Château de Longue-Plaine

Château de Longue-Plaine is an 18th-century country residence straddling the villages of Sorigny and Monts, about 15 kilometers south of Tours, in the heart of Touraine in the Loire Valley. Set within a large private estate, the château today operates mainly as a venue for weddings, corporate events and guest stays rather than as a museum open to the public.

How do you get there?

Longue-Plaine sits under a 20-minute drive south of central Tours, toward the A10 motorway. It's off the well-worn trail of the famous Loire châteaux (Amboise, Chenonceau, Chambord), but it makes a convenient stop if you're arriving from the direction of Poitiers or Châtellerault. A car is the practical way to reach it — the nearest train station is in Tours, from where you'd still need a taxi or local transport to cover the remaining distance.

What's the history behind it?

A fortified structure first stood on this site as far back as the 11th century. The château in its current, more classical form was built around 1715 on the ruins of that earlier feudal stronghold. In 1843, the building was enlarged under the direction of architect Phidias Vestier, giving it the elegant look typical of a French "maison de maître" of the period. So the site's history stretches back more than nine centuries, even though what visitors see today largely reflects the early-18th-century rebuild and the mid-19th-century expansion.

What will you actually see on site?

The estate covers roughly 500 hectares, with the bulk of it — 350 hectares — given over to forest, and the rest split between farmland, meadows and ponds. Right around the main building lies a two-hectare formal French garden, laid out in a symmetrical, geometric style. The grounds also include a heated outdoor swimming pool and a reception hall that can hold up to 150 people, used for weddings, banquets and conferences. The west wing of the château has been converted into a gîte sleeping 10, and separate guest rooms (chambres d'hôtes) are also available.

When should you visit, and can you actually go inside?

Château de Longue-Plaine is a private, commercially run venue, not a museum-style château with regular visiting hours. You won't be able to walk in and tour the rooms freely the way you would at Chenonceau or Chambord. What you can do is see it from the surrounding roads, or book directly into what it offers: a stay in the gîte or guest rooms, or attendance at a wedding or corporate seminar hosted there. The estate accommodates groups of 50 to 250 people and comes equipped for events, with high-speed internet, projection screens and audio equipment on site. Spring and summer are the best times to visit, when the gardens and surrounding parkland look their best and the pool and outdoor areas are fully usable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you tour Château de Longue-Plaine like the other Loire châteaux? Not in the usual sense. It's a private estate run commercially for weddings, conferences and guest stays, not a museum with set opening hours for tourists.

How large is the estate? Around 500 hectares in total: 350 hectares of forest, 120 hectares of farmland, 20 hectares of meadows and ponds, and 10 hectares of buildings and gardens.

Can you stay overnight there? Yes — the west wing houses a gîte for 10 people, and there are also smaller chambres d'hôtes guest rooms for other visitors.

How far is the château from Tours? About 15 kilometers south of central Tours, on the border between the communes of Sorigny and Monts — roughly a 20-minute drive.