As soon as we booked our six week stay in Orléans, I knew visiting chateaux in the Loire Valley was moving to the top of my France bucket list. How could I say no to fairytale castles less than an hour away?
So we packed up a rental car or got on a train and visited five different castles. And we brought our eight month old daughter along with us to every castle in the Loire Valley.
While many of these castles have activities for older kids – like trampoline parks and scavenger hunts – I wasn’t sure what they would have for infants.
Would the chateau experience be baby-friendly? Would they allow strollers or have change tables? And could we actually enjoy the Loire Valley with a baby?
Luckily, I didn’t have to worry.
With a little preparation and a close reading of the rules, mom, dad and baby all had an amazing time at the chateaux. (So did grandma, who came with us to a few of them!)
Below I’m sharing everything you need to know if you’re planning to visit a castle in the Loire Valley with your baby. From what to pack to whether or not it’s even worth it, check out my advice for a smooth, baby-friendly, castle experience.
(Or as smooth as any experience can be with an unpredictable baby!)
Are Loire Valley castles baby-friendly?
Family photo at Chenonceau Castle
Yes and no. The chateaux (French for “castles”) in the Loire Valley are not specifically designed for babies. They’re not full of soft rugs, Montessori toys and Ms. Rachel on the TV.
But babies are more than welcome at the castles and many castles even have specific facilities and equipment for babies (more on that below). Plus, babies get to enter the castles for free!
We saw plenty of other babies during our visits to the castles of Cheverny, Chambord, Chenonceau, Meung-sur-Loire and Blois. You certainly wouldn’t be out of place with your baby carrier or stroller.
The Loire Valley chateaux are not like museums or art galleries where you have to be silent (even though the castles are very historic and full of beautiful art). No one is going to be upset if your baby cries or makes noise.
And even though the castles aren’t specifically designed for babies, there are lots of things for babies to enjoy. You’ll find brightly coloured art, interactive games and video screens, forests and mazes, farm animals and so much more!
Read up on the rules for strollers at Loire Valley castles
The stroller and carrier rules for Blois Castle
The first thing you’ll want to know if you’re visiting a Loire Valley castle with your baby is what their rule is on strollers. Many of the Loire Valley chateaux do not allow strollers inside their castles.
Note that this rule only applies to the castle building itself – not the grounds. We had no problem using Baby C’s stroller throughout the gardens, walking paths and restaurants surrounding the different castles we visited.
Because many of these castles have extensive grounds, I would still recommend bringing your stroller even if it isn’t allowed inside the castle itself. We made really good use of Baby C’s stroller before and after we toured the castles.
Stroller parking at Meung-sur-Loire 
Stroller parking at Blois
If strollers aren’t allowed in the castle, there will usually be a place to park them while you go through the castle. This may be an official stroller parking lot or something more casual; it may be supervised or it may not be.
For Chateau de Cheverny, we were instructed to leave our stroller in an all-glass room in the main foyer where an employee was watching it. In Chateau de Chenonceau, we were told we could park it anywhere out of the way in the room where audioguides were being given out.
Chateau de Meung-sur-Loire had a designated stroller parking spot in the first room you entered, but no one around to watch them. And Chateau Royal de Blois had a covered outdoor room specifically for strollers.
Even if strollers are allowed inside the castle you’re visiting, I would recommend switching to the carrier and parking your stroller if you’re able.
We watched as parents lifted their strollers up spiral staircases, over uneven floors and through crowds of people. It did not look like fun!
This family somehow got their stroller up to the rooftop of Chambord Castle!
Another thing to keep in mind: Many of the castles we visited had pebbles on their grounds which actually were quite difficult (and loud!) to push a stroller over. If not pebbles, you may encounter other rough terrain and mostly unpaved pathways.
We have a pretty robust travel stroller (the Joolz Aer+ which I highly recommend!), so managed through most of the chateau grounds okay. The pebbles at Chambord Castle were a real grind to get over though!
If you have a more delicate travel stroller, don’t expect a smooth ride around the castles. But if you’re bringing a big jogging stroller or one with fat tires, you’ll have fewer issues.
