Castle Rivo is located in the Department of Indre and Loire, near another famous castle of the Loire Valley - Chinon castle.

Castle Rivo belonged to the family of Bovo, close relatives of which were counts of Anjou, and 1454 of the year and French kings. The first building of the castle with a square donjon dates from the XIII century – it was then that the family Bovo entered the service of the French king. In 1445 the castle was rebuilt, but the Foundation of his donjon has survived to this day. The appearance of new castle Rivo like a typical fortifications of the middle Ages, but it abounds and the elements characteristic of the Renaissance, emphasized, for example, pipes and large Windows.

In 1429, is at the very end of the hundred years war, the castle Rivo in search of horses stopped by the army led by Joan of Arc. The castle really was famous for its horses – in 1510 Francois Bovo, captain of the army of king Francis I, ordered the construction in the courtyard of the castle of the great barn. And during the reign of Henry III, these stables have received the status of Royal stables.

Castle Rivo is mentioned in a satirical novel by Rabelais "Gargantua and Pantagruel" - according to the story, castle receives a gift captain Tolmer in gratitude for the victory over king Microholes.

In the XVII century the castle Rivo was under the patronage of the great cardinal Richelieu – his sister was married to the owner of the castle. Family Bovo owned the castle 247 years and the last representatives left it only when he received the title of princes of Lorraine. From 1768 to 1796 he in the castle lived the Marquis Michelangelo de Castellane, Lord of Villandry. The next two centuries the castle was in ruins.

In 1918 the castle Rivo became part of the monuments of culture and art of France. From 1960 to 1992, and in the castle lived the French painter Pierre-Laurent brenot. In 1992 the castle there are new owners who have engaged in restoration works, and in 2000 the castle was opened to the public.

Castle Rivo is famous for its 12 gardens, as if from the pen of a children's storytellers. Each of these gardens is the name of any hero of the famous tale is especially interesting garden Princess Rapunzel and the maze of Alice in Wonderland. Also in the gardens is a unique collection of rose bushes of more than 300 different varieties. In this Park, right under the open sky, is a Museum of modern sculpture.

Among the interior of the castle is of particular interest study señora de Bovo. This hall is built in the Gothic style in accordance with how the Cabinet looked Senora during the reign of the Plantagenets. Room furnishings XV – XVII centuries.

In the XVI century the castle walls were painted, but by the early XX century on the walls is almost nothing left. The only surviving fresco – "Belshazzar's Feast" by an unknown Flemish master of the XVI century, is located above the fireplace in the dining room.