All about campsites in Centre-Val de Loire
More than 250 campsites in the Centre-Val de Loire region welcome you and are spread over six departments. There are 36 campsites in Cher, 21 in Eure-et-Loir, 47 in Indre, 62 in Indre-et-Loire, 47 in Loir-et-Cher and 42 in Loiret.
Campsites in Centre-Val de Loire by number of stars
The number of stars in a campsite determines the size of a pitch, but also the size of the campsite itself, its facilities such as the restaurant, swimming pool and services such as entertainment, wellness areas or children's clubs. It's up to you to choose the rating that suits you, depending on what you are looking for in terms of services and comfort.
In the Centre-Val de Loire region, most campsites are rated two and three stars with 71 *** campsites and 66 ** campsites. You will also find 22 **** campsites to accompany your holidays as well as 11 * campsites and finally 7 ***** campsites for those seeking maximum comfort.
Size of campsites: how many pitches do the campsites in Centre-Val de Loire have?
Of all the campsites in the region, 185 have less than 100 pitches and therefore promise a more peaceful stay for those looking for tranquillity, such as Le Jardin Botanique *** campsite in Limeray in the Indre-et-Loire. Located near the Loire castles, it offers only 66 pitches, including 20 rentals, for a relaxing stay.
53 campsites in the Centre region have between 100 and 300 pitches and 8 of them have more than 300 pitches. Campers who like a holiday club atmosphere with a maximum of facilities and entertainment will be pleased.
Which campsites are located around a lake or river in the Centre region?
215 campsites are located near lakes or rivers in the Centre-Val-de-Loire region. This is the case of the campsite Les Bois du Bardelet ***** located in Poilly-les-Giens in the Loiret department, it is nestled in a flowered and landscaped garden. Between ponds and forests, the lakes are ideal for fishing and canoeing.
Also based on the edge of a nautical base, the Village Huttopia Lac de Rillé *** campsite in Indre-et-Loire has undergone a facelift and offers peace and quiet, nature and a change of scenery guaranteed on the edge of Lake Rillé. Ideal for holidaymakers looking to discover the treasures of the region while enjoying a relaxing and refreshing stay by the water.image
Which campsites offer unusual accommodation in the Centre-Val-de-Loire region?
For a stay or even a night that is different from all other nights. To surprise your lover or your children, or to have an unusual experience that you don't know yet and that you dream of discovering... 42 campsites with unusual accommodation are waiting for you, spread throughout the Centre-Val-de-Loire region. Tree houses, yurts and trailers will soon hold no secrets for you. Discover the Rand'o Bois at Les Saules campsite **** located in Cheverny in the Loir-et-Cher. Designed for hikers, cyclists or motorcyclists, and with the Clé Verte label, it offers pretty ecological wooden cabins where you will find all the comforts of home with comfortable beds and a communal kitchen area. A space where cars are not allowed.
The must-see castles of the Centre-Val de Loire region
What a difficult choice! One would tend to say that all the chateaux of the Loire are unmissable in the sense that none is less beautiful or less interesting. However, here we are talking about the most famous ones, the ones "that you must have seen" when you visited the region.
Putting Chambord Castle in first place is justified by its size, as it is classified as one of the largest in Europe with its 440 rooms, 280 fireplaces and 800 sculpted capitals. A marvel of the Renaissance, it is also renowned for its double staircase, which represents an undeniable feat. Built at the request of François I, the view from its terrace is exceptional and its forest park remains the largest in Europe.
The Royal Château of Amboise is one of the symbols of the Loire castles and dominates the river of the same name, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Indre-et-Loire, it has been transformed over the centuries into a magnificent Renaissance castle thanks to several kings and artists who gave it its letters of nobility, such as Charles VIII, Louis XII, François I and Leonardo da Vinci, who died at Clos Lucé, a manor house located next to Amboise, both of which are linked by an underground passage.