(Though not many people use those big types of strollers in France – they’re a hassle to bring anywhere!)
Pack your baby carrier
Out front of Cheverny Castle
Most of the chateaux recommend a baby carrier so you can wear your baby through the castle (where strollers may not be allowed) or even through the grounds (where difficult terrain may make stroller rides difficult).
I strongly agree with this recommendation. If you’re able to, wear your baby through the Loire Valley castle.
If you’re someone who already baby wears at home and is comfortable doing so for longer periods of time, you could skip the stroller entirely and just wear your baby in a carrier for your entire visit.
That way, you can avoid having to leave your stroller behind while you tour the castle and avoid pushing it over pebbly, uneven grounds around the castle.
In a long hall at Chenonceau Castle
However, if you’re not as comfortable with baby wearing or don’t want to do it all day long, you can pack a carrier just for the castle tour and then switch back to your stroller to explore the grounds. That’s what we did and it worked well!
Of course, you can also carry your baby in your arms if you don’t want to use a carrier at all. Though my arms start to hurt after just a few minutes of holding Baby C these days!
We don’t use our carrier super often (maybe once a week, if that), but I did use it to tour Baby C through Cheverny, Chenonceau and Blois castles. And it worked great!
The exhaustion of motherhood from ancient to modern times!
She loved having a different view than she usually does, being out of her stroller and being close to her mama. I also loved being able to hold her hands and point out things we were seeing.
Keep in mind that some castles have rules against certain types of carriers. Some don’t allow hiking carriers (the kind with large metal frames). So to be on the safe side, read the rules before you pack your carrier.
Some castles will even loan you a carrier if you forget yours or prefer not to pack your own. This is rarer, and mostly an option at the bigger chateaux, so you may still need to bring your own if you’re planning a longer Loire Valley trip.
Check to see what baby facilities/equipment will be at the castle
Bathroom equipment for babies at Meung-sur-Loire Castle
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that many of the Loire Valley castles offer facilities and equipment specifically for babies (and their parents!).
Every castle we visited had baby change tables available. This was nice, as I’ve found it’s hit or miss with change stations everywhere we go – both in Europe and in Canada! But we’re not strangers to changing a diaper on a park bench.
All of the chateaux also had areas to park strollers, even if strollers were allowed in the castle. Some chateaux also have dedicated nursing areas and baby bottle warmers!
I was particularly impressed by the little station that I saw in a bathroom at Meung-sur-Loire Castle (photo above): It had a baby change table, little stool for kids to reach the sink, and a potty insert for kids to use the toilet!
Have a plan for lunch in the Loire Valley with a baby
Lunch time at Cheverny Castle
We ate lunch at Cheverny Castle and Chenonceau Castle and didn’t find either particularly baby-friendly.
I didn’t see high chairs at any of the castle restaurants we visited. They may exist at some castles, but I didn’t see any and none were ever offered to us.
So don’t count on having a high chair available for your baby. High chairs aren’t as common in France – not all restaurants have them and even if they do, it’s usually just one for the whole restaurant.
(The looks we’ve exchanged with some parents when they have the only high chair in the restaurant or when we have it are hilarious! So much pity/envy all in one glance!)
There was a limited kids’ menu at Cheverny but not one at the restaurant where we ate at Chenonceau, called Le Snack. Their other restaurant, L’Orangerie, does have a kid’s price for the brunch menu.
Again, I would not count on having a kids’ menu or on any of the castles having many baby-friendly meal options.
Le Snack dining room at Chenonceau Castle
For us, this wasn’t a huge deal. We kept Baby C in her high chair, put the bib we had packed on her, and handed her pieces of food off of our plates. We also had snacks in her diaper bag if she was still hungry.
If your baby needs more of a meal than that, I would recommend packing your own food or timing your castle visit so it’s not over meal time.
Some of the castles have picnic areas where you can eat food you’ve brought in. Though others have strict rules against bringing in outside food, so double check before you pack a picnic.
We purchased sandwiches at a little cafe at the entrance to Chateau de Chenonceau, right next to the ticket office, and were still told we had to finish them before they’d let us in!
