Fodor's Expert Review Château de Beauregard

After touring Château de Cheverny, relax at this graceful family-owned Renaissance castle, where you can visit the impressive interiors and get a primer in French history at the newly restored 17th-century portrait gallery—unique in Europe—where every famous European between 1328 and 1643 takes your measure from on high. You'll spot François I, who made the Loire Valley de rigueur in the 16th century (and used Beauregard as a hunting lodge), Joan of Arc, and a host of powerful queens. (A tongue-in-cheek contemporary exhibit pairs portraits of winsome pooches owned by notable Parisians.) Picnicking in the lovely 170-acre park is a must. Its scenic pond and 100 acres of gardens, wild and manicured, merit a leisurely afternoon of strolling and lounging.