One of Europe's most beautiful zoos, the ZooParc de Beauval is home to an incredible 600 species, including France's only giant pandas and their baby, Yuan Meng, born here in August 2017. The zoo is 45km due south of Blois.
ZooParc de Beauval
The Loire Valley
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
14.33 MILES
Spanning the languid Cher River atop a graceful arched bridge, Chenonceau is one of France's most elegant châteaux. It's hard not to be moved and…
26.53 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…
23.41 MILES
Seven French kings lived in Blois' royal château, whose four grand wings were built during four distinct periods in French architecture: Gothic (13th…
20.07 MILES
The most exciting Loire château to open to visitors in years, Gaillard is the earliest expression of the Italian Renaissance in France. Begun in 1496, the…
20.34 MILES
It was at the invitation of François I that Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), aged 64, took up residence in this grand manor house, built in 1471. An admirer…
18.64 MILES
Loches’ vast hilltop citadel is the size of a small town – a few lucky people even live here! Inside you can visit the Logis Royal and the Donjon et…
20.72 MILES
Perched atop a rocky escarpment above town, Amboise's castle was a favoured retreat for all of France's Valois and Bourbon kings. Only a few of the…
23.43 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…
Nearby The Loire Valley attractions
9.54 MILES
This quirky château is still furnished much as it was 150 years ago when it belonged to Polish count, financier, railroad magnate and friend-of-Napoleon…
9.95 MILES
Idyllically situated amid rolling countryside near Céré-la-Ronde, this turreted château, furnished by the family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries…
9.96 MILES
Perched quietly beneath an imposing 12th-century donjon (keep), the town of Montrichard, 9km east of Chenonceau, is a perfect spot for a fizzy break. Just…
14.33 MILES
Spanning the languid Cher River atop a graceful arched bridge, Chenonceau is one of France's most elegant châteaux. It's hard not to be moved and…
5. Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire
17.73 MILES
Set on a strategic bluff with sweeping views along the Loire, Chaumont-sur-Loire is known for three things: the château itself, which has a medieval…
18.08 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 …
18.1 MILES
Perhaps the Loire's most elegantly proportioned château, Cheverny represents the zenith of French classical architecture: a perfect blend of symmetry,…
18.62 MILES
At the northern end of the Cité Royale stands the royal residence of Charles VII and his successors, originally built as a medieval fortress but later…