Château de Beauregard near Blois

Spend a relaxed morning at Chateau de Beauregard, a Renaissance gem tucked away in the hamlet of Cellettes, 8 km south of Blois. The highlight is the Galerie des Illustres, a 26-metre hall lined with 327 portraits of European rulers and statesmen, set above 5,500 hand-painted Delft tiles depicting Louis XIII-era soldiers. Next door, the intimate Cabinet des Grelots preserves its original 1554 oak panelling and coffered ceiling crafted by the same Italian workshop that decorated Fontainebleau. Outside, landscape architect Gilles Clement's 40-hectare park unfolds across twelve themed garden rooms, each echoing a kingdom from the portrait gallery. The chateau is seasonal, open from early April to early November, so plan accordingly and note that the ticket office closes one hour before the estate.