The house in the Tintin comics is based on this chateau so they had a Tintin exhibit on the grounds. The comic series was never that big in the US so the exhibit meant little to me. I learned though that Tintin was huge in France so all the French fam were oohing and aahing. Afterward we took a tour of the chateau. Lots of very ornate decorations and paintings of dead folks. Considering we've got small kids the pieces they had relating to child care were pretty interesting but the jackpot, the real money shot, at least for this dude, was the war room on the second floor. Lots of spears and lances and armor. Even several early firearms and a couple of crossbows. It was amazing to consider that every piece was unique and handmade and that every repair or alteration was a custom job. So much work! And just when you thought the fun was over you read a little more about that massive head in the stairway. It's a prehistoric Moose fossil. This dude was given the head of a bleeping prehistoric moose because some dude in Russia knew he was interested in geology?! And the thing's mounted 10 feet off the ground and they think that that was about the correct living height of the animal. Now that right there was worth the price of admission!! read more

Château de Cheverny - Castles Near Me - Cheverny, 41

A great chateau with a treasure trove of period furniture that is still occupied by one of the original families - the count of something and his young family. Unlike many of the other places in the valley, this one escaped much of the destruction and looting that stripped most chateau to their bones. Here you can see ornately painted rooms and furnishings and even the current Countesses' wedding dress (that's one clever way to recycle your dress!). One of the other big attractions are the kennels of hunting dogs. I am not sure of the breed but they are much taller than what I was expecting sort of the size of coon hound with the markings of a beagle. Several dozen reside together in a large enclosure and are managed by one guy who knows all their names. Each has a "V" snipped with tiny scissors on its side sort of like branding a steer, to identify their ownership. A great spot for a visit. read more

Château de Cheverny - The chateau - Castles Near Me - Cheverny, 41

See all

The chateau is very nicely furnished and I appreciated the signage telling about the different rooms, which family members used them for which occasions. There was also a large Lego exhibition scattered along each room and was paired with Fontaine Fables.....we saw stories such as the lion and the rat, the tortoise and the hare, the fox and the raven.... Labyrinth was closed but the pond area was still available and there were a ton of beautiful black swans, a white swan & ducks. They were taking their daily baths before afternoon nap time & it was cute to see them splashing in the water & preening themselves We also stopped by the L'Orangerie for a snack & enjoyed the most amazing fig sablé and rhubarb tart....paired with a chocolat chaud it was the perfect interlude Then it was time to see the baying hounds......galore! I've never seen so many dogs and they were howling and running all over and so fun to watch with their wagglie tails Ended out visit at their gorgeous garden with flowers and vegetables - very well maintained and an overall lovely 3 hours read more

See all

Château de Cheverny is our next stop on the tour, and it has more traditional classical design, with more of a countryside feel to its grounds. It's privately owned and maintained estate (by the same family for over six centuries), and it is pristine. The grounds are green, the roads are clean and Château itself is beautifully decorated - intricate fireplaces, tapestries, weapons, various furnishings and wood-carved chests and paneling... Tintin exposition is cute! 100 Years ago Château owner opened it to general public, and to this day it's a popular stop on the tours. The gardens - both Kitchen and Apprentice's are particularly charming, and so wonderful to stroll through on hot summer day. There is an unusual attraction here - the Kennels. Hunting dogs are most adorable creatures, and there are hundreds of them reside at the Château, well fed and taken care for. read more

See all

Here is why l am giving it only a 3 star rating: There are too many faux pas that have been made on this property. The worst being wall paper on many walls instead of tapestry. Next there are too many wooden walls they were repainted by unqualified painters. I still don't understand why they placed Lego statues all over the place, overall it doesn't add anything to the experience. It is merely a Disneyland distraction without virtue. The biggest deal for contemporary visitors is Tintin & Milou! Yes, some of these legendary characters stories took place in this castle. But wait! You've got to pay an extra 7 euros to walk into this small commemorative gallery, an extra 7 euros to walk into the gardens and an extra 7 euros for a boat ride, etc... We took the regular visitors' tour at 11.50 euros to walk inside the castle. This was good enough for us. read more

