10/05/2026
Château d'Ussé has been connected to the story of Sleeping Beauty for centuries, but it doesn't just claim the name; it brings the fairytale to life by shaping the entire visitor experience around it.
The château rises above the River Indre at the edge of the Chinon forest, white-towered and turreted, looking more or less exactly like a castle from a fairy tale should. Charles Perrault, who visited as a guest in the 17th century, is said to have drawn on Ussé when writing the story, which was one of several tales he collected and shaped into the versions most people know today.
The building itself has been around since the 11th century, when it was constructed as a fortress. Over time, it was transformed into a Renaissance residence and has remained a private home ever since. The Blacas d'Aulps family, who have owned it since the early 1800s, have kept and added to a substantial collection of 18th-century furnishings and décor throughout the interior.
The Sleeping Beauty connection is taken seriously inside. One tower has many rooms dedicated to scenes from the story, with costumed figures recreating key moments from the tale.
The castle appeared on a French railroad poster in the 1920s and was one of several Loire châteaux that influenced Walt Disney's castle designs. Voltaire and Chateaubriand were among its notable past guests. It remains in private ownership and is open to visitors, and is a memorable stop in the Loire Valley.
