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Chateau de VillandryvsChateau de Chenonceau
Both are praised by professional reviewers writing for major publications. On balance, Chateau de Chenonceau is the choice of most reviewers compared to Chateau de Villandry. Chateau de Chenonceau has a TripExpert Score of 88 with endorsements from 3 reviews including Michelin Guide, Lonely Planet and Michelin Guide.
Chateau de Villandry
Lonely Planet
Michelin Guide Michelin Guide
Fodor's
Independent
3 rue principale, 37510 Villandry
From $0/night
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"Try to visit when the gardens are blooming, between April and October; midsummer is most spectacular." Full review
Michelin Guide 3 Stars
"Laid out over four terraces, Villandry's gardens are the epitome of Renaissance architectural convention." Full review
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"Built at the end of the Renaissance, the Château de Villandry has retained the keep of an earlier fortress." Full review
Fodor's "Green thumbs get weak in the knees at the mere mention of the Château de Villandry." Full review
Independent "This imposing country pad was the last major Loire chateau built during the Renaissance, when Jean Breton – one of King Francis I’s ministers – transformed a feudal fortress by bringing in a swathe of Italian and French architectural elements: decorated pilasters, the steep sloping roofs and a gallery with arcades"
The best chateaux to visit in France’s Loire Valley
September 20, 2023
Chateau de Chenonceau Lonely Planet Michelin Guide Michelin Guide Fodor's
Travel + Leisure
37150 Chenonceaux
From $0/night
Lonely PlanetTop choice
"Spanning the languid Cher River atop a supremely graceful arched bridge, Chenonceau is one of France's most elegant châteaux." Full review
Michelin Guide 3 Stars
" Don't miss the green study of Catherine de Medici, the great gallery with chequered floor overlooking the Cher, Diane de Poitiers' bedroom, and that of François I with its fine fireplace." Full review
Michelin Guide 2 Stars
"The two quintessentially French-style gardens of Chenonceaux have a dreamlike beauty and fine views of the château." Full review
Fodor's "Achingly beautiful, the Château de Chenonceau has long been considered the "most romantic" of all the Loire châteaux." Full review
Travel + Leisure "The castle may date back as far as the 11th century...head inside to see its brilliant furnishings and tapestries and outside to enjoy its gardens on a sunny day."
