The exhibits here, which focus on La Sologne's 3000 étangs (ponds) – all of them human-made over the past millennium – come alive on guided tours, available in English.
Maison des Étangs
The Loire Valley
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
20.74 MILES
If you only have time to visit one château in the Loire, you might as well make it the grandest – and Chambord is the most lavish of them all, and the…
28.49 MILES
Seven French kings lived in Blois' royal château, whose four grand wings were built during four distinct periods in French architecture: Gothic (13th…
26.29 MILES
In a country of jaw-dropping churches, Gothic-style Cathédrale Ste-Croix still raises a gasp. Originally built in the 13th century, it underwent tinkering…
26.33 MILES
Orléans’ five-level fine-arts museum is a treat, with an excellent collection of Italian, Flemish and Dutch paintings (including works by Correggio,…
28.41 MILES
This museum of magic occupies the one-time home of watchmaker, inventor and conjurer Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin (1805–71), after whom the American magician…
27.3 MILES
One of France’s few Carolingian-era churches, this exceptional oratory – sadly, over-restored in the mid-19th century – is renowned for its unusual…
22.22 MILES
Perhaps the Loire's most elegantly proportioned château, Cheverny represents the zenith of French classical architecture: a perfect blend of symmetry,…
21.19 MILES
The 54-sq-km hunting reserve around the Château de Chambord – the largest walled park in Europe – is reserved for the exclusive use of very high-ranking…
Nearby The Loire Valley attractions
20.74 MILES
If you only have time to visit one château in the Loire, you might as well make it the grandest – and Chambord is the most lavish of them all, and the…
2. Domaine National de Chambord
21.19 MILES
The 54-sq-km hunting reserve around the Château de Chambord – the largest walled park in Europe – is reserved for the exclusive use of very high-ranking…
22.22 MILES
Perhaps the Loire's most elegantly proportioned château, Cheverny represents the zenith of French classical architecture: a perfect blend of symmetry,…
22.26 MILES
Fans of Tintin might find the façade of Château de Cheverny strangely familiar: Hérgé used it as a model (minus the two end towers) for Moulinsart …
22.52 MILES
Built in the early 1100s and rebuilt in the mid-1600s after being burnt by Calvinists during the Wars of Religion, this church – visited by Joan of Arc in…
22.55 MILES
Inside this seigniorial residence, parts of which are Gothic, furnished rooms – and suits of armour – illustrate life in the 15th century (as does an…
25.71 MILES
Smaller and less visited than the Blésois' more famous châteaux, peaceful Beauregard has charms all its own. Built as yet another hunting lodge by…
26.24 MILES
An excellent 15-minute film (in French or English) tracing Joan of Arc's origins, accomplishments and historical impact is the main attraction at the…