Montsoreau is a small Loire village with an enviable address: right where the Vienne meets the Loire, between Saumur and Chinon. It is one of the Loire's prettiest low-key stops, all pale tufa stone, river light, and lanes that climb gently above the water.
The main reason to come is the Château de Montsoreau, built unusually close to the river and now used as a contemporary art museum. The juxtaposition works better than it sounds: old defensive stone, wide Loire views, and conceptual art in the same visit.
Montsoreau is best paired with Fontevraud, only a short drive away, or with a slow day along the Loire à Vélo. You do not need a full day unless you are lingering over wine and river walks, but it is too handsome to treat as just a signpost between bigger châteaux.