Dramatically positioned in front of a forested hillside, the Château d'Ussé is a fairy tale castle, with its many turrets and roofs set off against its white stone buildings.

Capitalizing on this heritage, the Château visit includes displays of scenes from Sleeping Beauty (La Belle au Bois Dormant).

In addition, Château d'Ussé has an exposition of period costumes, with manequins in various rooms dressed in costume. The exposition changes each year and reflects a theme or focus.

The gardens are large and elegant, with colorful flowers, fountains and careful landscaping. The terrace gardens were designed by Le Nôtre, famous for designing the gardens at the Château de Versailles.

You can also visit the stables and see a collection of historic carriages, ranging from large carts used for shopping to smaller, more elegant vehicles reserved for promenades in the park.

The Caves (wine cellars) date from the 15th century. Costumed manequins demonstrate scenes from the grape harvest and wine making.

The Château d'Ussé has had extensive renovations over the centuries, and has retained some of its original furnishings and augmented them with other period pieces. The Château has always been inhabited by its owners, currently the Duc de Blacas.

Located southwest of Tours, a visit to Ussé might be combined with visits to the Châteaux of Chinon, Villandry, Langeais, or Azay-le-Rideau.

The Château d'Ussé is open from mid February until mid November.

Château d'Ussé
37420 Rigny-Ussé, Ussé, France
Tel: +33 (0)2 47 95 54 05
Fax: +33 (0) 2 47 95 43 58

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