Just a stone's throw from the châteaux of Chambord and Cheverny
Ideally located just 10km from the châteaux of Chambord and Cheverny, Les Hayes is an ideal base from which to explore these 2 iconic châteaux.
Chambord’s Castle
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Simply the largest and most emblematic of the Loire châteaux! It is associated with two of the famoust kings of France. François 1st, who built it in 1519 to symbolise his omnipotence, and Louis XIV, who completed the work. Although neither of them made it a permanent residence, they enjoyed spending a few weeks there in the company of their court and organising hunting parties in what is still today the largest enclosed park in Europe, with its 32 km of surrounding wall – an area the size of Paris itself!
Chambord is also home to the famous double-revolution staircase inspired by the work of Leonardo da Vinci, whose ingenuity will delight young and old alike. The staircase is open at the centre, so you can walk up either side of it without ever meeting.
Chambord also offers concerts all year round (David Ghetta at the end of June 2024), chivalry shows, stone-cutting workshops and a host of other activities.
- From Château des Hayes' estate, you can get there in 15 minutes by car, or borrow one of our bikes (normal or electric) and get there via the Loire à Vélo route no. 3, which passes right in front of the estate in 45 minutes.
Cheverny’s castle
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If we had to sum up this château, we’d say that there’s always something going on at Cheverny, to the delight of young and old alike. In addition to the beauty of its 6 gardens, its black swans, its many hundred-year-old trees and its labyrinth in which both young and old love to get lost, the château is always full of events.
From April onwards, 500,000 tulips adorn the gardens in a multitude of colours, pumpkins and ghosts make their appearance at Halloween… numerous Lego reproductions of paintings dot the grounds, and of course, since Hergé drew much of his inspiration from Cheverny for the Château de Moulinsart, a permanent exhibition of Tintin will delight unconditional fans of the comic strip….
If your children aren’t keen on the idea of visiting châteaux…
Cheverny is sure to change their minds!
- From Château des Hayes's estae, you can get there in 15 minutes by car, or borrow our bikes (normal or electric) and get there via the Loire à Vélo route no. 5, which passes right in front of the estate in 50 minutes via a magnificent road through the forest for most of the way.
Other nearby châteaux
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The Château of Villesavin, with its courtyard shaded by a century-old weeping willow, is just 3 km from the estate. The Château of Blois, which overlooks the Loire, is 17 km away, as are the magnificent gardens of Chaumont sur Loire and the arches of the Château de Chenonceau, which span the Cher river and are just 40 minutes away.
