Which Châteaux?

Start with the fairytale Château d’Ussé, the so-called Sleeping Beauty Château - it is said to have inspired the story - and about our nearest. Pictured below, it is exactly 7 minutes’ drive from La Fuye. You could also cycle here and stop for a drink or lunch on the terrace of Le Jeanne d’Arc in Huismes (good for a cold beer or glass of local wine, excellent salads and classic dish of the day).

If you don’t have time to go inside Ussé, I’m quite a fan of a drive-by: take in the view of the whole castle, in all its magnificence, from Rue de la Loire and the Pont sur l’Indre.

The Château de Chinon is an obvious choice and shouldn’t be missed (the 1000 year old fortress, an emblem of French history and a 10-minute drive from our door … no pressure!). You can book an escape game to play there, in English or French, a series of conundrums to solve in otherwise private parts of the château. Purported to be well set up and great fun, you get the keys to parts of the château no-one else is allowed into (advance booking essential).

We also recommend the recently refurbished, very picturesque Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, just 20 minutes away, which has just had €20 million spent on it. It has a beautifully reflective moat, so looks every inch ‘proper château’. It’s also one of the smaller ones, so it’s quite manageable and a good one to bring children to. If you’re going to Azay, try to have lunch at Épine (inside seating only). There is also a good charcuterie shop in town - well worth a visit too.

Château de Villandry, with its glorious gardens (and 9 full-time gardeners on the pay roll - see photo below, which was taken last year) is 40 minutes from us. Co-incidentally, the family who own Villandry also used to own Château de La Fuye - now our home and where you are staying - and used it as their private, weekend residence.

Before La Fuye was habitable (pictured), the Carvallo family undertook a vast renovation project that began in the 60s and spanned a decade and included re-roofing the entire property.

Lots of people also enjoy visiting the less well-known châteaux, in particular Château de Riveau and Château de l'Islette (pictured).

If you want to go further a field to see the big guns, choose either Château de Chenonceau or Chambord (pictured) - there’s a boat trip that goes under the arches at Chenonceau which is fun.