Considered as one of the most elegant castles of the Loire Valley, the castle of Chenonceau was nicknamed Château des Dames thanks to Catherine de Médicis and Diane de Poitiers who knew how to enrich, manage and protect it. A true masterpiece of the Renaissance, one can admire the superb gallery above the water, the superb gardens decorated and maintained by the ladies, as well as the interior of the château with its bedrooms, the superb fireplace in the kitchen and the salons, all exceptionally well preserved.image
Located in the Berry region, Valençay Castle was the home of the Prince of Talleyrand. A jewel of the Renaissance and classical style, the castle is perfectly preserved and recognizable thanks to its superb towers with domed roofs. Inside, the various salons, the toilet, the kitchen, the dining room and the study give an idea of life in the castle in the 19th century.
Cities and their key buildings
In the Loir-et-Cher, the town of Blois, which has been awarded the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire (City of Art and History) label, has left traces of its royal past with its castle, which was inhabited by Louis XII and perfectly renovated in the 19th century. The stroll takes you through the pretty streets of the old town and its charming gardens near the Saint-Louis cathedral. The whole city is an aesthetic and homogeneous whole.
Orléans is also the capital of the Centre-Val de Loire region and has been awarded the Ville d'Art et d'Histoire label. Considered to be the third richest city in France after Paris and Rouen, it now skilfully combines its important historical heritage with its modern infrastructure. In Orléans, you should stroll around the Place du Martroi, admire the many religious buildings such as the Sainte-Croix cathedral or the Saint-Aignan collegiate church, as well as the Musée des Beaux-Arts. In terms of natural heritage, the floral park of La Source has been awarded the "Jardin remarquable" label and the botanical park of the Jardin des Plantes has existed since the 17th century.image
In the heart of the Loire Valley, Tours is situated on the banks of the Loire and was the capital of the French kingdom between 1450 and 1550. The flamboyant Gothic cathedral of Saint-Gatien remains one of the city's landmarks, its decorated façade and inside its stained-glass windows, its choir and the tombs of Charles VIII's children are among the elements to be admired. Very lively and animated, it is also pleasant to take a break on the Place Plumereau in one of the many cafés to admire the beautiful half-timbered facades. Classified as a Remarkable Garden among six others in Touraine, the Prébendes d'Oé garden is ideal for a walk in the middle of a green landscape.image
The capital of the Cher department, Bourges, famous for its Printemps de Bourges music festival, was the capital of the province of Berry before the Revolution. Its historical past is revealed in its rich built heritage, rewarded by its Ville d'Art et d'Histoire label. Overlooking the town and classified as a Historic Monument, the Gothic-style Saint-Etienne cathedral is one of the largest in France. The panoramic view from the top of the north tower is well deserved after climbing the 396 steps leading up to it. The illuminated facade of the Jacques Coeur palace, classified as a Historic Monument, during the Nuits Lumière de Bourges in the summer is not to be missed.image
If Chartres is famous for its Notre-Dame cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, perfectly preserved, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in France and an important place of pilgrimage, the city is also interesting for its Rue des Ecuyers and its pretty houses, the Maison de la Voûte and the Maison du Saumon, the gardens of the former bishop's palace and the walks along the Eure.
Natural sites in the Centre-Val de Loire region
With more than 2000 ponds, the Brenne Regional Nature Park has a very dense fauna and flora and is particularly appreciated by nature lovers and ornithology enthusiasts as migratory birds come here to breed. Discovery trails where you can admire them from observatories are offered at the Foucault ponds, the Bellebouche pond which also has a beach and a leisure centre and from the Chérine nature reserve.
The former monastery, listed as a Monument Historique du Berry, houses the reconstruction of the walled gardens of the priory, created by the founder of the Abbey of Fontevraud. The gardens of the Orsan priory, which have been awarded numerous labels such as "Jardin Remarquable", are a real masterpiece of plant life. You will discover vegetable gardens, orchards, fountains, and other plant labyrinths, all in a very calm and educational atmosphere in which events are often organised. A place that is well worth a visit for those visiting the Cher.
The gardens of the Château de Villandry were created by Joachim Carvallo, who bought the abandoned château at the beginning of the 20th century. There are five gardens at Villandry. Renaissance gardens, each with a theme and a name. There is notably the water garden composed of a mirror-shaped basin, a garden of Simples where aromatic and medicinal plants can be found, the decorative vegetable garden with fruits and vegetables that change with the seasons, the gardens of Love composed of broken hearts or yellow flowers to represent deceived love... To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Joachim Carvallo's project, a last garden was created in 2008 on the theme of the Sun... Splendid!image