Château du Rivau – One of the first châteaux in the Loire Valley
The Château du Rivau and its fairy-tale gardens are located 10 minutes from the medieval town and Château of Chinon, along the road leading to the fortified city of Richelieu.
Although perhaps less well known than the great castles of the Loire Valley, Château du Rivau was nevertheless one of the first castles built along the river.
Indeed, Pierre de Beauvau, Grand Chamberlain to King Charles VII, had it built in 1442, and the castle remained the property of the Beauvau family for 247 years!
The Beauvau family were related to the Counts of Anjou and allied to the royal family through marriage.
Château du Rivau – war horses stables
The Château du Rivau had a long tradition of breeding warhorses.
We know that, during the Hundred Years’ War, Joan of Arc went to Rivau to obtain mounts before leaving to lay siege to Orléans.
As Pierre de Beauveau was equerry to King Francis I during the French Renaissance, his stables naturally became the royal stables! In 1550, his son, Gabriel de Beauveau, commissioned the demolition of the old wooden stables and the construction of the current building.
These impressive L-shaped stables, at the entrance to the castle, then housed thirty horses!
Château du Rivau, a perfect medieval castle
Château du Rivau is the archetype of a medieval castle.
It indeed has many defensive features, such as moats, a working drawbridge, a covered passage and a keep. However, the transformations of the French Renaissance softened its austere military architecture, turning the Château du Rivau into a fortified manor house!
It changed hands several times until the end of the 20th century, when it was acquired by a French family who fell in love with it. Seeing it as a true fairy-tale castle, they decided to dedicate their lives to bringing it back to life. They beautifully restored and redecorated the interior, which today houses a remarkable variety of Renaissance and Gothic architectural elements, decorations, paintings and furniture, as well as a superb collection of Brussels tapestries. They have also created a new soundscape that transports visitors to the Middle Ages, among knights and tournaments, medieval banquets and squires, musicians and troubadours.
Château du Rivau – Fairytale botanical gardens
The castle is also renowned for its 6-hectare gardens, a truly enchanting place to discover!
The 14 splendid, original themed gardens, each bearing a magical name, will enchant you with their rich botanical collections: Parterres de Lavandes, le Potager de Gargantua, la Forêt Enchantée, le Chemin du Petit Poucet, Alice au Pays du Rivau, la Bordure Délice, la Cassinina, L’allée Parfumée, le Verger de Paradis, le Jardin des Philtres d ‘Amour, le Jardin Secret andle Jardin de la Princesse Raiponce – Lavender Beds, Gargantua’s Vegetable Garden, the Enchanted Forest, Tom Thumb’s Path, Alice in Rivau Land, the Delightful Border, the Cassinina, the Perfumed Alley, the Paradise Orchard, the Garden of Love Potions, the Secret Garden, and Rapunzel’s Garden.
The gardens of the Château du Rivau are also renowned for their collections of irises and fragrant roses. The rose garden boasts 450 varieties and was recently officially recognised by the Conservatory of Specialised Plant Collections. These exceptional and unusual gardens also house renowned collections of contemporary sculptures. The aim is to spark interest in art and invite you to rethink your artistic conception during your visit, where you will also encounter peacocks roaming freely.
Le Château du Rivau – A perfect day or half day trip for the whole family
The Château du Rivau offers a multitude of activities for children and families.
During school holidays, children can participate in fun workshops on Landart and discover nature and contemporary art. They can also learn calligraphy and swordsmanship, or discover the education of a young lord in the Middle Ages.
Outside of peak tourist seasons, families can organise birthday parties or rent medieval costumes. Finally, they can relax at the castle restaurant, located in the heart of the vegetable garden, and enjoy vegetables from the garden. This castle and its enchanting gardens offer a multitude of discoveries and pleasures!
Department of Indre-et-Loire
Coordinates Chateau du Rivau: Lat 47.103155 – Long 0.323635
Credits: Photo gardens and source text courtesy of the Château du Rivau – Translated and edited by and for Travel France Online – Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Header and Stables and Giant boots by Carolai CC BY-SA 3.0 – Castle hall by Manfred Heyde CC BY-SA 3.0 – Castle and vegetable garden by Aliasse16 CC BY-SA 4.0
