"The chateau at Langeais is very medieval looking" Langeais by Beausoleil

Perhaps the chateau only looks so intimidating because you walk up a narrow village street toward it. The drawbridges still work and you climb the stairs and cross them. Once inside, it is a much friendlier looking place and you may tour it.

We hadn't visited the inside since 2000 and there is much more open to visitors now. Each time we go, there is another advantage. In the good old days, you used to have to take a guided tour in French. Then around 2000 they started letting you wander at will reading information sheets in each of the open rooms. This time you could wander at will, read info sheets and they now have a wonderful show with dummies costumed as Anne of Brittany and entourage. They also have opened the ramparts and you can go 'round them. This gives you marvelous views of the town and surrounding countryside.

Town of Langeais from the castle drawbridge

This is the view from the chateau drawbridge. There is also a salon de thé across the street if you are in need of refreshment.

Just down the facing street is a covered market and all sorts of stores. Down this street you pass over a canal (or perhaps a small river) that runs through the town and it has ducks aplenty and geraniums at all the windows.

Chateau courtyard

You climb the stairs, cross the drawbridge (no moat) and find yourself in this courtyard. The chateau from here looks much less forbidding, just a lovely formal house, albeit a rather large one.

The tiny door in the tower is the entrance. Inside you purchase your ticket and there is also a very nice gift shop. There is an entire room of the gift shop devoted to selling tapestries. It's fun to look through them and if you want to cover a particularly large wall . . .

• Pros:Charming town with all shops and services
• Cons:None that we noticed in several trips.
• In a nutshell:The bridge over the Loire outside of town looks very medieval but it's not!