A quiet town on the north bank of the Loire, Langeais groups around its business-like 15thC fortress. Beyond the drawbridge, Château de Langeais’ courtyard presents a more welcoming Renaissance fa√笵cade, and the interior with its mullioned windows, huge fireplaces and decorative floor tiles has been beautifully furnished and hung with tapestries.

For a complete change of scene, Robert Keyaert’s Musée Cadillac, at Château de Planchoury, Saint-Michel-sur-Loire (3.5 km W of Langeais via the N152) is the fulfillment of a childhood dream. The 50 gleaming automobiles with potted biographies constitute the largest collection of Caddies outside the U.S.