Chailles offers several starting points for planning a trip: the architectural history of the Église Saint-Martin, two private châteaux with different historical features, and walking routes connected with a château or woodland. To help you choose, consider a simple question: would you like to focus on church and château architecture, choose a walk connected with the Château de la Pigeonnière, or take a route through the Forêt Domaniale de Russy? There is also a dedicated parking area for motorhomes and self-contained vans.

The Église Saint-Martin: a history of construction in several stages

The oldest elements of the Église Saint-Martin de Chailles date from the 13th century. The church was altered in the 15th and 16th centuries; the choir’s wood panelling dates from the 17th century. This means several centuries separate the oldest parts of the building, its later alteration and a feature of the choir’s furnishings. If you are interested in architecture, you can consider these periods separately rather than reducing the church to a single construction date.

Châteaux: protected features and traces of a castle

The lordship of the Château du Plessis-Villelouet is mentioned from the 14th century onwards. Listed as a historic monument are the château’s façades and roofs, the chapel in its entirety, four buildings of the model farm, and the dairy and its rustic grotto, each in its entirety. The château is privately owned. The scope of protection therefore covers different types of building: from the château and chapel to the model farm buildings and dairy.

The Château de la Pigeonnière is also privately owned. Listed as a historic monument there are the façades and roofs of the library, including its interior fittings, as well as three Louis XIII-style fireplaces. The course of the moats and the arrangement of four round and square towers also reveal traces of a former fortified castle. In contrast with Plessis-Villelouet, the focus here is not only on protected interior and exterior features, but also on visible traces of the former fortifications.

Walking routes connected with châteaux and woodland

The “Rando Chailles – La Chesnaie” walk passes the private Château de la Pigeonnière. The estate is therefore a waypoint in the route description; the walk and the privately owned château are separate aspects to consider in your planning. Another option is the “Les Châteaux et forêt de Chaille” route, which passes through the Forêt Domaniale de Russy. To make your choice, you can compare the specific points of interest: a walk that passes the Château de la Pigeonnière and a route through the forest.

Plan for the parking area and event dates

The CAMPING-CAR-PARK site in Chailles has 20 spaces and a service station for filling up with water and emptying grey and black water. The municipal regulation of 30 July 2022 provides for year-round parking there for motorhomes and self-contained vans. Before setting off, check capacity and the applicable operating conditions rather than relying on availability.

Le Train Vert, the La Chesnaie association’s restaurant, opens before each event. You can therefore plan a visit around an event date; check the dates in question. This allows you to include in your plans a venue that is explicitly tied to events, alongside cultural and walking destinations.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Mont-Près-Chambord, Yvoy-Le-Marron, Veuves, La Ferté-Imbault, Candé-Sur-Beuvron, Courmemin, Josnes, Bourre.

For the main travel overview: Loir-Et-Cher.