Be sure to visit some castles during a stay in a Loire villa

When searching for the perfect villas to rent in France, you may not know where to begin your search, but the picturesque and historic Loire Valley region is ideal.

As well as stunning scenery, you will also find a host of interesting places and other monuments to visit, but the area is undoubtedly most famous for its castles.

With so many castles to choose from when staying in French villa rentals, you’ll want to narrow it down to the most impressive options, so here are three of the best castles to visit during your stay in the Loire region.

Top of the list should certainly be the Chateau de Chambord, the largest structure of its kind in the Loire area and the most impressive.

Fans of French Renaissance architecture will love the building, which was built as a hunting lodge by Francis I, who took the opportunity to combine his two favorite passions: hunting and architecture.

A wall stretching 32km surrounds the castle and the forest within its grounds, providing the perfect destination for hunting parties in years gone by. The centerpiece of the castle is its open double-helix staircase that links three floors, but neither side of the spiral meets. Another must-see castle in the region is the Chateau d’Angers, which is located in the center of Angers.

Fortresses have been recorded at this location before the 9th century, so it’s no wonder the structure stands prominently in the middle of the city on the move. You will surely be amazed by its imposing walls, which have 17 towers, while behind the cliffs you will find some very well-kept gardens, as well as an exhibition showing the Tapestry of the Apocalypse. The tapestry spans 100m and the design is based on the apocalypse story from the Book of Revelation in the Bible.

Finally, your third castle to visit during your Loire villa stay should be Chateau Royal de Blois, which has been the residence of 17 French monarchs.

The castle is now considered a museum because it houses more than 35,000 works of art, while the renovated rooms could be considered works of art in themselves.

Ornate décor is the predominant feature with intricate patterns displayed on both the walls and floors, while the furnishings on display fit right in with their opulent surroundings.