Château-La-Vallière offers a range of ways to explore: leisure activities at Lac du Val Joyeux, a walking trail with a stated duration, and a history of historic buildings and industry. The themes range from castle ruins to a menhir and iron production. If you plan to visit Château de Vaujours, note that guided tours and rentals are suspended until further notice.
Lac du Val Joyeux and its walking trail
Lac du Val Joyeux covers nearly 36 hectares in the Forêt de Château-la-Vallière. Its area gives an indication of the lake’s scale, while its woodland setting defines the surrounding landscape.
The lake has facilities for swimming, fishing and pedal boating, as well as tennis, beach volleyball and pétanque. This means there are activities on the water alongside sports and games; conditions may vary by season.
The walking trail around the lake is 6 km long and takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Its length and approximate walking time are complementary planning details: the distance describes the route, while the time helps you fit the walk into a day.
The ruins of Château de Vaujours
The romantic ruins of Château de Vaujours date from the 15th century, lie within their moats and feature numerous round towers. The ruins have been protected as a historic monument since 26 January 1989. In the upper courtyard are the remains of the manor house, built in the 15th century, the keep and the castle chapel.
Guided tours and rentals at Château de Vaujours are suspended until further notice. Check the latest status before travelling if you plan to take advantage of either offering.
Local history and historic buildings
Grande Maison is an 18th-century building that has housed the town hall since 1991. An English-style park surrounds the building and is open to the public.
A walking trail passes by the Menhir de la Pierre. The menhir is 3.70 m high and is considered the tallest menhir in the département. The trail also passes the old blacksmiths’ quarter. Its operations produced more than 150 tonnes of iron per year in the mid-18th century—a figure that gives a sense of the scale of iron production at the time.
The church portal in Château-la-Vallière dates from the 12th century. The buildings mentioned span widely different periods: the church portal dates from the 12th century, the castle ruins from the 15th century and Grande Maison from the 18th century. This makes it possible to distinguish the buildings by their respective periods, rather than viewing them as structures built at the same time.
Discover more destinations: Pernay, Bléré, Saint-Flovier, Montrésor, Saint-Avertin, Chambray-Lès-Tours, Notre-Dame-d'Oé, Razines
For the wider travel guide: Indre-Et-Loire.
