Yes, I know I was going to share more info on Dordogne – and I will eventually – but my brother is in need of Loire Valley info so here goes. We stayed in the village of Chenonceau at a very pretty and affordable hotel called La Roseraie, http://www.hotel-chenonceau.com/again with a good restaurant. (There was a fancier hotel across the street but we liked our’s just fine.)
The hotel was in the shadow of the amazing Chenonceaux chateau (www.chenonceau.com) which we toured. There are many chateaux (don’t know the plural form) to visit and after careful consideration, for reasons I can’t remember now, we chose this one and it was spectacular, built right into a river, complete with a moat, gorgeous formal gardens and a long entrance lined with ancient Sycamore trees.
We picked in a nearby tiny village called Sache (i think). Also went to the town of Chinon which has a lovely Medieval section with half-timbered buildings and a castle (natch) with high ramparts. Also liked the town of Amboise.
chateau is the singular form I believe
chateaux is the plural