The château is open year-round but the village really comes alive between late April and early November when the Festival International des Jardins is running. June and September are the most pleasant: the gardens are mature, the weather is mild, and the day-trip crowds from Tours and Paris are thinner than in July and August.
Winter visits have their own appeal — the village is quiet, the bare trees give clear views down to the Loire, and the château interiors are at their most atmospheric.