Top Île-de-France Carnival

Former hunting lodge of the royals, the Château de Chambord is among the most famous in the country, an impressive feat of Renaissance architecture. It’s the largest in the Loire Valley. Nearby, the Château de Chaumont (pocket-sized in contrast with Chambord) plays host to a vast garden festival annually from late April to November 1st, with quirky sculptures created from shrubbery.