Built as a fortress in about 1150, the town of Marçay was originally inside the walls of this splendid château, now a smart hotel.

Near the famous château of this well-known wine town on the Vienne, this B&B is a delightful place to stay.

In the Cher valley, near Chenonceaux and Blois, this ‘idyllic’ medieval château stands on a hillside. Owned by Philippe Savry, and part of the small Savray group, it is ‘a perfect example of traditional local architecture’, according to its nominators.

Set 800m from Château de Cheverny, and on the village square, this old inn has been owned by the Bricault family since 1865 and is now a member of the Chateau and Hotels Collection.

Between Orléans and Le Mans, outside a village 18 km north of Vendôme, is this handsome, ivy-covered 19th-century former hunting lodge of Duc de La Rochefoucauld, now owned by Maryse and Guy Redon. 

Convenient for visiting the Loire châteaux, this ‘cool and pleasant’ inn (Logis de France) is in a peaceful village south of Blois. 

Owned by Marie-Christine Menec Lacube, this former coach house is now an auberge (Logis Hotels), with a low brick building and rear bedroom extension, and located by a river, in a village on the edge of the marshlands and forests of the Sologne.

In a wooded park outside Amboise, facing the Loire, this small château was built in 1244 by Geoffrey de Pray; later, the wife of Alphonse Daudet lived here.

Named after a mistress of Charles VII who was also an enthusiastic cook, this ‘sweet, unpretentious little place, astonishingly cheap’, has long been loved by Guide readers.

This 19th century manor house has been converted into a charming country hotel restaurant by its English owners, Hazel and Peter Newington.

Once the home of a 19th-century wine merchant, this vine-covered building is now a ‘charming small hotel’, says a visitor. ‘The friendly staff were very helpful.’

In quiet street in the small village of Oucques is this small hotel/restaurant (Logis de France, Michelin Bib Gourmand) owned by chef M. Lanchais: ‘He and his wife are warm and friendly. Our large second-floor room was huge, with good bathroom,’ say nominators.

On the banks of Le Loir (not La Loire, further south), is this small country restaurant-with-rooms (Logis de France).

‘Bang in the middle of decent-sized, pleasant town’, behind the Hôtel de Ville, is this converted 17th century Ursuline convent, now a B&B hotel.

Martine de Carvalho, the new owner, is proud of the ambience familiale chaleureuse of her centrally placed, white-painted B&B hotel.