Château du Rivau
Château du Rivau
4.5
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Castle and Fairytale Gardens Le Rivau was constructed in the 15th century by Pierre de Beauvau, Great Chamberlain of Charles the 7th. It is also renown for having been visited by Joan of Arc on her way to Orleans to get some horses. This medieval private castle is animated by more than 380 art-objects. In the royal stables, an exhibit on Francis the First last king-knight is shown. Gem among the Loire Valley, Rivau Gardens are labbled 'Remarquable Gardens'. All around the year, discover our amazing flower collections of bulbs, iris, peonies, roses, lavender, dahlias, ornemental grasses and vegetables. Rivau gardens are Conservatory of Fragrant Roses and Conservatory of Vegetables that are used in our restaurant. The castle and gardens are suitable for the whole family, adults will be interested in botanic, history and contemporary art and kids will be transported in a fairytale like environnement.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles883 reviews
Excellent
526
Very good
251
Average
60
Poor
28
Terrible
18

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Alex Under Water
Castle Forbes Bay, Australia356 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2022
Before and after lunch at The Secret Garden of this Chateau we spend a couple of hours admiring the work that is undertaken to maintain this jewel. As committed growers of our own vegies in Tasmania these gardens gave us some ideas of what to combine and how to improve growing profiles. Not just beautifully presented but also highly productive, this garden is suitable for families with small children that wish to follow the Fairy Track. Having seen the massive formal Villandry gardens, this was a nice change of scenery and something we were able to relate to. The idea of growing climbing roses through fruit trees is something we might play with at home as well. Including lunch, we spend nearly 5 - hours at the Chateau. Because we are RHS members, the garden entree's have been FREE at the participating Chateau's .
Written 16 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your very kind comment. We are delighted that you enjoyed our remarkable gardens and that they inspired you. So maybe you take a little bit of Le Rivau with you to Tasmania ! Best regards
Written 24 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Di D
Miami, FL428 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
We paid entrance for 4 persons. Unbelievably, they had men walking in the grounds with leaf blowers for the duration of our visit. It was so loud and the smell of diesel from the engine, completely intrusive to visiting the gardens. Why do that when you have 100 visitors? Can't you get the garden tidy before the 10am entrance? We complained. We were met with a shrug of the shoulders.

The art in the chateau was too strange for our tastes. Like the little house of horrors.

We visited more than 10 chateaus in the Loire Valley. All others were wonderful. This one - we recommend to avoid.
Written 1 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Corinne M
Birmingham, UK227 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2022 • Friends
Great for kids because of its fairy tales themed gardens, this a private château so you can only visit 4 medieval rooms, which are outstanding. There is an expensive restaurant on site as well as a more affordable café & tea room. Buy yr tickets in Tours tourist office as it is cheaper ( 10.50€ instead of 12.50). You can picnic in the gardens too.
Written 14 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Curious64660204311
53 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 • Couples
Lovers of the Middle Ages and old stones, we roam France in search of authentic places, restored in the rules of art, that is exactly what we found in Rivau. An exceptional place right down to the finishes. The welcome is equal to the place. A beautiful place of great quality that does not need to be padded ... just true. We feel a real generosity of the owners through what they offer to our view ... especially the art objects in the rooms, the hearty breakfast and composed of tasty products. We don’t appreciate contemporary art, but it’s not a problem! The objects, numerous and quality antique furniture delighted us. Everything is designed for the well-being of guests. The icing on the cake .. it has been a long time since we dined in a real quality gastronomy. How many restaurants pride themselves on being gastronomic and offer dishes of poor flavor. We thank the chef, the very nice staff and the owners for allowing us to evolve 3 days in this historic bubble.
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Written 21 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DN492016
Maine et Loire, France32 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Friends
Beautiful building from the outside. Inside 5 rooms are visited very quickly, decorated (?) with works of so-called contemporary art, the choice of which leaves to say the least perplexing - and that is not to be understood in the good sense of the word. I pass over a wax body in levitation that makes me uncomfortable. Then the gardens. Past a massive mass of dahlias, which is very commonplace, we wander in uninteresting alleys that shelter dubious ornaments (piercing a tree, giant chamber pot, awful dwarves) to the sound of unbearable music like Eurovision. Remarkable garden? No, really. 12 euros for all this is exorbitant even if we understand that we must maintain the roof. Many of the area’s municipal gardens are more interesting and you can always take comfort in this unnecessary detour by visiting Richelieu.
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Written 18 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Milovan59 .
127 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
A lovely place. The castle was brilliantly restored by its owners from the 1990s. We learned during the visit that a fire in 2010 accidentally burned the roof and also damaged the building, so that it was necessary to undertake new work. costly work. The result is perfect and the stone is beautiful, white, luminous and seems polished as if everything were both new and old. The interior is quite special, with a penchant for contemporary art, with a desire for patronage. Some works attract attention, others leave one skeptical, just like in the gardens. The vegetable garden is pretty and very neat, for example, but other choices are more doubtful. Regardless, the whole remains a fine example of successful restoration. There are two restaurants (one is a tea room) and a well-stocked shop.
Google
Written 20 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Merci !
Written 12 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mariedesjardins
Prince George, Canada7,317 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Solo
I took a taxi to Chateau du Rivau from Chinon, but even getting one from the train station isn’t easy for this short distance. The gardens were very beautiful mixed with vegetables and flowers. There is a small wooded area out back with peacocks and other unique birds. The gift shop offered food items made from the garden along with the usual souvenirs. There is also a small cafe onsite.
Written 25 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

jujul62
Vendin-le-Vieil, France169 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2024 • Solo
The castle is very beautiful , very few rooms can be visited , but the castle is live year round which is why there are about 5 rooms that can be visited. From the windows of the castle you can see the beautiful gardens.

The gardens are very nice and well maintained, which allows to see works of art and also to walk. The 12 gardens are very nice. Unfortunately because of the capricious weather some gardens are not too blooming at the beginning of June. But took nothing away from the charm of the gardens. Several places to know in the gardens are available which allows to enjoy the beauty of the different gardens.

About 10 km from the fortress of Chinon. This makes it possible to visit both castles in one day.
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Written 11 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Macaronauchocolat
100 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2024 • Family
I have never seen a castle so disappointing and ugly

The ““works”” are not wonderful but are awful and meaningless!
They don’t bring anything to the building or garden but spoil everything that is already not great

The 12.50 entry balls should be reinvested to fire all these horrors

Don’t bring your children to avoid therapy sessions

A waste of time and money, go elsewhere it’s better

I read comments calling it the “castle of terror” and say it was Halloween all year round, I should have listened to them!
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Written 19 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ToujoursLaRoute
Paris, France1,253 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
Small castle far from the Loire river. Very nicely refurbished by the new owner, impressive work of restauration nicely depicted. The tour of gardens is fast, some nice roses and also some strange work of arts (like the famous giant boots...). I think it could be a nice to rent one of the five rooms at the castle...and feel like a chastelain...
Written 20 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your comment. Our hotel, located in the heart of the domain, in the former royal stables, offers a timeless experience. You can live the life of a lord for the duration of your stay, thanks to the combination of modern comforts and ancient furnishings in our 4-star hotel !
Written 28 May 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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CHÂTEAU DU RIVAU - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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