In Touraine, the Laffon family has lived in the castle of Gizeux for more than 200 years. The oldest part of the castle dates from 1334, the castle was later extended and modernized during the Renaissance period.
Currently, Gizeux Castle is inhabited daily by its owners who welcome visitors during the day (visits of the castle and possibility to have lunch in the orangery of the castle or picnic in the space provided for this purpose) and during evenings (guest rooms, guest table and cottage in the castle).
Visit
At the castle of Gizeux, many types of visits are organized. A guided historical tour in French (with paper support for anglophones), departure times are indicated on the website, or a tour with audioguide (available in French or English). In summer, it is also possible to take part in a visit followed by a wine tasting (in French only) or to follow candlelight and costume visits in Gizeux. For children, storytelling and costumed tours are organized specially for them, in French. A discovery tour (in French and English) is also created inside the castle, allowing the children, during the guided tour, to understand what a castle restoration is.
The castle is located next to the mysterious forest in which you can participate in a family treasure hunt. On the large terrace of the castle, or in the orangery when the weather is bad, there are also many games allowing you to play with family or friends (rules of the game are available in French and in English).
Things to Do
During the school holidays, various workshops are organized for children: the workshop “tales and tasting” (tales reading followed by a snack), workshop “gardening”, workshop “bread oven” (children cook bread , cook it in the oven of the eighteenth century then taste it) and the workshop “coat of arms” (explanation of the different symbols and creation of a coat of arms).
Other activities are sometimes organized such as an open-air theater or concerts.
The castle is open to the visit between the end of March and the beginning of November. The guest rooms and cottage can be rented all year round, a unique opportunity to share the castle life of the owners and follow a guided tour of the castle by one of the owners.
In the castle of Gizeux, everything is made to welcome families and make the visit of the castle didactic and pleasant for all ages.
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