Although its construction began in the 15th century, the history of Ussé Castle in Indre-et-Loire goes back way further, as shown by the fortified towers. It was then embellished over the centuries, resulting in the beautiful edifice we see today, where the white stones of the Renaissance façade go perfectly with the Classical pavilion from the late 17th century. Wander around the castle's various rooms, all adorned with tapestries, carved wood panelling, paintings and furniture from the 18th century. In the castle's entrance hall, look up and admire the sumptuous trompe-l'oeil ceiling from the 17th century. Several famous figures of the day contributed to improving the castle. Mansart created the great staircase leading to the King's chamber, used by Louis XIV. Le Nôtre designed the French formal gardens, where there are century-old orange trees and Lebanese cedars brought back by Chateaubriand in 1817. The terraces were created by Vauban. Ussé Castle is also thought to have inspired Charles Perrault to write his fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty. In fact, if you take a stroll on the wall walk, you might well bump into some characters from the story...
Azay-le-Rideau Castle