Assume there won’t be much floor time
Playing on a bench at Blois Castle
If your baby likes to squirm and crawl around as much as Baby C does, you should know that this is pretty tough to do at a Loire Valley chateau.
Obviously the castles themselves are not ideal spaces for babies to crawl around. They’re full of ancient uneven floors, steep staircases and, probably the biggest hazard for your crawling baby, tons of other people.
Even outside the castle, you may not find a lot of crawling-friendly space. While most of the castles have beautiful grounds and gardens, they’re more for looking at than sitting on.
I saw lots of signs next to manicured lawns telling people not to step on the grass. Many of the gardens are fenced off or just not ideal places to plop a baby down.
That being said, creative parents can always find a solution. At Chateau Meung-sur-Loire, there were large fields and forests where I saw families playing on the ground.
Path & fields at Meung-sur-Loire Castle
When we were at Chateau Royal de Blois, we found a quiet area to the side of the castle where Baby C could crawl around on a long bench. She was fascinated by the little garden plot next to the bench.
And even at the busier castles, like Chambord and Chenonceau, there’s always a less-crowded path or area under a tree where you could park your stroller and let your little one wiggle around for a while.
All I’m saying is, your baby will likely spend more time in their carrier/stroller than stretching their legs on their tummy time mat during your Loire Valley trip.
Seek out quiet areas for naps, nursing and down time
Nursing at Blois Castle
So you’ve managed to take your baby on a tour of a Loire Valley castle in their carrier, push them around the grounds in their stroller, and even feed them a little lunch.
But they’re starting to rub their eyes and you know what that means, nap time!
Luckily, because these castle complexes are so vast, there’s almost always a quiet area where you can take your little one for a nap. These areas are also great for nursing if you want a little privacy.
We visited chateaux in late September and early October – so past the peak of summer crowds – but still at a time when they were decently busy.
But most of the crowds tend to congregate around the main castle itself, leaving lots of quieter areas farther from the castle available to you. We were often the only people in these less popular areas.
Don’t eat her blanket, donkey!
At Meung-sur-Loire Castle, I pushed Baby C on the pathways through the forest which not only helped lull her to sleep, but allowed me to see more of the castle grounds.
We even came upon one of the castle’s donkeys who wanted to eat her baby blanket (see photo above)!
At Chateau de Chambord, Colin parked Baby C’s stroller along one of the pebbly paths at the back of the castle. It was off the main route to the gardens, so almost no one walked by the entire time she was napping.
And at Chateau Royal de Blois, we found a quiet area with a great view and comfortable bench for me to nurse. We pretty much had the whole space to ourselves so Baby C could eat, distraction-free!
Wrapping up: Is it worth bringing your baby to a castle in the Loire Valley?
Family selfie at Blois Castle
I absolutely think it’s worth bringing a baby on your Loire Valley castle trip! It’ll be free for them to enter and lots of fun for the whole family.
While castles aren’t specifically designed for babies, they are very welcoming to families with babies. We were greeted with smiles everywhere we went and saw plenty of other families in the Loire Valley with a baby.
And even though it wasn’t a “baby activity,” our daughter had a great time at the chateaux. She loved seeing the dogs at Cheverny Castle, strolling through the trees at Meung-sur-Loire Castle, and just hanging out with mom and dad.
But just as important, Colin and I wanted to visit the Loire Valley chateaux. Believe it or not, what the parents want is important too!
We loved exploring these historic buildings and were completely blown away by their size, architecture and design. While doing it all with a baby wasn’t as easy as if it had just been us, we still had a great time.
I’m really glad we made the effort to go out and see the castles while we were based in Orléans. Even if it was a bit of extra work to schedule our visits around naps or bring a stroller, I would’ve regretted it if we just stayed home and missed them.
And even though Baby C won’t remember her first castle visits, I am more than happy to revisit all of these chateaux – plus the 300 other ones in the Loire Valley – when she’s older.
I’ll happily take any excuse to return to this beautiful part of France!
Check out these posts to plan your next family travel adventure
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