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Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau

Rue Pineau, 37190 Azay-le-Rideau, France
02 47 45 42 04
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Type: Historic Sites, Castles
Owner description: Standing on an island in the middle of the Indre River, the Château of Azay-le-Rideau was built during the reign of François I by a rich financier,... more » Owner description: Standing on an island in the middle of the Indre River, the Château of Azay-le-Rideau was built during the reign of François I by a rich financier, Gilles Berthelot, who wanted his fabulous new home to combine the latest technical innovations from Italy and the art of French architecture. The Château is a jewel of the early Renaissance and in the evenings during July and August, its romantic gardens come alive as the setting of the special night tour: "The Magic Mirror". New! The castle opens the doors to its roof. Come admire the exceptional 16th century roofwork. Designated world heritage site by UNESCO. Open:> 1st April to 30th June: from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.> 1st July to 31st August: from 9.30 a.m. to 7 p.m.> 1st to 30th September: from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.> 1st October to 31st March: from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Last admission 15 minutes before closing time. Last entry in the château 45 min before closing time. Closed:> 1st January, 1st May and 25th December. Admission fees: Adults : 8,50 €; Concessions (18 to 25) = 5,50 €; Free admission: minors under 18*; Free admission: 18-25 years old* (citizens of one of the 27 countries of the EU or are non-European permanent residents of France) * excluding school groups « less
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215 reviews from our community

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Oswestry, shropshire
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 17, 2013 NEW

Not being a great fan of being shepherded along in an enforced guided tour it was great to find that at Azay you can opt to 'do your own thing' and wander at leisure soaking up the atmosphere, we were also lucky that it was early in the season and very few people about. The amount of freedom to wander... More

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Huddersfield
Top Contributor
80 reviews 80 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 44 cities Reviews in 44 cities
28 helpful votes 28 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 27, 2013

Good visit. Most parts easily accessible but not to the disabled. Interesting displays. Nice park and makes viewing the outside across the moat easier.

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See 3 more reviews by StefanMark for Azay-le-Rideau
France
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 8, 2013

Nice place to visit, and the time spent is much shorter than other huge castles, which can be pretty convenient. The garden is beautiful. Worth it to spend a couple of hours there!

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Jerusalem, Israel
Top Contributor
84 reviews 84 reviews
17 attraction reviews
Reviews in 50 cities Reviews in 50 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 1, 2013

The most recommended thing to do - to stroll in beautiful park around the lake. The chateau is situated on the artificial island and is gorgeous from all the sides.

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Sydney, Australia
Senior Contributor
44 reviews 44 reviews
27 attraction reviews
Reviews in 24 cities Reviews in 24 cities
45 helpful votes 45 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed March 23, 2013

We visited this on the first Sunday of the month and found that there was free entry on that day. How enjoyable to wander through the castle that was bare of all furnishing. A very peaceful area with a lovely village nearby.

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Pebble Beach, California
Senior Contributor
46 reviews 46 reviews
27 attraction reviews
Reviews in 23 cities Reviews in 23 cities
21 helpful votes 21 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed March 3, 2013

The images of this chateau being reflected in the small lake (really a pond) behind are so picturesque I had to go. Unfortunately, the lake was largely drained in order to conduct some repairs, marring the image I was hoping to see. That is often the case that old structures under renovation obscuring our view. The chateau itself is fine,... More

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Ghent, Belgium
Senior Contributor
26 reviews 26 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 14, 2012

Very nice castle, tour is very interesting. Took a lot of pictures and the parc around the castle is breath-taking.

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Waterloo, Canada
Top Contributor
63 reviews 63 reviews
22 attraction reviews
Reviews in 34 cities Reviews in 34 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed December 2, 2012

Visited many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed this Chateau. We enjoyed bread and cheese (that we had purchased in the town) in the parking lot prior to entering the Chateau. Inside is a full history of the Chateau and countless historical artifacts detailing the lives of the inhabitants. We toured many Loire Chateau and this is the top 1 or... More

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Tucson, Arizona
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed November 15, 2012

A compact beauty of a romantic Loire Valley chateau. A little hard to figure out how to get in - but lovely, delicate, delightful once inside. Travelling the back roads to this location was part of the fun - the countryside was charming - as was the town.

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Athens, Greece
Senior Contributor
43 reviews 43 reviews
27 attraction reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed November 11, 2012

Well, so much has been said about the French Renaissance & the chateaux de La Loire, which, in my mind, are the epitome of this period's architecture. I can can never get enough of the quiet Loire valley, its greenery, its castles, its history steeped in bloodshed despite the peaceful river flow. Azay-le-Rideau stands out as beloved jewel, a precious... More

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