Romantic, moat-ringed Château d’Azay-le-Rideau (azay-le-rideau.fr; adult/child €16/free), built almost exactly 500 years ago on a natural island in the middle of the Indre River, is wonderfully adorned with elegant turrets, exquisitely proportioned windows, delicate stonework and steep slate roofs. This is one of the Loire’s loveliest Renaissance castles – Honoré de Balzac called it a "multifaceted diamond set in the River Indre." The famous, Italian-style loggia staircase overlooking the central courtyard is decorated with the salamanders and ermines of François I and Queen Claude. Audioguides (1½ hours; €3) are available in five languages.
The interior furnishings are mostly 19th-century, created by the Marquis Charles de Biencourt (who bought the château after the Revolution) and his heirs. The English-style gardens surrounding the château and the paths around the two ponds – actually a branch of the Indre – are great for a stroll or a picnic. Across the square from the ticket office, the Jardin des Secrets features heritage vegetables and flowers. From mid-July to late August, you can take a flânerie nocturne (nighttime stroll; adult/child €8/4) around the illuminated gardens, accompanied by ancient music, from nightfall until 11.15pm.
In the Pressoir (the outbuilding to the right as you exit the ticket-sales hall), there’s a fascinating exposition on the materials and methods used to repair the château and in the restoration of antique furnishings; the videos of expert artisans at work are riveting. Honey produced by 20 on-site beehives is on sale in the boutique.
A number of places to eat are located within a few hundred meters of the château, along rue Balzac around the village's main square, place de la République.
Azay-le-Rideau is 26km southwest of Tours. The D84 and D17, on either side of the Indre, are great for countryside cycling. The train station, 2.5km west of the château, is linked to Tours and Chinon.
