A few years ago, right before spending two weeks in Tours, France for language immersion, I spent a few days exploring the wines and chateaux of the Loire Valley.  Chenonceau, Chambord, etc. are all phenomenal castles to explore with their idyllic settings, great architecture, and sense of history.  One of my favorite settings and chateaux was the château in Azay-le-Rideau.  It was built in the early 16th century on an island in the Indre River and it just seems to come straight out of the water!

The Loire Valley is a place to spend weeks exploring!