The Château du Rivau is a medieval fortress dating back to 1420, conceived at the initiative of Pierre de Beauvau, the Grand Chamberlain of Charles VII, which sets it apart from the Renaissance castles in the Loire region.
What a surprising visit! Art enthusiasts will love this castle. Others, however, might find it quite bewildering. The interior of the castle is sparsely furnished but adorned with many art pieces, most of which are quite quirky and sometimes, admittedly, “peculiar.” Personally, we didn’t connect with this aspect of the castle or the interior visit. The children didn’t enjoy it either; it was too complicated for them.
For the little ones, there’s the option to visit in costume! Naturally, we did it! A little princess and a brave knight joined us for their greatest delight!
The gardens are magnificent and are truly what makes this castle worth visiting. The park is divided into several sections, each with a different theme. For example, you’ll find the Guardian’s Forest with its funny inhabitants, or the Running Forest with its enormous sculptures of metal legs and giant boots reminiscent of a certain children’s fairy tale.
The walk is very pleasant and well-shaded, and this time the art is more accessible to children, who understand the different garden themes quite well. You’ll find many spots in the park to sit and enjoy the poetic atmosphere, whether in a hammock or on a bench!
There is also a small restaurant within the grounds that offers simple but good food made with vegetables from the garden.
To summarize, the children loved the gardens, but the visit is rather expensive if you only enjoy the castle park, as the castle’s interior visit is indeed difficult for a young audience to understand.
