Each December, the iconic châteaux of the Loire Valley light up with dazzling Christmas décor and host special events to celebrate the holiday season. Below are some highlights of this year’s events, taking place from late November 2025 through early January 2026.
At Château de Cheverny, visitors will find a towering 100-foot Christmas tree, a glowing Advent wreath and a new “Elves’ House” Advent calendar, surrounded by giant ornaments, gingerbread figures and illuminated trees. Inside the château, each room is decked out with holiday décor, and guests can warm up with the château’s signature hot chocolate. The iconic Château de Chambord transforms into a storybook setting, honoring the 150th anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen’s death with enchanting decorations inspired by his beloved fairy tales. Other events include a new grand magic show, old-fashioned games, Renaissance dances and the recreation of a Christmas village with a carousel and chalets.
This year, Château Royal de Blois presents “Chromatic Dreams,” a series of light installations designed by artist and architect Jérémie Bellot. Highlights include the “Moon of Wishes,” a glowing sphere in the château’s courtyard that projects shifting colors across its façades, and two 16-foot luminous stars set inside the Gothic Salle des États Généraux. Château de Maintenon invites visitors to a “Winter of Wonders,” a Victorian style Christmas experience inspired by A Christmas Carol. Set throughout the château and its gardens, the event features festive illuminations, workshops for kids, choral performances and other surprises evoking the grandeur of 19th century holiday celebrations. The Domaine de Chaumont-sur-Loire invites visitors to explore Dreams of Yore, recreating the atmosphere of a Belle Époque Christmas. Rooms once used by the de Broglie family, who owned the château from 1875 to 1938, will be decorated for the holidays, including the salons, dining room, kitchens and children’s quarters.
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau will feature holiday décor and tables inspired by classic fairytales, including a fir tree with golden apples inspired by Snow White, a crystal-clear table evoking The Snow Queen and a Narnia-themed icy cupboard. At the iconic overwater Château de Chenonceau, the theme is “Far North,” turning the grand gallery into a birch forest, decorating interiors with white firs and filling the kitchens with icy winter scenes featuring penguins. Château de Villandry will transform into an enchanted forest where reindeer, fawns, owls and squirrels roam the interiors, blending with the château’s winter gardens. Find more details on these happenings and more here: https://www.tourainevaldeloire.com/en/agenda/highlights-of-the-coming-months/christmas-magic-in-the-land-of-chateaux/
Find more details about the Loire Valley here: https://www.loirevalley-france.co.uk
