<Tr> <Th> Region </Th> <Td> Europe and North America </Td> </Tr> <P> The Châteaux of the Loire Valley (French: Châteaux de la Loire) are part of the architectural heritage of the historic towns of Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Montsoreau, Nantes, Orléans, Saumur, and Tours along the Loire River in France . They illustrate Renaissance ideals of design in France . </P> <P> The châteaux, numbering more than three hundred, represent a nation of builders starting with the necessary castle fortifications in the 10th century to the splendour of those built half a millennium later . When the French kings began constructing their huge châteaux in the Loire Valley, the nobility, not wanting or even daring to be far from the seat of power, followed suit . Their presence in the lush, fertile valley began attracting the very best landscape designers . In addition to its many châteaux, the cultural monuments illustrate to an exceptional degree the ideals of the Renaissance and the Age of the Enlightenment on western European thought and design . Many of the châteaux were designed to be built on the top of hills, one example of this is the Château d'Amboise . The only château to have been built in the riverbed is the Château de Montsoreau . Many of the châteaux had extremely detailed and expensive churches on the grounds, or within the actual château itself . </P> <P> As the wars of the 15th century were on the wane, King Louis XI and his successors preferred to spend the bulk of their time in the "garden of France" along the banks of the Loire . In the late 15th century, Tours, then Blois and later Amboise became the preferred locations of the French royal court . Many courtiers bought dilapidated castles founded by the medieval Counts of Blois and Anjou and had them reconstructed in the latest Italianate fashion . Leonardo da Vinci and other Italian artists arrived to design and beautify these residences . </P>

Why are there so many castles in france
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