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Days out with kids in Centre-Loire Valley

Looking for a family outing in Centre-Loire Valley? Here are our favourites, from the classics to the unexpected, for little ones and older kids alike. Here are 30 ideas picked from over 650 places on the Trottimap map.

ZooParc de Beauval
Daniel Jolivet · CC BY 2.0

Animals and farms

See the pandas at Beauval

ZooParc de Beauval · Saint-Aignan (41)

All ages · Indoor and outdoor · Over €25 · Good on rainy days

With more than 35,000 animals across some forty hectares, Beauval calls for a long day.

Château de Chambord
No machine-readable author provided.… · CC BY-SA 3.0

Castles and heritage

Climb Chambord's double-helix staircase

Château de Chambord · Chambord (41)

All ages · Indoor and outdoor · €10 to €25 · Good on rainy days

Children climb the double-helix staircase trying to spot each other from one spiral to the other, then come out onto terraces bristling with chimneys.

Château de Chenonceau
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Castles and heritage

Cross the Cher at Chenonceau

Château de Chenonceau · Chenonceaux (37)

All ages · Indoor and outdoor · €10 to €25 · Good on rainy days

The château spans the Cher, and its long gallery lets you cross from one bank to the other without getting your feet wet.

Château du Clos Lucé
Nadègevillain · CC BY-SA 3.0

Museums and science

Work Leonardo da Vinci's machines

Château du Clos Lucé · Amboise (37)

From age 3 · Indoor and outdoor · €10 to €25

Leonardo da Vinci spent his last three years in this manor house in Amboise, where you can visit his bedroom and workshops.

Château de Cheverny
The original uploader was Manfred… · CC BY-SA 3.0

Castles and heritage

Find Marlinspike at Cheverny

Château de Cheverny · Cheverny (41)

All ages · Indoor and outdoor · €10 to €25 · Good on rainy days

Hergé drew on Cheverny for Marlinspike Hall, and a permanent eight-room exhibition recreates the world of Tintin.

Grand Aquarium de Touraine
Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE · CC BY-SA 2.0

Animals and farms

Walk through the Touraine aquarium tunnels

Grand Aquarium de Touraine · Lussault-sur-Loire (37)

All ages · Indoor · €10 to €25 · Good on rainy days

Five minutes from Amboise, the aquarium follows the water of the Loire all the way to tropical seas through ten rooms and dozens of tanks.

Château de Villandry
No machine-readable author provided.… · CC BY-SA 2.5

Castles and heritage

Get lost in the Villandry maze

Château de Villandry · Villandry (37)

All ages · Indoor and outdoor · €10 to €25

Villandry owes its fame to its gardens, including an ornamental kitchen garden where vegetables and flowers form geometric patterns.

Château royal d'Amboise
W. Bulach · CC BY-SA 4.0

Castles and heritage

Visit Amboise in the days of kings

Château royal d'Amboise · Amboise (37)

From age 3 · Indoor and outdoor · €10 to €25 · Good on rainy days

Perched above the Loire, the royal château is explored with a HistoPad that shows each room as it was in the Renaissance.

Le Petit Train de Briare
Remi Jouan · CC BY 3.0

Castles and heritage

Ride the little train past the canal bridge

Le Petit Train de Briare · Briare (45)

From age 3 · Outdoor · Under €10

The little train leaves from the Briare canal bridge, a 663-metre water bridge that carries boats over the Loire, and tours the town in three quarters of an hour.

Petit train touristique d'Orléans
U4you · CC0

Castles and heritage

Follow Joan of Arc by little train

Petit train touristique d'Orléans · Orléans (45)

From age 3 · Outdoor · Under €10

The little train sets off from Place du Martroi, at the foot of the equestrian statue of Joan of Arc, and winds through old Orléans.

Also worth a visit

  • Watch for the six-headed dragonMaison de la Magie Robert-Houdin · Blois · From age 3 · Museums and science
  • Tour the châteaux in miniatureParc des Mini-Châteaux · Amboise · From age 3 · Leisure parks
  • Swim in the Sologne at Aqua MundoAqua Mundo - Center Parcs Les Hauts de Bruyères · Chaumont-sur-Tharonne · All ages · Pools, beaches and water
  • Spend the day by the River LoirParc de loisirs Le Val Fleuri · Cloyes-les-Trois-Rivières · From age 1 · Leisure parks
  • Go on a driving safari in the BrenneRéserve zoologique de la Haute-Touche · Azay-le-Ferron · All ages · Animals and farms
  • Ride the waves at L'OdysséeL'Odyssée (Chartres) · Chartres · All ages · Pools, beaches and water
  • Climb the giant shark in Ballan-MiréLa Vallée des Rois · Ballan-Miré · From age 1 · Leisure parks
  • Follow Youpi the mascot in ChambrayYoupimom' · Chambray-lès-Tours · From age 1 · Leisure parks
  • Ride a motorbike at Kidyland OrléansKidyland · Fleury-les-Aubrais · From age 1 · Leisure parks
  • Play in the warm at Play CaféPlay Café · Tours · All ages · Leisure parks
  • Slide and pedal at Lulu ParcLulu Parc · Rochecorbon · From age 1 · Leisure parks
  • Let off steam indoors at Planet Kid'sPlanet kid's · Briare · All ages · Leisure parks
  • Take on challenges at Château de JallangesLe Château des défis de Jallanges · Vernou-sur-Brenne · From age 4 · Castles and heritage
  • Drive a kart on the Étang des MaraisLigaya · Montlouis-sur-Loire · From age 10 · Sport and adventure
  • Meet the rescued animals at La TanièreRefuge La Tanière · Nogent-le-Phaye · All ages · Animals and farms
  • Visit farms carved into the rockVallée troglodytique des Goupillières · Azay-le-Rideau · From age 3 · Castles and heritage
  • Swim in warm water at Spadium in MontsSpadium Centre Aquatique · Monts · All ages · Pools, beaches and water
  • Go down into a carved underground townCarrière de tuffeau et ville souterraine · Montrichard Val de Cher · From age 4 · Castles and heritage
  • Relive the year 1944 at La LoupeLes Caves de l'Histoire · La Loupe · From age 8 · Castles and heritage
  • Explore the tunnels under a fortified castleVisite des extérieurs et des souterrains du Château · Betz-le-Château · From age 6 · Castles and heritage