Château of Azay-le-Rideau: A Gem of the French Loire Valley

Elegantly set on an island in the river Indre (Loire Valley), the Château of Azay-le-Rideau is considered to be one of the earliest buildings designed in the French Renaissance style. The famous water mirror dates from the 20th century, when the river branch expanded to border the château’s foundation. Ever since then, the château’s glorious façade has been reflected in a water mirror and continues to charm visitors. Altitude Drone/Shutterstock

French writer Honoré de Balzac described the Château of Azay-le-Rideau as “a faceted diamond set in the Indre.” A gem among the numerous châteaux of the Loire Valley, it’s also one of the earliest examples of French Renaissance architecture.

The primary structure was built between 1518 and 1528 by Gilles Berthelot, a financier of King Francis I. This exceptional site conveys all the charm of the early Renaissance, blending both French tradition and innovative Italian decor. It soon became representative of a new way of building structures in the Loire Valley, a favored place of residence for the French court.