Chateau d'Azay-le-Rideau

This 16th-century chateau is on an island in the Indre River. With no defensive purpose, it was built between 1518 and 1527 simply for luxurious living in a luxurious setting by the treasurer to the king of France.

The castle was so lavish that the king, Francois I, seized it for himself. The French government purchased it in 1905.

It has 8 hectares of grounds and the gardens were developed in the 19th century.Read more