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Latest Azay-le-Rideau hotel reviews
Pro
A Fairy-Tale Castle in a Fairy-Tale Setting
Con
Better self-guide materials for the château.
In a nutshell
Azay-le-Rideau: a Town and a Castle Worth a Visit.
Herkbert Says: Beautiful inside and outside, the Chateau Azay-Le-Rideau is definitely worth visiting. It has a fairy tale feeling as you approach. You are waiting for people right out of the 16th century to walk out and greet you.The tour through the chateau is an interesting look at life...
hquittner Says: The interiors have 16 & 17C furnishings, beds and tapestries. The main fireplaces bear gilded Salamanders (for Francois I).The ballroom mantel was probably carved by Goujon. Not that Francois ever stayed here, but it was to show those who came to visit that the owner was...
hquittner Says: The Chateau of Azay-le-Rideau is on the Indre River (a tributary of the the Loire). Its construction started in 1518 (architect E. Rousseau), adopting the new Renaissance innovations seen at Blois and Amboise along with the "in the river" style of Chenonceau. The rich Giles...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau: Its Exterior
von.otter Says: “Because of the beauty of the building itself, the view of Azay-le-Rideau from the side of the Indre opposite the gate of entrance seems to me one of the most beautiful views of a perfect building, perfectly situated, that can be seen in all the world.”— from “Churches and...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau: Glimpsed From Its Park
von.otter Says: “Azay is a most perfect and beautiful thing; I should place it third in any list of the great houses of this part of France in which these houses should be ranked according to charm.”— from “A Little Tour In France” 1881 by Henry James (1843-1916)Gilles Berthelot was a rich...
Azay-le-Rideau: Egilse Paroissial Saint Symphorien
von.otter Says: “We were tempted to linger so long in the grounds that we had only a short time to spend in the interesting eleventh century church which adjoins the park and, like the château, belongs to the State. The façade of the church is richly decorated with quaint statuettes and...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Its Staircase Part II
von.otter Says: “Azay-le-Rideau, and elsewhere dotted throughout the district of Touraine, the delightful chateaux of the nobility bear witness to the memorable times when Francis held his court on the banks of the Loire.”— from “The Story of the Art of Building” 1901 By Percy Leslie...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Its Interiors, Part III
von.otter Says: Le Salon Biencourt, Photos #1 to #3The windows, decorated with 16th and 17th century stained glass, open onto the river and the park, created by the Marquis de Biencourt. The large paintings and royal portraits date from the Valois dynasty, when much of the castle’s...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Its Interiors, Part II
von.otter Says: La Grande Salle, Photo #1Here in the Great Hall balls and feasts were held. Over the monumental fireplace is the symbol of François I, the salamander; also the molding of curling foliage gives a hint at what the decoration of this room was like before much of it was removed....
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Its Interiors, Part I
von.otter Says: L’Antichambre This antechamber serves the flat that was reserved for the King. In this room there are several portraits of the kings of France who have visited the castle; François I, Henri III, Louis XIII (photo #3), and his son Louis XIV (photos #1 & #2), over the...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau: Its Chapel
von.otter Says: “The last priest in our country who theologically kept a woman in his parsonage, regaling her with his scholastic love, was a certain vicar of Azay-le-Ridel, a place later on most aptly named as Azay-le-Brulé, and now Azay-le-Rideau, whose castle is one of the marvels of...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Its Staircase Part I
von.otter Says: “Francis I and Louis XIV often came to Azay-le-Rideau, and it is easy to imagine they must have brought charming company with them.”— from “Churches and Castles of Mediæval France” 1895 by Walter Cranston Larned (1850-1914)Mr. Larned was mistaken; François I visited the...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Salamanders & Ermines, 2
von.otter Says: “A court without women, it is like a garden without flowers.”— François I (1494-1547)Although François I confiscated Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, it was never an official royal residence. The king visited once. The explanation for the many salamanders, the emblem of François...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Salamanders & Ermines, 1
von.otter Says: “Nutrisco et extinguo” (“I am nourished by good and I extinguish evil.”)— the motto of François INO MODEST FELLOW Kings do not have to be modest, and Francis the First was not; he adopted the salamander as his personal emblem. The word salamander is Persian in origin: sam,...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau: Its Coat of Arms
von.otter Says: “Azay-le-Rideau is the most brilliant expression of the French Renaissance, the most striking examples of the application of our ancient national art.”— Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879)Along Victor Hugo, Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc helped to raise awareness...
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, Its Rib Vaulting
von.otter Says: “Arrived at Azay we separated, my wife preferring to sketch a piece of the chateau, from a point just to the right of the little bridge which spans the moat, while I walked through the rooms. She chose the better part, for although there are a great many historical pictures...
De Biencourt Hotel Azay-Le-Rideau
1 Review and 31 Opinions The people who manage and work there make this a lovely experience. They are concerned, professional...
La Ridelloise: Family friendly restaurant with veggie choices
Beausoleil Says: This is a nice quiet home-style restaurant with incredibly friendly service. There is an upstairs room in addition to the ground floor. The food is very good and not too expensive. Vegetarian choices are available if that's what you want.They recommend a reservation on...
La Crédence: Eat Here and Enjoy
von.otter Says: “At Azay-le-Rideau, and elsewhere dotted throughout the district of Touraine, the delightful chateaux of the nobility bear witness to the memorable times when Francis held his court on the banks of the Loire.”— from “The Story of the Art of Building” 1901 By Percy Leslie...
hquittner Says: St. Symphorien Church is on the road to the right of the Chateau entrance. The West front has a portion of wall from the 9C, (the right half) The pointed arch window was cut in much later. There are arches inside which are identified as early 11C carving and show surpising...
A Great Example of aLoire Valley Chateaux
Goner Says: d'Azay-le-Rideau has all the best aspects of Loire castles; beautiful architecture, resplendent interior and lovely gardens. There is a terrace and promenade around the foot of the castle with an old chapel and outbuildings to explore. in 1810 Marquis de Biencourt had the...
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Plan a Azay-le-Rideau vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Azay-le-Rideau locals
Through the window of the central staircase, one can see the local village/town.
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Reflections on a Château’s Reflection
“Un diamant taillé à facettes, serti par l’Indre.” (“A faceted diamond set in the Indre.”) — Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), his high opinion of Château d’Azay-le-Rideau What’s in a Name? The oddly...
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What a fairy-tale little castle this one is. Some say this was the model for the Disneyland castle with it's decorative turrets, moats and picturesque pools. It's nestled in the woods and has a nicely...
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We loved our visit to this small gem of a chateau
A home should be grand, it should be comfortable, it should be beautiful, it should be filled with all the comforts, it should not be too grandiose, it should have something entirely unique, it should...
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Azay-le-Rideau, the town and the Chateau
Azay-le-Rideau is a charming little town in the Loire Valley. The chateau is one of the smaller ones, but beautifully furnished and utterly delightful. It is surrounded by water and next to the river...
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Balzac's "Diamond Cut in Facets"
Wevisited Azay-le-Rideau as part of a 2-week vacation through the middle of the "Loire Valley". We were determined to get the feel of chateau lifeamong the rench Royalty (what little remains). Each of...
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