throughout Europe and the world. Just 2 hours from Paris, the Loire Valley’s largest château stands within Europe’s largest fenced park. The Domain, surrounded with a 32-km wall, covers 13500 acres. Listed as a historical monument since 1840, it has been also a World Heritage site since 1981. Do not miss : the double-spiral staircase, which may have been inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, the viewpoint from the rooftop, the sculpted ceilings on 2nd floor, the collections (over 4500 paintings, tapestries, furniture and works of art), the music festival in July, the exhibitions, the horse show, the roar of the stags or the local wildlife.

The history of the Château of Chenonceau is defined by a an almost uninterrupted succession of women who built, embellished, protected, restored and saved it. Unique architecture, built over the Cher river. A collection of masters paintings and a remarkable series of 16 century Flemish tapestries. The Galerie des Dômes (wine cellar), exhibitions.

With 8,000 animals, the ZooParc de Beauval is home to the greatest diversity of animals in France. In 35 years, it has become the No. 1 zoo in France*, the most visited site in the Centre region and a company that has won national and international recognition and awards. In 2016, the ZooParc expanded once again, unveiling a facility that is unique in the world in terms of its design and scale: a vast enclosure for hippopotamuses, a species presented for the first time at Beauval. Leading a semi-aquatic life, the hippopotamuses enjoy a space featuring a pool lined with beaches, a river and a waterfall. A lagoon dotted with aquatic plants and inhabited by fish completes this exceptional complex.

How about a fabulous journey through the richness of the world's waters? Through its themed rooms with original decorations, the Grand Aquarium of Touraine takes you on a surprising journey where you can admire different kinds of fish living in fresh waters and in the oceans. You will be amazed by the tunnel allowing you to admire the great species of our regions, sturgeons, pike, zander ... The tropical fresh waters will immerse you in the world of piranhas, caimans, archers fish ... Without forgetting the show electric eels and the rare group of American spatula fish. The youngest will love the tactile pool where the koi carp come to seek contact with the visitor as well as the reptile nursery.