Bustling with riverside cafes, fascinating for its connections with Leonardo da Vinci at the Clos Lucé, and simply stunning in terms of castle appeal – Amboise is a great Loire Valley favourite. The Renaissance château sits defensively, up high above the river, built on the old foundations of a fortress. It is only about a fifth of its original size now and sparsely furnished, so it takes a bit of imagination to get a feel for its significance and its past. The views are stunning though and the terrace garden often home to a pleasant breeze. Leonardo da Vinci's remains now lie in teh Chapel de Saint Hubert in the grounds of the castle.

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The old capital of Anjou is renowned for its massive feudal castle, complete with no less than 17 'stripey' round towers and royal apartments around a circular internal courtyard. It dates from 1230 and owes its stripes to the use of tufa stone for decoration only. The earthworks are now home to beautiful formal gardens and there is a pleasant renaissance style garden within the castle walls. The tapestry museum with its 140m long Apocalypse series of tapestries is not to be missed. Angers cathedral, dedicated to St Maurice, has the largest nave in France and magnificent medieval stained glass. The town also has many architectural treasures from town houses to the remains of a former bishop's palace and one of the finest 'hospices' of the middle ages.

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This little gem of a castle seems to float on Indre river. Small but a great favourite all round, it does tend to be busier than many of the other château nearby. Symmetrical and Italianate, it is a wonderful example of Renaissance architecture and its grand staircase reveals the real craftsmanship of the era too. Unlike many château, rooms are furnished and represent a number of period styles.

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On the site of a former hunting lodge in the park of the illustrious Chambord, the château is especially renowned for its outstanding collection of 327 portraits which literally line the walls of the gallery whose floor is paved in delft tiles– a true hall of fame and an excellent way to get to grips with French history from the 14th to 17th centuries. The château has parkland and formal gardens with 'rooms' boxed off by smart hedging.

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Brimful of historic buildings ,it's hard to escape the charming streets of Blois, let alone its magnificent château even for a quick visit to the Houdini Museum. As châteaux go, it has is one of the few which can really reveal the evolution of French architecture from the Middle Ages to the 17th century. It also boasts one amazing feature – the great open staircase with its sculpted balconies set in an octagonal tower giving on to the courtyard .The salamanders and monograms of Francois I are truly in evidence here. Inside, renovation work has returned former splendour through restored floor tiles and colourful walls.

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Francois I's rather extravagant hunting lodge contains over 400 rooms, some 365 fireplaces and 84 staircases. Best to allow quite a bit of time to visit then! It is over-powering perhaps, but breathtaking from the outside ( climb up to the roof tops and you will see that the extravagance doesn't even stop on the pinnacles. There are hectares and hectares of grounds to explore by bike on marked routes. Although only a few rooms are decorated these are unrivalled, impressive even if not furnished, simply as a result of their size. The internal double spiral staircase is said to have been influenced by Leonardo da Vinci.

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Squat, smart and solid, Chaumont as built of the site of a former fortress. It only has three sides as the one facing the river was are moved in the 16th century apparently to improve the river views. The château has links with Catherine de Medici and Diane de Poitiers, who it is said, was forced to give up Chenonceau to live here after the death of her lover, Henri II.

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Great for a 'son et lumière' experience, the refined gardens and bridge- like château is both personal somehow – and populated! It oozes history and intrigue, dominated by stories of husbands and lovers. Framed by Diane de Poitier's garden to the left and Catherine de Medici's garden to the right, sits a 15 century cylindrical keep, followed by the 16th century château with its five arches which span the river and support the two storeys, including the long gallery. Inside rooms are furnished and the kitchens and chapel are also worth a visit.

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Arguably the only classical château left in the Loire Valley – Cheverny seems to have escaped the Renaissance and sits shoulders back and head high, proudly symmetrical, devoid of the regular array of turrets and domes, somehow compact and comforting. The property is impressively decorated with lavish furnishings, tapestries and wood panelling.During WWII, the Mona Lisa took up residence in the orangery here along with many other priceless artefacts from the Louvre in need of safe-keeping. The château has great ties with the hunt, and 100 hounds are kept at the kennels near the main entrance.

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The ancient château has links with Henry II, one of the English Plantagenet kings whose son, Richard the Lionheart was born here. The castle reaches some 400m along the steep promontory and is actually the remains of three separate fortresses dating from 12 – 15th centuries. The old town is very picturesque with tall gables and half-timbered houses lining narrow winding streets as it stretches out along the banks of the Vienne river. Along the streets below the castle walls are Troglodyte dwellings, many used by wine merchants.

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Cute and slightly more curvaceous than most châteaux, this is a charming little find set in a wooded area around a small courtyard with central pond. The simple chapel has some interesting WW1 graffiti and USA connections . The rooms are adorned more with general local artefacts than pieces of particular significance to the property.

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The capital of Touraine, the largest city in the Loire Valley within the Indre-et-Loire area, Tours has two main attractions: the impressive gothic St Gatien cathedral with its rare 13th century stained glass and charming later Psallette cloister, and the medieval quarter around the Place Plumereau with its timber and brick houses. The fine art museum is situated in the archbishop's palace complete with a suite of rooms decorated with panelling and silk hangings and a visit worthy collection of works by grand masters such as Rembrandt, Boucher and Rubens.

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The famous château here huddles right up close to the road. All turrets and towers, it's well worth stopping to view it from a little further away. With strong hunt connections there is plenty to attract those with an interest in horses. Though nowhere near as grand as its neighbours, the place does feel strangely lived in and the hunting museum and rooms on display do have a different sort of charm to other châteaux which you might experience in the Loire.

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Lovely old town with smart wine cellars and an imposing bulk of a château with four corner towers which though stocky and solid always seems somewhat graceful, towering above the Loire. Certainly the place for stunning views over the valley. Originally built in the 14th century, it became home to the Duke d'Anjou, a governor's house and jail even. Today the royal apartments are two museums: one dedicated to fine art, the other to the glory of the horse.

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