See all

Go for the dogs! We really enjoyed our visit to Chateau Cheverny. It's one of the more modern chateaus, and you get to learn quite a bit about the owners and see how people live. I'm told it's one of the best chateaus on the inside, and it was certainly very beautiful and well decorated. But the real treat is to go see all the dogs at feeding time. It was a joy, especially since we were there in January with no crowds, and we had a chance to pet the dogs. If you're interested in seeing this, I would definitely recommend calling ahead. Their automated message is shockingly helpful, with a listing of all their hours in every season, and details on the times to come by to see the dogs being fed. read more

I had really mixed feelings about seeing this chateau because all of my guidebooks emphasized the Tintin connection. While I like Tintin, I'm not a die-hard fan. But I'm so glad I went, because this was by far the most intimate and charming chateau on my Loire Valley visit. I took a shuttle from Blois which was 6E for the day and dropped you off at Chambord, Cheverny, Beauregard, then back to Blois. We also got a small discount at each chateau after showing our shuttle ticket. It was an excellent value, especially because there is pretty much no other public transportation to these chateaux. There's something about the furnishing touches at Cheverny that make it really feel like you're in someone's home (which you are) rather than in some abandoned hunting lodge. I got nice and close to some lovely pieces like a harp, embroidered chairs, tortoiseshell drawers, and beautiful beds. The one-way walking path through the chateau is straightforward and easy to follow. The grounds were a pleasure to explore. The orangerie/restaurant was gorgeous and had free guest restrooms. The foxhound kennel was full of napping puppies (!!!) and had only the faintest zoo-like smell. But by far my favorite part of the grounds was the small garden. There were all kinds of super-fragrant roses, herbs, vegetables, an ivy-covered sitting area, pools of liles and frogs... I wandered around as if in a dream, smelling and photographing everything I could. There are some chateaux that I'm okay with having seen once, but Cheverny is a place that I would definitely return to, given the chance. read more

See all

This place is an absolute palace compared to the majority of chateaus spread around the Loire Valley. Most chateaus look awesome on the outside and are stonewall bare in the inside. Not this place! Cheverny looks beautiful on the outside and inside. It probably helps that the family who owns the place still lives on the third floor. We got the admission to the chateau and the grounds without a guide. I have no idea how the guided tours compare. Make sure to time your visit when they feed the hunting hounds. The dogs are fed only once a day and they don't dare touch the food until given the command. The feeding is an olfactory and visual experience that's hard to describe but worth the sight. The barking of the dogs, the pungent smell of the dog food mixed with tripe, the scent of the dogs themselves and the amorous and sometimes violent interactions they have for each other is quite an experience. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Gd9rZkP8i1RYnY255HAI4w?select=vMTEZAjUNdo6LFnJXK7mDg http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Gd9rZkP8i1RYnY255HAI4w?select=3y30NeYyCJD5ZL1CHCYLYQ Be sure to take the time to explore the grounds. It makes for a relaxing and memorable stroll with a significant other. read more

See all

Loved it! One of the best in the Loire Valley. Privately owned and it was run better than the state properties like Chambord. The grounds were kept, and watching the dogs was an experience. The gardens were "okay", nothing that I would call amazing. The Château on the inside was self guided and it was easy - great rooms and well kept too. Good staff and great for kids. read more

My least favorite Chateau of those I visited. The rooms are still nicely appointed and maintained, and I understand it is costly to maintain such an estate, especially with all the people milling through. That being said, while it is beautiful, the current owners are cashing in on any/all money making "opportunities" such as Lego displays throughout the castle, signage, etc. Some people really like the dogs; while I am a dog lover, it was hard to get past the smell. Plus, they were covered in fleas. I could have skipped this Chateau. read more

Take the time to visit this historic chateau. With the family still living on the property, the chance to visit a working chateau property, that was not turned into a museum, was well worth the visit. The preservation of the rooms, furniture and the condition of the chateau building and grounds was remarkable. The family continues the hunting traditions of old,so, the hunting dogs are in a kennel on the property. It appears that they are well cared for since they are working dogs and not treated as pets. read more