Loire Valley castles: which ones are absolute must sees?

(I hate the term "must see"...but I digress...). I think I liked Chaumont the best. It sits on a bluff overlooking the river, and has a very nice garden. Plus... it really looks like a fairy tale castle.

Blois for the architectural development over the centuries, Chambord to sense the incredible power of Francois I , and Breze for a real mind blower because most of it is early medieval and underground, dug into the earth for protection, stables and all. There is a Renaissance Chateau above ground, too. Breze is in the Anjou, but worth the drive over from near Tours.

Blois and Chambord for sure. I also like Chenonceau, dramatically built over a river. Sorry to nit-pick some, but they are called chateau's instead of castles. None of these listed were really fortifications in the traditional way we think of "castle."

Depends on what your interests are. One of the most charming/unique is Chenonceau (as mentioned above) while Chambord is the largest & is interesting architecturally for its unique double spiral staircase, but in terms of furniture, it's sparsely decorated. Vaux-le Vicomte has fantastic gardens. There are so many to see, you will have a great time whether or not you follow these suggestions!

Chenonceau is charming, built over the river; Chambord is majestic, the largest but sparcely decorated; Vilandry has great gardens. My favorite is Chateau Vaux le Vicomte, which is not SW of Paris as is the Loire Valley, but it is SE. If you go there, Fontainebleau, Napoleon's favorite, where he gave his farewell speech, is nearby. If you go to the Loire Valley, stop at Chartres to see their magnificent Cathedral, by favorite in all of France, with all it's original stained glass windows (25,000 sq. ft). Take a tour and have the cathedral read for you.

Chenonceau is charming, built over the river; Chambord is majestic, the largest but sparcely decorated; Vilandry has great gardens. My favorite is Chateau Vaux le Vicomte, which is not SW of Paris as is the Loire Valley, but it is SE. If you go there, Fontainebleau, Napoleon's favorite, where he gave his farewell speech, is nearby. If you go to the Loire Valley, stop at Chartres to see their magnificent Cathedral, by favorite in all of France, with all it's original stained glass windows (25,000 sq. ft). Take a tour and have the cathedral read for you.

Chenanceau and Chambord, described above
(and Chartres cathedral) Langeais- in the middle of town, looks like an old fortified English castle from the outside, nice inside Azay-Le-Rideaux- smaller and more "mom and pop' looks like a fairytale castle. Have a wonderful "son et lumiere' show- for a limited time during Summer- one of the highlights of my trip. You stand around on the lawn with local families and watch the show

The answer depends on how much of a History/castle/chateau enthusiast you really are...We visited the Loire valley in 2008 and I found that the following are in the must-see or do not miss list: 1. Chambord - The world's largest hunting lodge changed to Chateau? Must see for Francois II enthusiasts. 2. Chenonceau- If you can see only 1 Chateau, make it this...Heavy influence of Catherine de Medici, Diane du Poiters etc. 3. Amboise - Leonardo da Vinci is buried here...Lovely town and architecture 4. Blois - Catherine de medici died here...Again...loads of history 5. Villandry - lovely gardens 6. Chaumont - Herge modelled Marlinspike hall on these lines? Of course, there is no real end to this list...Each one is unique and lovely in its own way....

If I had to pick 2; Chenonceau and Chambord! Chambord for its shear size. It's enormous! Highlight is walking out onto the roof; you get to see the details of the spears, gargoyles, etc. Chenonceau may not be as large, but it is beautiful. The gardens to the side of it are gorgeous and the view of the chateau's arches right over the water; image I'll always remember. As much as we marveled at Chambord for its immense size and the acreage around it, we enjoyed Chenonceau even more. We loved touring the interior and then spent time wandering around the gardens. A must-see, in my book! Have a great time. Enjoy the Loire Valley!

"6. Chaumont - Herge modelled Marlinspike hall on these lines?" Really? I have to dig up my old Kuifje albums to compare.

Of all the chateaux (plural for chateau), my favorite is Chenonceau, not just for the chateau itself but for the gardens / grounds - spent hours there exploring and didn't want to leave. The translation of chateau to English is castle. I also love Vaux-le-Vicomte as a previous poster mentioned, but it's not in the Loire Valley.

We spent one full day based in Amboise and did Chenonceau and Chaumont. Chenonceau was first thing in the morning to avoid long lines. It is the second most visited chateau in France in spite of its remote locaton because it is truly beautiful and not of gargantuan proprtions like Versailles. There is a good reason for Rick to rate it 3 triangles in his book. Then we went to Chaumont which has a great location overlooking the Loire River and an easy dive. The two places have an interesting connection. King Henry II gave Chenonceau to his favorite mistress, Diane de Poitier. After Henry accidentally got himself killed in a jousting match, his wife Catherine De Medici ( As in of the first Mafia family ) booted Diane out of Chenonceau and sent her packing to Chaumont. Whether you see Chaumont or Chambord (which is huge) is your call but don't miss Chenonceau.

Ok...My mistake...Herge modelled Marlinspike hall on Chateau Cheverny and not Chaumont...But honestly, both are worth a visit...